“A Civil Action”

WELLS G AND H WOBURN, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) No. MAD980732168

http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/classes/geol351/woburn.htm

Five sources of TCE :• New England Plastics• Wildwood Conservation Trust (Riley Tannery/Beatrice Foods)• Olympia Nominee Trust (Hemingway Trucking)• UniFirst• W.R. Grace (Cryovac)

10 100 1000

Concentration of TCE in micrograms per liter

0 1000 feet

TCE in 1985

W.R.Grace

•

BeatriceFoods

Woburn Site

MunicipalWells G & H

Aberjona River

Geology:buried river valleyof glacial outwash andice contact depositsoverlyingfractured bedrock

The trial took place in 1986.

Did TCE reach the wells before May 1979?

Wells G&H operated from October 1964- May 1979

Common organic contaminants

Source: EPA circular

UniFirst Corportation

• Formerly a dry cleaning facility - Interstate Uniform Service Corporation (IUSC) (1966-1983).

• From 1977-1982, a 5,000-gallon above-ground tank was used to store the dry-cleaning agent tetrachloroethylene.

• In 1988 Ebasco Services Inc. reported the recovery of less a liquid contained 19,000,000 ug/l of tetrachloroethylene.

Cryovac Division of W.R. Grace and Co.

• A food wrapping manufacturer since 1961. W.R. Grace and Co. utilized degreasing agents such as trichloroethylene at its facility. W.R. Grace and Co. made use of a pit behind the plant for waste disposal, and discharged waste into the city's sewer system. In accordance with an EPA Administrative Order, the pit was excavated and six 55-gallon drums of liquid waste and contaminated soil were removed to a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA)-approved disposal facility in June, 1983.

New England Plastics Corporation

• A manufacturer of solid vinyl siding and various other plastic products.

• Prospect Tool and Die Company is also located within the same building.

• In December 1986, water from an industrial well which tapped the bedrock aquifer was found to be contaminated with various volatile organic compounds (PCE & TCE).

• In 1988, effluent from the New England Plastics Corporation was found to enter the Aberjona River via a drainage ditch.

Olympia Nominee Trust Corp.

• 1970 - 200 to 500 five-gallon containers of arsenic trioxide were discovered on the property.

• The Hemingway Transport Co., which owned the property since 1980, had four underground storage tanks at the trucking terminal facility.

• In May 1983, a 6,280-gallon gasoline tank was found to be leaking, and was removed in July 1983. It is unknown when the tanks were installed and when the gasoline tank began leaking.

Wildwood Conservation Corporation

• John J. Riley sold the land to Beatrice Foods, Inc., in 1978, then repurchased the property in 1983.

• Established the property as the Wildwood Conservation Corporation in 1985. Various trails leading from two neighboring facilities, Whitney Barrel Company and Murphy Waste Oil Company, to the property existed during the period 1966-1983.

• On the property, extensive contamination consisting of sludge, discolored soils, trash, 55-gallon drums, paint cans and debris piles has been documented. John J. Riley Tannery has an industrial water supply well on the property.

Introduction to Environmental Geology

Fundamental Concepts of Environmental Geology

• Population growth• Sustainability• The earth system• Uniformitarianism• Hazardous earth

processes

• Geology as a basic environmental science

Fundamental Concepts-Population Growth

• Population Growth is the #1 environmental problem

• Why?• www.prb.org

Fundamental Concepts-Population Growth

• It is impossible to support exponential population growth with a finite resource base

1) Primary goal of environmental work is to defuse the population bomb1) Pessimistic: the earth will take care of itself through

disease and catastrophes2) Optimistic: find better ways to control population

growth within the limits of our available resources

Fundamental Concepts-Sustainability

• Sustainability is the environmental objective We are currently using most living environmental

resources faster than they can be naturally replenished What would we need for a sustainable global

economy?• Populations of humans in natural harmony with air, water,

and land• Energy policies that do not pollute or cause climatic

perturbations• Utilization plans for renewable resources (Recycling)• Utilization plans for nonrenewable resources

How do we predict the consequences of earth system changes?

Understand the nature of the system

Understand rates of changeConduct input-output analysis

Fundamental Concepts-The earth system The earth system

• Understanding the earth’s systems and their changes is critical to solving environmental problems.

• The earth itself is an open system with respect to energy a closed system with respect to material

Fundamental Concepts-The earth system

• Feedback• A system response where: System

output (something happening) is a new system input

• Positive and negative feedback

• Input-output analysis

Fundamental Concepts-The earth system

1. Positive feedback-- "vicious cycle"a. one action intensifies the next (example: erosion)

2. Negative feedback-- "self-regulating" enables the system to reach a steady state or equilibrium (example: stream morphology).

