MO-28933_48135_CA_RPTS_20210307_UST Inspection

Cedar Rock
ENVIRONMENTAL
March 7, 2021
Ms. Anne Johnstone
6726 Martha Melvin Road
Harrisburg, NC 28075
CEDAR ROCK ENVIRONMENTAL, P.C.
107 Pioneer Trail
Graham, NC 27253
[phone]
Reference: Inspection of an underground storage tank (UST) located at 6726 Martha Melvin
Road, Harrisburg, North Carolina
Cedar Rock Project # 314222590
Dear Ms. Johnstone:
Cedar Rock Environmental, P. C. (Cedar Rock) performed a site inspection on March 3, 2021 at the above
referenced location. The purpose of the inspection was to determine if the UST previously used for storing
heating oil had leaked causing significant contamination of the underlying soils. It is our understanding the
residence was built in 1960 which is most likely when the UST was installed.
An inactive UST was observed to be located perpendicular to and centered approximately 5.1 feet off the
eastern foundation wall of the house and about 12.5 feet south of the northeastern foundation corner of the
house (see Site Sketch). Both the fill and vent pipes of the UST were observed to be intact. The depth to
the top of the UST is approximately 21 inches below land surface (bls) on the western end and about 14
inches bls on the eastern end. The UST has a length of about 75 inches with a diameter of approximately
44.5 inches and a capacity of about 500 gallons. The UST was measured to contain approximately 385
gallons of fluid. White flagging was installed to mark the ends of the UST (see Photo). No other USTs on
the property were discovered using a metal detector to survey the outside perimeter of the residence where
USTs are usually located. Two copper fuel delivery/return lines were observed in the basement to be cut
and crimped at the former furnace location with valves in the off position. No petroleum odors or stains
were observed in the basement.
Once the orientation of the UST was determined, a soil boring was performed at the eastern end of the UST
using a 3.25-inch diameter stainless steel hand auger. The soil boring was advanced to a depth of
approximately 3.0 feet bls, about 1.9 feet above the bottom of the UST. A strong petroleum odor and
discoloration was observed in the soils at the base of the boring suggesting significant leakage from the
UST has occurred. The boring was not advanced further due to fluid entering the borehole. The soils at
the base of the boring consist of a brownish gray sandy silt.
The property is currently serviced by a municipal water supply. No water supply wells were observed
within 150 feet of the petroleum release. For this reason, the property should be classified as "Low Risk"
by the State.
Based on the results of this investigation, significant contamination of the soils surrounding the UST has
been confirmed. Current law (NCGS 143-215.85 (a) and (b)) requires that any significant release of
petroleum be immediately reported to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ),
Division of Waste Management, Mooresville Regional Office (704-663-1699). According to State law,
upon reporting the release, the current property owner where a release is discovered is identified by the
State as the "Responsible Party" for any State required action relating to the UST leakage. Cedar Rock will

