Revised Community Relations Plan
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ARCSV t.000002 Remedial Activities at Uncontrolled Hazardous Waste Sites in Region V United States Environmental Protection Agency REVISED COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN G&H Industrial Landfill Site Shelby Township, Michigan WA l2-5L70.0/Contract No. 68-W8-0040 June 30, 1989 221019 O&iHIlL. REVISED COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN G&H Industrial Landfill Site Shelby Township, Michigan WA 12-5L70.0/Contract No. 68-W8-0040 June 30, 1989 GLT863/041.50 CONTENTS Page 1 Introduction 1-1 2 Site Description 2-1 Location and Site Features 2-1 General Site History 2-1 3 Community Background 3-1 Community Profile 3-1 History of Community Involvement 3-1 Community Issues and Concerns 3-2 4 Goals of the Community Relations Program 4-1 Maintain Frequent Contact with Key Individuals 4-1 Provide Information Before Fieldwork Begins 4-1 Produce Regular Project Updates 4-1 Establish EPA as the Key Source of Information 4-1 5 Proposed Community Relations Program 5-1 Community Relations/Technical Consultations 5-1 Informal Contact Program 5-1 Citizen's Information Committee 5-2 Fact Sheets 5-2 Availability Sessions and Public Meetings 5-2 Technical Support 5-2 ROD Support 5-3 Project Schedule 5-3 Appendix A. Community Contact List Follows TABLES Page 1 Proposed Schedule 5-3 GLT863/022.50 Section 1 INTRODUCTION This document is a Community Relations Plan for the G&H Landfill site in Shelby Township, Michigan. It is a revision of an earlier plan prepared in 1983. Current issues of concern to the community and local officials and ways to address those issues are outlined. The U.S. EPA is responsible for site investigations, remedial measures, and cost recovery for the G&H Landfill site under the authority of the federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). This plan serves as a guide for responding to the community during EPA's Superfund involvement. It also serves as a qualitative report on the perceptions and expectations held by the community. The suggested actions may change as perceptions and expectations change or are re-interpreted; the plan will be revised as necessary to reflect these changes. The scope of this plan applies to Phase III of the Remedial Investigation (RI) and the Feasibility Study (FS), which will span a period of about 20 months. It details specific activities the U.S. EPA will perform to disseminate information to the community and to encourage public involvement. Information in the plan is based primarily on discussions with local government officials and residents in January 1989. Additional information was obtained through discussions with representatives of the EPA and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). GLT863/014.50 1-1 Section 2 SITE DESCRIPTION LOCATION AND SITE FEATURES The G&H Landfill site is located in Macomb County, Michigan, about 30 miles north of Detroit. It is north of the Clinton River about halfway between Utica to the southeast and Rochester to the northwest (Figure 1). The 100-acre site (Figure 2) encompasses three distinct waste disposal areas: o The original disposal area between 23 Mile Road and the Conrail railroad tracks o The Phase 2 disposal area south of the railroad tracks o The Phase 3 disposal area at the west end of the site The east end of the site contains an auto disposal area. A commercial and industrial area is located outside the site boundary just south of the auto disposal area. One residential area is located across from the site on the east side of Ryan Road; another is on the north side of 23 Mile Road. The residential area to the east consists of homes that are generally more than 10 years old, whereas the Spring Lake residential area to the north has been partially developed within the last 5 years and continues to grow. The Clinton River is located just west of the site, and the Rochester-Utica Recreation Area lies south of the site. GENERAL SITE HISTORY The G&H Landfill was operated as an industrial waste disposal site from the mid-1950s to 1967. Millions of gallons of industrial waste liquids, oils, solvents, and process sludges were dumped in pits and lagoons on the site. In 1967, State agencies forced the landfill to stop accepting industrial wastes because of citizens' complaints and the possibility of contaminant migration from the site. The site continued to operate as a municipal landfill until it was closed in 1974. Both intentional and unintentional site trespass in the form of hiking, hunting, illegal dumping, and recreational use by motorcyclists and other vehicle users have been common the last several years. SITE CONTAMINATION Evidence of contaminant migration is present along the western edge of the Phase 3 disposal area, where leachate seeps are visible, and just south of the railroad tracks (in the Recreation Area), where oil seeps are visible. The oil seeps are presumably related to a large oil source