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SPAULDING FIBRE UPDATE - 10/7/2008 On Tuesday, October 7th, 2008, Mayor Pilozzi and the Common Council held an informational meeting at Tonawanda City Hall regarding the Spaulding Fibre demolition project. Representatives from the Spaulding Fibre Steering committee were present and informed those present about several positive developments in the project: Ø As a result of receiving a $2.5 million Restore NY grant and an additional $1.7 million in federal funding, the city now has the means to demolish the remaining buildings to grade and begin remediating the property. Ø The city will soon sign a contract with DEMCO, Inc, for $968,000 to raze the remaining structures. Work is expected to begin within the next few weeks and continue until the company breaks in January and February. According to the contractor, the site should be completely leveled by July, 2009. Ø LiRo Engineers, the firm overseeing the project, reported that the underground contamination is not nearly as bad as was expected. However, environmental cleanup will still cost approximately $5 million. Ø As reported by Ken Swanekamp. Director of Business and Assistance for the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning, this is one of the largest demolitions and brownfield cleanups being done by the public sector that he has ever worked on. Ø The steering committee is also focusing its efforts on how to rezone the site for redevelopment. The 47- acre site is currently zoned M-1 or heavy industrial. Wendel Duchscherer Engineers of Amherst, has been hired by the city to work on the rezoning plan. A representative for the firm reported that the parcel will not be zoned for heavy industrial use. In fact, zoning will be diversified to permit the highest and best use of the property, complimenting the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Ø The steering committee continues to meet every other week at Tonawanda City Hall. Summary of Events Spaulding Fibre Site Site ID No. 915050/E915050 Tonawanda (C), Erie County May 7, 2007 Spaulding Composites (Spaulding) began operations as a manufacturer of vulcanized fiber, an early "plastic" made by treating paper with a zinc chloride solution. The paper used to produce vulcanized fiber was also manufactured at the site. Late 1940s to early 1950s - the plant began production of composite laminates (SpaulditeR) that were made by impregnating natural fibers with phenolic resins (and later, melamine and epoxy resins and synthetic fibers). Many of the phenolic resins used in the production of SpaulditeR were manufactured on-site. 1930 to 1972 - Sludge Settling Ponds were excavated into native soils to settle grinding waste from the Spauldite tube department. 1960s - A transformer allegedly exploded outside the northwest portion of the plant, releasing PCB transformer oil to the ground surface. 1960s to 1970s - The Therminol Building housed a Therminol heat exchange unit utilized during SpaulditeR production. Oil containing 85% PCBs was the heat exchange media of the Therminol Unit. At times of system failure, PCB oils were discharged to the grounds adjacent to the Therminol Building or to floor drains discharging to the K-Line storm sewer serving the northwest portion of the facility. This oil contaminated the waste and fill in two of the sludge settling lagoons. Fall of 1977 through September 1978 - The Laminant Dust Landfill was utilized by Spaulding for the disposal of approximately forty (40) tons of fiberglass, asbestos, cellulose and resin dusts. February through September 1978 - The Resin Drum Landfill was utilized by Spaulding for the disposal of 750 drums of resin wastes. Between 1983 and 1986 - Wet paper sludge was spread over a 5,000 square feet area (the Paper Sludge Application Area) south of the plant building and allowed to dry prior to disposal. Contaminants released from this practice impacted area soils. August 1985 - Spaulding excavated the Zinc Chloride Sludge and Drum Landfill. This area was a 60 cubic yard landfill located beneath the plant floor inside the main plant building and contained zinc chloride sludge contaminated with cadmium and lead, drummed lab chemicals and resin solvent mixtures. The pit was backfilled and a new concrete floor installed over it; 1985 - Spaulding removed lead contaminated zinc hydroxide sludge from the Zinc Hydroxide Sludge Storage Tank. The sludge was disposed of at a permitted off-site secure landfill. The storage tank and surrounding area were decontaminated with high pressure water. 1987 - Paper Sludge Land Application Area was closed and the remaining paper sludge removed. April 1987 - NUS Corporation completed a site investigation of the site including analytical data for site surface water, soil and groundwater; In the late 1980s - A consultant under contract with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) conducted a RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) at the site. This assessment identified 36 Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) and several potential Areas of Concern (AOCs). 1992 - Manufacturing at the facility is terminated and the company files for bankruptcy; September 1992 to February 1993 - Spaulding initiated decommissioning activities at the site in August 1992 following plant closure. The majority of these activities were completed by February 1993 with the remaining decommissioning activities completed by mid 1995. These activities are documented in the Plant Decommissioning Final Report dated August 1995; Early 1993 - Spaulding constructed an on-site water treatment system to treat PCB contaminated water from the Spauldite basement sump, the on-site K-Line storm sewer and other waste waters generated on-site; June 1993 - A portion of the on-site K-Line storm sewer ( heavily contaminated with PCBs) was flushed and the sediments removed in accordance with a NYSDEC approved work plan; September 1994 - A permanent on-site water treatment system is moved into its current location; October 1994 - The portion of the K-Line sewer impacted by PCB contamination was isolated from the remaining K-Line system and is pumped to the on-site water treatment system and discharged to an off-site storm sewer; October 21, 1994 - An out-of-service transformer was vandalized, resulting in a spill of PCB transformer oil. The area was subsequently excavated, with the contaminated soils and concrete placed in roll-offs for off-site disposal; December 21, 1994 - Spaulding successfully plugged an on-site gas well; 1994 - Spaulding and the Department executed both a RCRA Order on Consent and a CERCLA Order on Consent requiring the investigation of the site and the continued operation of an on-site water treatment system that treated PCB contaminated storm water; 1999 - Spaulding completes a single Remedial Investigation/RCRA Facility Investigation (RI/RFI) to satisfy both programs. This investigation identified several separate and distinct areas of waste disposal and contamination throughout the 46-acre site; December 2000 - Spaulding subsequently completed a Feasibility Study/Corrective Measures Study (FS/CMS); February 2001 - The Department learned that Spaulding, for the second time in recent years, declared bankruptcy; March 2003 - A Record of Decision/Statement of Basis (ROD/SOB) was issued by the Department. Approximately 3 acres of the site require remedial action; October 15, 2003 - The United States Bankruptcy court approved a recovery plan for Spaulding that in part provided for the operation of the water treatment system for an additional 90 days; January 23, 2004. - NYSDEC took over the operation and maintenance of the water treatment system; July 21, 2004 - Phase 1 of the NYSDEC’s IRM PCB contaminated soil removal action in OU2 begins; March 25, 2005 - Phase 1 of the NYSDEC’s IRM PCB contaminated soil removal action in OU2 is completed; June 6, 2005 - Phase 2 of the IRM soil removal action in OU2 begins; June 25, 2005 - The City of Tonawanda and Erie County submitted an application to the Department for funding under the ERP program. The application requests $3,600,000 for the demolition of the plant buildings ($3,000,000) and remedial investigation ($600,000) of areas of the site not investigated as part of the previous work conducted by the Department and Spaulding; October 12, 2005 - NYSDEC issued a work assignment to Ecology & Environment Inc. to complete a remedial design to clean up the remaining operable units designated in the Record of Design of March 2003. March 2007 - NYSDEC completes Phase 2 of a IRM soil removal action to address highly contaminated PCB contaminated surface soils. The work completed during this phase included: demolitions of concrete building pads, excavation and disposal of PCB contaminated soil, cleaning of storm sewer lines and removal of contaminated debris. Total of cost of this work to date is approximately $3,000,000,
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