Ohio Superfund Site: Fields Brook
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Do you need a Toxic Tort Attorney in The Buckeye State? The E.P.A. has designated Fields Brook in Ohio as a Superfund site due to its levels of toxic pollution and harm to the natural world. 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 Ohio may place you and your family at higher risk of getting sick from proximity to the site and experiencing a loss of value for your property, but you can do something to 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 are still very dangerous 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 secure you and your loved ones the financial compensation and environmental remediation to which you are entitled.
Below you can read the EPA report for the Fields Brook Superfund site. If you, a loved one, or someone in your community has suffered due to toxic pollution in Fields Brook, or if your property has lost value because of contamination, you will need a toxic tort lawyer who knows the people of the State of Ohio . Take your first step filling out this simple form. There is no obligation, and your case will be evaluated within one day. To refer a friend, neighbor, or loved one, click here to let them know about the environmental toxic tort lawyers at Weitz & Luxenberg.
Fields Brook
This site is not a Federal Facility.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL Listing History:
Proposed Date: 12/30/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
Threats and Contaminants
Sediments taken from Fields Brook were contaminated with PCBs, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, phthalates and low-level radionuclides. VOCs and heavy metals including mercury, lead, zinc, and cadmium have been detected in surface water from Fields Brook and the Detrex tributary. Contaminated sediments threaten drinking water intakes in Lake Erie. Contaminants detected in fish include VOCs and PCBs. The site pose a potential health risk to individuals who would accidentally ingest or come into direct contact with contaminated water from Fields Brook. Ingesting contaminated fish or sediments also may have caused adverse health effects.Cleanup Progress
In 1986, a final cleanup decision for the Fields Brook sediment Operable Unit was reached between the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the state. In 1989, U.S. EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to require the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to design and implement the 1986 Record of Decision (ROD) for the Fields Brook sediment. Recognizing that contaminated sediment was only part of the problem, U.S. EPA required the PRPs to also investigate the adjacent floodplain/wetland area and conduct a search for the source(s) of site contamination.The investigation of the floodplain/wetland areas along Fields Brook found that contamination, especially PCBs, did extend into the soils adjacent to the Brook. U.S. EPA issued a ROD on June 30, 1997, to select the remedy for the floodplain/wetlands Operable Unit (OU). The remedy required the excavation and disposal of PCB-contaminated soil in both industrial and residential portions of the OU. In addition, soils with low-level PCB contamination near residential areas were to be covered to reduce erosion into the Brook. An onsite landfill was to be built within the industrial area of the Fields Brook watershed to house PCB-contaminated soils and sediment from site.
In August, 1997, U.S. EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) which modified the original 1986 sediment OU ROD. The ESD eliminated the need for onsite thermal treatment by allowing off-site treatment of contaminated sediment. The ESD also decreased the volume of sediment requiring excavation and eliminated the solidification requirement for sediments to be landfilled.
On September 30, 1997,U.S. EPA issued a ROD to select remedies for six source areas that could potentially recontaminate the Brook. In general, remedies require excavation and containment.
In 1998, low-level radionuclides were discovered in the soil and mining residuals at the Millennium Inorganic Chemicals TiCl4 facility (one of the industrial source areas addressed by the September 1997 source control ROD) and in Fields Brook sediment and floodplain/wetland soils. The discovery of the low-level radionuclides (primarily radium-226 and radium-228) complicated the cleanup designs that were then underway. On April 8, 1999, U.S. EPA issued a Site-Wide ESD which modified all existing RODs for the site, established radionuclide cleanup levels, and outlined the design modifications necessitated by the presence of the radionuclides. In August 2001, U.S. EPA issued another ESD to address the discovery of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) below the brook sediments and floodplain soils. The DNAPL was found in Exposure Units 6 and 8, and indications are that it originally came from the historical Detrex discharge location. The ESD reverses a previous change in treatment location and allows onsite thermal treatment of impacted soils and sediments.
