Community Relations Plan

Home , The Middletown Press

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Prepared for U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

March 2003

AR50000I TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

1 OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN...... 2

2 EPABACKGROUND...... 3 2.1 Superfund Programs...... ,...... 3 2.2 Relevant EPA Groups...... 4 2.3 State Role...... 5

3 SITE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION...... 6 3.1 SiteHistory...... 6 3.2 Site Description...... ,...... ? 3.3 Site Contamination...... ,...... ? 3.4 EPA Actions to Date...... 8

4 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND...... 11 4.1 CommunityP rofile...... ! 1 4.2 Historyof Communitylnvolvement...... ! 1 4.3 Community Interviews Summary...... 12

5 COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN OBJECTIVES...... 14

6 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES ...... 15

APPENDICES ~

A LISTOF CON TACTS...... 18 A.I Federal Elected Officials...... 18 A.2 State Elected Officials...... 19 A.3 Local Officials...... ,...... 20 A.4 U.S. EPARegion III Officials...... 21 A.5 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection...... 21 A.6 Media...... 22

B INFORMATION REPOSITORIES & MEETING LOCATION...... ,.24

C GLOSSARYOF T ECHNICALT ERMS ...... 25

D TECHNICALAS SISTANCE GRANT (TAG)...... 28

TABLES

1 TIMING OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES...... 17

AR500002 SECTION 1 Overview of the Community Relations Plan

The Community Relations Plan (CRP) identifies issues of community concern and interest related to the Middletown Air Field Super-fund Site (the Site), located in Middleton, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

The information in this CRP will help EPA assess past community involvement efforts at or near the Site, identify and address current areas of concern, and guide EPA staff in holding additional public meetings.

Iti s hoped that theC RP will:

• Encourage communityp articipation during the Superfundp rocess. • Provide two-way communicationb etweenE PAa nd the community. • Ensure that the community has an opportunity to provide input into the decisions regarding cleanup actionsa tt he site.

As part of addressing community needs, EPA will continue to keep community members informed and offer them opportunities to provide input regarding the cleanup. In addition, EPA will encourage the continued participation of citizen groups and individuals who have devoted time and effort to site-related activities and to apply for a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG). See Appendix D for more informationo no btaininga TAG.

Wordsh ighlighted in italicized texta re defined in AppendixC .

This CRP was developed for the Middletown Airfield Superfund Site under Contract Number 68-S3-99-02 with EPA Region III. EPA Region III is conducting activities at the Site under the guidelines of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), a federal law passed in 1980 and commonly known as "Superftind"; the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), enacted in 1986; and the National Oil and Hazardous SubstancesP ollutionCon tingencyPlan (NCP), revised in 1990.

EPA Region III based out of Philadelphia is the agency with primary responsibility for all Superfund activities at the Site. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) actsa s as upport agency at theS ite, assisting EPA wheren ecessary.

AR500003 SECTION 2 ERA Background

2.1 Superfund Program

Superfund cleanups are very complex and require the efforts of many experts in science, engineering, public health, management, law, community relations, and numerous other fields. The Superfund program is managed by the EPA in cooperation with individual states and tribal governments. S uperfund locates,i nvestigates, andc leansu ph azardousw astes ites.

The Superfund program is a federal program designed to clean up uncontrolled and abandoned hazardous waste sites. Superfund was created in 1980 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and was amended in 1986 with the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). Superfund is guided by the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The NCP outlines the procedure that EPA must follow when investigating a release of hazardous materials into the environment. U nder CERCLA, EPA has thea bility to:

• Stop releaseso rp reventp ossible releaseso f hazardouss ubstances. • Forcep arties responsible for thec ontaminationt o conducto r payf ore leanup oft he site. • Provide funding for cleanup activities when money is not available from responsible parties. Funding is provided through the Superfund program by a tax on the chemical andp etroleumi ndustries.

IdentifyingS ites for Cleanup

EPA investigates hazardous waste sites throughout the U.S. and U.S Territories. A preliminary assessment and site inspection are done at the Site to determine the type of contamination, the amount of contamination, and the amount of environmental damage the contamination may cause. The site is evaluated using the Hazard Ranking System (HRS). The Hazard Ranking System is a measurement tool that calculates a score based on the potential of a hazardous substance moving from the site through the air, water, or soil. EPA places sites with a HRS score of 28.50 or higher on the National Priorities List (NPL). Once a site is named as a Superfund site, it will remain a Superfund site, even after the cleanup is completed. However, the site can be removed fromt heN PL.

Selectinga nd Implementing theC leanupP lan

After the site is place on the NPL, EPA performs a Remedial Investigation (RI) and Feasibility Study (FS). The Remedial Investigation identifies the types and amounts of site contamination and determines the threat this contamination poses to human health and the environment. The Feasibility Study examines information provided by the remedial investigation activities and evaluates possible cleanup methods that can be used to remove or reduce contamination at a site. EPA will take the information from these studies and announce a recommended cleanup method in the Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP). After the PRAP is announced, a 30-day public comment period begins so that the community may offer comments on EPA's proposed actions, 3

AR5Q0004 After reviewing the public's comments, EPA may decide to revise the recommended cleanup method originally announced in the PRAP. The final selection is published in the Record of Decision (ROD).