3. Threshold events -- No apparent changes until threshold levels are reached (Lake Turnover).

Fundamental Concepts-The earth system

Negative Feedback Stream

A. Increase gradient B. Increases the river's velocity, which C. Increases the rate of erosion, which D. Widens and deepens channel, which E. Slows rivers velocity F. promotes deposition G. reduces gradient

Fundamental Concepts-The earth systemExample of threshold event

Lake turnover

Fundamental Concepts- Uniformitarianism James Hutton, 1785

“the present is the key to the past”

Geologic processes modifying our landscape have operated in the past

Human activity is a new geological force Affects the magnitude and frequency of geologic

processes “the present is the key to the future”

Fundamental Concepts-Hazardous Earth Processes

Some geologic hazards are inevitable Planning is important The impacts of hazardous earth processes

are enhanced by spatial concentration of population and resources

Should be considered in cost-benefit analysis

Fundamental Concepts-Geology as a basic environmental science

Geology is a factor in every person’s life:

“Civilization exists by geological consent…subject to change without notice”--Will Durant

Fundamental Concepts-Geology as a basic environmental science

Branches of Environmental Geology: Geomorphology (Geologic Landforms and

Processes) Hydrogeology (Water and soil / rock interactions) Pedology (Soils) Economic geology Engineering geology Classical geology

Fundamental Concepts-Geology as a basic environmental science

Environmental problems are interdisciplinary Physical

Geography, geologic processes, hydrology, rock types, soil types, climate

Biological Plants, animals, biologic conditions, spatial analysis of

biologic information

Human interest/useLand use, economics, aesthetics, environmental law,

hazards, historical/archaeological value

Environmental Geology and Land-Use PlanningThere is a limited supply of landWe strive to plan so that suitable land is

available for specific uses for this generation and those that follow

Comprehensive plan – designed for long-range local development based on and environmental inventory of resources and hazards

Landscape EvaluationLandscape EvaluationEnvironmental geologists provide geologic information

and analysis to assist in planning, design, and construction

Former and Present land usePhysical and chemical properties of earth materials

– Pollutants– Engineering Properties of soil and rock

Natural HazardsGroundwater Characteristics

Site SelectionSite SelectionCost-Benefits Analysis – Assumes all relevant costs

and benefits can be determinedExamples: Building a shopping mall in a flood zone; Drilling oil wells in National Parks?

Physiographic Determination-Applying ecological principals to planning

Considers physical, social, and aesthetic dataLet natural characteristics determine the choice of a site

Environmental Impact AnalysisEnvironmental Impact Analysis1969- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

All major federal actions which could affect the quality of the human environment must be preceded by an evaluation of the project and the potential impact to the environmentEnvironmental Impact Statements

– Discussion of the environmental consequences of the proposed project and of the alternatives

State Environmental Impact LegislationState Environmental Policy Acts (SEPAs)

– California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

What do Environmental Geologists do?

Mostly Site Assessments (ESAs) and BrownFields Studies

What are ESAs?

Identify/evaluate:– environmental concerns– Magnitude and extent of contamination– Cleanup goals– Remediation options– Future land use

Phase I ESA

Identify potential environmental concerns All Appropriate Inquiry

– Involves– Records review – Site reconnaissance– Interviews– Report

Phase II ESA

Evaluates potential concerns from Phase I Tailored to site-specific needs

Limited sampling/analysis» Confirm/rule out concerns

Expanded sampling/analysis» Amount and extent of contamination

Recommended cleanup goals/optionsIncr

easi

ng C

osts

Phase III ESA

Corrective actions for environmental concerns

Environmental Concernsat Brownfields

Impaired soil, water, or air conditions from historical use

Land uses:– Waste storage/

disposal– Manufacturing/

industrial– Transportation/

rail– Petroleum– Mining– Agribusiness

Buildings and Improvements– Underground/

aboveground storage tanks

– Process areas/ machinery

– Asbestos– Lead-based paint– Polychlorinated

biphenyls (PCBs)– Fill materials

What are ESAs? – Summary

Land Uses

Contaminants & Related Risk

Site Improvements

Focus on:

Past, Present & Future

Sampling/Analysis –Sampling Methods

Conventional– borings/excavation

– groundwater monitoring wells

– decontamination/plugging/abandonment/waste disposal

– crude field-screening

– off-site analysis

Accelerated– geophysical surveys

– direct-push probes

– field labs/test kits

– off-site analytical confirmation

– electronic data archiving/interpretation

Sampling/Analysis – Sampling Methods

Conventional drilling/sampling technology

Sampling/Analysis – Sampling Methods

Screening/field-based methods - Direct-push methods

Sampling/Analysis – Sampling Methods

Geophysical MethodsElectromagnetic Conductivity

& Magnetic Surveys

Ground-Penetrating Radar