Superfund Site Update
Published 5:04 pm Thursday, March 28, 2013
BUCKINGHAM – County Administrator Rebecca Carter began her March report to the board of supervisors with an update on the Buckingham County Landfill Superfund Site.
Sharing that some county residents recently received copies of a newsletter from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the site's third Five-Year Review, Carter said she wanted to keep the board advised on the status of the review.
She explained that the reviews are carried-out to ensure that the cleanup remedy remains fully protective of human health and the environment.
After providing an overview of the information contained in the newsletter, Carter stated, “We met with representatives from EPA and DEQ on Thursday, February 28, to discuss the matter.”
Carter offered, “Just as we have said, we have been assured that the low level of contaminants detected is not a problem or a threat to anyone's health and welfare or the environment at this time.” She added, “But, yet they will keep looking at remedies to implement to ensure long-term protectiveness of human health and the environment.”
In her report, Carter offered, “The good news is that the monitoring wells beyond the creek tested clean of any contaminants.”
Explaining that the Five-Year Review process includes an opportunity for the community to voice any concerns they may have related to the site and/or cleanup process, Carter said EPA would probably begin the interview process in April.
Carter added that EPA would also be conducting a public meeting, which she said would probably be held within the next year, to advise of their plans and actions.
According to information in the newsletter, anyone interested in being interviewed as part of this process is encouraged to contact Vance Evans, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA Region 3, 1650 Arch Street (3HS52), Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029;.(215)814-5526; or email evans.vance@epa.gov.
The site is located off Route 640, Andersonville Road, and consists of a two-acre hazardous waste disposal area that was used to dispose of various wastes between 1962 and 1983.
All disposal operations ceased in 1983. The site was proposed to EPA's National Priorities List in 1985, and was finalized on the NPL in October 1989.
Since implementing a clean-up in the mid-1990s, EPA has been monitoring the groundwater on a quarterly basis.
According to the EPA newsletter issued in February, “A 2008 review of the site confirmed that while residential wells were not impacted by the site and are a safe source of drinking water, the cleanup was not functioning as designed and site-related contaminants were detected in the groundwater beyond the site boundary.”
The newsletter reported that based on those findings, the EPA decided that more sampling and analysis were needed. Subsequently, in the summer of 2012, fieldwork began for a Focused Feasibility Study.
Information in the newsletter explained that the FFS looks at more than ten years of remedial investigation, source removal, and an interim remedial action with the goal of selecting the best possible cleanup option.
“We expect to have the FFS completed by 2014,” reported the EPA in the newsletter.
In the newsletter, EPA stated that the field work includes installing additional monitoring wells to better delineate the groundwater plume; and, performing a field treatability study in the landfill area of the site that includes injecting treatment chemicals into the subsurface to break down the contaminants present in the groundwater.
In her administrator's report, Carter shared that the county did receive a good report from the Department of Conservation and Recreation on the county's Erosion and Sediment Control, ESC, program.
The county administrator, noting that they did not hire additional staff to take on those responsibilities, said that Peter Francisco Soil and Water Conservation District staff have been helping Zoning Administrator/Planner Rebecca Cobb with the program.
Carter also updated the board on the county's status in meeting the mandated Stormwater Management Program.
She said that on February 27, county administrators and appropriate staff in Planning District 14 met with representatives from the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Carter advised that the county would be submitting a draft model ordinance to DCR by the April 1 deadline.
However, she added that they are still considering how they will pay for and staff the program.
The county administrator noted that there are items in the state's model ordinance that will not apply to the county but are specific to localities in the Tidewater area.
According to Carter, the most frequently asked question regarding the Stormwater Management Program is whether single-family residential construction requires obtaining Virginia Stormwater Permit coverage.
Noting she had the answer in writing, Carter read, “If a single family residence disturbs more than one acre or is part of a common plan of development (large development, subdivisions, PUDs, multiple housing projects, etc.) permit coverage is required.
“Single family residences separately built and disturbing less than one acre and not part of a larger common plan of development including additions or modifications to existing single family detached residential structure are exempt from the VSMP requirements.
“Also, in considering the acre disturbance guidelines, disturbance of the drain field area is not included in that acre. So if you need to disturb in excess of an acre solely for your drain field, your disturbance will not require a VSMP permit.”
Carter said that the region has received a $100,000 grant for the Planning District 14 Stormwater Management Program Development. Noting the grant period is from December 1, 2012 through June 30, 2014; Carter stated that they would use the funding for a study determining the best ways to meet the mandates.
Sharing that when he first began his campaign for sheriff one of his goals was to push for a drug task force, Sheriff William G. Kidd advised supervisors that after five years of partnering and working toward that goal, the Piedmont Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force is about to become a reality.
“The way such a task force works is a group of county and town law enforcement agencies join forces and assign a member of their agency to be part of this effort,” explained Kidd. He said the Virginia State Police will coordinate the effort with one of their agents overseeing the operations.
The Piedmont Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force will include the counties of Buckingham, Prince Edward and Cumberland along with the Town of Farmville and Longwood University, stated Kidd. He added that all the agencies are about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Virginia State Police.
According to Kidd, each agency initially contributes money to operate the task force. As the task force progresses and assets are seized, the task force usually becomes self-sufficient, explained the sheriff. He said the start-up fee for each agency is $2,500.
Subsequently, Sheriff Kidd requested the board's authorization to draw the funds from the existing drug asset forfeiture account for a check payable to the Piedmont Regional Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force.
With a motion by Supervisor Bill Talbert and a second by Supervisor Danny Allen, the board unanimously granted the request.
After reviewing information on bids for four new police vehicles, the board, with a motion by Supervisor Joe Chambers, unanimously approved awarding the bid to Gilliam Motors with the low bid for the vehicles and the low bid for their equipment.
Near the conclusion of the agenda, Supervisor Chambers brought up statements made during last month's public comment segment regarding a K-9 unit for the Sheriff's Office.
“We need to try to help the sheriff get this dog,” said Chambers, who moved that the board appropriate $5,000 for the dog.
Agreeing with Chambers about the need to help the sheriff's office, Supervisor Donnie Bryan stated, “If we are going to fund the dog, why don't we just fund the dog?”
Sheriff Kidd, noting that BCSO Investigator Brent Uzdanovics had been working on the figures, asked him to share the numbers.
Uzdanovics explained that the total cost for the dog and all the equipment and training would be around $15,737. He said that thus far, the BCSO has received private donations of $712. In prior years, explained the investigator, they accumulated $2,407 in donations, which would bring that total to $3,119.
The investigator noted that TRIAD pledged to match private donations up to $3,500. “So if they were to contribute $3,119, that would leave an unfunded balance of $9,500,” stated Uzdanovics.
Subsequently, Chambers amended his motion to reflect an appropriation of $9,500 toward funding for the K-9. With a second by Supervisor Talbert, the motion drew the board's unanimous support.
Supervisors concurred with the recommendation of the committee working on the radio system expansion to continue contract negotiations regarding a lease site for an additional tower.
The board unanimously approved a request from Cindy Southall, Children and Youth Programmer for the Central Virginia Regional Library, to use the library's future building site, which is located in the Buckingham Industrial Park, for a spring program for children, youth, and their families.
According to information in the board packet, the program will celebrate the library and the county while promoting literacy.
Big in Buckingham will feature heavy equipment, trucks, and fire/police/rescue vehicles as well as activity and information booths. The information noted the event would be held on Saturday, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
