Published by DNREC-Division of Air and Waste Management
Web Site: www.awm.delaware.gov Suggestions? Additions?
Please e-mail Christina.Wirtz@state.de.us, or call Christina at (302) 395-2600.
The bimonthly E-News Update features current information on the Division’s public meetings, workshops, hearings, and regulatory documents available for public comment, as well as news updates. For those of you who are receiving the E-News Update for the first time, the subscription is FREE! Please sign up at the following link: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/admin/maillists/maillists.htm. There is no form to fill out; it’s done in three clicks!
News Updates
911 Dispatch Registry – On March 30, the Division of Public Health's State Health Operations Center will enroll those with special needs into the Delaware State Police 911 dispatch registry. This can be done by calling 1.866.408.1899, between 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM. The purpose of the registry is to identify homes with individuals that require special attention so they can be properly cared for and notified in emergency situations. This is a joint project with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Social Services, and an important step toward protecting the lives of all Delawareans. For more information, please contact Terry Whitham with the Delaware State Police at (302) 659-2349.
Delaware City Refinery Update – The two new wet gas scrubbers are fully operational now at the refinery. However, the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) wet gas scrubber developed a leak in the floor of the spray tank portion of the prescrubber on January 14. This required bypassing the flue gas around both the scrubber and the carbon monoxide boiler. The leaks were repaired, and the scrubber and boiler were restarted on January 17.
A forced draft fan damper control malfunction caused the loss of one burner in the FCCU carbon monoxide boiler on January 19. This resulted in a brief drop in boiler temperature to below 1300°F. Upon notification, the Division’s Air Quality Management section has asked for an incident report, and is providing regulatory oversight. For more information on activities at the refinery, please contact DNREC’s site engineers, Ravi Rangan and Bruce Steltzer, at (302) 323-4542.
Upcoming Air and Waste-Related Hearings, Meetings & Events
January 31 – Public Hearing on Regulation No. 1113 - Open Burning, Regulations Governing the Control of Air Pollution. The hearing will begin at 6 PM at the DNREC Auditorium, Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway in Dover. The amended regulation may be inspected at the Department's offices located at 156 S. State Street, Dover, and 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle. For additional information, please contact Valerie Gray in Dover at (302) 739-9402, or visit: http://www.awm.delawarwe.gov/Info/Regs/AWMPlansRegs.htm. More information is also available at: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/admin/press/story1.asp?PRID=2347.
March Meetings of Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) - LEPCs were appointed by the Delaware State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The LEPC provides a forum for interaction and information sharing among businesses, government officials, emergency organizations, and the public. Meetings will be held at the following times and locations:
- March 9 – Wilmington LEPC will meet at 10 AM at the Public Safety Building on 300 North Walnut Street in Wilmington.
- March 12 – New Castle County LEPC will meet at 2:30 PM at the DuPont Experimental Station, Route 141 and Henry Clay Road in Wilmington.
- March 13 – Kent County LEPC will meet at 9 AM at 911 Public Safety Boulevard in Dover.
For more information, please contact Shannon Splittorff at (302) 739-9405, or visit: http://www.serc.delaware.gov/information/sclepc/sclepc.shtml.
Documents Available for Public Comment
NOTIFICATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD REGARDING THE INDEPENDENT STUDY REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED REMEDY AT THE HAY ROAD SLUDGE DRYING ("IRON RICH") SITE IN WILMINGTON Notice Start Date: 01/28/2007 Notice End Date: 03/02/2007
DNREC is seeking public comments regarding an independent environmental evaluation of the proposed remedy at the DuPont Hay Road “Iron Rich” site. The report and public comments will become part of the public record and DNREC’s decision-making process for the disposition of the hazardous material at the site. The disposal site covers about 16 acres of a 22-acre parcel located along the Delaware River in Wilmington. The Independent Study Report was prepared by Schnabel Engineering North LLC of West Chester, PA pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 22.
Schnabel’s study concludes that there are data gaps relating to the dredged material, the groundwater and the Iron Rich material on the site. These data deficiencies raise questions about the sufficiency of the technical support for the proposed remedy, which includes a capping system over the Iron Rich material. The Independent Study Report and related documents are available for review at: /SIRBIronRichSite.htm. Hard copies of the report are available at the office of DNREC-SIRB, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, Delaware 19720, or at the Claymont and Wilmington Public libraries. Public comments may be submitted in writing until 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2007, to: Qazi Salahuddin, Ph.D., Program Manager, DNREC-SIRB, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720 or via email to qazi.salahuddin@state.de.us. For more information, please contact Qazi Salahuddin at (302) 395-2600, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2231&MsgType=P.
