14006 Classic Coffe Community Meeting Handouts 20120423

Community Meeting Fact Sheet
North Carolina Brownfields Program
Classic Coffee Syst ems Project (aka Pliana or Former Chem-Tex Labs)
July 24, 2012
Background: On April 23, 2012, a community meeting organized and led by State Representative Kelly
Alexander was held at the West Charlotte Recreation Center. Representative Alexander invited the North
Carol ina Department of Environment and Natural Resources {NCDENR} Division of Waste Management,
Brownfields Program to attend and listen to community comments regarding the Chem-Tex Brownfield ProjeCt
Number 14006-10-60, located at 1016 & 1024 Montana Drive in Charlotte. During this meeting, residents
spoke about concerns regarding the water quality in Stewart Creek, which runs through their ne ighborhoods.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services, Mecklenburg County Water Quality Program agreed to work
with NCDENR to conduct environmental sampling and report back to the co mmunity. The update below
provides the resu lts from the Stewart Creek sampling effort conducted by NCDENR and Mecklenburg County.
It also provides the status of the Chem-Tex site for its reuse by Classsic Coffee Systems under a brownfields
ag reement with NCDENR.
Issues Update
1. Stewart Creek Sampling: In an effort to assess the water quality in Stewart Creek, 10 surface water
and 5 sediment samples were collected. Three water and sediment sam ples were collected on or nea r the
brownfields property to assess if the brownfields property was impacting the wa ter quality in Stewart Creek.
The other samples were collected by Mecklenburg County Water Qua lity Program over a w ide r area to an alyze
the general water quality conditions in Stewart Creek upstream of Brookshire Freeway.
2. Stewart Creek Results: Water and sediment sampling data from Stewart Creek show no chemical
contamination results above screening levels for organic and metal contaminants. There is also no indication
that there is unacceptable health risk posed by occasional recreational exposure to contaminants in t he creek.
Also, the Former Chem-Tex Brownfields Property is not contributing to measurable contamination in Stewart •
Creek. The re is no indication in the data that flooding of t he creek and resulting deposition of any cree k
sediment on nearby properties would result in unacceptable health risks presented by contaminants
originating from the Former Chem-Tex Brownfields Property or by sediments up and downstream of the
brownfields property.
3. Brownfields Status: Pearl Pacific Properties, LLC is seeking a brownfields agreement from NCDENR for
the purchase and reuse of the former Chem-Tex Site. They intend to use the property for warehouse and
distribution of Classic Coffee Concepts. Groundwater and soil are impacted on the property. There have bee n
four contaminants of concern detected above state groundwater standards including perchloroethylene,
trichloroethylene; 1,1-dichloroethene and 1,1-dichloroethane. There are also minor amounts of metals in
groundwater including chromium, lead, and manganese. As discussed above, surface water and sediment
samples were collected in Stewart Creek and indicated no impacts from the brownfields property in t he cree k.
In its agreement with Pacific Pearl Properties, NCDENR plans to impose land use restrictions on the Chem-Tex
property to limit its use to industrial commercial, to prohibit use of groundwater, and place engineering
controls in the building to prevent vapor intrusion. When a draft of this agreement is completed, it will be
available for 30 days of public comment prior to its finalization.
For more information, contact Carolyn Minnich at 704-661-0330 or [e-mail]
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E. Winters Mabry, MD
Director
MECKLENBURG COUN TY
Health Department
July 24, 2012
Groundwater Contamination Sites
Stewart Creek Watershed
How many groundwater contamination sites are there in the Stewart Creek watershed?
[phone]
Mecklenburg County Groundwater & Wastewater Services tracks sites that have soil contamination and
groundwater contamination and refers to the locations as Mecklenburg Priority List (MPL) sites. There are 99 MPL
sites in the Stewart Creek Watershed. There are 11 former MPL sites that have a clean closure.
How many groundwater contamination sites are there in.Mecklenburg County?
There are 1,326 MPL sites in Mecklenburg County. There are 182 former MPL sites that have a clean closure.
What can be done to improve groundwater in those areas where contamination has taken place?
The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) regulate when and how a
contamination site must be evaluated and cleaned up. The requirements depend on the type of contaminant, the
concentration of the contaminant and groundwater usage. Each contamination site is assigned an incident number.
How can I find out if there is a contamination site near my home?
