OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (OHIO EPA) DIVISION OF EMERGENCY & REMEDIAL RESPONSE (DERR) us EPA RECORDS CENTER REGION 5 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT REPORT 418260 Little Scioto River Marion USEPA ID QHN000509950 Prepared by: Date: September 18, 2006 Reviewed by: Steve Snyder Date: September 18, 2006 jpjjM.^ C ^^P^Jloi_ Site Coordinator DBRR-NWDQ Reviewed by: Jessica Page Date: A ^oli i/o 0 fe Assessment Co/ai^inator DERR-SABR Approved by: Erica Islas Date: it/2./0(/j Early Action Program Manager, U.S. EPA S0 3DVd Vd30 qbTPb^qbTq bbrnn ^nnv icv im 1.0 Introduction A Preliminary Assessment (PA) was performed by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency under the authority of the U.S. EPA cooperative agreement. The site is the Little Scioto River (LSR), CERCLIS identification number OHN000509950. The CERCLIS site address is Holland Road Bridge, Marion, OH. In addition to contamination contained within the existing river channel, the PA includes the residual creosote contamination previously identified outside the river channel and the historic river channel prior to the river being channelized. Based upon review of historical topography maps, it appears that the LSR was channelized prior to 1961. Currently, Ohio EPA has a formal file request into the Army Corp. of Engineers for file information on channeling of the LSR. Additionally, both ground water and surface water contamination potential is a concern with the LSR. The purpose of the PA is to assess the immediate and potential threats to human health and the environment from polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). contained within the creosote laden sediments. During U.S. EPA's removal action, contamination identified in sand/gravel formations extending outside the river channel was not completely removed. The remaining contamination may pose a threat to both human health and the environment. The impacted portion of the river is located within a well head protection area (WHPA) for the city of Marion. The city of Marion uses both public wells and a surface water intake from the LSR to supply public water to the citizens of Marion. The well field is located just north of the first removal area which U.S. EPA completed in 2002. 2.0 Background Site Name: Little Scioto River Alias: DERR I.D. No.: U.S.EPA I.D. No.: OHN000509950 District: Northwest District Office County: Marion Site Address: Located from the intersection of Holland Road and North Rockswale Ditch to State Route 739 (Approximately 8.5 River Miles) Directions to Site: From Columbus, take US 23 North to State Route 95 West. Follow State Route 95 through downtown Marion and take State Route 309 North to Holland Road West. The river is located approximately 1.5 miles west of the intersection of Holland Road and State Route 309. Latitude: 40.591354 Longitude: -83.183723 2.1 Maps Maps are included as an attachment to this PA. The attachments include the Site Location Map, Site Features Map, the Previous Extent of U.S. EPA's Removal Action, and a United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey (Historical Topographic Map of the Little Scioto River). 3.0 Site Description The LSR PA study includes approximately 8.5 river miles including 0.5 miles of North Rockswale Ditch. Analytical data from previous sampling events indicates that sediments are grossly contaminated with coal-tar creosote (PAH compounds). The sediments are contaminated as a result of historic discharges to North Rockswale Ditch and the LSR from the Baker Wood Creosoting (BWC) site. Both sites are located in Marion Township, Marion County, Ohio. The LSR predominately flows north to south and is located just west of the City of Marion. The LSR feeds the Scioto River, which is a major tributary to the Ohio River. Historical documents from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) indicate that coal-tar creosote was discharged directly into the river in the mid-1940's from the BWC. The BWC site is located at the northwest corner of Holland Road and Kenton Street (State Route 309), Marion, Marion County, Ohio, and is approximately !4 mile northwest of downtown Marion. Approximately V2 mile west of the BWC site, North Rockswale Ditch crosses beneath Holland Road, then parallels the road until it discharges into the river approximately 1 mile west of the BWC site. The present owner of the BWC site is the Baker Wood Limited Partnership. At one time, they used the eastern portion of the property for scrap metal salvage. The site is currently vacant with no on-site workers. The owner of the property and the BWC, when it was active, is now deceased. Most of the 60-acre property was utilized as a railroad tie dying and storage yard and encompasses the entire western portion of the BWC site. 3.1 Regulatory Information Based on the location and nature of the contamination, the historic releases now contained in the river sediments and sand/gravel features intersecting the river pose an imminent threat of continued discharge of creosote into both surface and ground waters of the State. Due to this gross contamination, a joint advisory was issued by ODH and the Marion County Health Department against swimming, wading, and eating fish caught in a 4-mile length of the LSR, west of the city of Marion from Holland Road south to State Route 739. Also, the ODH, in cooperation with Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), issued consumption advisories under Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code 3701). The Ohio Sport fish consumption advisory recommends not eating any fish from this area due to the PAH contamination. 