NOTIFICATION OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR A BROWNFIELDS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT (BDA) FOR THE 1000 EAST 12TH STREET SITE IN WILMINGTON
DNREC's Site Investigation and Restoration Branch (DNREC-SIRB) is negotiating a BDA with Rhema Christian Center International regarding the 1000 East 12th Street Property (site). A BDA is an agreement between DNREC and a Brownfield developer with respect to a certified brownfield site that sets forth a scope of work and schedule of remedial activities during the development of the site. The 1000 East 12th Street site is comprised of eight parcels totaling approximately 0.75 acres in Wilmington. The site may have had a release of hazardous substances as a result of its past industrial and current use. The site is currently used for receiving, sorting and selling used automobile parts. For more information regarding the site, please contact Morgan Price, the DNREC-SIRB Project Manager, at (302) 395-2600, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2226&MsgType=P.
NOTIFICATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD REGARDING THE SIGNING OF A BROWNFIELDS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE SIP, INC. PROPERTY SITE IN WILMINGTON Notice Start Date: 1/24/2007 Notice End Date: 02/12/2007
DNREC-SIRB negotiated a BDA with Peninsula Ventures, LLC regarding the SIP, Inc. Property (site). The site is comprised of two parcels totaling approximately 6.0 acres, located at 1101 and 1225 East 8th Street in Wilmington. The site may have had a release of hazardous substances as a result of its past industrial use including the fabrication of metal bridge decking and accessories.
DNREC invites written public comments on this BDA. A copy of the BDA is available at the office of DNREC – SIRB, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720, or by accessing DNREC-SIRB's superfund site files database at: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Divisions/AWM/sirb/sitefiles.asp. The public comment period begins on January 24, 2007 and will close at the end of the business day (4:30 PM) on February 12, 2007. Written comments should be submitted to Morgan Price or Lindsay Hall, the DNREC-SIRB Project Managers, at DNREC-SIRB's address listed above. For more information, please contact, Morgan Price or Lindsay Hall, at (302) 395-2600, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2227&MsgType=P.
NOTIFICATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD REGARDING THE SIGNING OF A BROWNFIELDS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE WILMINGTON ROLLING MILLS SITE IN WILMINGTON Notice Start Date: 1/24/2007 Notice End Date: 02/12/2007
DNREC-SIRB negotiated a BDA with 920 LLC regarding the Wilmington Rolling Mills site. The site consists of two parcels located at 1000-1020 North Church Street in Wilmington. The site is approximately 3 acres in size and is located near the Brandywine Creek. The site has been under industrial ownership since the late 1800s.
DNREC invites written public comments on this BDA. A copy of the BDA is available at the office of DNREC – SIRB, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720, or by accessing DNREC-SIRB's superfund site files database at: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Divisions/AWM/sirb/sitefiles.asp. The public comment period begins on January 24, 2007 and will close at the end of the business day (4:30 PM) on February 12, 2007. Written comments should be submitted to Rick Galloway, the DNREC-SIRB Project Manager, at DNREC-SIRB's address listed above. For more information, please contact Rick Galloway at (302) 395-2600, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2228&MsgType=P.
FINAL PLAN OF REMEDIAL ACTION FOR THE J.G. TOWNSEND FROZEN FOODS SITE
IN GEORGETOWN Notice Start Date: 1/21/2007 Notice End Date: 02/10/2007
DNREC-SIRB has adopted the proposed plan of remedial action as the final plan of remedial action for the J.G. Townsend Frozen Food site. The site located is located at 316 North Race Street in Georgetown. The site is currently owned by SAW, Inc. and is comprised of two parcels of land separated by Pepper Street in Georgetown. The main parcel is approximately four acres in size and is referred to as the Frozen Foods site. The other parcel, referred to as the Fuel Depot site, is approximately 0.4 acres in size and was formerly used for fuel storage. Two gasoline underground storage tanks were removed from the Fuel Depot Site in 1998. DNREC separated the Fuel Depot site into a separate operable unit (OU-1), which will be addressed at a later date. Therefore, the proposed and final plans apply to the Frozen Foods site only. The final plan of remedial action requires a remedy consisting of an environmental covenant, which will restrict the Frozen Food site to commercial use and prohibit any land-disturbing activity in a specific site area, as described in the plans.
