Site Name: SARNEY FARM
EPA ID: NYD980535165 EPA Region: 02 Metro Statistical Area: 6460
BENSON HILL RD, AMENIA, NY 12501
Site Description:
SARNEY FARM IS AN ABANDONED LANDFILL SITE USED DURING THE LATE 1960'S FOR MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTES. NUMEROUS DRUMS ARE PRESENT.
Operable Unit:
ROD ID: EPA/ROD/R02-90/124 ROD Date: 09/27/90
Contaminant: VOCS; TOLUENE; OTHER ORGANICS; PESTICIDES; METALS; LEAD
Keys: NONE
Abstract:
THE 143-ACRE SARNEY FARM SITE INCLUDES A FORMER 5-ACRE LANDFILL IN AMENIA, DUTCHESS COUNTY, NEW YORK. LAND IN THE AREA IS USED AS FARM LAND AND INCLUDES WETLANDS. THE SITE OVERLIES A BEDROCK AQUIFER, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED AS A DRINKING WATER SOURCE. APPROXIMATELY 2,000 RESIDENCES ARE LOCATED WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE SITE. IN 1968, THE PORTION OF THE SITE THAT INCLUDED A 5-ACRE SANITARY LANDFILL WAS PURCHASED BY HARRIS HAUL-A-WAY. INVESTIGATIONS LATER THAT YEAR REVEALED THAT INDUSTRIAL WASTES INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 40 DRUMS OF WASTE SOLVENTS WERE BEING DISPOSED OF ILLEGALLY IN SEVERAL ONSITE AREAS. IN 1970, THE STATE ORDERED THE ILLEGAL DUMPING TO CEASE. SITE STUDIES BY PRIVATE PARTIES HAVE IDENTIFIED TWO TRENCH AREAS USED FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL, AND ACTING AS LOCALIZED SOURCES OF ONSITE SOIL CONTAMINATION. IN BOTH AREAS, SOIL CONTAMINANTS HAVE INFILTRATED INTO THE ONSITE GROUND WATER, BUT ONLY IN LIMITED AMOUNTS. APPROXIMATELY 40 DRUMS WERE CRUSHED OR BURIED ONSITE IN THE TWO DISPOSAL AREAS. IN 1987, EPA INITIATED A SUPERFUND REMOVAL/TREATMENT ACTION FOR ORGANIC CONTAMINATION, INCLUDING INSTALLING AN IN-SITU SOIL WASHING SYSTEM AT TWO AREAS. ONE OF THESE AREAS IS ADDRESSED IN THIS RECORD OF DECISION (ROD). THIS ROD ADDRESSES THE REMEDIATION OF ONSITE CONTAMINATED SOIL, DEBRIS, AND GROUND WATER IN TWO SOURCE AREAS. THE PRIMARY CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN AFFECTING THE SOIL, DEBRIS, AND GROUND WATER ARE VOCS INCLUDING TOLUENE; OTHER ORGANICS INCLUDING PESTICIDES; AND METALS INCLUDING LEAD. THE SELECTED REMEDIAL ACTION FOR THIS SITE INCLUDES REMOVING WASTE DRUMS FROM TRENCH AREAS 2 & 4 AND DISPOSING OF THESE OFFSITE AT A PERMITTED FACILITY; TREATING ONSITE APPROXIMATELY 2,365 CUBIC YARDS OF CONTAMINATED SOIL FROM THE AREAS SURROUNDING THE DRUMS STORAGE AREA USING LOW TEMPERATURE THERMAL TREATMENT, OR IF SOIL CONTAMINATION IS AT HIGHLY ELEVATED LEVELS, THE SURROUNDING SOIL MAY BE REMOVED OFFSITE AND DISPOSED OF WITH THE DRUMS; BACKFILLING THE EXCAVATED AREAS WITH ANY ONSITE-TREATED SOIL; ALLOWING FOR NATURAL ATTENUATION OF GROUND WATER; CONDUCTING HYDROGEOLOGIC STUDIES ONSITE TO BETTER DEFINE THE HYDROLOGIC CONDITION OF THE SITE; GROUND WATER AND SURFACE WATER MONITORING; AND IMPLEMENTING INSTITUTIONAL CONTROLS INCLUDING DEED RESTRICTIONS. THE PRESENT WORTH COST FOR THIS REMEDIAL ACTION IS $907,500, WHICH INCLUDES AN ANNUAL O&M COST OF $15,300 FOR 30 YEARS. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS OR GOALS; CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC CLEANUP LEVELS FOR SOIL ARE BASED ON RISK-BASED LEVELS (10-5) AND INCLUDE TCE 0.2 UG/L, AND TOLUENE 3.3 UG/L. THESE LEVELS ARE BASED ON THE MAXIMUM SOIL CONCENTRATIONS NEEDED TO REACH A 99.9 PERCENT TREATMENT EFFICIENCY. GROUND WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE ONCE SOURCE CONTAMINATION IS ELIMINATED. THE ESTIMATED TIME FRAME FOR GROUND WATER ATTENUATION TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS IS 30 YEARS.
Remedy:
A REMEDIAL ACTION WILL BE UNDERTAKEN FOR CONTAMINATED SOIL AND BURIED DRUMMED WASTES FOUND AT LOCALIZED AREAS OF THE SITE. IN ADDITION, GROUND AND SURFACE WATER WILL BE SAMPLED AND MONITORED PERIODICALLY; HYDROGEOLOGICAL TESTING WILL ALSO BE PERFORMED. THIS ACTION COMPLEMENTS A REMOVAL ACTION INITIATED IN OCTOBER 1987, CONSISTING OF THE INSTALLATION OF A SOIL FLUSHING SYSTEM WHICH COLLECTS AND TREATS LEACHATE EMANATING FROM TWO AREAS OF THE SITE. THE REMEDY ADDRESSES THE PRINCIPAL THREAT POSED BY THE DRUMMED WASTE AND CONTAMINATED SOIL. THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE SELECTED REMEDY INCLUDE:
* EXCAVATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL AND BURIED DRUMS;
* TRANSPORTATION OF CONTAMINATED DRUMS TO AN OFF-SITE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL FACILITY;
* ON-SITE LOW TEMPERATURE THERMAL TREATMENT OF CONTAMINATED SOIL;
* GRADING OF THE EXCAVATED AREAS WITH THE TREATED SOIL;
* LONG-TERM MONITORING PROGRAM FOR SURFACE WATER, GROUNDWATER, AND RESIDENTIAL WELLS TO VERIFY THAT CONTAMINANTS ARE NOT MIGRATING FROM THE SITE;
* INSTALLATION OF ADDITIONAL MONITORING WELLS (IF NECESSARY); AND
* HYDROGEOLOGICAL TESTING TO ENSURE THAT THE REMEDY CONTINUES TO BE PROTECTIVE OF HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT.