community involvement plan · 2019-12-09 · installed a 3,000-gallon above-ground storage tank...

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SUPERFUND RECOKDS

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN

GARVEY ELEVATOR SUPERFUND SITEHASTINGS, NEBRASKA

October 2006

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYREGION 7

Table of Contents

Section Page

1.0 Overview of Plan 1

2.0 Site Description and Background Information 2

2.1 Site Location 2

2.2 Site History 3

2.3 Site Inspections and Cleanup Activities 5

3.0 Community Background 6

3.1 Community Profile 6

3.2 Site History of Community Involvement 7

3.3 Community Concerns 8

4.4 Community Information-Needs 9

4.0 Community Involvement Program 10

4.1 Community Involvement Activities 11

4.2 Time Frame Summary for Community Involvement Activities 12

Appendices:

A. EPA Regional Contacts i

B. Elected City Officials and State and Local Officials/Contacts ii

C. Federal and State Elected Officials Hi

D. Media Contacts iv

E. Repository Locations v

1.0 Overview of Plan

This Community Involvement Plan (CIP) was prepared as required under the federal

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA)

also referred to as Superfund. The Superfund program provides funding and technical assistance

to investigate and clean up hazardous waste sites that pose a risk to public health or the

environment. The Superfund program encourages active dialogue between communities affected

by the release of hazardous substances and the agencies responsible for carrying out or

overseeing cleanup actions.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers community involvement to

be an important part of the Superfund program. EPA conducts community involvement

activities; to (1) encourage open lines of communication between residents and EPA as well as

with local and state government officials; (2) inform communities about the Superfund program,

site-specific studies, and the progress of site activities; and (3) involve the public in decision-

making processes.

As part of its community involvement efforts, EPA conducts community assessment for

some Superfund Sites to determine the specific issues and concerns of interest to local residents.

Issues and concerns are usually identified through interviews conducted with local residents,

community and environmental groups, local officials and businesses near a particular site. After

conducting a community assessment, EPA prepares a CIP that typically contains site background

information, provides names and addresses of key community contacts, summarizes site-related

concerns and issues of importance to the local community, and provides an outline of specific

community involvement program objectives and activities to address the concerns identified.

The CIP also typically contains the process which will keep residents informed throughout the

site cleanup process.

This community involvement plan has four sections and five appendices:

o Overview of Plan

Garvey Elevator Superfund Site Page 1 October 2006Community Involvement Plan

o Site Description and Background Information

o Community Profile

o Community Involvement Program

Appendices:

o EPA Contact List

o Local Officials List

o Federal and State Elected Officials List

o Media Contacts

o Repository Locations

2.0 Site Description and Background Information

2.1 Site Location/Description

The Garvey facility is an active grain elevator located to the southwest of Hastings,

Adams County Nebraska in the NW 1/4 of Section 23 Township 7 North, Range 10 West. The

address of the facility is 2315 West Highway 6. The site is located to the west of the Burlington

Northern and Santa Fe rail line and to the south of U.S. Highway 6. The site is approximately 89

acres in size and is located in a predominately rural area with sparse distribution of residential

properties north, east and west of the site, the closest no less than 1/4 mile away. Surrounding

land use is primarily agricultural with a mixture of urban and industrial use to the north and east.

The elevation at the site is approximately 1,925 feet above mean sea level. The topographic relief

at the Garvey Elevator facility is flat with a slight southern to southeastern component. The

nearest named surface water feature is Pawnee Creek which is located approximately 1 mile

south of the elevator. Pawnee Creek flows from northwest to southeast in a meandering channel.

2.2 Site History

The Garvey Elevators terminal, owned by Garvey Elevators, Inc. (Garvey), was constructed in

1959 on what was formerly land used for crop production. The Garvey Elevators terminal


began operation as a grain storage facility in 1959. Garvey operated the facility until 1994, when

the facility was leased to Ag Processing, Inc. (AGP). AGP purchased the facility in 2005.

The storage facilities at the Garvey Elevator terminal consist of a concrete elevator head

house and elevator, flat storage building and steel bins, having a total capacity of more than 8

million bushels. A liquid grain fumigant was used for pest control from 1959 to 1985. The

fumigani:, Liquid 80-20, was composed of 80 percent carbon tetrachloride (CCU) and 20 percent

carbon bisulfide (€82) and was applied to grain in all upright grain storage areas. Garvey

installed a 3,000-gallon above-ground storage tank that was used for storage of the liquid grain

fumigant; in 1960. The fumigant was transferred through a delivery pipe that connected the

storage tank to piping mounted on the side of the elevator and then up the side of the elevator to

the distribution gallery. A buried portion of this delivery pipe was found to be leaking and was

replaced., sometime before 1986, when the tank was removed. The exact date of the repair and

the amount of fumigant that leaked are unknown. The facility ceased use of the liquid fumigant

in 1985. Garvey did not report the release of grain fumigant at the time the release occurred and

the delivery pipe was replaced.

Ag Processing, Inc. offered to purchase a portion of the elevator terminal from Garvey,

subject to a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (EA) in the early 1990s. The ground water

samples collected during the EA in 1994 showed the ground water contained elevated levels of

carbon tetrachloride.

Garvey voluntarily entered Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality's (NDEQ's)

Remedial Action Program Monitoring Act (RAPMA) Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) in

1995 and. initiated site investigation and cleanup activities. Garvey conducted sampling of

residential water wells and detected CCU in four of the wells sampled in 1994. Because the

ground water contamination was associated with the operations at the Garvey Elevators, the

company offered to connect residences to municipal water or install and maintain water filters.

These filters were designed to remove the contaminants from the water.

Garvey Elevator Super-fund Site Page 3 October 2006Community Involvement Plan

Affected residents were involved with the Garvey Elevators, Inc. during its periodic

sampling and testing of water wells, as well as its periodic replacement of filters on the wells

with CCLj contamination, beginning in 1994.

Garvey Elevators, Inc., working within the VCP, conducted several environmental

investigations in the vicinity of the site to determine the occurrence of carbon tetrachloride in

soils and ground water. Soil and soil vapor samples collected in 1994, documented the presence

of extensive carbon tetrachloride contamination of on-site soils. A ground water contaminant

plume that emanated from the site was estimated to be 6,500 feet long by 3,200 feet wide in the

principal regional sand and gravel aquifer was identified in 1996.

Garvey Elevators initiated remedial activities while participating in the NDEQ's VCP.

These activities included the installation and operation of systems to address contaminated soil

and ground water. To address contaminated soils, Garvey Elevators installed a soil vapor

extraction (SVE) system to treat contaminated vapor from the soils beneath the facility. The SVE

was operated 1999-2001 and removed more than 9,000 pounds of CCU from the soils beneath

the site. To address ground water contamination, Garvey Elevators installed and operated a

ground water extraction and treatment system (GETS) consisting of 8 extraction wells and an air

stripper to remove contaminants from the extracted water. The treated ground water is then re-

injected to the aquifer. The GETS removed approximately 2,000 pounds of CCU from the

aquifer by early 2001.

NDEQ completed further field investigations in 2003 to ascertain the effectiveness of the

soil and ground water treatment systems. These studies found that the contaminated ground

water plume had migrated further from the site than previously thought and contaminated

additional private wells. Garvey Elevators, Inc. indicated to NDEQ they would not conduct

cleanup of the entire contaminated ground water plume in 2003. In that same year, NDEQ

requested EPA assistance.


EPA placed the Garvey Elevators site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2005.

Placing the site on the NPL triggered its eligibility for extensive, long-term cleanup under the

. Superfund program. Soon after the site was listed, Garvey Elevators, Inc. entered into an

administrative order on consent with EPA, in which it agreed to complete a facility investigation,

implement corrective actions to prevent further migration of contaminants off the site, and

identify, sample, and provide alternate water sources to residences/businesses with contaminated

wells. An escrow account, established by the sale of the Garvey Elevators facility to AGP, was

set up to fund these activities. EPA is in the lead oversight role for disbursements from the

escrow account.

Increased EPA and NDEQ involvement at the Garvey Elevator site, specifically the

combination of private residential/business well surveys and community involvement activities,

have increased public awareness of the site. Residents in close proximity to the site have been

aware of the ground water contamination since the first investigations. This was due to the direct

impact on water quality to their wells.

2.3 Site Inspections and Cleanup Activities

Garvey Elevators, Inc. entered into an administrative order on consent with EPA in 2005.

In the order, Garvey Elevators, Inc. agreed to complete a facility investigation, implement

corrective actions to prevent further migration of contaminants off the site, and identify, sample,

and provide alternate water sources to residences/businesses with contaminated wells. Garvey

Elevators, Inc. has completed an inventory of private/business wells to identify potentially

impacted wells and set forth a plan to periodically sample the wells and provide alternate water

sources for those wells found to be contaminated. The first sampling events of these

private/business wells have been conducted. Garvey Elevators, Inc. is preparing to implement the

first field investigations in the summer of 2006.


3.0 Community Background

This section describes the composition of the Hastings community, presents a history of

community involvement with the Garvey Elevator site, and highlights concerns that Hastings

residents and local officials have expressed regarding the site.

3.1 Community Profile

Adams County covers a land area of 563 square miles and encompasses the city of

Hastings. Communities near Hastings in Adams County include Juniata, Roseland, and Muriel.

Hastings is a city of approximately 24,064 people located in the agriculture heartland of south-

central Nebraska. The Adams County population is around 33,000.

The area around the site is a mix of residential, agricultural, and business. The area relies

almost exclusively on ground water for irrigation, industrial, and municipal uses which makes

the contamination of the aquifer a major issue to the community.

The county's population distribution by age is as follows:

Under age 5 6.2 percent5 - 1 8 23.0 percent19-64 15.4 percent65 & over 50.7 percent

Of the total area population, less than 1 percent of households are potentially affected by the

Garvey Elevator site.

Elementary and secondary schools, Public School District #18 is a Class HI type K-6-2-4

school and is accredited AA. The school district boundaries follow the boundaries of Hastings.

The assessed valuation for the district is over $650 million. District #18 has six elementary


.schools located in residential neighborhoods. The Middle School is centrally located and also

houses the District's administrative offices. Hastings Senior High School is a Junior/Senior High

School located just west of Hastings. None of the schools are affected by the site.

Hastings has approximately 13,014 homes, 66.8 percent owner occupied. In the health

care area, Hastings Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital provides modem medical facilities for

large areas of Nebraska and Kansas. Hastings has over 55 doctors representing all major

specialties.

Hastings has built its economy on a diverse and stable base, combining strong

agricultural and retail elements with vigorous manufacturing and tourism activity. Like many

communities in the Midwest, agriculture plays a significant role in Hastings economy. With two

of the state's largest ethanol manufacturing facilities, Adams County has become a net importer

of corn. The refinement of soybean products further stabilizes the local market for farm crops

creating synergistic economic growth. More than 80 other manufacturers in the three industrial

parks enjoy the superior environment for profitability in Hastings.

3.2 Site History of Community Involvement

There are several other Superfund sites within and in close proximity to the city of

Hastings. As a result of EPA's presence since the mid-1980s, the community has a great deal of

experience with Superfund sites and is very knowledgeable about the process.

Garvey Elevator was proposed to be added to the Superfund NPL on

April 27. 2005. EPA mailed fact sheets which reviewed the site's history, past sampling

activities, and summarized site risks to residents and officials in the area of the site. The fact

sheet also requested public comments on the proposal. Garvey Elevator was added to the

Superfund NPL on September 14, 2005. The residents and officials in the area of the site again

received a fact sheet advising them of the site background, contamination and the potential

impacts to the community.


EPA mailed a fact sheet announcing the availability of the Administrative Record File on

November 21, 2005. This fact sheet also discussed the requirements of the Administrative Order

on Consent and requested public comments.

Section 3.3 Community Concerns

EPA conducted personal interviews with 12 residents in areas immediately adjacent to

the site and nearby. The interviews allowed EPA to update residents on cleanup activities at the

site and to gather information on residents' concerns with the site.

Through the interview process, EPA was able to determine the types of information

residents want to receive and how EPA can best provide that information. Following the

interviews, EPA analyzed the information provided by the residents; reviewed supplemental site

files; and designed this community involvement plan for the Garvey Elevator site.

The major concerns and questions raised were:

• Health Effects ofLong-Term Exposure to Carbon Tetrachloride

The major concern expressed by residents during the community interviews regarded the

long-term health effects of exposure to carbon tetrachloride. Several residents owned

private wells which have served as their only source of potable water. Residents with

contaminated wells are particularly concerned because of the possibility that they may

have been exposed for some time.

• Lack of Action by Garvey Elevators, Inc.

A concern of many residents was the lack of action taken by Garvey Elevators, Inc.

subsequent to the 1995 discovery of the contamination. Many residents felt that Garvey

had not acted responsibly. They felt that Garvey had been aware of the problem for some

time, but did not inform private well users.

Garvey Elevator Superfund Site • Page 8 October 2006Community Involvement Plan

« Length of Cleanup Time under Superfund

Residents in Hastings are more familiar with Superfund than the majority of the general

public given the presence of multiple Superfund sites within and near Hastings. Based on

that experience, they expressed concern about the length of the process of Superfund

cleanups.

Section 3.4 Community Information Needs

EPA and the residents discussed the types of information residents would like to receive about

the site and the most effective ways for EPA to communicate that information at the December

2005 interviews. Residents indicated they want to be kept abreast of current and proposed

cleanup activities at the site and the impact of the activities on the surrounding community. All

interviewed residents stated that fact sheets mailed directly to their homes is the most effective

way for EPA to communicate with the community. Residents also indicated that periodic public

meetings would be an effective forum for EPA to relay information to the community and to

respond to community concerns.

Section 4.0EPA's Community Involvement Program

V/hen establishing the objectives for site-specific community involvement programs,

EPA considers several factors, along with federal requirements such as CERCLA and EPA's

community involvement guidance. In addition, site-specific factors such as those listed below

are considered:

• The nature of the site proposed cleanup plan

• The nature and extent of known or perceived contaminants

• The known community concerns and requests


In addition, the application of new or innovative technologies and the level of technical

difficulty involved with the cleanup may affect the amount and types of methods used to

communicate plans and progress to the community. To be effective, the community involvement

program must be designed to 1) meet the community's assumed need to know, 2) provide

information in a timely manner, and 3) accommodate the community's interest and willingness

to participate in the decision-making process.

To meet the needs of the community, to respond to information obtained during the

December 2005, community interviews, and meet federal requirements, the following objectives

have been established for community involvement efforts at the Garvey Elevator site:

• Enlist the support and involvement of local officials and community leaders

• Monitor citizen interest in the site and respond accordingly

• Inform the community about planned and ongoing site activities

• Provide follow-up explanation about technical site activities and findings, including

the results of ground water sampling, type and amount of contaminants found at the

site, and amount of materials disposed of off site.

4.1 Community Involvement Activities

Specific activities will be conducted to meet the objectives listed in Section 4.0 and to

respond to information received during the community interviews identified in Section 3.0.

These activities are described below.

Maintain a Point of Contact: EPA has established a point of contact, the community

involvement coordinator (CIC), for community involvement at the Garvey Elevator site. The

CIC serves as a liaison between the community and EPA. The current CIC is Jan Lambert, who


can be reached at (913) 551-7768, or [email protected]. In addition to the CIC, a

technical point of contact, the remedial project manager (RPM), has been established for the site.

The RPM is Brian Zurbuchen, Ph.D. and he can be contacted at (913) 551-7101 or

zurbuchen.brian(a!epa.gov. EPA will include contact information on all written information

distributed to the community and will notify the community of any contact information changes.

Maintain Communication with Local Officials and Community Residents: EPA included

local officials from Hastings in the December 2005 community interviews. EPA will continue to

maintain communication with local officials throughout the cleanup process. EPA will keep

local officials and residents informed of planned and ongoing site activities as well as significant

findings during technical site activities. Copies of written information will be sent to the site

information repository.

Update and Maintain the Site Mailing List: A mailing list of local residents, organizations,

businesses, and officials has been established for the site. The list is used for mailing fact sheets,

site updates, invitations to public meetings and events, and other site-related information to the

community. As such, it will be updated regularly to reflect address changes, changes in elected

officials and the addition of parties interested in site activities.

Conduct a Program Evaluation: This CIP was designed to consider site- and community-

specific factors as well as to comply with federal requirements. Community concerns, the

objectives of the community involvement program for the site, and specific activities to address

these concerns in this CIP were based to a large extent on information obtained during interviews

conducted in December 2005 with local residents and officials. EPA recognizes that changes in

areas such as community perceptions, information needs, and population demographics can

occur over time and that such changes may necessitate a revised approach to conducting

community involvement activities to meet the current needs of the community. For this reason


as well as to determine whether the activities in this plan are achieving their intended objectives,

periodic reviews will be conducted to determine whether additional activities are warranted or

whether changes to current methods of implementing the activities outlined in this plan are

necessary.

4.2 Time Frame Summary for Community Involvement Activities

ACTIVITY

Prepare and distribute site fact sheets and technicalsummaries

Provide a toll-free "800 number" for the community tocontact EPA

Maintain a mailing list for the Site

Establish and maintain Information Repositories

Provide Site and Superfund information on the Internet

Provide Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) information

Establish and maintain the Administrative Record

Hold public meetings

Encourage formation of a Community Advisory Group(CAG)

Make informal visits to community

Solicit comments during a Public Comment Period

Prepare and issue a Responsiveness Summary

Revise the Community Involvement Plan (CEP)

TIME FRAME

Ongoing

Currently in operation

Ongoing

Established, update as needed

Currently available; update asneeded

Ongoing

Established, update as needed

As needed

Ongoing

As needed

As needed and required

Following public comment periods

As needed, at least every 3 years

Garvey Elevator Superfund SiteCommunity Involvement Plan

Page 12 October 2006

Appendix AEPA Regional Contacts

Brian Zurbuchen, Ph.DRemedial Project ManagerU.S. EPA, Region 7901 North Fifth StreetKansas City, Kansas 66101Phone:(913)551-7101Fax:(913)551-7063E-mail: [email protected]

Hattie ThomasTechnical Assistance Grant Project OfficerU.S. EPA, Region 7901 North Fifth StreetKansas City, Kansas 66101Phone:(913)551-7763Fax:(913)551-7066

Toll-Free Action Line 1-800-223-0425

Jan LambertCommunity Involvement CoordinatorU.S. EPA, Region 7901 North Fifth StreetKansas City, Kansas 66101Phone:(913)551-7768Fax:(913)551-7066E-mail: [email protected]


Page i October 2006

Appendix BElected City Officials and State and Local Officials/Contacts

Mayor Matt Rossen1419PershingRoadHastings, Nebraska 68901Phone: (402) 461-2317 (City Hall)[email protected]