Copies of the plans are available at the Georgetown Library, or at the office of DNREC–SIRB, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720. The plans are also posted on DNREC-SIRB's website at http://sirb.awm.dnrec.state.de.us under the subject "Announcements." DNREC invited written comments on the proposed plan, the public comment period began on December 11, 2006, and closed on January 2, 2007. No comments were received. The public may appeal the final plan by February 10, 2007. For additional information, please contact the Project Manager, Rick Galloway at (302) 395-2600, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/Admin/Press/PublicNotices/PNDetail.asp?NOVID=2224.
NOTIFICATION OF THE EXECUTION OF A BROWNFIELDS VOLUNTARY CLEANUP PROGRAM (VCP) AGREEMENT FOR THE CHRISTINA CRESCENT PROJECT AND THE NORTHERN PATHWAY PROJECT IN WILMINGTON
Notice Start Date: 1/15/2007 Notice End Date: 02/5/2007
DNREC negotiated a Brownfields VCP Agreement with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and Pettinaro for the redevelopment of the Christina Crescent Project, formerly known as the West Street Project, and incorporating the sites formerly referred as the Boulevard and Berger Brothers sites. The former Boulevard property is located at 100 South Justison Street in Wilmington, while the former Berger Brothers property is located at 101 South West Street in Wilmington. The combined properties encompass an area of approximately 5.90 acres. The development plan includes construction of an office building and a parking garage. Investigations revealed that the site soils have been contaminated with arsenic and benzo(a) pyrene. Shallow groundwater is contaminated with trichloroethene and vinyl chloride, and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and naphthalene were detected in a deeper groundwater interval. Groundwater contamination was determined not to have migrated offsite or to have impacted the Christina River.
In the same Brownfields VCP Agreement, DNREC also negotiated with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to include the redevelopment of the Northern Pathway site. This site encompasses 0.22 acres and is southeasterly of the right-of-way line of the former Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. The site is north of the Christina Crescent redevelopment project and is currently vacant. The Northern Pathway site has been contaminated by arsenic, lead and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from activities associated with its former use as railroad tracks. This site is intended to be developed as a public pathway and fire lane for the Christina Crescent redevelopment. The public comment period for this Brownfields VCP Agreement begins on January 15, 2007 and will close at the end of the business day (4:30 p.m.) on February 5, 2007. For more information, please contact Lindsay Hall or Rick Galloway, the DNREC Project Managers, at (302) 395-2600, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2215&MsgType=P.
FINAL PLAN OF REMEDIAL ACTION FOR THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SITE IN WILMINGTON Notice Start Date: 1/10/2007 Notice End Date: 01/30/2007
The Site Investigation and Restoration Branch (SIRB) has adopted the proposed plan of remedial action as the final plan of remedial action for the Habitat for Humanity site located at 1303 North Heald Street in Wilmington. The site is currently a vacant lot located one block east of Northeast Boulevard, and is a certified Brownfields site as a result of its past use as a maintenance facility and/or other industrials uses. The analytical results for investigations completed at the site revealed that the fill material contained elevated levels of hazardous substances including PAHs and metals such as arsenic, lead, barium and manganese. There is no exposure to ground water on the site.
DNREC invited written comments on the proposed plan. The public comment period began on December 11, 2006, and closed on January 2, 2007. DNREC received one comment to the proposed plan. Based on the comment, DNREC significantly expanded the volume of contaminated soil to be removed. The public may appeal the final plan by January 30, 2007. A copy of each plan is available at the Wilmington Library, or at the office of DNREC–SIRB, 391 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720. The plans are also posted on DNREC-SIRB’s website at http://sirb.awm.dnrec.state.de.us under the subject “Announcements.” For more information, please contact Stephen F. Johnson, the DNREC Project Manager, at (302) 395-2600, or visit:
http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/Admin/Press/PublicNotices/PNDetail.asp?NOVID=2208.
NATURAL MINOR PERMIT APPLICATION FOR DIAMOND MATERIALS CO. IN NEW CASTLE Notice Start Date: 1/17/2007 Notice End Date: 02/1/2007
Diamond Materials Company of New Castle has submitted a permit application for construction of a Rotary Dryer and Burner for their existing asphalt hot mix plant. Increased annual emissions will be: 2.7 tons nitrogen oxides, 1.6 tons volatile organic compounds, and 1.1 tons particulate matter greater than 10 microns (PM 10). The application for this permit may be reviewed at the offices of the Division of Air and Waste Management, 156 S. State Street, Dover, Delaware or 7l5 Grantham Lane, New Castle, Delaware.