You can search on an address in the Well Information System and see ifthere are contamination sites close to your
home. The Well Information System is maintained by Mecklenburg County as a public access to geographical
information on contamination sites, water supply wells and monitoring wells. Find the Well Information System on
the Groundwater & Wastewater Services web page at http://Groundwater.charmeck.org
How can I fi nd out more information about a specific site?
The Well Information System is a good place to start. This site will provide you information including the
• Name
o Address
• North Carolina incident number
To find out the status of the site contact the NCDENR Mooresville Regional office (704-663-1699) and provide
them the above information. Mecklenburg County maintains historical information on contamination sites. The
contact number for Groundwater & Wastewater Services is 704-336-5103.
What are common sources of groundwater contamination?
• Leaking underground storage tanks -gasoline tanks and heating oil tanks (home arid commercial)
• Dry cleaning facilities
• Surface spills
What is the difference between groundwater and surface water?
Groundwater is located below the surface of the ground. When there is enough water to support a well it is called
the aquifer. In Mecklenburg County we typically encounter the aquifer 15 to 50 feet below the surface of the ground.
The aquifer in Mecklenburg County is used for private drinking water wells, irrigation wells and industrial wells.
Surface Water is the water in the lakes, ponds, streams and rivers.
How can I protect the Groundwater?
• Properly abandon home heating oil tanks that are no longer in use
• Promptly clean up spills of gasoline or other chemicals to the surface of the ground.
• Dispose of old paints and chemicals by taking them to a hazardous waste collection site
• Limit the amount of fertilizer used on plants
• Protect your well head and do not store paints or chemicals in the well house.
PEOPLE • PRIDE • PROGRESS • PARTNERSHIPS
Environmental Health Division o 700 N. Tryon Street, Suite 211 • Charlotte, NC 28202-2222 • [phone]
http:// en vhealth. charmeck. org
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg
STORM
WATER
Services ~
700 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Fax : [phone]
Stewart Creek Questions & Answers
July 24, 2012
1. Is Stewart Creek that runs through our neighborhood polluted?
Stewart Creek contains pollutants routinely found in urban areas all across the country,
including all the urban streams in Mecklenburg County. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm
Water Services routinely monitors water quality conditions in Mecklenburg County at 31
different creek locations, including Irwin Creek downstream of Stewart Creek. The Irwin
Creek monitoring site ranks in the top 25% of the cleanest creeks in the County.
2. What impacts does storm water runoff have on water quality?
Storm water runoff transports a variety of pollutants to Stewart Creek as it does all the creeks
in Mecklenburg County. Typically, the more urbanized areas have higher quantities of storm
water pollution. The amount of storm water pollution in Stewart Creek is comparable to the
other creeks in Mecklenburg County's urbanized areas.
3. What causes Stewart Creek to be polluted?
The pollution in Stewart Creek and the other creeks in Mecklenburg County come from point
and nonpoint sources. Point sources come from illegal dumping and spills that run into our
creeks. Non point sources originate from storm water runoff as discussed above.
4. Are these pollutants a threat to my health?
Water pollution is a threat to your health only if it enters your body through prolonged,
frequent contact or ingestion. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid prolonged contact
with the water in our urban streams, including Stewart Creek.
5. What can residents do to help improve water quality conditions in Stewart Creek?
o Blocked sewer lines that overflow into our creeks are a point source of pollution.
Grease build up in these lines creates blockages that cause these overflows. You can
help by not dumping grease down your sewer drain. Instead, place grease in a metal
can and after it has cooled and become hard, dispose of it in a trash receptacle.
Q Storm water runoff carries nonpoint source pollutants from roads, parking lots, yards,
etc. to storm drain grates connected to piping that runs to the creek. Only rain is
allowed in this storm drain. You can help by ensuring that you do not dump oil,
paint, grass clippings, leaves or any other substance into this drain or onto the ground
that will result in it being canied to the storm drain when it rains.
@ Pet waste left on the ground is picked up by storm water runoff and carried to the
creek as a nonpoint source pollutant. You can help by picking up your pet waste,
placing it in a plastic bag and disposing of it in a trash receptacle.
\!) If you observe a pollution problem, contact 311 immediately.
6. How can I learn more about water quality conditions in Mecklenburg County?
Go to http://stormwater.charmeck.org.
-{]IAHl,OTTE.
To report pollution or drainage problems call : 311
http ://storm water . charmeck . org
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