HomeMy WebLinkAboutUpdate on Bozeman Solvent Site, Notice of 2009 Vapor Study and Notice of Community Meeting on June 2nd at Bozeman Library
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and Commission Members
FROM: Tim Cooper, Assistant City Attorney
Chris Kukulski, City Manager
SUBJECT: Update on Bozeman Solvent Site, Notice of 2009 Vapor Study, and
Notice of Community Meeting on June 2nd at Bozeman Library
MEETING DATE: June 1, 2009
SPECIAL PRESENTATION: We will update the Commission on the Bozeman Solvent Site,
the project history, the regulatory process, ongoing testing and monitoring, the potential for PCE
Vapor Intrusion and the 2009 Vapor Study.
Report compiled on: May 29, 2009
Attachments: Power Point Presentation
24
BOZEMAN SOLVENT SITE
HISTORY
and
2009 VAPOR STUDY
Michael G. Ellerd
ATC Associates Inc.
Bozeman, Montana
June 2009
25
AGENDA
§Overview
§Project History
§Regulatory Process
§Ongoing Testing & Monitoring
§Potential PCE Vapor Intrusion
§2009 Vapor Study
26
OVERVIEW
§BSS & DNRC Controlled Ground Water Area
27
OVERVIEW
§Shallow Groundwater (<50 ft) PCE Impacts as of
June 2008 (concentrations >5 µg/L)
28
OVERVIEW
§Former Buttrey Shopping Center
29
PROJECT HISTORY
§1989, Perchloroethene (PCE) discovered by MDEQ in Nelson Mobile Home Park
§1989, alternate water supplies provided and municipal water connections begin
§1990 & 1992 Investigations determine former BSC septic system as a source, which was removed in 1992
§1994 & 1995 Investigations determined sewer line behind the BSC as another source, which was replaced in 1994 and 1995
§1992 –1995 Partial excavation of impacted soil during septic system removal and sewer line replacement
§1993 –1997, Soil vapor extraction systems operated in source areas
§1997, Draft RI report submitted to MDEQ
§1999, RI revised and finalized
§1999, Semi-annual groundwater monitoring implemented
30
PROJECT HISTORY, Continued
§2004 Baseline Risk Assessment submitted to MDEQ
§2005 MDEQ granted City and Jewel Food Stores permission to proceed with voluntary bioremediation pilot testing
§2006 CVS assumed responsibility for the Bozeman Solvent Site from Jewel Food Stores
§2006 Revised Baseline Risk Assessment submitted to MDEQ
§2006 Draft Feasibility Study submitted to MDEQ
§2006-2007 City & CVS conducted pre-pilot test source area
investigations.
§2007 City & CVS conduct sub-slab vapor and indoor air sampling
at Hastings and CVS
§2008 City & CVS begin bioremediation pilot testing at the former
BSC
§2009 City & CVS conduct follow-up sub-slab vapor and indoor air
sampling at Hastings, CVS and Corral West Ranchwear
31
REGULATORY PROCESS
§MDEQ CECRA Process for the BSS
32
ONGOING TESTING & MONITORING
§Regular groundwater monitoring since 1989
§Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual from 1989 to 1999
§Semi-annual monitoring since 1999 in accordance with MDEQ
approved Long Term Monitoring Program
•June (~40 wells) and December (~15 wells)
§PCE concentrations have and continue to exhibit overall declining
trends
§For example, PCE at Nelson Mobile Home Park (R-11)
•August 1989, 714 µg/L (ppb)
•June 2008, 1.5 µg/L (ppb)
•MDEQ Water Quality Standard for PCE = 5.0 µg/L (ppb)
§2006-2007 BSC source area (pre-pilot test) investigations
§Voluntary bioremediation pilot test (currently in progress at the
BSC)
§Sub-slab vapor and indoor air studies (more on these later)
33
POTENTIAL PCE VAPOR INTRUSION
§The issue:
§MDEQ recently determined there may be a potential
indoor air risk from PCE migrating from groundwater
into soil gas in the residential area north
(downgradient) of the former Buttrey Shopping
Center.
§The response:
§City and CVS will conduct a phased investigation to
evaluate this potential.
§But first, some background…
34
POTENTIAL PCE VAPOR INTRUSION
§What is PCE?