Alter the Record of Decision has been finalized, the next steps in the Superfund process are the Remedial Design and Remedial Action. The Remedial Design is the engineering phase when drawings and specifications are developed for the Remedial Action at a site. It is similar to a blueprint or work plan. The Remedial Action is the actual construction or implementation of the design created for the cleanup of a site. If any changes need to be made to the ROD during the cleanup, these changes will be announced in a document called an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD). When the cleanup actions have been completed at a site, EPA will remove thats itef rom the NPL.

2.2 Relevant EPA Groups

EPA is headquartered in Washington D.C. and has ten regional offices located throughout the U.S. All offices have both a community relations and technical staff available to assist with Superfund sites. EPA Region III includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The EPA Region III office is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (See Appendix A of this CRP for contact information.) Following is information on the various EPA branches that havei nvolvementw ith the Crater Resources Site.

Hazardous Site Cleanup Division (Region IIT)

HSCDo versees the Superflind programa ndi sr esponsible for allc leanup activities at RegionI II sitesc ontaminated byh azardous waste. Thisd ivision is comprised© f fourb ranches: Enforcementa nd Federal Facilities, Remedial,R emoval,a nd Technical andA dministrative Support. H SCD focuseso n emergencya ndl ong-termc leanupo fh azardousm aterials that pose an immediatet hreatt oh umanh ealth and thee nvironment duet oi mpropero ru ncontrolled disposal practices, ora ccidents in theh andling, transporting, or storing of hazardousw astes.

Superfund Community Involvement Section/ Regionl II)

This section manages communication activities taking place at the Superfund site. The Superfund Community Involvement Section evaluates the communication needs for each site on an individual basis. Based upon the community's needs, EPA develops a community relations plan to enhance communication and community involvement at the site. This section is responsible for overseeing the communication between EPA, residents, public officials, media, and community groups interested in the Superfund process. EPA assigns a Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC) for each site. The CIC for the Middletown Air Field Site is Bill Hudson. His address and phonen umber canb ef oundi nA ppendix Ao f thisC RP.

Superfund Remedial Branch (Region III)

This branch is responsible for overseeing all long-term cleanup work that takes place at the site. These activities include site assessments, remedial investigations, feasibility studies, site sampling, and any other cleanup activities associated with the site. EPA assigns a Remedial Project Manager for each site. The RPM is responsible for supervising the work performed at

RR500005 the site by EPA staff, private contractors, and any other parties involved with the site cleanup. The RPM for Middletown Air Field is Mary T. Cooke. Her address and phone number are located in Appendix Ao ft hisC RP.

Superfund Removals ranch (Region! II)

EPA's Superfund Removal Branch manages short-term and emergency removal responses. This action is only required when there is an accidental release of hazardous substances at a site, which requires immediate attention. This branch also oversees the stabilization efforts at sites on the NPL until a site assessment has been completed and a long-term cleanup method has been approved.

Agency for ToxicS ubstancesa nd Disease Registry^ ATSDR)

The ATSDR is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was created in 1980 under Superfund law to prevent exposure, adverse human health effects, and diminished quality of life associated with exposure to hazardous substances from waste sites, unplanned releases, and other sources of pollution present in the environment. ATSDR is not a regulatory agency like the EPA. It is a public health agency that advises EPA on the health aspects of hazardous waste sites and spills. ATSDR is required under Superfund law to become involved with all sites proposed to the NPL. Specifically, ATSDR conducts public health assessments of NPLs ites, asw ell as all sites proposed for theN PL.

2.3 State Role

PennsylvaniaD epartment of Environmental? rotection

PaDEP is the state support agency for EPA-led studies and cleanup at Superfund sites in Pennsylvania. PaDEP's involvement in Superfund sites includes reviewing and commenting on site work plans, studies, and cleanup methods, participating in community relations activities, and providing technical assistance to EPA when needed. See Appendix A for information on how toe ontactt heP aDEP representativef or the MiddletownA ir FieldS ite.

AR500006 SECTION 3 Site History and Description

3.1 Site History

The Middletown Air Field Site was owned by the Federal government as early as 1898. It operated as a military storage and training facility during the Spanish-American War, but after the war, it reverted back to farmland until 1917, when the Army Signal Corps established a storage depot there. The following year, flying activities began at the depot with the introduction of balloons and Curtis M-4 aircraft. After World War I, aircraft maintenance activities increased and aircraft overhauling facilities expanded. Another major increase in these activities occurred during World Warl I,a nd againt he facilitiesw ere expanded.

In 1947, the Department of Defense designated the Air Force as a separate military entity, and the base was renamed Olmsted Air Force Base. Also in 1947, the area west of the base, known as Pineford Acres, was acquired for military housing and materiels torage.

