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Weld County Waste ritallroa
Disposal Site (WCWD)
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lit.:......
Ft. Lupton, CO Weld County
Southern Weld County, Colorado
U.S. EPA Region 8, Denver, Colorado June 2000
The chlorinated VOCs were mostly
ABOUT THE WELD COUNTY industrial solvents not related to the oil-
WASTE DISPOSAL (WCWD) SITE field wastes being handled under
RCRA. Instead, the contaminated soils
The WCWD site, a former oil field in Pond E were investigated and
brine-disposal facility, is located about cleaned up by EPA's Superfund
three miles southeast of Ft. Lupton. Removal Program.
Due to concerns about oil-related
chemicals and salts entering the ground EPA REMOVAL PLAN
water, in May 1995 the Envirc:mental
Protection Agency (EPA) ordered the Starting in the spring of 1998, EPA
owner and operator of the facility and conducted its own investigations.
the two largest users of the facility to While the majority of the chlorinated
conduct an investigation and cleanup of VOC soils were found in the Pond E
the oil-field wastes. The order was area, a smaller amount was found in
issued and carried out under the what is referred to as the Former
Resource Conservation and Recovery Receiving Area.
Act(RCRA). RCRA is the federal law
governing waste-disposal facilities that In August 1999, EPA requested
were active after 1980. comments on a new cleanup plan which
consisted of digging up contaminated
During the course of the RCRA soils and sending the majority off site to
investigations, certain chlorinated a permitted landfill. According to the
volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) were plan, some soils with very high
found in soils and ground water. These contaminant levels could require on-site
compounds were found in soils at the treatment prior to sending them off-
area referred to as Pond E and in site. EPA also planned to conduct
ground water down gradient from Pond further ground water investigations to
E. The former Pond E had been closed determine if additional work was
and covered with clean soil in late 1979. needed to protect private wells down
gradient from the site.
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COMPLETION OF THE CLEANUP were still above the cleanup levels,
more soil was removed from the
All soil excavation and off-site disposal, bottom or side, wherever practical. For
as well as site restoration, is now Pond E, clean-up levels were achieved
complete. Removing contaminated in all but 7 of the 50 grids. The bottom
soils from Pond E began on September samples taken from these 7 grids
30, 1999 and was completed on slightly exceeded cleanup levels. From
December 14, 1999. The average depth the Former Receiving Area,
of the excavation was 8 to 9 feet but in confirmation samples exceeded the
some cases extended to 16 feet. About cleanup levels in sidewall samples of
39,500 tons of soil were removed and the two grids and in the bottom sample
taken off site to a permitted landfill. of one grid. Based on the following
Removing soils from the Former considerations, no additional soil was
Receiving Area began on January 20, removed:
2000 and was completed on February 4,
2000. An estimated 13,500 tons of soil All visibly stained soils had been
were removed and taken off site to a removed so that the goal of
permitted landfill. The average depth of removing high-concentration
excavation in this area was 20 to 22 materials which could further
feet. No soil from Pond E or the impact ground water was
Former Receiving Area needed further achieved.
treatment due to high contaminant
levels. •
lThe remaining concentrations
were not far above the cleanup
In addition to the soil, 587,500 gallons goals.
of ground water, which accumulated
rapidly in the excavations and contained Remaining contamination is
very high levels of chlorinated VOCs, located 4 to 20 feet below
were sent off site for treatment and ground.
disposal. From time to time during the
cleanup, EPA monitored air quality to Large volumes of ground water
check chemical levels. In all cases, air at the bottom of excavations
quality next to the excavation was well made further digging
below any level of health concern. impractical.
None of the chemicals
For purposes of excavating and remaining in soil are found in
handling, Pond E was divided into fifty off-site ground water, which
20-foot by 65-foot grids, and the means that these compounds do
Former Receiving Pond was divided not travel far in ground water.
into two 50 foot by 100 foot grids.
After each grid was dug up, the sides In March 2000, site restoration was
and bottom of the pit were tested to completed. Clean soil was brought in
ensure that the site-specific cleanup to fill the excavation. The site was
levels were met. If contaminant levels regraded to promote drainage and
-3
reseeded with a native-grass mixture.
CONTINUED GROUND-WATER
MONITORING
EPA continues to investigate the
contaminated ground water to
determine if more work is needed to
protect private wells down gradient of
the site. This investigation will involve
monitoring ground-water wells for at
least 12 months after the soil excavation
is complete. Results of the first round
of monitoring show that ground-water
concentrations down gradient of the site
were similar to concentrations detected
in September 1999.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
about the WCWD site, contact:
Steve Hawthorn (303) 312-6426 or
Superfund Removal Actions (800) 227-8917 ext. 66426
U.S. EPA MC: EPR-SA E-mail: darling.corbin@epa.gov
999 18th Street Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2466 Trevor Jiricek
(303) 312-6061 or Director, Environmental Health
(800) 227-8917 ext. 6061 Weld County Health Department
E-mail: hawthorn.steve@epa.zov 1555 North 17th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
Ellie Crandall (970) 304-6415 ext. 2214
Community Involvement Coordinator E-mail: tjiricek@co.weld.co.us
U.S. EPA MC: 8OC
(303) 312-6621 or Roger Doak
800) 227-8917 ext. 6621 CO Dept. Public Health&Env.
E-mail: crandall.ellie(c�Depa.gov 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530
Corbin Darling, (303) 692-3437
U.S. EPA MC: 8P2-HW
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ray ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 8
999 18TH STREET - SUITE 500
DENVER, CO 80202.2466
Weld County Commissioners
P.O. Box 758
Greeley, CO 80632
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The U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)
The current U.S. EPA fact sheet for
the Weld County Waste Disposal, Inc. removal site.
Steve Hawthorn
Superfund Removal Actions
U.S. EPA MC: EPR-SA
999 18"' Street Suite 500
Denver, CO 80202-2466
(303) 312-6061 or
(800) 227-8917 ext. 6061
E-mail: hawthom.steve@epa.dov
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