Kansas Superfund Site: Pester Refinery Co.
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Are you in need of a Toxic Tort Lawyer in The Jayhawk State? The U.S. E.P.A. has designated Pester Refinery Co. in Kansas as a Superfund site because of its amounts of environmental toxins and threat to the environment. You can read the report for the site below.
Some Superfund sites are on the National Priority Site Lists. The National Priorities List ("NPL") is the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial action financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protection Agency regulations outline a formal process for assessing hazardous waste sites and placing them on the NPL. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the EPA in determining which sites warrant further investigation.
Sites are listed on the NPL upon completion of Hazard Ranking System (HRS) screening, public solicitation of comments about the proposed site, and after all comments have been addressed. EPA may delete a final NPL site if it determines that no further response is required to protect human health or the environment. Sites where a remediation was completed through the Superfund program are typically deleted from the NPL.
Living near Superfund Sites in Kansas may place you and the people you love at risk of developing a disease from proximity to the site and experiencing a loss of value for your property, but action is being taken to fight back: The EPA says,
[We have] set up a "Post Construction Completion" (or PCC) strategy to ensure that Superfund response actions provide for the long-term protection of human health and the environment. EPA's Post Construction Completion activities also involve optimizing remedies to increase effectiveness and/or reduce cost without sacrificing long-term protection of human health and the environment.Regardless, most of the Superfund sites still pose a health hazard to the well-being of those near-by.
When you rely on Weitz & Luxenberg, you benefit from the legal ability of skilled Toxic Tort lawyers who will help fight back against polluters and win you and your community the financial compensation and remediation to which you are entitled.
Below you can read the EPA report for the Pester Refinery Co. Superfund site. If you, a loved one, or someone in your community has suffered due to toxic pollution in Pester Refinery Co., or if your property has lost value because of pollution, you will need a toxic tort attorney who knows the people of the State of Kansas . You can begin the process of filing a claim by filling out this simple form. There is no obligation, and your case will be evaluated within one business day. To refer a friend, neighbor, or loved one, follow this link to let them know about the environmental toxic tort attorneys at Weitz & Luxenberg.
Pester Refinery Co.
This site is not a Federal Facility.
Pester Refinery
Company
Kansas
Epa Id# Ksd000829846
EPA Region 7
City: El Dorado
County: Butler County
Other Names:
07/10/2002
Site Description
The Pester Refinery Company site is located on a 10-acre tract to the north and west of the city of El
Dorado, Butler County, Kansas. The refinery operations began in 1917. Refinery wastes were stored
in the burn pond and these wastes were periodically ignited through the mid-1970s. The burn pond is
adjacent to the West Branch of the Walnut River. In 1987 the Kansas Department of Health and the
Environment (KDHE) found seepage from the impoundment entering the river and conducted sampling.
During rainfall events pond water has occasionally overflowed and discharged to the river and adjacent
flood plain. An estimated 160 people obtain drinking water from private wells located within 3 miles of
the site.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through federal, state, and
potentially responsible party actions.
Npl Listinghistory
Proposed Date:06/24/1988
Final Date:
Deleted Date:
03/31/1989
Threats And Contaminants
Groundwater contaminants include benzene, toluene, ethylene and xylene (BTEX)
compounds. The burn pond sludge, was found to be contaminated with BTEX
compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The soil beneath the pond
sludge is also contaminated at lower concentrations. Accidental ingestion of soil or
sludge could pose a health risk. Since the site lies within the 100-year floodplain,
flooding of the site area is a concern.
Cleanup Approach
Response Action Status
Initial Actions:Source Control: In 1990 the potentially responsible party began
conducting a remedial investigation (RI) to determine the nature and extent of the
contamination at the site and a feasibility study (FS) to consider alternatives for
remediation. In 1992 the Record of Decision (ROD) was written for the first operable
unit (OU1) selecting a remedy to address the source of contamination, including off-site
removal of sludge from the burn pond and in-situ bioremediation and soil flushing of
underlying soil beneath the sludge. In 1992 the responsible party began construction of
an interceptor trench on the north and east sides of the burn pond. The first phase of the
remedial action continued through March 1996, and included dredging and processing
sludge, petroleum recovery, and shipment of solids offsite. In 1996, the installation of
aeratiors in the pond initiated the second phase of the remedial action, the bioremediation
of soils and soil flushing.