Jet aircrafts were introduced to the base in 1948. Between 1950 and 1955, base facilities were frequently upgraded to accommodate the maintenance needs of jet engines, engine accessories, and radio and electronic components. With each increase in maintenance and overhauling operations came a corresponding increase in the use and storage of oils, solvents, and fuels. By 1951, materiels torage operations occupied2 8 buildings on the base.

In 1956, a major runway expansion project was begun to accommodate the jet traffic. Land was purchased east and west of the base for this purpose, and acreage southeast of the base was purchased and leveled because it's elevation interfered with runway clearance. As a result of the expansion project, a base landfill was closed, and when the new runway was constructed, the closed landfill was encompassed and capped by it. After the closing of this landfill, waste disposal apparently occurred on the newly acquired property to the southeast that was being regraded became the Air Force gold course, known today as the Sunset Golf Course. Land to the north of U.S Route 230 was also acquired during this period for the expansion of bulk storage facilities and military housing. This expansion included the Meade Heights area that now houses PSU students; the area currently owned by the Fruehauf Corporation; and the tract occupied by the Odd Fellows Home.

At it's peak, Olmsted Air Force Base consisted of more than 1540 acres; however, by the early 1960's military activities at the base were decreasing. By 1966, all Air Force operations at Olmsted had ceased, and the Air Force had begun the transfer or sale of its Olmsted property to various state and local interests. The former Air Force field and many of the surrounding buildings are now owned by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) which operates the Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) at the site. Several small, private manufacturing companies and the Air National Guard lease buildings from HIA. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Capitol Campus, the Odd Fellows Home, and the Fruehauf Corporation each own properties north of U.S. Route 230. The former Air Force golf course belongs to Londenderry Township, and the Pineford Acres is part of Middletown Borough. A

AR500007 former storage area south of Pineford Acres is now owned by a small chemical company and other industrial oncems.

3.2 Site Description

The Middletown Airfield Site is located along U.S. Route 230, between the towns of Highspire and Middletown, in Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. To the south, the site is bordered by the Susquehanna River, and Swatara Creek crosses the eastern end of the site. Harrisburg, the state capitol, is approximately eight miles northwest of the site, and Middletown isa bouto ne-and-a-halim iles to thes outheast.

Underlying the Middletown Airfield site are two aquifers. The shallow aquifer consists of highly permeable sand, gravel, and slag and is hydraulically connected to the deeper bedrock aquifer into which the Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) wells are drilled. Groundwater in the vicinity of the site flows toward the river from the north-northwest. Approximately 19,500 people living within a three-mile radius of the site obtain their domestic water supply from private groundwater wells.

Consisting of 36 acres, the Middletown Airfield site includes the airport (HIA); the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Capitol Campus; a portion of the Fruehauf Corporation truck trailer manufacturing facility; a long-term health care facility (the Odd Fellows Home); and several small, private manufactures. All of these facilities receive water from the HIA well supply system.

Land use in the area surrounding the Middletown Airfield Site is both residential and industrial. PSU houses 800 student-residents and enrolls and additional 1800 students who commute to classes. The Odd Fellows nursing facility provides long-term care to elderly patients. Currently, the home has 140 residents. In addition to residents and employees who work at the onsite facilities, hundreds oft ravelersp ass through theH arrisburg InternationalA irport eachd ay.

3.3 Site Contamination

Wells, ground water, and soils are contaminated with VOC's including trichloroethylene (TCE) and heavy metals such as lead. Drinking contaminated ground water could pose a threat, although this threat has been virtually eliminated by ground water treatment. Accidental ingestiono fo rd irect contactw ith contaminateds oil also posesh ealth risks.

AR500008 3.4 EPA Actions to Date

Early in 1983, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PADER), operating under a Federal grant to assess groundwater quality throughout the state, discovered volatile organic chemical contamination in a supply well in Middletown Borough. In March 1983, PADER found that two of the ten operating supply wells in the HIA water supply system were contaminated with trace amounts of trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and other volatile organic compounds. The contaminated wells were removed from operation, but subsequent monthly well sampling ledt o thee ventual removalo fa 11 but fourw ellsf rom the HIAw aters upplys ystem.

In August 1983, representatives of the Air Force, the Air Force Occupational and Environmental Health Laboratory (OEHL), and the OEHL on-call contractor met with representatives of the EPA, the PADER, and PENNDOT in an effort to establish the extent of Air Force and PENNDOT responsibilities and to assess the abilities and limitations of the agencies.

Prior to the August meeting, the PADER had conducted groundwater testing in the Lisa Lake area and determined that, although there was physical evidence of Air Force waste disposal in the area, there was no apparent groundwater contamination. However, twelve homes in Londonderry Township, near the Sunset Golf Course, were found to have volatile organic chemical contamination in their wells in levels high enough to warrant immediate attention. Because there was sufficient reason to believe past Air Force disposal practices had caused this contamination, the Air Force agreed to provide an immediatet emporary water supply to thea ffected families.