§Tetrachloroethene or perchloroethene or PCE
§Volatile organic compound (VOC), i.e., a liquid at room
temperature that readily evaporates
§Cleaning solvent commonly used in dry-cleaning, auto parts
cleaning, and household products such as
•Carpet cleaner
•Spot remover
•Other cleaning products
§Occurs in indoor air from variety of sources such as
•Recently dry-cleaned clothes
•Storage and use of cleaning products
•Paper coatings and printing inks
•Neighboring commercial uses (auto shops, dry cleaners, etc)
35
POTENTIAL PCE VAPOR INTRUSION
§VOCs may migrate into the unsaturated zone from soil or
groundwater.
§Vapors may migrate through the unsaturated zone into a
building through cracks, utility holes, or other openings in
foundations.
36
POTENTIAL PCE VAPOR INTRUSION
§Previous BSS Vapor & Indoor Air Studies
§1997 Groundwater off-gassing study
§2007 Employee exposure monitoring
§2007 BSC outdoor air, sub-slab soil gas and indoor
air studies at CVS & Hastings
§2009 follow-up BSC outdoor air, sub-slab soil gas
and indoor air studies at CVS and Hastings, and
sub-slab and indoor air at Corral West
37
POTENTIAL PCE VAPOR INTRUSION
§Results of previous investigations:
1.Nicklin Earth & Water/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ASTDR), 1997: vapor-phase contaminants unlikely to
migrate from groundwater to the indoor air of homes or other
buildings at concentrations above normal indoor air concentrations.
2.Hygiene Technologies International, 2007: Employee exposure
monitoring did not detect PCE in any sample badges worn by
employees during normal shifts.
3.Kleinfelder, September 2007: Indoor air concentrations of PCE do
not pose an unacceptable health hazard to employees of Hastings or
CVS, nor to patrons of those businesses based on EPA indoor air
guideline concentrations, which are higher than those found in these
businesses.
4.Kleinfelder, March 2009: Results of sampling in CVS and Corral
West Ranchwear found sub-slab concentrations generally decreased
but that some indoor air VOC concentrations increased, although
concentrations are below typical action levels.
38
POTENTIAL PCE VAPOR INTRUSION
§However, a recent generic theoretical evaluation by
the MDEQ indicated it may be possible for PCE to
migrate from the dissolved phase into the vapor
phase at concentrations exceeding screening
levels at the Bozeman Solvent Site.
§In response to this evaluation the City and CVS are
proceeding with a phased study of off-site soil
vapor conditions.
39
2009 BSS VAPOR STUDY
§Phased approach
1.Install soil gas probes in City of Bozeman right-of-
way in residential area north of former Buttrey
Shopping Center.
2.Then, if warranted from Step 1, install additional
soil gas probes adjacent to residences.
3.Only if warranted from Steps 1 and 2, then conduct
indoor air sampling to determine if PCE exists in
residences north of the BSC above guideline or
background concentrations.
40
2009 BSS VAPOR STUDY
§First phase, summer 2009
§Install and sample 30 soil gas probes in 15 locations
§Probes installed via direct-push along streets and in alleys
from the former BSC and Oak Street
§Probes installed just above the water table
§Samples collected under vacuum in “Summa” canisters
§Samples analyzed for PCE
§Results evaluated and compared to MDEQ (EPA) residential
indoor air screening levels and background indoor PCE
concentrations
41
2009 BSS VAPOR STUDY
•Proposed First Phase Soil Gas Probe Locations
42
2009 BSS VAPOR STUDY
§Typical background residential PCE concentrations:
§Historically, dozens of studies have measured PCE in indoor air
at a wide range of concentrations;
§EPA studies indicate typical background residential PCE
concentrations range between approximately 1 and 10 µg/m3
§The mean concentration in another large indoor study was
approximately 3 µg/m3
§Another study found a maximum background PCE
concentration of approximately 20 µg/m3
§MDEQ residential indoor air screening level
§For PCE this level is 0.41 µg/m3
§Therefore background levels must be considered
43
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The City of Bozeman and CVS/pharmacy to Conduct Bozeman Solvent Site Vapor Study
- Public informational meeting to be held Tuesday, June 2 -
Bozeman, Montana, May 27, 2009: The City of Bozeman (City) and CVS/pharmacy (CVS)
announced today that a study will be conducted early this summer to evaluate the potential for
vapor migration from groundwater impacted by a former dry cleaner in the neighborhoods north
of the Hastings Shopping Center.
