RL 17 TIM Minutes for DQO Meeting

May 22, 2003

Minutes prepared by Kimberly Riley, Parsons.

These meeting minutes are organized by topic and by the site discussed and not necessarily in the order of the discussion.  The focus of these minutes is the agreed-upon action items for the team.  Attachment 1 is the SWMU and AOC site list included in the new TO, with a general description of work to be performed.

Introductions

The meeting was opened with brief introductions.  Brian Murphy reviewed his objectives for the meeting and the issues under discussion.  Mr. Murphy discussed the site list and the schedule for completion of field investigations and submittal of reports.  The field work, results evaluation, and reporting must be complete for these sites by May of 2004.  The goal of this meeting is to prepare an initial draft of DQOs to cover the upcoming site investigations and preparation of closure reports for submittal to the TCEQ. 

General Topics Discussed

Each site was discussed individually and the summary for each site is listed below.  General discussions included:

Any soil treatment necessary under the new project will be performed on site.  The goal will be to reduce COC concentrations to meet class 2 waste, which has been cost-estimated for disposal at $5 per cubic yard.  Waste profiles for upcoming site investigations were discussed.  Brian Murphy would like the trucking manifests and weigh tickets for the upcoming AOC-55 excavation and other excavations to be kept on-site and ready for future TCEQ inspections.

Brian Murphy proposed scheduling a meeting with Sonny Rayos to discuss CSSA’s upcoming site investigations.

Electronic data management methods were discussed.  The use of the laptop in the field for field data gathering was discussed.  The sampling suites necessary for the new project will be set up in chERPS prior to field work.  A discussion of the usage of chERPS for the new project was held, extra effort to use the chERPS tool is necessary because of the rapid turnaround due to the May 2004 deadline.  Chad Hutcherson and Samantha Elliott can assist in setting up the various sampling suites.  The naming conventions for sites to be investigated were discussed.

The new aerial photograph will be used for the SWMU/AOC investigations.  The data should be available for GIS under the new task order.  The availability of ArcPad for the laptop was discussed.  The software makes it possible to draw onto the site map on the laptop in the field while sampling is being conducted.

Analytical Decisions/Discussions

There will be two types of sampling required, waste characterization sampling and confirmation sampling.  Only the COCs that previously exceeded RRS1 standards at each site will be included as COCs to be analyzed in confirmation sampling (whether specific metals, VOCs, SVOCs, or explosives, etc.).  For waste characterization, the landfill requires the “Texas Eleven” metals and TPH to be analyzed.  The possibility of using a different laboratory for TPH and the TCLP metals analyses was discussed, because only screening level data are needed for the landfill.  If confirmation samples are needed following excavation, they must be sent to APPL so that they are CSSA QAPP compliant.  The option of holding DHL soil samples and shipping once per week so that all samples of totals could be analyzed and then analysis could be run for specific metals.  If APPL was used, they could run a totals analysis then TCLP, without AFCEE compliant format.  The turnaround time could be shortened.

For explosives analyses, if necessary at each site, APPL will be used.  APPL laboratory will be audited the week of June 23, 2003.

TCLP analysis cost estimates to date have been priced for a 21-day turnaround time (TAT).  A 7-day TAT was discussed, as rush results may be needed to complete the work in time.

Another possibility was discussed for waste characterization analytical results.  If a tabular summary of the previous sampling results is signed by a laboratory representative, the landfill will accept that documentation as waste characterization data.

QA/QC samples will not need to be collected for waste characterization purposes.  For confirmation samples to be used as justification for closure MS/MSD and blanks will need to be collected at a frequency of 1 per 20 normal samples.

DQOs For Site Investigation

The total estimated excavation will be 27,000 CY for all sites included in the new TO.  As a standard following excavation, confirmation samples will be collected from every 100-ft along sidewalls of an excavation and one sample per 20,000 ft² will be collected from the bottom of the excavation.  The possibility of immediately collecting all waste characterization samples was discussed.  If all the TCLP laboratory results were ready, would this save time or money as the project proceeds?

The AOC-55 DQOs will be used as a starting point for draft DQOs.  These will be expanded as necessary to meet conditions of all sites covered under the new TO.  The first 15 sites generally identified for the new TO include excavation and removal work.  An Environmental Cleanup Plan will be drafted under the new TO, basically a grouping of necessary workplans.

An effort will be made to prioritize these sites so that the more “difficult” will be sampled first.  This will allow time to alter decisions and the plan of attack for each site and still meet the May 2004 reporting deadline.