The Air Force and PENNDOT also agreed that each would accept some of the responsibility for the HIA groundwater contamination and would cooperate with the EPA and the PADER to remedy the situation. By the end of August 1983, the following decisionsw erem ade:

o The EPA would supply a permanent alternative water supply to the Londonderry homes withe ontaminated wells.

o The Air Force would initiate a full field verification study at the Sunset Golf Course to discover the extent and source of groundwater contamination and would also reimburse the EPA for all costs associated with providing a safe, permanent waters upply tot he Londonderry homes.

o At HIA, the Air Force and PENNDOT would participate with the EPA and the PADERi ni dentifications tudies to uncoverc ontaminants ources.

o The Air Force Engineering and Services Center (AFESC) would initiate studies in all areas of the former Olmsted Air Force Base to identify all potential hazardous wastes ites.

flR500009 o Air Force actions would be conducted under the 1976 Department of Defense (DOD) Installation Restoration Program (IRP). The IRP gives the DOD the authority for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) responses to releases from DOD facilities; however, these response actions are subject toE PAa nd PADERa pproval.

By the spring of 1984, the EPA had extended a waterline from Middletown Borough to the Londonderry homes and the AFESC studies had identified six potential hazardous waste sites on the former Olmsted properties. These sites included the Sunset Golf Course, Lisa Lake, the fire-training pit, the north base landfill, Meade Heights, and the HIA terminal and runway area. In response to these discoveries, the Air Force removed exposed drums from Meade Heights and the PADER removed all contaminated materials from the fire-training pit area and from a privately owned industrial shop located in the terminal andr unway area.

In July 1984, the Air Force issued its Phase I report which presented the results of the identification studies conducted under the IRP, and in October 1984, the Middletown Air Field Site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). The following October, the EPA completed its search for Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) and, in January 1986,s ent letters toa 11 of thep artiesi dentified,n otifying themo f their potential liability.

The Phase II full field verification studies of the Middletown Air Field Site were completed in the spring of 1986. No contamination was found at Lisa Lake, but because of relatively high contaminant levels in monitoring wells in the north landfill area, additional studies in the vicinity of the Fruehauf Corporation parking lot were recommended. The source of contamination for the most contaminated well in the study, HIA supply well No. 13, could not be identified. The Phase II study concurred, however, with a 1984 PENNDOT study that concluded that well No. 13 was not influenced by the former AirF orce landfillb eneatht hem ainH Air unway.

In 1984, the Air Force and PENNDOT arranged to provide groundwater treatment to the HIA supply wells. At that time, the agencies agreed that the Air Force would fund engineering and construction activities and that PENNDOT would provide for operation and maintenance of the chosen remedial alternative. In July 1986, the Air Force and PENNDOT presented the results of a Focused Feasibility Study (FFS) in a public meeting at HIA. The study proposed to remediate the potable water supply at HIA by renovating the present water distribution system and installing two air-stripping units to remove contaminants. Upon EPA and PADER reviews of the FFS report, the Air Force andP ENNDOTw erer equired torn aker evisions tot he proposal.

In December 1987, the first Record of Decision (ROD) was issued by the EPA which detailed the selected remedy for cleaning up groundwater supplied by the HIA system. The remedy featured: building a central treatment plant to provide potable water after treatment with air stripping and monitoring groundwater. The selected remedial actions were implemented by the PRP's. The groundwater pumping and treating system was completed! nl 990 and isc urrentlyi no peration. • A second Record of Decision was issued by the EPA in December 1990. This ROD divided! he Middletown Air Field site intof ive operableu nit (OU's):

o Operable Unitl : Industrial Area - HarrisburgI ntemational Airport (HIA) o Operable Unit 2: Industrial Area - Soils o OperableU nit3 : FireT raining PitA rea - Surfacew ater o Operable Unit 4: N orthB aseL andfillA rea - Groundwater o OperableU nit 5: M eadeH eights Area - Surfacew ater

• In September 1996, the EPA issued the final Record of Decision. The final ROD addressed contaminants in the soil and it was concluded that the current actions, already in-place, were sufficient to protect the public and the environment and no additional remediala ctions needed to be implemented.

• The Middletown Air Field site was deleted from the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1997.

• Thefirsty/ve-year review of thes itew asc ompletedi nS eptember 2002.

flRSOOOl | SECTION 4 Community Background

4.1 Community Profile

The Borough of Middletown has a population of 9,242 (2002 census). The Borough is 1.7 square miles in size and has 21.63 miles of roads within its boundaries. Middletown is geographically located approximately 10 miles south of Harrisburg, and 8 miles southwest of Hershey. The approximater acialb reakdownsa re:

White 93.7% Black 4.2% Hispanic 1.3% Asian 0.5% Other 0.3%

Thea pproximate ageb reakdown isa s follows:

Under 5y ears 5.4% 5-17 10.0% 18-24 13.3% 25-34 18.9% 35-54 27.2% 55-64 12.8% 65-74 8.0% 75-84 3.1% 85 year and older 1.3%

There are 3,934 households with approximately 2.31 persons per household. The Media Housing Sale Price fora house in Middletown Boroughi s $59,400.

4.2 History of Community Involvement

Since the 1983 disclosure of a groundwater problem at the H1A, there have been a number of public meetings and press conferences to discuss the progress of site-related activities. These meetings have been well attended, particularly by public officials from local, state, and federal government offices and by the news media. Private citizens have been less visible, except at the earliest meetings when Londenderry Township residents and PSU students were most concerned about theirw ater supply

Since then, the Londonderry problem has been alleviated by the extension of a public waterline from Middletown Borough to the affected residences, and the EPA has determined that the Sunset Golf Course does not pose a health threat. The water being supplied by the HIA well system to the PSU campus and elsewhere was closely monitored and has remained within safe water drinking standards. In addition, several wells taken out of production in 1983 have been

flR5000!2 restored to service as contaminant levels in the wells have dropped. These factors have apparentlyc ontributed to the reduced levelo f concern exhibited bya rea residents.

In September 2002, the EPA conducted community interviews as part of the five-year-review. The interviews were conducted in order to determine what people knew about the Site and how best tor each this community.A summary of ther esponses follows

4.3 Community Interviews Summary

Breakdown of Interviewees: EPA interviewed community members. • 2r esidents Many oft he responses totalm ore than 4 • 1 employees of local business becausei ntervieweesg ave moret hano ne • 1 township employee response to each question. S ome oft he responsest otal less than4 b ecause all interviewees didn ot answera 11 questions.

How long have you lived in this • Under 10 years community? 10- 30y ears 30+ years

In general, what issues have received • Trucking/Diesel fuel exhaust the most attention locally? • Traffic • Terrorism

How sensitive is the local area to One environmental issues on a scale from Two 1-10? Three (1 not sensitive, 10 extremely Four sensitive) Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten

Do you think there is community Yes interest or concern about the There wasp revious concernb ut ith asl essened operation or administration of this Noth eardo f anyc omplaints environmentals ite? No indication of concern

Do you feel informed about the site's No activitiesa ndp rogress? Yes, thoughi ndirectly

AR5000I3 • Notm uch since delisting • Goodi nformationf rom PaDEP

What is your overall impression of • Havec onfidencei t'sb eing handledw ell the site? • Sinced elisting,p ropertyv ery controlled • Turned into profitable,v iable property • Well managed______In your opinion, what effects have Nothing significant the site operations had on the Noe ffect surroundingc ommunity? Effect] obs,t axes,a nd the schoold istrict Good for workers at the site but no impact on the general community

Are you aware of any events, • Not environmental incidents, or activities at the site such • No as vandalism, trespassing, or • Goods ecurity, noo utstanding incidents emergency responses from the local authorities?

Do you have any comments, • PADEP should consult with the Township in suggestions, or recommendations their dealings with the site regarding the site's management or • No operation?

AR5000U SECTION 5 Community Relations Plan Objectives

The Community Relations Plan for the Middletown Air Field Superfimd Site is used to assist the KPA in providing information to community members regarding Site activities and the Supcrfund process. The decision making and cleanup process for the Site is greatly enhanced by community involvement. By meeting these objectives, the EPA can ensure that residents of MiddletownB orough arew ell informed about Sitec onditions thatm ay affectt hem.

1) Providet imely,si te-specifici nformationt oc ommunitym embers. • KPA will use fact sheets, newsletters, public notices, news releases, public meetings, and various other means to explain the phases of the Superfund process as well as information specific to the Middletown Air Field Site. EPA will also name a Community Involvement Coordinator to answer all questions directly. The information will be explained in general terms so that community members can easily understand thep rocess.

2) Provide opportunities! ore ommunity input. • KPA will participate in community outreach activities such as, public availability sessions, site tours, and community interviews to encourage area residents to take an active role in the Superfiind process. EPA will encourage community members to contribute tod ecisions that will havea long-termi mpacto nt heirc ommunity.

3) Enhance communication between EPA, Middletown Borough officials, and the local media. • KPA will provide Middletown Borough officials with timely information about Site activities and will answer any questions they may have. EPA will also distribute Site related information to the local media so that they can convey accurate information about thcS itet o communitym embers.

AR5QOQI5 SECTION 6 Community Involvement Activities

By performing the following activities, EPA can ensure that community members have the means to understand the actions taking place at the Middletown Air Field Site and the Superfund process in general. This information will enable the community to make informed decisions regarding further action at this Site.

• Designate an EPA Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC) to handle Site inquiries. By naming a CIC for this Site, EPA can streamline the information process. Interested parties will be able to contact the CIC during all phases of the Superfund process. The CIC will respondp romptly anda ccurately to all inquiries.

Bill Hudson has been named as the CIC for this Site. He is located in the Philadelphia office and works closely with Mary T. Cooke, EPA's Remedial Project Manager for the Site. Their addresses and phone numbers are located in Appendix A oft his CRP.

• Prepare andd istribute factsh eetsto r esidents andi nterestedp arties. To date there have been two fact sheets developed and distributed to inform affected citizenso ft he schedule, scope of work,a nd technicala ctivities.

A mailing list of over 400 individuals has been developed for this site. Local residents, interested business, elected officials, and local media are included on this list. The mailing list was developed based on community surveys and local tax maps in order to contact residents who live in close proximity to the Site. A short contact list is located in Appendix A of this CRP. The mailing list will be updated and revised throughout the course oft his project.

• Maintain information repositories in thel ocal area. The repositories are used by interested parties to reference information regarding Site activities and the Superfund process. The information found in the repository includes documents located in the Administrative Record File, as well as the CRP, infomiation on the Technical Assistance Grant (TAG), and information on the Superftindp rocess.

An information repository has been established at the Middletown Public Library in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Citizens can also review the file at EPA Region III offices at 1650 Arch Street in Philadelphia. Some of the information is also posted on theE PA web site at: www.epa.KOv/reg3hwmd/super/PA/middletown-air/index.htm

flRSOOOIG • Keep local officials of Middletown Borough and Dauphin County well informed aboutSi te activities. By maintaining two-way communication with local officials, EPA can learn more about Middletown Borough and the needs of community members. Local officials can also be helpful in answering residents' questions and disseminating information. EPA will meet personally with and provide written materials to local officials about developments at the Site. The addresses and phone numbers of local officials are located in Appendix Ao ft hisC RP.

• Keepl ocal mediaw ell informed about Site activities. By consistently distributing accurate information to the local media, EPA can minimize misinformation and speculation about site activities and health risks. EPA will issue news releases and provide written materials to local media. EPA will also invite media representatives to public meetings. The addresses and phone numbers of local mediar epresentatives arel ocatedi n AppendixA o f this CRP.

• Conductp ublicm ee tings a nd publica vailabilitys essions. Public meetings will be held at a central location during evening hours so that interested parties are able to attend. Public availability sessions are held throughout the day so that interested parties can attend at their convenience. EPA representatives will be present at both public meetings and availability sessions, and written materials willb e provideda t these eventsa sw ell.

• Placep ublic notices inl ocalp ublications. Public notices regarding the Middletown Air Field Site will be placed in The Patriot News (daily newspaper) and Middletown Press & Journal (weekly newspaper). The public notices will announce key Site developments, public meetings, public availability sessions,a ndt her elease ofS ite-related documents.

• Promotei nformations ources available thro ugh E PA. EPA provides various sources of information to assist community members in understanding the Superfund process and Site-related activities. EPA may be contacted directly by phone, mail, or e-mail. Information may also be accessed through the EPA web site (www. epa. gov/reg3 h wmd/super/P A/middjetown - air/index, htm). Contact information is included in all fact sheets that are distributed to community members. Additionally, local repositories have been established by EPA to collect site-related information for the public to view. See Appendices A & B for addresses and phone numbers of EPA representatives and information repositories. A Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) has also been made available to assist community groups in reviewing and understanding technical data collected at the Site. Information ont heT AGi si ocatedi n Appendix Do f thisC RP.

• Revise Community RelationsPl an asne eded. Community concerns may change as a result of the selection of a remedial alternative. The CRP should therefore reflect these changing concerns. The CRP will be revised asd ifferent phases of the Superftmd process att heS ite are completed.

AR5000I7 TABLE 2 Timing of Community Involvement Activities

Activity Tim in t

Designate a Community Bill Hudson has been named the CIC for Involvement Coordinator (CIC) thisS ite. to handleS itei nquiries.

Prepare and distribute fact sheets EPA will prepare fact sheets as new tor esidents and interested parties. information arises and to announce Site- related events.

Maintain information repositories EPA will maintain and update repositories in thel ocala rea. as newi nformationi sr eleased.

Keep local officials of EPA will contact officials on a regular M iddletown Borough and basis. Dauphin County well informed about Sitea ctivities.

Keep local media well informed EPA will notify media of meetings and about Site activities. Site-related events.

Conduct public meetings and EPA will hold meetings and public public availabilitys essions. availability sessions at various stages of the Superfund process and as requested by communitym embers.

Place public notices in local Notices will be placed to announce public publications. meetings and the release of Site-related documents.

Promote information sources EPA will promote information sources available! hroughE PA. throughoutt he Superfund process.

Revise Community Relations EPA will revise CRP at various phases of Plan. the Superfund processa nd asn eeded.

BR5000I8 APPENDIX 1 List of Contacts

A.1 Federal Elected Officials

RickS antorum U.S. Senator 333 Markets treet Harrisburg,P A 17101 (717)231-7540 (717) 231-7542 (fax)

120 Russell SenateO fficeB uilding Washington,DC20510 (202) 224-6324 (202) 228-0604 (fax)

Arlen Specter U.S. Senator 222W alnutS treet P.O.Boxl092 Harrisburg,P A 17108 (717)782-3951 (717) 782-4920 (fax)

303 Hart Senate Office Building Washington,DC20514 (202) 224-4254 (202) 228-1229 (fax)

Tim Holden U.S.R epresentative 2417 Rayburn House Office Building Washington DC,2 0515 (202)225-5546 (202) 226-0996 (fax)

