1.3 Time Line of Site Activities at the Roebling Steel Mill Superfund Site

1.3  Time Line of the Roebling Steel Mill Superfund Site

5/19/64: NJ Department of Health (NJDOH) recommends CFI (Colorado Fuel and Iron Company) install waste water treatment facilities

5/19/64: NJDOH status report describes CFI, 15 million gallons per day (MGD) were being discharged into the Delaware River; 1MGD used for acid solutions and rinsing.  Effluents did not undergo neutralization and were low in pH, high levels of iron and other heavy metals, suspended solids and oil

5/31/68: NJDOH ordered CFI to cease polluting the Delaware River, requiring the plant to construct a wastewater treatment plant.  CFI was issued a permit to discharge certain industrial wastewater to the Delaware River effective December 31, 1974.

1972:  Wastewater treatment facility was completed and placed into operation.  Consisted of: raw waste pumping station, an acid neutralization system, flocculation tanks, settling tanks, an oil collection and reclamation system, sludge lagoons, and a plant control building and laboratory.

11/15/74:  NJDEP meets with facility owners to discuss aspects of operation - including lining of the sludge lagoons, groundwater contamination, landfill operations, oil unloading, and transmission and storage operations.

6/13/79:  JARSCO (John A. Roebling Steel Company) site inspected by NJDEP and Burl. Co. Health Department. 600 55-gallon drums containing waste oil were discovered onsite. NJDEP requested they be removed.

10/79:  NJDEP issued JARSCO permit to construct and operate industrial WWTP (wastewater treatment plant). Permit required the installation of monitoring wells and bioassay monitoring to be conducted.

11/7/79:  NJDEP issued notification of violation to JARSCO following inspection on June 13, 1979.  JARSCO, later cited for committing a health and safety violation as it attempted to remove the drums from the site without completing the special waste manifests required by the Administrative Order of Removal.

1/29/80:  NJDEP name JARSCO one of 38 hazardous waste sites most urgently needing cleanup in the State of NJ.

3/3/80:  NJDEP inspects the Site, identifies the slag pile as potential hazard.  Approx 100 drums were added to the accumulation already noted onsite.  PCB transformers, a tire piles, and abandoned oil and chemical storage tanks were identified as potential pollution sources.

6/2/80:  JARSCO cited for storing baghouse dust onsite without permit in violation of NJDEP regulations.

10/15/80:  JARSCO supplies NJDEP with analysis of waste oil and slag.

12/19/80:  Site inspected by NJDEP.  Approx 700 drums of oil located on site.  Dilapidated oil tanker at wastewater treatment plant identified as potential pollution source.  NJDEP also finds JARSCO in violation of NJs solid and hazardous waste regulation for disposing of waste oil from the WWTP at an unregistered facility.

4/1981:  JARSCO was cited for noncompliance with the conditions of the NPDES permit for operation of its WWTP and waste discharges (installation of monitoring wells, bioassay monitoring, flow measurement and discharge mentoring).

5/11/81: NJDEP issues Notice of Prosecution to JARSCO seeking removal of oil drums and other hazardous waste onsite.

6/3/81:  RCRA generator and treatment, storage; and disposal facility inspection of facility performed.  JARSCO cited for storage of baghouse dust without a permit.

7/22/81:  JARSCO removes 20,000 gallons of waste oil and 60 cubic yards of contaminated soil from Site.

12/22/81:  NJDEP inspects and samples sludge lagoons.  Sludge contains volatile organics and heavy metals.

2/1/82:  JARSCO issued a deadline for submittal of compliance plan addressing NPDES monitoring requirements because the JARSCO plant had been closed since November 1981, it did not and was not required to meet the deadline.

6/8/82:  NJDEP requires installation of groundwater monitoring wells downstream lagoons, and one upstream from lagoons.

6/20/82:  USEPA issues Complaint and Compliance Order to JARSCO related to the onsite storage of the baghouse dust.  JARSCO is directed to stop storage without permit, remove spilled dust and soil contaminated by the dust, protect the pile from precipitation and run-on, and address question of contaminant migration.

7/82:  NJDEP division of water resources instructed RWC to submit applications for NPDES permits under its own name (permit was in JARSCOs name).

8/9/82:  EPA Site Inspection form completed by NJDEP Dep. of Water Resources.

9/16/82:  Mitre Model evaluation of the Site complete by EPA Region II.

11/9/82:  RWC submitted applications for NPDES permits to include renewal application for wastewater diversion and a grade "S-In" license for the operations of an industrial WWTP.

12/7/82:  Acid cloud at the RWC Site was reported by the Roebling Fire Chief and inspected by NJDEP.  No violations could be substantiated.

1/1/83:  JARSCO officially abandoned the Site without sufficiently addressing the permit noncompliance’s first cited in April 1981.

1/9/83:  Federal Economic Development Administrator forecloses on JARSCO.

2/1/83:  NUS FIT-Region II inspects Site.  USEPA Field Investigation Team conducts Site Investigation and prepares updated EPA Site Inspection Form.

4/83:  NJDEP Air-pollution Division inspects Site and found permits and certificates missing for some RWC equipment.  Equipment included: vapor return, conservation vent and submerged fill for a 4,000 gallon gasoline storage tank and the straight line cleaning house.

