Intent To Delete Crystal City Airport Superfund Site, Crystal City, Zavala County, Texas From the National Priorities List

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 300

[FRL-5127-9]

Intent To Delete Crystal City Airport Superfund Site, Crystal

City, Zavala County, Texas From the National Priorities List

AGENCY: United States Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Intent to delete the Crystal City Airport Superfund site from

the National Priorities List: request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 announces

its intent to delete the Crystal City Airport Superfund site from the

National Priorities List (NPL) and requests public comment on this

action. The NPL constitutes Appendix B of 40 CFR part 300 which is the

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP),

which EPA promulgated pursuant to Section 105 of the Comprehensive

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as

amended. EPA and the State of Texas (Texas Natural Resource

Conservation Commission) have determined that all appropriate actions

under CERCLA have been implemented and that no further cleanup is

appropriate. Moreover, EPA and the State have determined that response

activities conducted at the site to date have been protective of public

health, welfare, and the environment.

DATES: Comments concerning this site may be submitted on or before

January 30, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Ms. Olivia Rodriguez, Community

Relations Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 6 (6H-MC), 1445 Ross Avenue,

Dallas, Texas 75202-2733, (214) 665-6584 or 1-800-533-3508.

Comprehensive information on this site is available through the EPA

Region 6 public docket, which is located at EPA's Region 6 library

office and is available for viewing from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday

through Friday, excluding holidays. The office address is: U.S. EPA,

Region 6, Library, 12th Floor, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202,

(214) 665-6424 or 665-6427.

Background information from the Regional public docket is available

for viewing at the Crystal City Airport Superfund site information

repositories located at:

Crystal City Public Library, 101 E. Dimmit, Crystal City, TX 78839.

Environmental Protection Agency, Library, 12th Floor, 1445 Ross Avenue,

Dallas, Texas 75202.

Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, 12118 North 1H-35,

Building D, Room 190, Austin, Texas 78753, (512) 239-2920.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ernest R. Franke, Remedial Project

Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, 1445 Ross

Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202-2733, (214) 665-8521 or 1-800-533-

3508. [[Page 423]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. NPL Deletion Criteria

III. Deletion Procedures

IV. History and Basis for Intended Site Deletion

I. Introduction

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 announces

its intent to delete Crystal City Airport Superfund site, Crystal City,

Zavala County, Texas, from the National Priorities List (NPL), which

constitutes Appendix B of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances

Pollution Contingency Plan, 40 CFR Part 300 (NCP), and requests

comments on the proposed deletion. EPA identifies sites which appear to

present a significant risk to public health, welfare, or the

environment and maintains the NPL as the list of those sites. Sites on

the NPL may be the subject of remedial actions financed by the

Hazardous Substance Superfund Response Trust Fund (Fund). Pursuant to

Section 300.425(e)(3) of the NCP, a site deleted from the NPL remains

eligible for Fund-financed remedial actions if conditions at the site

warrant such action.

EPA will accept comments concerning this proposal for 30 days after

publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

Section II of this notice explains the criteria for deleting sites

from the NPL. Section III discusses procedures EPA is using for this

action. Section IV discusses the history of the site and explains how

it meets the deletion criteria.

II. NPL Deletion Criteria

The NCP establishes criteria which EPA references to delete sites

from the NPL. In accordance with 40 CFR Section 300.425(e)(1), sites

may be deleted from or recategorized on the NPL where no further

response is appropriate. In making a determination to delete a site

from the NPL, EPA shall consider in consultation with the state,

whether any of the following criteria have been met:

(i) Responsible parties or other persons have implemented all

appropriate response actions required; or

(ii) All appropriate Fund-financed response under CERCLA has been

implemented, and no further response action by responsible parties is

appropriate; or

(iii) The remedial investigation has shown the release poses no

significant threat to public health or the environment and therefore,

taking of remedial measures is not appropriate.

Prior to deciding to delete a site from the NPL, EPA must determine

that the remedy, or existing site conditions at sites where no action

is required, is protective of public health, welfare and the

environment.

Deletion of a site from the NPL does not preclude eligibility for

subsequent Fund-financed actions if future site conditions warrant such

actions. Section 300.425(e)(3) of the NCP states Fund-financed actions

may be taken at sites which are deleted from the NPL.

III. Deletion Procedures

Upon determination that at least one criteria described in section

300.425(e)(1) is met, EPA may formally begin deletion procedures. The

following procedures were used for the proposed deletion of this site:

1. EPA Region 6 has recommended deletion and prepared the relevant

documents.

2. The State of Texas has concurred with the deletion decision.

3. Concurrent with this National Notice of Intent to Delete, a

notice will be published in local newspapers and will be distributed to

appropriate federal, state and local officials and other interested

parties. This local notice announces a 30-day public comment period on

the deletion package, which starts two weeks from the date of the

notice.

4. Region 6 has made all relevant documents available in the

Regional office, local site and State of Texas information

repositories.

These procedures have been completed for the Crystal City Airport

Superfund site. The Federal Register notice and concurrent notice in

the local newspaper in the vicinity of the site announce the initiation

of a 30-day public comment period and the availability of the Notice of

Intent to Delete. The public is asked to comment on EPA's intention to

delete the site from the NPL; all critical documents needed to evaluate

EPA's decision are included in the information repositories and

deletion docket.

Upon completion of the 30-day public comment period, EPA Region 6

will evaluate these comments before the final decision to delete. If

necessary, EPA Region 6 will prepare a Responsiveness Summary to

address those concerns raised by the comments received during the

public comment period. The responsiveness summary will be made

available to the public at the information repositories. Members of the

public are welcome to contact EPA Region 6 to obtain a copy of the

responsiveness summary when available. If EPA still determines deletion

from the NPL is appropriate after receiving public comments, a final

notice of deletion will be published in the Federal Register. However,

deletion from the NPL will not occur until a notice of deletion is

published in the Federal Register.

IV. History and Basis for Intended Site Deletion

The following summary provides the Agency's rationale for deletion

of the Crystal City Airport Superfund site from the NPL.

The Crystal City Airport (CCA) Superfund site is located within the

city limits of Crystal City, Zavala County, in the South-Central

geographic area of Texas. The population density in the region is low

and the economy is principally comprised of agriculture, oil and gas

production. Crystal City is the county seat of Zavala County with

approximately 8,000 residents from a total county population of

approximately 11,500. The nearest major population center is San

Antonio, located about 100 miles northeast of Crystal City.

The CCA site is owned by the City of Crystal City and encompasses

approximately 120 acres. Airport facilities include: 3,550-foot asphalt

runway, an elevated tower equipped with rotating beacon, a windsock,

paved taxiways, several buildings and foundations. The land surrounding

the airport property has a variety of uses. A closed municipal

landfill, also owned by the City of Crystal City, is located directly

adjacent to the northeast. To the north, the land is used as pasture

land. Directly west of the site is a private residential area and

public housing project. Southwest of the site is an elementary school,

high school and associated athletic fields. South of the site is a

second residential area. Southeast of the site is more agricultural

grazing land.

During World War II, the airport site was owned and operated

primarily for housing persons detailed by the U.S. Military. The U.S.

Government deeded the property to the city in 1949. The City of Crystal

City has operated the facility as a municipal airport since 1949. Under

lease arrangements with Crystal City, several private companies

operated aerial pesticide application businesses at CCA in the early

1950's. By 1982, pesticide application operations were discontinued at

the airport and former aerial applicators declared bankruptcy,

abandoning various equipment and numerous deteriorated drums on site.

The Texas Department of Water Resources (TDWR), the predecessor

[[Page 424]] agency to both the Texas Water Commission (TWC) and the

Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), initiated a

preliminary site investigation on April 25, 1983, as requested by local

officials acting on behalf of concerned citizens. On June 13 and June

23, 1983, additional investigations were conducted to characterize the

type and extent of contamination. At least 50 drums of various

pesticides and herbicides were observed and extensive soil staining was

indicative of poor handling and transferring practices. An Immediate

Removal Action was initiated by EPA on October 31, 1983. This action

focused on removal of the most highly contaminated materials consisting

of approximately 40 cubic yards of waste. Between 50-70 drums were

mixed with lime and capped with clay and placed in two temporary

disposal cells onsite. This removal action was structured to mitigate

short term risks and scheduled to be incorporated into the permanent

remedial action at a later date. Further followup inspections on

December 15, 1983, February 14, 1984, and March 29, 1984 by the TWDR,

EPA and Texas Air Control Board resulted in an additional removal

action to further reduce short-term risks posed by the site. In May

1984, an additional 19 drums were transported for disposal to an

offsite permitted treatment, storage and disposal facility. A fence was

constructed around the site to limit public access and warning signs

were posted.

A Hazard Ranking System (HRS) package for Crystal City Airport was

finalized in June 1984. The overall site score was 32.26. EPA and TWC

(TNRCC), entered into a Cooperative Agreement (CA) on September 28,

1995 for a state-lead Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/

FS). The site was proposed for the NPL on October 5, 1985. The site was

formally placed on the NPL on May 20, 1986. In June 1986, TNRCC

contracted Ebasco Services Incorporated to perform the RI/FS. Phase I

of the RI fieldwork lasted from September through October 1986; Phase

II fieldwork was conducted during January and February 1987. The RI and

FS reports were finalized in June and July 1987, respectively.

The Regional Administrator signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for

the Crystal City Airport Superfund site on September 29, 1987,

selecting onsite consolidation in a disposal cell with a cap meeting

requirements of regulations promulgated under the Resource Conservation

and Recovery Act (RCRA). This method was chosen to prevent spread of

contaminants. EPA selected a remedy which eliminated the principal

threat posed by site conditions by eliminating the possibility of human

exposure to contaminants of concern.

The funds to conduct Remedial Design and Remedial Action (RD/RA)

were awarded by EPA to the State of Texas on March 31, 1988 through a

Cooperative Agreement with TWC (TNRCC). On June 14, 1988, TNRCC entered

into a contract with Ebasco Services, the engineering firm which

conducted the RI/FS, to perform Remedial Design work and prepare

detailed construction plans and specifications for a bid package. The

bid package was completed and an Invitation for Bids was issued on

January 31, 1989. Eleven qualified bids were received, evaluated, and a

contract was awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, Qualtec

Incorporated. The contract was executed by TNRCC on April 21, 1989.

Qualtec attempted to mobilize onsite in June 1989, but was denied entry

by local officials. Due to defiance to repeated requests for access on

behalf of Qualtec by both EPA and TNRCC, a Section 104 Unilateral

Administrative Order under CERCLA authority was issued to Crystal City

by EPA in November 1989, and TNRCC issued a Notice to Proceed to

Qualtec on January 5, 1990. Qualtec began onsite mobilization on

February 5, 1990. The following contract activities were conducted

during the 120-day contract duration:

construction of the consolidated cell,

excavation and consolidation of contaminated material in

the cell,

verification monitoring,

placement, compaction, grading, and seeding of clean

backfill,

stormwater control,

building decontamination, and asphalt floor removal,

demolition of building B-3,

recontruction of airport facilities to meet or exceed

existing conditions including replacement of asphalt floor slabs with

concrete and reconstruction of taxiways in contaminated areas,

construction of the RCRA cap over the consolidation cell

as specified by contract documents,

continuous air monitoring and dust control,

continuous health and safety and quality assurance/quality

control operations,

construction of a security fence around the consolidated

cell.

Pre-final inspections were held on May 31, 1990 and June 6, 1990 to

close out site work. The Certificate of Substantial Completion was

issued July 3, 1990, signifying completion of all work except the

vegetative topcover growth required by the contract specifications. The

final work product acceptance occurred on September 25, 1990 after a

joint TNRCC and EPA inspection reflecting the vegetative requirements

had been met. The Remedial Action (RA) Report was finalized on May 23,

1991, and approved by the Region 6 Hazardous Waste Management Division

Director on June 6, 1991.

In December 1991 a site Close Out Report was prepared in which EPA,

in consultation with the State of Texas (TNRCC), determined all

appropriate response actions required to ensure the protectiveness of

human health and the environment at the Crystal City Airport had been

implemented.

Pursuant to 40 CFR Section 300.510 of the NCP, the State (TNRCC)

has assumed all responsibility for Operation and maintenance (O&M) at

this site. TNRCC has implemented the EPA approved O&M plan requiring

analysis of the city water well adjacent to the airport. In addition,

air sampling for particulate arsenic and pesticides has been conducted.

Since inception of the program in 1991, all samples taken to date are

below the detection limits for all chemicals of concern.

The Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) issued

a Site Review and Update (SRU) report for the CCA site on February 18,

1994. The SRU concluded ``because contaminated soils and drums have

been enclosed in the capped cell and other contaminated materials have

been removed to an offsite hazardous waste landfill, the potential for

exposure to on-site contaminants no longer exists.'' No further actions

or evaluations were recommended.