A public hearing on any of the above applications will NOT be held unless the Secretary of DNREC receives a request for that application by February 1, 2007. A request for a hearing shall be in writing. For additional information on commenting, or for an appointment to review the application, please contact Joanna Austin at (302) 739 9402, or visit: http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2217&MsgType=P.
TITLE V SYNTHETIC MINOR PERMIT MODIFICATION APPLICATION FOR DIAMOND MATERIALS CO. IN NEW CASTLE Notice Start Date: 1/17/2007 Notice End Date: 02/20/2007
Diamond Materials Company has also submitted an application for a Title V Synthetic Minor Permit Modification at the Diamond Materials facility in New Castle. The permit is for a replacement Rotary Dryer and Burner rated at 400 tons per hour; increasing annual production by 100,000 tons per year.
A public hearing concerning the permitting action will not be held unless the Secretary of DNREC receives a request for such hearing by February 20, 2007. The application, the "draft" permit, all materials that the applicant has submitted (other than those granted confidential treatment under DNREC rules), and a copy or summary of other materials, if any, considered in preparing the "draft" permit may be inspected at the office of the Division of Air and Waste Management, 156 S. State Street, Dover, DE 19901 and 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle, DE 19720. To submit comments, for additional information or for an appointment to inspect the public file, please contact Ms. Joanna Austin in the Dover office at (302) 739-9402, or visit:
http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnreceis/redirect.asp?ID=2218&MsgType=P.
Kudos
Did you know that the Division’s Enforcement Officers handled 4112 complaints and 240 enforcement actions during 2006? The environmental protection officers enforce the state’s air, waste and water pollution laws, and participate on DNREC’s Environmental Response Team by responding to environmental emergencies. Among the best trained law enforcement professionals in the state, DNREC’s Environmental Enforcement Officers have extensive training in traditional criminal law enforcement, as well as in environmental science in areas such as hazardous materials, incident command, explosive ordnance, and terrorism awareness.
Individual complaints handled by the Enforcement Officers in 2006 included: 537 open burning, 553 water related discharges, 437 air-related releases, 565 spills, 254 odors, 345 dumping and 321 permit checks. The officers also apprehended eight fugitives with active arrest warrants from other police departments. Officers also attended community meetings and worked with organizations to educate businesses and citizens potentially affected by new regulation. By increasing education efforts and encouraging community involvement, the Enforcement Officers hope to reduce the number of complaints and enforcement actions in 2007. DNREC’s Environmental Enforcement Officers receive complaints through the toll-free, 24-hour Environmental Complaint Line: 1-800-662-8802. Verizon Wireless customers in Delaware can reach the complaint line by calling #DNR on their cell phones. For additional information, please contact Chief Kurt Reuther or Capt. William P. (Chip) McDaniel II, DNREC Enforcement, at (302) 739-9401.
Employee News
We are very happy to announce that Kenneth Green is joining the Division’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Branch today, January 29, as an Environmental Control Technician. Congratulations also to Todd Keyser in the Division’s Site Investigation and Restoration Branch, who has been promoted to Hydrologist III, effective February 4.
In addition, congratulations to Justin Roscoe, Shaikh Tayeb, John Parker and Mark Prettyman on their 5-year anniversary with DNREC. Congratulations are also in order for Joanna French, with 10 years of service, and Jim Harlan and Jane Biggs Sanger, each with 15 years of service. And saving the best for last, a big hurray and congratulations to Lani Wall with 25 years of service!
Contact the Division
- 24-Hour Report and Spill Notification Line - 1-800-662-8802
- Aboveground Storage Tanks - 302-395-2500
- Air Quality - Dover Office - 302-739-9402
- Air Quality - New Castle Office - 302-323-4542
- Asbestos New Castle - 302-323-4542
- Asbestos Kent & Sussex - 302-739-9402
- Boiler Safety - 302-744-2735
- Brownfields - 302-395-2600
- Director’s Office - 302-739-9400
- Emergency Prevention and Response - 302-739-9404
- Enforcement - 302-739-9401 or 1-800-662-8802
- Hazardous Waste - 302-739-9403
- Medical Waste - 302-739-9403
- Open Burning - 302-739-9402
- Outreach Ombudsman - 302-395-2515
- Recycling - 302-739-9403
- Site Investigation & Restoration Branch (Superfund/Brownfields) - 302-395-2600
- Solid Waste - 302-739-9403
- Underground Storage Tanks - 302-395-2500
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