area located along the northern edge of the site. However, certain discontinuities found in early data 2-1 suggest the seeps, as well as a plume of contaminated groundwater. could be related to an as-yet unknown contaminant source area. Results from Phases I and II of the RI indicated that site-related contamination is generally contained within an area consisting of the site itself and a portion of the Rochester-Utica Recreation Area (north of the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal). These results are consistent with the north-to-south direction of regional groundwater flow. A preliminary risk assessment identified potential for direct contact with site contaminants as a key exposure risk. SITE REMEDIATION HISTORY The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act passed by Congress in 1980 allocates funding to the EPA and provides the EPA with the authority to use the funds for cleanup of abandoned hazardous waste sites. The G&H Landfill site was placed on the National Priorities List in July 1982. In June 1983, the EPA allocated funds for and authorized implementation of the RI/FS. The RI is being conducted in three phases. Phase I, conducted from June 1983 until August 1985, identified releases of contaminants from the landfill into the surrounding environment. Samples were taken of subsurface soil, sediment, surface water, landfill leachate, and groundwater. Phase II was conducted from December 1985 until April 1987 to locate and characterize source areas of contamination. This investigation included sampling of landfill gas and soil waste from test pits in oil ponds, solvent disposal areas, and industrial waste areas. Additional sampling similar to that done during Phase I was also performed. Phase III of the RI will begin in April 1989. Additional data will be gathered to assist in quantifying the health risks associated with the site and to evaluate remedial alternatives. Phase III tasks will include sampling of air, landfill gas. and surface and subsurface soil. Groundwater monitoring wells will be installed, samples of sediment, surface water and leachate will be taken, and a geophysical survey will be performed to locate buried contaminant sources. Interim remedial action at the site has included the erection of two fences to prevent direct contact with site contaminants. In July 1982, the EPA erected a fence around a contaminated pond to restrict public access and protect wildlife from direct contact with oily wastes. A trench was installed in conjunction with the fence to divert oily runoff water. The water was collected and skimmed by filtering it through charcoal and strawbeds. To reduce trespassing and the potential for exposure, the EPA constructed another fence in 1988 to enclose all known areas of site-related contamination (see Figure 2). The chain-link fence, which has been an issue of considerable public concern, is 8 feet tall with barbed wire on top. Warning signs regarding the hazardous nature of the site are posted at regular intervals. Green chain- link material was used along segments next to Ryan Road and 23 Mile Road to improve the appearance of the fence. 2-2 STATUS OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS ACTIVITIES Community relations efforts for the G&H Landfill Phase III RI and the FS have begun. A mailing list was assembled and a kickoff fact sheet was distributed in November 1988. Interviews were conducted in January 1989 with representatives from the Shelby Township Board of Trustees, the Macomb County Health Department, the Spring Lake Homeowners Association, the Rochester-Utica Recreation Area, the Clinton River Watershed Council, and the Shelby Citizens Against Hazardous Waste. A list of key contacts is provided in Appendix A. A Citizen Information Committee has also been formed of local officials. EPA and MDNR staff, and members of citizens groups largely through the efforts of the MDNR. The purpose of the committee is to exchange information regularly during the RI/FS process. Its first meeting was held February 14. GLT863/015.50 2-3 Section 3 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND COMMUNITY PROFILE Shelby Township is a community of over 45.000 with a strong manufacturing and commercial economic base. From 1982 to 1988 the population increased over 13 percent, thereby necessitating a rapid increase in new housing development. Continued growth is expected because of the availability of land and the continued emphasis on development of the infrastructure. Road improvements and sewer and water system modifications are currently underway. Parks, a golf course, a convention center, and other facilities are in the planning stages. The community is considered to be among the wealthiest in the state. Several "Fortune 500" companies located in the area establish a strong employment base for professionals and manufacturing and commercial positions. Employment growth is expected to continue especially in the service and educational service sectors.