The study is part of ongoing activities on the Bozeman Solvent Site, the site of an inadvertent
release of perchloroethene (PCE) from a former dry cleaning operation located at what was
once known as the Buttrey Shopping Center, now known as the Hastings Shopping Center. The
PCE release was first discovered in 1989 and has since been regulated by the Montana
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The City and CVS share joint responsibility for
the Bozeman Solvent Site. CVS assumed responsibility for the site in 2006 as part of its
acquisition of the Osco Drug chain.
PCE is commonly detected in residential indoor air and occurs from such things as: dry-cleaned
clothes; the use of household cleaning products such as carpet cleaner, spot remover and metal
cleaners; paper coatings and printing inks; and proximity to neighboring commercial operations
that use PCE such as automobile repair shops and dry cleaners.
The City and CVS have seen no evidence to suggest that PCE concentrations in residences in
the study area should exceed normal background residential concentrations. Nonetheless, they
have proposed to conduct the vapor study to ensure there are no potentially adverse health
effects as a result of the Bozeman Solvent Site. The City and CVS will hold a public meeting at
7:00 pm on Tuesday, June 2 in the Community Room of the Bozeman Public Library to provide
further information to the public and address questions and/or concerns.
The first phase of the vapor study will involve installation and sampling of a series of 30 soil
vapor probes in 15 locations along City streets and alleys in a study area between the Hastings
Shopping Center and Oak Street in order to evaluate the presence of PCE vapor in the soil
above groundwater. If PCE is detected in soil gas above MDEQ screening levels, the second
phase of the study will involve installation and sampling of probes adjacent to residences in the
study area. If PCE is detected in the first and second phases of the study above MDEQ
screening levels, the third phase of the study will involve indoor air sampling in residences in the
study area to determine if indoor air PCE concentrations exceed regulatory guidelines or normal
background concentrations.
The Bozeman Solvent Site has been carefully studied and monitored in the past. By way of
background, following discovery of the PCE release in 1989, it was determined that the release
occurred through former septic and sewer systems at the Buttrey Shopping Center. These
septic and sewer systems were subsequently replaced or removed, during which some PCE
impacted soil was removed. Additional PCE was removed through soil vapor extraction in the
mid-1990s. Groundwater sampling is conducted on a semi-annual basis to monitor PCE
concentrations in groundwater
.
(more)
While the data show that PCE concentrations have and continue to exhibit overall declining
trends, the data also indicate
residual PCE remains in the source area at the Hastings Shopping
Center. Therefore, the City and CVS sought and received approval from the MDEQ to
voluntarily proceed with bioremediation pilot testing, a remedial technology that enhances
natural destruction of PCE by soil microbes, and that effort is ongoing.
In addition, several vapor and indoor air investigations have been conducted at the site:
• A 1997 groundwater off-gassing study determined that vapor-phase contaminants are
unlikely to migrate from groundwater to the indoor air of homes or other buildings at
concentrations above normal indoor air concentrations.
• In 2007 an employee exposure monitoring study conducted in Hastings Books and Video
did not detect PCE in any sample badges worn by employees during normal shifts.
• An outdoor air, sub-slab soil gas and indoor air study at CVS & Hastings, also conducted in
2007,
determined that indoor air concentrations of PCE do not pose an unacceptable health
hazard to employees of Hastings or CVS, nor to patrons of those businesses. The study’s
results were below the EPA’s indoor air guideline concentrations.
• A follow-up study in March 2009 in Hastings and CVS, along with space formerly occupied
by Corral West Ranchwear,
found sub-slab concentrations generally decreased but that
some indoor air VOC concentrations increased, although concentrations are below typical
action levels.
Recently, the MDEQ, using a hypothetical model that was not specific to the Bozeman Solvent
Site, indicated it may be possible for PCE to migrate from groundwater into soil vapor at
concentrations exceeding screening levels in the residential area north (downgradient) of the
Hastings Shopping Center. In response, the City and CVS have proposed to conduct a phased
investigation to evaluate this potential, and on behalf of the City and CVS, two environmental
consulting firms, ATC Associates Inc. (ATC) and Kleinfelder Inc. (Kleinfelder), will conduct the
proposed
vapor study. Upon approval of that proposal by the MDEQ ATC and Kleinfelder will
proceed with the vapor study in June.
###
Media Contacts:
Michael Ellerd
ATC Associates
406-794-5711
michael.ellerd@atcassociates.com
Debbie Arkell, Director of Public Services
City of Bozeman
406-582-2315
darkell@bozeman.net
Mike DeAngelis
CVS/pharmacy
401-770-2645
mjdeangelis@cvs.com