City Council Members:Everett M. Goebel (402) 463-3285Jim Ruberson (402) 463-5797 (Home)Roger Glen (402) 461 -5102 (Work)Jeff Kully (402) 463-5678 (Work)Kathy Peterson (402) 463-2756 (Home)Greg Sinner (402) 462-2274Marilyn Will (402) 462-2639Tom Yilk (402) 463-3797

Mike MyersProgram SpecialistRemediation SectionWaste Management DivisionNebraska Department of Environmental Quality1200 N Street, Suite 400Lincoln, Nebraska 68509Phone:(402)471-2988

Nebraska Health & Human ServicesP.O. Box 95044Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-5044Phone:(402)471-2306www.hhs.state.ne.us

Joyce Crawford, Executive DirectorSouth Heartland District Health

Department914 West Fourth StreetHastings, Nebraska 68901Phone:(402)462-6219

Police DepartmentChief Larry G. Thoren911 Center317 South Burlington AvenueHastings, Nebraska 68901Phone:(402)461-2364

Fire DepartmentFire Chief Kent Gilbert1313 North Hastings AvenueHastings, Nebraska 68902Phone:(402)[email protected]


Page ii October 2006.

Appendix CFederal and State Elected Officials

U.S. Semiate U.S. House of Representatives

Senator Chuck Ha gel248 Senate Russell Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

District OfficeSenator Chuck HagelInvestors Office Center11301 Davenport Street, Suite 2Omaha, Nebraska 68154-2605Phone: (402) 758-8981

Senator Ben Nelson720 Senate Hart Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

District OfficeSenator Ben Nelson7602 Pacific Street, Suite 205Omaha, Nebraska 68114-5451Phone:(402)441-4600

Representative Tom Osborne507 Cannon Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

District OfficeCongressman Tom Osborne819 Diers Avenue, Suite 3Grand Island, Nebraska 68803-4957Phone:(308)381-5555

Governor's Office

Governor Dave HeinemanState CapitolOffice of the GovernorP.O. Box 94848Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4848Phone:(402)471-2244Fax:(402)471-6031

State Senate

Senator Carroll BurlingState CapitolRoom 2017Lincoln, Nebraska 68509Phone:(402)471-2712

Senator Carroll Burling4120 ShilohKenesaw, Nebraska 68956Phone: (402) 752-3524


Page in October 2006

Appendix DMedia Contacts

Television Stations:

KOLN/KGIN-TVLisa Guill, General Manager40th and W StreetLincoln, Nebraska 68503Phone:(402)467-4321Fax:(402)467-9210

NETV/Nebraska Public Television1 SOON 33 StreetLincoln, Nebraska 68583Phone:(402)472-3611

NTV NewsBox 220Kearney, Nebraska 68848Phone: (308) 743-2494

KHAS-TVP.O. Box 578Hastings, Nebraska 68902Phone:(402)463-1321

Radio Stations:

KLIQ FM 94.5 The BreezeDave Brock, General ManagerPhone:(402)461-4922dbrock(a> wai ttradio. com

KHAS 1230AMWayne Specht, General Manager500 East J StreetHastings, Nebraska 68902Phone:(402)462-5101Fax:(402)461-5101khaskics(o),alltel.net, khas(S),gtmc.net

Newspapers:

Hastings Tribune912 West Second StreetHastings, Nebraska 68901Phone:(402)462-2131

Omaha World Herald635 South 14 Street, Suite 320Lincoln, Nebraska 68508Phone: (800) 284-6397Phone:(402)444-1100

Lincoln Journal Star926 P StreetLincoln, Nebraska 68508Phone: (402) 473-7250


Page iv October 2006

Appendix ERepository Locations

Local Repository: EPA Region 7 Repository:

Hastings Public Library EPA Region 7517 West Fourth Street Records CenterHastings, Nebraska 68901 901 North Fifth Street

Kansas City, Kansas 66101

Garvey Elevator Superfund Site Page v October 2006Community Involvement Plan

community involvement plan · 2019-12-09 · installed a 3,000-gallon above-ground storage tank...

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