Ms. Anne Johnstone
March 7, 2021
Page 2
submit a UST-61 form to satisfy the State's notification requirement for the release upon your request.
Currently, the property cannot be legally conveyed until a Notice of Residual Petroleum (NRP) is filed with
the Cabarrus County Register of Deeds office pursuant to NCGS 14313- 279.11 (d). The NRP will contain
applicable land use restrictions to minimize the risk of exposure to existing contamination. The land use
restrictions prohibit any disturbance of site soils within a specified radius of the estimated extent of soil
contamination and prohibit the future operation or installation of any water supply wells on the
property. Once classified as "Low Risk" and upon approval of the NRP, the DEQ will issue a "Conditional"
Notice of No Further Action (NFA) letter to formally close out the release incident. The "Conditional"
provision in the NFA letter will be removed upon receiving a certified copy of the filed NRP and
the completion of Public Notification requirements. Filing the NRP and performing Public Notification
would not be required if all soil contamination exceeding applicable standards has been removed.
The State currently will not require initial abatement or remedial action of the soils regarding the release of
heating oil from a UST on a "Low Risk" property however, they will require removal of the tank contents
and properly cleaning the tank interior to abate the petroleum release. Once the presence of the UST and
confirmed contaminated soil is disclosed to other interested parties as required by State law, future
buyers, homeowner's insurance providers, or lenders may also require initial abatement and/or remedial
actions relating to the UST prior to making any commitments towards the property. In addition, there exists
a potential for further environmental impact to the property from continued leakage from the UST.
Currently, the presence of the soil contamination does not appear to pose any known health risk. Attempting
to remove the UST and associated contaminated soils is costly, would be disruptive to the property and may
not result in a clean closure. For these reasons, we recommend the in -place abandonment of the UST. The
tank abandonment would consist of exposing a portion of the UST by hand excavation, cutting a hole about
two feet in diameter on the topside of the UST, removing all tank and fuel line contents, cleaning of the
tank interior, and filling the tank with a structurally supportive yet excavatable flowable fill cement slurry.
A summary report signed by a licensed geologist would be generated that would include photographs of
each step of the abandonment process, including a photograph of the interior of the UST to show the UST
was properly cleaned. Cedar Rock can provide this service for a charge of $3,100.00 plus $1.25 per gallon
of recovered fluids. Preparing and filing the NRP and performing the Public Notification requirement will
cost an additional $1,250.00.
Included with this report is our invoice. We appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you. If you have
any questions regarding the content of this report, please call me at 336-376-0394.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Payne, N.C�iccensed Geologist #0970
Attachment
k*. a"l "Pjjgjj
A �'*
CV Sc :
r
L
2 1770

Ms. Anne Johnstone
March 7, 2021
Page 3
-------- ►N
d
[- --
Location of-� Photo
soil boring
taken
here
Martha Melvin Road
Site Sketch. Not to scale. Sketch used for reference purposes only.
Photo. View of the UST location. Both ends of the UST are marked with white flags.

Beverly, Trudy
From: Beverly, Trudy
Sent: Wednesday, December 1, 2021 6:36 AM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RE: [External] UST-61 form submission for the Anne Johnstone Property, 6726 Martha Melvin Rd,
Harrisburg, Cabarrus Co.
Received.
Trudy
Trudy Beverly, L.G.
Hydrogeologist, Division of Waste Management
Q4 North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
1°", UST Section, Mooresville Regional Office
704.235.2182 (Office)
Trudy.Beverly a,ncdenr.gou
Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
Office Mailing Address:
610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
Branch's Underground Storage Tanks Website Address: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/waste-management/ust
Branch's Above Ground Storage Tanks Website Address: h_ptt s://deg.nc.gov/about/divisions/waste-management/ust/ast-program
INTERACTIVE MAPS WITH DWM SITES AND PERMITTED FACILITIES:
httns://deo.nc. eov/about/divisions/waste-manaeement/waste-manaeement-rules-data/waste-manaeement-eis-macs
File Review Procedures:
hops: //deq.ne. gov/about/divisions/waste-management/ust/file-review-procedures#mooresville-regional-office
ONLINE ACCESS TO UST SECTION DOCUMENTS (Laserfiche):
hit 2s://deg.nc.gov/about/divisions/Waste-management/laserfiche
Document Submittal & UST File Names for Laserfiche Policies:
https:Hfiles.nc.gov/nedeg/Waste%2OManagement/DWM/UST/W hatsNew/Final-Electronic-Document-Submittal-Policy.pdf
hops://files.nc. eov/ncdeq/Waste%20Management/DWM/UST/Corrective%2OAction/UST%2Ofile%20names%20for%2OLaserfiche.docx
From: [e-mail] [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 12:41 PM
To: Beverly, Trudy <[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] UST-61 form submission for the Anne Johnstone Property, 6726 Martha Melvin Rd, Harrisburg,
Cabarrus Co.
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless you verify. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to
Report Spam.
Hi Trudy
UST-61 form and a copy of our inspection report attached for a release at the above site.
Thanks
Damien Callaghan
Cedar Rock Environmental