13019_Planters Oil Mill_DM_20120130

DECISION MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 30, 2012
FROM: Sharon Eckard, PG
TO: BF Assessment File
RE: Former Planters Oil Mill
Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County
BF # 13019-09-33
Based on the following information, it has been determined that the above referenced
site, whose intended re -use is primarily multi -unit residential with associated parking
(defined as condominia, townhomes; not single family) and community gardens, with the
long-term potential of a portion of the site to be industrial/commercial, can be made
suitable for such uses.
Introduction:
This Agreement concerns property that consists of a 7.3 acre vacant parcel that formerly
was the site of the Planters Oil Mill and Kaiser Agricultural Chemical operations. The
property was formerly utilized for the production cottonseed and soybean oils and
fertilizers. The City of Rocky Mount acquired the site in September 2007.
Site History:
The site was originally developed in the early 1900s and operated from that time until
1983 as the Planters Cotton Oil & Fertilizer Company or Planters Oil Mill, Inc. The mill
produced cottonseed oil and later soybean oil and fertilizer. Oil was extracted manually
until around 1960 when the process was updated to a hexane solvent extraction process.
The Kaiser Agricultural Chemical operated on the western portion of the site from about
1970 until 1983.
A fire in January 1983 destroyed several onsite buildings in the oil processing facility,
including the hull house where the fire is believed to have originated; the hexane solvent
tower; and adjacent structures. All site operations were discontinued after the fire. The
debris from the fire and remaining structures were left idle, causing safety, vagrancy, and
nuisance odor concerns over the following 24 years. Portions of the property were used
for the storage of boats from a nearby sales operation.
The City took ownership of the property in September 2007 and razed all site structures
to make way for redevelopment in November 2007. The City assessed the property using
an EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant (Phase I ESA) and an EPA Targeted Brownfield
Assistance Grant (Phase II ESA & ABCA). The City was awarded an EPA Cleanup
Grant for the site in 2008, which expires on September 30, 2011. Activities under the
EPA Cleanup Grant include remedial design investigations including geophysical
evaluation of subsurface, UST removal, & ABCA preparation.

Receptor Survey
Surface water in the vicinity of the site is limited to an unnamed tributary to Little Cokey
Swamp located about 1300 feet south of the property. There are no documented onsite
water supply wells. The residences and businesses in the surrounding vicinity are on
municipal water. Municipal water is supplied to the site.
Exposure scenarios include workers at the subject site (construction, outdoor, and
indoor), residents, visitors, and trespassers. The site is currently partially secured with
fencing which may or may not be kept as part of the redevelopment.
Contaminated Media Summary:
DENR has evaluated soil & groundwater at the subject property. On -site soil and
groundwater samples indicate contamination with VOCs, SVOCs particularly PAHs, and
pesticides and arsenic. DENR relies on the following data to base its conclusions
regarding the subject property and its suitability for its intended reuse.
Soil
Based on site reports, shallow soil (upper 2 feet) is contaminated primarily with PAHs ,
pesticides and arsenic. The distribution of the contaminants is fairly widespread,
particularly the PAHs. VOCs are present in site soils in subsurface soils (6-6.5 feet).
The origin of the PAH contaminants in site soils is thought to be from the significant fire
in 1983. VOC contaminants appear to be related to former fuel USTs and the storage of
drums and boats near the vicinity of the maintenance building.
Groundwater
Shallow groundwater at the site has been investigated through 14 sampling points.
There are five permanent groundwater wells at the site. Data indicate that only wells
MW-2 and MW-3, and temporary sampling point POM-GW-02 indicate elevated
concentrations of VOCs such as benzene, naphthalene, 1,2-dichloropropane, xylenes, &
2-methylnaphthalene, and arsenic that exceed NCAC 2L groundwater standards. Several
of these VOCs also exceed the IHSB vapor intrusion screening levels for residential and
industrial/commercial property. Other constituents in groundwater include metals that
are likely naturally occurring.
Sediment
No sediment sources are identified at the site.
Surface Water
No surface water sources are identified at the site.
Sub -Slab Soil Vapor
There are no buildings presently on the site; no soil gas data has been collected to date.
2

Indoor Air
No buildings are currently present at the site. The BFA is being drafted to incorporate
the condition that new buildings cannot be constructed unless vapor mitigation systems
are installed or it is demonstrated that they are not necessary based on additional
assessment. This is likely to be an issue predominantly in the vicinity of wells MW-2
and MW-3.
The conceptual design for the site has not yet been developed; therefore, we do not yet
know where any new buildings would be located. The BFA is being drafted to
incorporate the following:
1) New buildings cannot be constructed unless vapor mitigation systems are installed
or it is demonstrated that they are not necessary based on additional assessment.
2) Site must be capped with a minimum of 12 inches of compacted clean fill, or
building foundations.
3) Any areas of landscaping, community gardens, playground structures, etc. must
be constructed as raised beds with geotextile material, or in another DENR pre -
approved manner that doesn't disturb the clean fill.
Required Land Use Restrictions —
Land use restrictions include but are not limited to: 1) prohibition on groundwater use at
the site, 2) notification to DENR of any disturbance to soil on the site except for the
known areas of imported fill, 3) no sensitive use such as playgrounds, parks, daycare,
kennels, etc., unless there is specific mitigation measures in place and DENR approves,
and 4) vapor mitigation or further assessment for new construction within 100 feet of
known groundwater plume.
Based on the site -specific data provided to the Brownfield program, the site reuse is
suitable for the site as long as the agreed upon land use restrictions in the BFA are abided
by. No additional remediation is required at this time.