NCD980602163_19961209_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Specific Suggestions for Department Budget and Other Considerations-OCR

December 9, 1996
MEMORANDUM
TO: Henry Lancaster
Linda Rimer
FROM: Bill Meyer
SUBJECT: PCB Landfill -Specific Suggestions for Department Budget and
Other Considerations
I. Provide Funding for An Independent State PCB Project Leader. (Personal Services
Contract@ $100 per hour)
(a)
(b)
v (c) e\,,
Develop recruiting process at Department level on a priority basis.
Recruit project leader with impeccable credentials with respect to scientific,
academic, experience and credibility with environmental and technical constituents.
Project Leader Suggestions: Dr. Daniel A Okun -served as chairman of 1984
Intergovernmental Working Group on PCB Detoxification; Milton Heath -
Institute of Government; Jake Wicker -Retired Institute of Government; Steve
Smutko or Leon Danielson -NCSU Cooperative Extension Service/Natural
Resources Leadership Institute; Dr. Robert G. Lewis -US EPA-RTP -Air
Measurement Research Division -and member of 1984 Detoxification Work
Group; or other person with equivalent credentials.
( d) The function of the Project Leader would be to evaluate
comments/recommendations from all sources on the PCB Project and provide
recommendations to Secretary Howes.
( e) The Project Leader would be provided staff resources for information
needed to make recommendations.
II.
IV.
V.
If a Single Project Leader is not Appropriate then:
Provide Funding and Process (selecting and implementation) for a Panel of Experts to
Advise the Administration/Department on the PCB Detoxification Project.
The Panel should include: Dr. Jenny Webber-NCSU expert on fate and transport
of chemicals in soils; Dr. Dan Okun-water quality expert; Dr. Robert Lewis-air
expert on PCBs; Dr. Greg Richardson-engineering expert on landfill; and George
Bain, hydrologist.
Appoint a team of Department technical experts to review data and provide options,
comments and recommendations to the Independent State Project Leader or Panel of
Experts. The team should consist of a landfill expert (DWM), hydrologist (DWM),
toxicologist (DWM or Epidemiology), water quality (DWQ), air quality (DAQ) and
chemist (DWM or Environmental Science Lab). The appointments should be made by the
Secretary and define time, schedule, priority, mission/goals for the team.
The Department should appoint and provide funding for a peer review team for the
information, data and recommendations proposed by staff and science advisors. (The peer
review team could be/should be the same members of the panel of experts if the panel is
not implemented).
The Department should consider the following budget items in priority order
for the PCB Landfill:
J(l) $200,000 -Capital improvements for automated pumping, collection, treatment and
, on-site irrigation of water in landfill
(2) $25,000 -Per year for 2 years for waste water treatment plant operator for removing
water from landfill
$50 0 -Per year for 2-year budget for PCB/dioxin) Furan, VOCs, BNAE, and
metal analysis for all media sampling stations (arr, wJer, sediment, soil, landfill
contents).
~I (4) $10,000 -Air monitoring equipment including collection and sampling devices.
~ if \"r,~5) $10,000-For analysis of PCB, dioxin, furan of air sampling/monitoring.
VI. The Department should evaluate the existing membership of the joint Warren
County/State PCB landfill working group and make modifications essential for
facilitating progress on detoxification recommendations. Modifications s~ould include:
1. Decrease the number of members to 10 or 12.
2. Not reappoint members of the same family to the working group.
3. Recognize members that have facilitated the process by attending and
participating in a positive manner by reappointment.
VII. The Division Strongly Recommends Immediate Implementation of the following:
(1) Remove, treat and irrigate water in the landfill in accordance with the
TSCA approval/permit. The water in the landfill is the most threatening
environmental factor with respect to releases. This should be implemented
regardless of any working group members who might oppose it.
(2) Immediately evaluate the surface cap/liner for gas
leakage (using existing equipment).
(3) Immediately install a weather station to include rainfall and pressure.
( 4) Immediately measure pressure and water level fluctuations
(using existing equipment) and continue to monitor on at least
a weekly basis.
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