Hazardous substances encapsulated in the cell on the site, however,

are above health-based levels that do not allow for unlimited use of

and unrestricted access to the consolidation cell area. Therefore, EPA

will conduct a statutory five-year review, schedule for February 1995

(five years after the commencement of the RA), pursuant to OSWER

Directive 9355.7-02, ``Structure and Components of Five-Year Reviews.''

Although the first five-year review has not been completed at the

site, EPA believes it is appropriate to proceed with site deletion.

Based on the successful encapsulation of hazardous substances in the

consolidation cell, the results of O&M monitoring to date, and ATSDR's

review, EPA has determined the remedy is protective and no further

response action is necessary. This is consistent with current EPA

policy as [[Page 425]] discussed on page 66601 of the December 24,

1991, Federal Register, 40 CFR Part 300 which states sites should not

be retained on the NPL which are otherwise eligible to be deleted

simply because they haven't had a five year review. Of course, state-

funded O&M and EPA-funded five-year reviews will continue in the

future, but site deletion should proceed since applicable deletion

criteria have been satisfied.

EPA, with concurrence of the State of Texas, has determined all

appropriate Fund-financed responses under CERCLA at the Crystal City

Airport Superfund site have been completed, and no further cleanup by

responsible parties is appropriate. Moreover, EPA and the State of

Texas have determined remedial actions conducted at the site to date

are protective of public health, welfare, and the environment.

Dated: November 1, 1994.

Approved By:

Allyn Davis,

Regional Administrator.

After Action Report, Crystal City Airport Site,

Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI Emergency Response Branch,

June 1984.

Hazard Ranking System package for the Crystal City Airport

Site, Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI, April 1984.

Site Review and Update, Crystal City Airport, Agency for

Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, February 18, 1994.

Health Assessment for the Crystal City Airport Site,

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, May 1988.

Remedial Investigation, Final Report, Crystal City Airport

Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the Texas Water

Commission in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency,

June 1987.

Feasibility Study, Final Report, Crystal City Airport

Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the Texas Water

commission in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency,

July 1987.

Record of Decision, Crystal City Airport Site,

Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI, September 28, 1987.

Revised Community Relations Plan, Jacobs Engineering Group

Inc., August 1989.

Remedial Design, Final Report, Crystal City Airport Site,

prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the Texas Water Commission

in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, December 1988.

Remedial Design, Bid Specifications, Crystal City Airport

Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the Texas Water

Commission in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency,

December 1988.

Operations and Maintenance Plan, Crystal City Airport

Site, Prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the Texas Water

Commission in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency,

December 1988.

Remedial Action Report, Crystal City Airport Site,

prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the Texas Water Commission

in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, December 1990.

First Operations and Maintenance Quarterly Report, Crystal

City Airport Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the

Texas Water Commission, December 17, 1990.

Second Operations and Maintenance Quarterly Report,

Crystal City Airport Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for

the Texas Water Commission, March 19, 1991.

Third Operations and Maintenance Quarterly Report, Crystal

City Airport Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for the

Texas Water Commission, July 9, 1991.

Fourth Operations and Maintenance Quarterly Report,

Crystal City Airport Site, prepared by Ebasco Services Incorporated for

the Texas Water Commission, November 7, 1991.

Superfund Site Close Out Report, Crystal City Airport,

Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, December 1991.

Crystal City Airport Federal Superfund Site, Quarterly

State Funded O & M Sampling and Inspection Reports, Texas Natural

Resource Conservation Commission, November 1991 through June 1994.

Cooperative Agreements:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Description No. Date

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Forward Planning (FP)................. V-006461-01-7 5-14-86

(2) RI/FS................................. V-006461-01-7 5-14-86

(3) FP (increase)......................... V-006461-01-9 3-31-87

(4) RI/FS (increase)...................... V-006461-01-9 3-31-87

(5) RD.................................... V-006461-01-13 3-31-88

(6) RD (transfer)......................... V-006461-01-M 3-06-91

(7) RA.................................... V-006567-01-0 12-29-88

(8) O&M................................... V-006567-01-2 6-19-90

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other documents related to site activities are also available for

review in the site repositories,

[FR Doc. 95-4 Filed 1-3-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-M