Site Studies:Groundwater: In 1993 the potentially responsible party began conducting
an RI into the nature and extent of the contamination of the groundwater. Groundwater
monitoring wells were installed by the responsible party, and groundwater sampling
indicated contamination in the alluvial aquifer only. The lower bedrock aquifer, the
Florence Aquifer, which is a drinking water aquifer, was not contaminated. In 1998, a
ROD was written for the second operable unit selecting the no-remedial action alternative
with quarterly groundwater monitoring. The alluvial aquifer did not provide sufficient
yield to be utilized for drinking water and the lower bedrock drinking water aquifer was
not contaminated.
Site Facts:
In 1986 the KDHE issued an Administrative Order to the owner, Pester Refinery
Company, to conduct an RI/FS. Pester demonstrated an inability to pay for the clean
up and filed for bankruptcy. In 1990 a previous owner, Fina, along with Pester, signed
a Consent Order with the KDHE in which the companies agreed to conduct the RI/FS.
In 1992 a Record of Decision (ROD) was written selecting a remedy of off-site
removal of sludge from the burn pond and in-situ bioremediation and soil flushing. In
September 1993 an Order was signed by the KDHE and Fina in which the company
agreed to conduct the remedial design (RD) and remedial action (RA) for the site. In
December 1993 an Order was signed by the KDHE and Fina in which the company
agreed to perform the RI/FS for the groundwater operable unit (OU2). The remedial
action began in 1994. In 1998 a ROD was written for OU2, the groundwater operable
unit, requiring quarterly monitoring. In March 2000 an Order was signed by the KDHE
and Fina for the monitoring for the groundwater operable unit (OU2) and the RD and
RA for OU1. The monitoring for OU2 includes quarterly groundwater monitoring and
sediment monitoring. In 1999 a five year review was conducted in which the site was
determined to be protective of human health and the environment while the site
remediation continued. In March 2000 an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD)
described a reinterpretation of the soil cleanup goals for polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons to reflect current policy on individual toxicities.
Environmental Progress
By addressing the source of site contamination, the EPA has determined that the Pester
Refinery Company site does not pose an immediate threat to human health and the environment while
the remaining site cleanup activities are being conducted. A five-year review report was conducted in
1999 and the site was found to be protective of human health and the environment while site activities
are ongoing. If a remedial action is selected that results in any hazardous substances, pollutants, or
contaminants remaining at the site, the remedial action must be reviewed no less often than each five
years after the initiation of the remedial action to assure that human health and the environment are being
protected by the remedial action being implemented. The next five year review will be conducted in
2004.
Site Repository
Bradford Memorial Library
611 South Washington
El Dorado, Kansas
Superfund Records Center
901 N. 5th St.
Kansas City,
Ks
66101Mail Stop SUPR
(913)551-4038
Regional
Site Manager:
Catherine Barrett
E-Mail Address:
barrett.catherine@epa.gov.
Phone Number:
(913) 551-7704
Community Involvement Coordinator:
Hattie Thomas
Phone Number:
(913) 551-7003
E-Mail Address:
thomas.hattie@epa.gov
State Contact:
Kurt Limesand
Phone Number:
(785) 296-1671
Miscellaneous Information
State:
Ks
0753
Congressional District:
04
Epa Organization:
Sfd-Moks/Supr
Modifications
Created by:
Karla
Asberry/SUPRFUND/R7/US
Epa/Us
Created Date:
10/20/1997 03:15 Pm
Last Modified by:
Catherine
Barrett/SUPR/R7/USEPA/US
Last Modified Date:
07/10/2002
11:07 AMsource: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Act Now! It is essential that you inquire about your pollutant lawsuit as soon as possible. Kansas law may limit your time to bring a legal claim to protect your rights. Your legal review is free and there is no commitment. You case will be evaluated immediately, so get started on your claim today!
see also:
Fort Riley
Environmental Pollution in Kansas- Site: Fort RileyFort Riley Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution
Strother Field Industrial Park
Environmental Pollution in Kansas- Site: Strother Field Industrial ParkStrother Field Industrial Park Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution
KS
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