HR5000I9 A.2 State Elected Officials

Mark Schweiker Govemoro fP ennsylvania 225M ain Capitol Harrisburg,P A 17120 (717)787-2500

JeffreyE .Pi ccola PennsylvaniaS tateS enator 27S outhM arket Street Elizabethville,P A 1 7023

Senate Box2 03015 Harrisburg,PAl 7120-3017 {717)787-6801

DavidHi ckernell PennsylvaniaS tateR epresentative 2225 SouthM arketS treet,S uite 103 Elizabethtown, PA 17022 (717)367-5525 (717) 367-6425 (fax)

East Wing,R oom 143B Harrisburg,PAl 7120-2020 (717)783-2076

John D. Payne PennsylvaniaS tateR epresentative 250 West Chocolate Avenue Hershey, PA 17033 (717)534-1323 (717) 534-1457 (fax)

429 IrvisO ffice Building Harrisburg,PAl 7120-2020 (717)787-2684 (717) 787-7557 (fax)

AR50Q020 A.3 Local Officials

Borough of Middletown Robert Reid - Mayor

Jeffrey M. Stonehill- BoroughM anager

DaleA . Sinneger - First WardB oroughC ouncil (BoroughC ouncil President) Rachelle E. Reid - First Ward Borough Council David C. Rhen - First Ward Borough Council

KerryL .G olden - Second WardB orough Council Danny A. Crawford - Second WardB orough Council Christopher r.M cNamara - Second WardB orough Council

John L.P atten - Third WardB oroughC ouncil GeorgeW .E Iberti,! II - ThirdW ard Borough Council BarbaraN . Layne - Third WardB oroughC ouncil

DauphinC oiintv Boardo fC ommissioners John D. Payne - Chairman Loman S.H enry - ViceC hairman Anthony M. Petrucci - Secretary

P.O.Boxl295 Harrisburg,P A 17108 (717)780-6300

flR500021 A.4 U.S. EPA Region III Officials

Bill Hudson Communityl nvolvement Coordinator U.S. EPARegionlll !650ArchStreet-3HS43 Philadelphia,? A1 9103 (215)814-5532 [email protected]

MaryT. Cooke Remedial ProjectM anager U.S. EPAR egion IU 1650ArchStreet - 3HS13 Philadelphia,? A1 9103 (215)814-5129 cooke. mary t@epa. gov

Superfund Hotline: 1-800-424-9346

A.5 Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection SouthcentralR egionalO ffice 909 Elmerton Avenue Harrisburg,P A 17110 (717)705-4700

RR500022 A.6 Media______

Newspapers:

TheP atriot - News 812 Markets treet Hairisburg,P A 17101 (717)255-8100 (717) 255-8456 (fax) TomB aden - Managing Editor

TheC arlisle Sentinel P.O.Box 130 Carlisle, PA 1 7013 (717)243-2611 Fred Burgess Managing Editor

The Middletown Press andJ ournal 20 SouthU nion,P .O. Box 2265 Harrisburg,P A 17105 (717)944-4628

RadioSt ations:

WHP-580AM 600 Corporate Circle Harrisburg,P A 17110 (717)540-9312 (717) 671-9973 (fax)

WITF - 89.5 FM(NPR) 1892L ocustL ane I!arrisburg,P A 17105 (717)236-6000 (717) 236-7612 (fax)

WKBO-1230 AM 600 Corporate Circle Harrisburg,P A 17110 (717)540-8800

22 Television Stations:

WHP-TV2 l(CBS) 3300 North 6th Street Harrisburg, PA 1 7110 (717)238-2100 (717) 238-8744 (fax) JerryT rently News Director

WHTM - TV2 7( ABC) 3235 HoffinanS treet Harrisburg,P A 17110 (717)236-2727 (717) 236-5764 (lax) GrcgZ oerh News Director

WITF-TV33(PBS) 1982L ocustL ane Harrisburg,P A 17105 (717)236-6000 (717)236-4628 (fax)

WGAL-TV8 (NBC) P.O.Box?! 27 Lancaster,? A 1 7604 (717)393-5851 (717) 295-7457 (fax)

WPMT - TV 43 (FOX) 2005 South Queen Street York,PA 17403 (717)843-0043 (717)843-9741 (fax) Jim DePury News Director

AR50002I4 APPENDIX B Information Repositories & Meeting Location

B.1 Information Repositories_____

Middletown Public Library 20 North Catherine Street Middletown, PA I 7057 (717)944-6412

Hours: Monday - Thursday9 :30 am to 8:00 pm Friday - 9:30 am to5 :00 pm Saturday - 9:00 am to4 :00 pm

U.S.E PA Region HI AdministrativeR ecordsR oom 1650A rchS treet Philadelphia,? A! 9103 (215)814-3157b y appointment

B.2 Public Meeting Location_____

Steelton-Highspire High School SwataraS treeta ndR eynders Avenue Steelton, PA 17113 (717)939-9895

flR500025 APPENDIX C Glossary of Technical Terms

Administrative Record File: The official file containing the Remedial Investigation report, Risk Assessment, Feasibility Study, and all other documents that provide the basis for EPA's selectiono fa remediate leanupa Itemative at a Superfund site.