Sites are grouped in three main categories.  Some sites need waste removed prior to confirmation sampling.  Other sites need geophysical anomalies to be excavated and no confirmation sampling may be necessary (if no waste is found).  Some sites may have UXO present.  A discussion of using the UXO personnel while on-site for AOC-55 work was held.  If possible, the sites (B-2 and possibly others) with possible UXO present will be investigated by UXO personnel while on-site at CSSA for AOC-55.

A closure strategy is needed for sites where one sample is an “outlier.”  A discussion was held regarding possible closure for sites where all samples are below background except one exceedance.  Ed Brown suggested that if the exceedance is within the laboratories’ “error bar” plus or minus the actual result, an argument could be made that the exceedance may not block closure.  A statistical analysis of the results may also be appropriate.

A waste profile will be created for AOC-55 which can be used for these sites under the new TO.  Once the waste stream and profile for general CSSA waste is in effect, then an amendment can be performed for each separate site as disposal is ongoing.

SWMU B-8 has recently been enlarged and will be replaced by a modification with sites AOC-38 and AOC-41.  The site list for the new TO is currently:  SWMUs B-2, B-11, B-12, B-23, B-23A, B-25, B-29, B-30, B-33, B-34, BLDG 43, DD, AOCs 38, 41, 50, and 56, for a total of sixteen sites.

SWMU B-2

Historical results were discussed.  Five borings were drilled and sampled in 1995, and all waste material in the two site trenches was excavated and stockpiled on site during UXO identification activities in 1997.  No UXO was identified at the site at the time, but UXO screening of material excavated from the north trench is considered necessary based on the types of waste observed in the excavated material (large metal fragments from gun parts).  Very limited chemical exceedances were found in the Glen Rose material; soils results were below background.  Chromium, lead, and nickel slightly exceeded RRS1 criteria in one of 13 Glen Rose samples.

Samples of the stockpiled soil will be collected and analyzed for total chromium, cadmium, lead, nickel, toluene, and phthalates.  All waste material in the stockpiles will be removed, with oversight from OE personnel.  If the analytical results indicate that the stockpiled soil is clean, it will be backfilled into the trenches.  If the stockpiled soil is found to be contaminated, it will be properly disposed of, and trench bottom and sidewall samples will be collected to verify that all waste residue has been removed.

A burn box is also reportedly present at B-2 and the option of sampling dioxins and furans from the bricks was discussed.  If the bricks are to be disposed offsite, a sample will need to be collected.

Re-vegetation will be necessary at B-2 and will be performed once the excavated area is backfilled.  Activities at B-2 are estimated to take one week.

SWMU B-8

SWMU B-8 will be replaced with AOCs 38 and 41 due to recent discovery of additional contamination at B-8.

SWMU B-11

SWMU B-11 is located along the southern bank of Salado Creek and was used for disposal of solid waste which is partially visible from the ground surface.  The disposal area is estimated to be 600 feet long by 100 feet wide.  Tires, concrete scrap, rubber, etc., are visible and need to be excavated.  It is estimated that approximately 2,300 cubic yards of waste material must be excavated and disposed of.  Low concentrations of PCE/TCE were detected during a 1995 soil gas survey in the vicinity of the site, but these concentrations are part of the soil gas plume emanating from the SWMU B-3/SWMU O‑1 area.

Initial excavation at three soil borings up to 4’ bgs (or until waste is no longer encountered) for soils exceedances will be conducted.  The rough estimate for sampling to be conducted at B-11 included 23 samples.  Samples will b collected at a frequency of one per 100-ft of sidewall, and one per 20,000-ft² of trench bottom.  At this site, it is expected that there will not be a northern sidewall due to its location along the Salado Creek bank.  The site will be re-sloped for proper drainage after excavation.  The site work is estimated to need one week.

SWMU B-12

SWMU B-12 is located along an embankment and is an area where solid waste was apparently disposed of along the embankment wall.  It is estimated that approximately 1,300 cubic yards of waste material must be excavated and disposed of from an area measuring 200 feet wide by 20 feet deep by 8 feet into the embankment wall.  Confirmation samples will be necessary following excavations.  The TCLP analyses should be performed first. 