Cleanup work at the Fields Brook operable units was completed according to the following schedule:
Millennium Inorganic Chemicals TiCl4 Facility - Excavation of approximately 60,000 cubic yards of PCB- and radium-contaminated soil and mining residuals was completed in the fall of 1999. Disposal in the existing Millennium onsite landfill.
Fields Brook Sediment andFloodplain/Wetland Soils - Construction of an onsite landfill was completed in the summer of 2000. Excavation of Fields Brook soil and floodplain/wetland sediment and DNAPL-contaminated soil and sediment was completed in December 2002. Thermal treatment will be performed onsite for non-TSCA DNAPL-impacted soils and sediment. Restoration activities were completed in Spring 2003.
RMI Metals - The cleanup work was completed in the summer of 2001.
Acme Scrap Iron andMetals / South Sewers - The excavation and disposal of PCB-contaminated soil and the cleaning of the south sewers was completed in the Fall of 2000.
Detrex Chemicals- Construction of a slurry wall was completed in 2000. Construction of DNAPL extraction wells began in 2001. The first phase of the DNPAL extraction system was constructed in 2002. After an evaluation of the capture of the extraction wells, a determination will be made whether additional extraction wells are required and where wells should be placed.
North Sewers - The grouting and replacement of the contaminated North Sewers was completed in Fall of 2000.
Conrail - Physical construction at the Conrail source control OU was completed in December of 1998. Arsenic-contaminated soil was excavated and shipped for disposal offsite.
Ashtabula River - Contaminated sediments in the Ashtabula River were historically considered to be OU 3 of the Fields Brook Superfund Site. However, the Ashtabula River sediments are now to be addressed outside of Superfund, under Water Resources Development Act authority, by the Ashtabula River Partnershp. The Ashtabula River Partnership is a public/private partnership involving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. EPA, the State of Ohio, the city of Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, public officials, local industries and businesses, and other local stakeholders. The Superfund program is monitoring the progress of the Ashtabula River Partnership, and may elect to reinitiate Superfund involvement if the project fails to move forward in a timely manner.
Operations Maintence and Monitoring - U.S. EPA is working with the PRPs on the finalization of work plans for operations, maintence and monitoring at Fields Brook. In addition to routine maintenance and monitoring at the Fields Brook landfill, PRPs will collect soil and sediment samples from the brook so that U.S. EPA can evaluate the brook's recovery.
Contact
Remedial Project ManagerTerese A. Van Donsel
(312) 353-6564
vandonsel.terese@epa.gov
Community Involvement Coordinator
Zenny Sadlon
(312) 886-6646
sadlon.zenny@epa.gov
Fields Brook site, located approximately 55 miles east of Cleveland in the city and county of Ashtabula, Ohio, is a six square-mile watershed of a Brook where, from 1940 to the present, up to 19 separate facilities operated. Activities range from metals-fabrication to chemicals production. Fields Brook flows into the Ashtabula River, which flows into Lake Erie approximately 1-1/2 miles downstream of the site. Sediments of Fields Brook and soils of the Fields Brook floodplain/wetlands area are contaminated with a wide variety of contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated solvents and metals. Several industrial properties surrounding Fields Brook were potentially recontaminating Fields Brook sediment, which has contaminated Ashtabula River sediments. Approximately 23,000 people live within one mile of the site in the city of Ashtabula.
The investigation of the floodplain/wetland areas along Fields Brook found that contamination, especially PCBs, did extend into the soils adjacent to the Brook. U.S. EPA issued a ROD on June 30, 1997, to select the remedy for the floodplain/wetlands Operable Unit (OU). The remedy required the excavation and disposal of PCB-contaminated soil in both industrial and residential portions of the OU. In addition, soils with low-level PCB contamination near residential areas were to be covered to reduce erosion into the Brook. An onsite landfill was to be built within the industrial area of the Fields Brook watershed to house PCB-contaminated soils and sediment from site.
In August, 1997, U.S. EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) which modified the original 1986 sediment OU ROD. The ESD eliminated the need for onsite thermal treatment by allowing off-site treatment of contaminated sediment. The ESD also decreased the volume of sediment requiring excavation and eliminated the solidification requirement for sediments to be landfilled.