5/83:  NJDEP Water Resources finds unacceptable conditions at the RWC Site.  Include - flow meter not working, pH level at 2.9, flights in the find tank not working causing excessive sludge accumulation.

10/83:  Completion of Remedial Action Master Plan for Site by REM Team.

1/19/84: NJDEP notifies Colorado Fuel that they must inform them of their former waste practices at the site.

2/84: Sample collection from an oil tank trailer by the EPA.

8/14/84: Interim Site Characterization by the REM II Team.

12/84: Compliance Evaluation Inspection conducted by NJDEP found concentrations of lead in the wastewater in excess of NPDES limits, and high level of suspended solids.

5/85:  Work Plan for the performance of RI/FS by the REM II team.

5/85: Project Operations Plan for sampling and Analysis by REM II Team.

12/85:  NJDEP removed picric acid from one of the onsite laboratories and detonated it at Earle Naval Weapons Station.

9/85-5/86: Phase I Team submitted a revised version of work plan.

8/87: REM II Team submitted revised version of Project Operation Plan.

9/88:  USEPA approved Work Plan.

3/89:  Work Plan amended.

1/90:  FFS-1 issued, addressed potential contamination and remediation of selected on-site sources (drums, transformers, exterior tanks, chemical piles, tire piles, baghouse dust pile, and off-site soils in Northwest Park).

3/90:  An initial Record of Decision was issued was signed. 

9/90:  Remedial Action authorizes excavation in the Roebling Park and continued the remediation of course areas removal actions.  Scope included removal of drums, transformers, tanks; baghouse dust pile, tire piles, and excavating of contaminate soils.

6/91:  FFS-II issued, addressed potential contamination and associated remediation of the on-site Slag Area and off-site Southeast Park by evaluating risks and developing alternative remedial actions.

6/91:  Supplemental PRP search initiated to fill data gaps in the initial PRP search.

6/91:  General Notice Letters pursuant to CERCLA, as amended, were sent to PRPs, reiterating notification of potential liability, affording them the opportunity to participate in the response actions for the Site, and informing them of the comment period as well as public meeting for the remedy of the slag area and Southeast Park.

7/91:  FFS Report and Proposed Plan were released to the public for comment for the slag area and southeast playground.

1/1992:  DOJ submitted a Statement of Debtor’s Liability which provided an estimation of the debtor’s liability and preserved EPA’s statues as an unsecured creditor in the CF&I bankruptcy proceeding.  Since CF&I and the EPA could not come to an understanding on a dollar amount for the liability of the environmental claims at the Site, the Court ordered an estimation proceeding.

6/1992 and 7/1992:  DOJ and EPA take part in estimation proceeding.  Closing arguments were held in August 1992.  Shortly after CF&I and the EPA reached a settlement and stipulated a value to the EPAs claim. 

9/1993:  The supplemental PRP search was completed.

6/1995:  A settlement between EPA and Reorganized CF&I  for a lump sum payment of $2.2 million was signed. 

9/1995:  EPA received payment from Reorganized CF&I.

6/1996:  Additional request for Information letters were sent to PRPs.

9/1996:  Third ROD was signed by EPA selecting remedy which included removal and disposal of the contents in USTs and underground piping, friable asbestos abatement, decontamination and demolition of buildings, recycling or disposal of metal from building debris, off-site disposal of process dust and contents in pits, sumps, tanks, and restoration of the Main Gate House.

7/1997:  URS complets the 95% design for the OU3 Slag Area, which included treatment of hot spots, soil cover, storm water management, and shoreline revetment.

1998:  Start of OU-4 Remedial Action for selected building demolition and removal of contamination sources associated with buildings

6/28/1999:  EPA Remedial Action 3 OU-4(Buildings/Equipment/Tanks) begins

2001: Florence Township, owner of the property, through the Burlington County Land Use Planning Office, completed a Reuse Conceptual Plan for redevelopment of the property

9/2003:  Fourth ROD for OU-5 (Soil, Sediment, Groundwater) and amendment to OU-3 is signed

1/2004:  Initial five year review

9/27/2004:  Remedial Design for OU-5(Soils/Sediments/Groundwater) begins.

2005:  Soil capping of 5 acres and construction of the New Jersey Transit River Line station stop at Roebling was completed.  A deed notice was placed on NJ Transit River Line station stop portion of the Site to limit any alteration, improvement, or disturbance of Site soils.

2005:  Start of OU-4 Remedial Action for the Main Gate House and the remediation of the surrounding soil

2006:  Start of OU-3 Remedial Action for Slag Area shoreline stabilization

12/2008: Remedial Action for OU-4 (Buidlings/Equipment/Tanks) is complete.

3/21/2008:  Start of OU-5 Remedial Action for remediation of soils and shoreline stabilization at the Isolated Parcel.

10/23/2008:  Remedial Action for OU-5(Soils/Sediments/Groundwater) Complete.

4/2009: EPA completes the Main Gate House Area Soil Cover

9/2010: EPA completes Remedial Design for OU-3 (Slag Disposal Area)

12/2010: EPA completes Remedial Design for OU-5

(Soil/Sediments/Groundwater).

Present Day:  EPA continues to work on Remedial Construction for OU-5, OU-3, and OU-4.