SWMU B-23

At SWMU B-23, some solid waste, including metal banding and JATO canisters, is reportedly on the ground surface and partially buried in what remains of a trench.  The presence of a soil mound on one end of the trench and a ground depression suggests that the trench was never intentionally filled in and graded.  However, the trench walls have apparently slumped, partially filling in the trench.  It is unknown if any additional waste is buried at the site, and the dates that the trench was excavated and potentially used are unknown.  Although results of the geophysical survey indicated two anomalies at the site, the anomaly locations corresponded with metal debris on the ground surface.  Therefore, it is not possible to determine if any buried metal debris is present.  Results of surface and subsurface soil and rock samples collected at SWMU B-23 indicate that metals and VOCs concentrations exceed RRS1 standards.  For costing purposes, Parsons estimated that 1,700 cubic yards of soil and waste material may need to be excavated and disposed of.

The analysis of all method SW8260 VOC analytes versus analysis of BTEX compounds only was discussed.  It was agreed during the meeting that only BTEX compounds would be analyzed for.  However, upon further review of the data table (Table B23-2 in Volume 3 of the Environmental Encyclopedia), it was found that dichlorodifluoromethane also exceeded RRS1 criteria in several samples.  Following the sampling rationale, excavation will be conducted and sampling for waste characterization purposes at the frequency of one sample per 1,000 CY.  Following excavation, confirmation samples will be collected.  Additional magnetometer work may be required at the anomaly. 

SWMU B-23A

This will be the first site investigations for this SWMU.  No previous report has been submitted.  Surface soil samples have been collected.  Discussion of disposal methods for the ampoules was held.  If crushed, the ampoules could be disposed as non-hazardous waste.  Composite confirmation samples will then need to be collected.  The trench will need to be investigated. 

SWMU B-25

The location of a geophysical anomaly must be rezcquired and excavated to determine if it is caused by buried waste.  This site is a scraped area used as a borrow site.  A small anomaly in the northwestern portion needs to be investigated. 

SWMU B-29

Small arms projectiles and rubble piles are present at this site.  Debris is visible on the surface and along the embankment.  Solid waste is present to the east.  Projectiles have been found in the past.  It is estimated that approximately 2,000 cubic yards of soil and debris must be excavated and disposed of. 

SWMU B-30

This site is the landfill neighboring B-29.  Discussion of a possible sinkhole present at the site was held.  Excavation of construction debris is necessary.  An anomaly also needs to be evaluated.  It is estimated that approximately 2,300 cubic yards of waste and waste residue must be excavated and disposed of.  Work should stop if possible asbestos-containing material is observed. 

SWMU B-33

This site consists of pipe bedding.  No new construction has been performed at the building’s steps.  The area must be cleared by hand digging around the building.  The use of PIMS was discussed, because it could be left in the ground; but may not be necessary.  The possibility of immunoassay on-site field test kits was discussed. 

SWMU B-34

The possibility of lead being present due to the railroad was discussed.  A discussion of the recently collected sample results was held.  If necessary, this site will be excavated.  Railroad that crosses the site should be left in place.

BLDG 43

Soils surrounding Building 43 exceed background levels and must be excavated and disposed off-site.  The lateral extent of contaminated soils is not completely defined at this site.  Additional characterization samples are needed at this site to define the extent.  The site has been cleared for UXO.  Fuzes were located at the site.  Excavation should be to bedrock, which occurs at a depth of 1 to 1.5 feet.  HABS documentation is necessary before the building can be demolished.

Demo Dud

Sifted soils must be disposed off-site.  The western end of the trench also needs to be excavated.  It is estimated that approximately 300 cubic yards of material must be disposed of off-site.

AOC-38

One anomaly must be reacquired with a Schonstedt and excavated to determine if it is caused by waste material.  Any waste material encountered should be excavated and removed.  If no waste material is found, a report recommending closure can be prepared. 

AOC-41

The inactive utility piping at the site should be removed and a Schonstedt sweep should be conducted to reacquire the locations of two anomalies.  These anomalies should be excavated to determine if they are caused by waste management activities.  Any waste material encountered should be excavated and removed.  If no waste material is found, a report recommending closure can be prepared. 

AOC-50

Additional nickel penetrate waste has been observed at the site.  Rainfall events have recently exposed additional waste.  A waste profile currently exists for this site; however, additional characterization samples may be necessary, depending on the quantity of remaining waste.  It is estimated that approximately 3,200 cubic yards of contaminated soil and waste material must be excavated and disposed of off-site.

AOC-56

An anomaly which appears to possibly be a disposal trench was identified during previous investigations.  Exploratory excavations will be conducted at the anomaly.  Any waste material encountered should be excavated and removed.  If no waste material is found, a report recommending closure can be prepared.

Action Items