Cleanup: An action taken to deal with a release or threatened release of hazardous substances that could adversely affect public health and/or the environment. The word cleanup is used to refer to both short-term removal actions and long-term remedial response actions at Superrund sites.

Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC): An individual EPA assigns to work closely witht echnical staff tok eep the local community informeda bout andi nvolved in a sitec leanup.

Community Relations Plan (CRP): A document that assesses a community's concerns about a site, recommends activities that EPA may conduct to address these concerns, and suggests means to foster communicationb etween EPAa nd thec ommunity.

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA): A Federal law (commonly known as "Superfund") passed in 1980 and modified in 1986 by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). The law gives EPA the authority to investigate sites where there is a suspected threat to public health or the environment caused by the release or potential release of hazardous substances. The law also created a special tax on the chemical and petroleum industries. Money collected under the tax is deposited into a trust fund to be used to clean up abandoned or uncontrolled waste sites. Under the law, EPA can pay for the site cleanup when the parties responsible for contamination cannot be located or are unwilling or unable to perform the cleanup. The EPA can also take legal action to force parties responsible for site contamination to clean up the site or pay back the Federal government for the cost of the cleanup.

Contaminant: Any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter that has ana dversee ffecto n air,w ater, or soil.

Feasibility Study (FS): A study that examines information provided by the remedial investigation activities and evaluates possible cleanup methods that can be used to remove or reducec ontaminationa ta site.

Groundwater: The supply of fresh water found beneath the earth's surface, in empty areas between rocksa nds oilp articles. Groundwater is am ajor sourceo fd linking water.

Hazard Ranking System (HRS): A measurement tool used to evaluate the risks to public health and the environment posed by a hazardous waste site. The HRS calculates a score based on the potential of a hazardous substance moving from the site through the air, water, or soil. EPA places sites witha HRS scoreo f2 8.50 or highero n theN PL.

AR5Q0026 Heavy Metals: Metallic elements with high atomic weights that can damage living things at low concentrations, (e.g. zinc,l ead,a rsenic)

Information Repository: A collection of documents about a specific Superfund site and the general Superfund process. EPA usually places the information repository in a public building that isc onveniently located.

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (National Contingency Plan): The Federal regulation that guides the determination of the sites to be corrected under Superfunda ndt he programt op revent or control spills.

National Priorities List (NPL): EPA's list of the nation's most serious hazardous waste sites identifiedf or long-termc leanup under Superfund.

Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs): The companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site. Whenever possible, through administrative and legal actions, EPA requires thesep artiest o clean uph azardousw aste sites they have contaminated.

Proposed Remedial Action Plan (Proposed Plan or PRAP): A plan that discusses the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study and proposes various cleanup methods for a site. EPAh ighlightsi ts preferred cleanup method in this plan.

Public Comment Period: A period during which the public can review and comment on various documents and EPA actions. For example, EPA holds a public comment period when it proposes to add sites to the NPL. EPA also holds a minimum 30-day public comment period to allowc ommunity memberst or eviewa ndc ommento n Proposed Plans.

Record of Decision (ROD): A formal document that discusses in detail the cleanup plan EPA has decided! oi mplementa t as ite.

Remedial Action: The actual construction or implementation phase that follows the remedial design of thes electedc leanup planf or aS uperfunds ite.

Remedial Design: The engineering phase that follows the ROD. During this phase, technical drawings and specifications are developed for the remedial action at a site. It is similar to a blueprinto rw orkp lan.

Remedial Investigation (RI): A study in which EPA identifies the types and amounts of site contamination and determines the threat this contamination poses to human health and the environment.

Remedial Project Manager (RPM): The EPA or state official responsible for overseeing on- siter emedial action.

Remedial Response: A long-term cleanup action that stops or greatly reduces a release or threatened release of hazardous substances that does, or potentially could, pose an immediate threat to public health and/or the environment.

flR500Q27 APPENDIX D Technical Assistance Grant (TAG)

EPA provides Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) of up to $50,000 as part of its Superfund community relations program. The TAG program enables citizens in a site area to hire a technical expert to review and interpret site reports generated by EPA or other parties. For additional informationo nh owt oa pply fora TechnicalA ssistance Grant, contact:

Amelia Liberty TAG Coordinator U.S. EPA - Region3 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia,? Al 9103 1-800-553-2509 [email protected]

EPA accepts applications for TAGs as mandated by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Keauthorization Act. Only one group per site can receive a TAG, so EPA urges local groups to join together to apply. The following are federal publications on the TAG program, which can be obtained bye ailing EPA'sp ublications number: 1-800-490-9198

• Superfund TechnicalA ssistance Grant( TAG)B rochure OrderNo. EP A540K93002

• Superfund TechnicalA ssistanceG rant (TAG) Handbook: Applying ForY ourCi rant OrderNo. EP A540K93003

• Superfund Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Handbook: Application Forms With Instructions OrderNo. EP A540K93004