3.2 Site History The former BWC operated as a preserver of lumber products in Marion from approximately 1890 to 1960. An 1812 Sanborn insurance map indicates that railroad ties were preserved with coal-tar creosote and then stacked to dry on the western portion of the property. The most likely process used at the facility to treat wood products was pressurized cylinders with creosote, in combination with petroleum and other solvents. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH), predecessor to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), first cited the Baker Wood Preserving Company as a contributor of contamination to surface water (Little Scioto River) on September 4, 1946. In a letter dated December 4, 1946, to the BWC, the ODH indicated that chemicals (coal-tar creosote) were being discharged from the BWC site directly to the combined sewers that drain into North Rockswale Ditch and the LSR. The company was informed by ODH that it should install a waste treatment system. The treatment system was not in place until 1953. Following the installation of the treatment system, ODH documented the continued discharge of creosote materials from the BWC property. The letters urged the company to cease any operations affecting the water quality in the LSR. From 1970 until the early 1990's, the eastern portion of the property was utilized by Sims Brothers, Inc., to operate a scrap metal salvage yard. Sims Brother's Inc., purchased the property from D.B. Frampton Company of Columbus, Ohio. The D.B. Frampton Company merged with Baker Wood Preserving Company in the 1950's. It is not known what type of practices occurred during the salvage operations. 3.3 Previous Field Work In October 1991, the Ohio EPA Site Investigation Field Unit (SIFU) conducted a field investigation on the BWC property. The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether hazardous substances existed on the property and if they were migrating from the site. The study concluded that polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were present at the property. However; it was inconclusive at the time of the investigation whether PAH contamination from the BWC property had migrated off-site to the LSR. From August 1992 to February 1993, Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water conducted biological community, fish tissue, biomarker, sediment and surface water sampling of the Little Scioto River. Sediment sampling was also conducted in the North Rockswale Ditch, Rockswale Ditch, and Columbia Ditch. Conclusions made from these investigations determined severe biological and water quality degradation in the Little Scioto River, the entirety of Rockswale Ditch, and the lower 1 mile of Columbia Ditch. Concentrations of PAH compounds in these sediments were among the highest observed in published literature at the time. Five of the PAH compounds identified in the Little Scioto River sediment have been recognized as possible human carcinogens benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene). According to the Toxicological Profile for Creosote, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996, at least 75 percent of the coal tar creosote mixture is PAHs. Benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b) fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene are identified as PAH components of coal tar pitch. On March 20, 1992, the ODH issued an advisory against swimming, wading, and eating fish caught in a 4 mile length of the Little Scioto River, west of the City of Marion from Holland Road south to State Route 739. An Ohio EPA report titled. Biological. Sediment and Water Quality Study of the Little Scioto River. Marion. Ohio, dated April 8, 1994, indicated that elevated levels of at least 17 PAH compounds were identified in North Rockswale Ditch and the outfall to the LSR. The report also confirms that black sludge exhibiting a creosote odor is present in this area of the LSR and that fish were exposed to high concentrations of PAH compounds. Ohio EPA performed an Integrated Assessment (lA) at the BWC site. The report indicated that direct observations during heavy precipitation and high water in the combined sewer, the outfall waters contained visible oil sheen.