On September 30, 1997,U.S. EPA issued a ROD to select remedies for six source areas that could potentially recontaminate the Brook. In general, remedies require excavation and containment.
In 1998, low-level radionuclides were discovered in the soil and mining residuals at the Millennium Inorganic Chemicals TiCl4 facility (one of the industrial source areas addressed by the September 1997 source control ROD) and in Fields Brook sediment and floodplain/wetland soils. The discovery of the low-level radionuclides (primarily radium-226 and radium-228) complicated the cleanup designs that were then underway. On April 8, 1999, U.S. EPA issued a Site-Wide ESD which modified all existing RODs for the site, established radionuclide cleanup levels, and outlined the design modifications necessitated by the presence of the radionuclides. In August 2001, U.S. EPA issued another ESD to address the discovery of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) below the brook sediments and floodplain soils. The DNAPL was found in Exposure Units 6 and 8, and indications are that it originally came from the historical Detrex discharge location. The ESD reverses a previous change in treatment location and allows onsite thermal treatment of impacted soils and sediments.
Cleanup work at the Fields Brook operable units was completed according to the following schedule:
Millennium Inorganic Chemicals TiCl4 Facility - Excavation of approximately 60,000 cubic yards of PCB- and radium-contaminated soil and mining residuals was completed in the fall of 1999. Disposal in the existing Millennium onsite landfill.
Fields Brook Sediment andFloodplain/Wetland Soils - Construction of an onsite landfill was completed in the summer of 2000. Excavation of Fields Brook soil and floodplain/wetland sediment and DNAPL-contaminated soil and sediment was completed in December 2002. Thermal treatment will be performed onsite for non-TSCA DNAPL-impacted soils and sediment. Restoration activities were completed in Spring 2003.
RMI Metals - The cleanup work was completed in the summer of 2001.
Acme Scrap Iron andMetals / South Sewers - The excavation and disposal of PCB-contaminated soil and the cleaning of the south sewers was completed in the Fall of 2000.
Detrex Chemicals- Construction of a slurry wall was completed in 2000. Construction of DNAPL extraction wells began in 2001. The first phase of the DNPAL extraction system was constructed in 2002. After an evaluation of the capture of the extraction wells, a determination will be made whether additional extraction wells are required and where wells should be placed.
North Sewers - The grouting and replacement of the contaminated North Sewers was completed in Fall of 2000.
Conrail - Physical construction at the Conrail source control OU was completed in December of 1998. Arsenic-contaminated soil was excavated and shipped for disposal offsite.
Ashtabula River - Contaminated sediments in the Ashtabula River were historically considered to be OU 3 of the Fields Brook Superfund Site. However, the Ashtabula River sediments are now to be addressed outside of Superfund, under Water Resources Development Act authority, by the Ashtabula River Partnershp. The Ashtabula River Partnership is a public/private partnership involving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. EPA, the State of Ohio, the city of Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, public officials, local industries and businesses, and other local stakeholders. The Superfund program is monitoring the progress of the Ashtabula River Partnership, and may elect to reinitiate Superfund involvement if the project fails to move forward in a timely manner.
Operations Maintence and Monitoring - U.S. EPA is working with the PRPs on the finalization of work plans for operations, maintence and monitoring at Fields Brook. In addition to routine maintenance and monitoring at the Fields Brook landfill, PRPs will collect soil and sediment samples from the brook so that U.S. EPA can evaluate the brook's recovery.
Community Involvement Coordinator
Zenny Sadlon
(312) 886-6646
sadlon.zenny@epa.gov
source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Act Now! It is essential that you inquire about your pollutant lawsuit as soon as possible. Ohio 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:
Feed Materials Production Center (Usdoe)
Environmental Pollution in Ohio- Site: Feed Materials Production Center (Usdoe)Feed Materials Production Center (Usdoe) Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution
Fields Brook
Environmental Pollution in Ohio- Site: Fields BrookFields Brook Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution
Fa - Fz
Ohio Superfund Sites: Fa - FzOhio Superfund Site Info - Fight Air Pollution, Water Pollution
