SUPERFUND SITE STATUS — Morgantown Ordnance Works, Monongalia County, WV

by Duane Nichols on August 30, 2020

THIRD FIVE-YEAR REVIEW REPORT FOR ORDNANCE WORKS DISPOSAL AREAS SUPERFUND SITE MONONGALIA COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA

Smokestacks of Morgantown Ordnance Works

Prepared by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III PHILADELPHIA, PA

DATE: September 12, 2016 (Five year intervals)

§ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

USEPA Region III, conducted this Third Five-Year Review (FYR) of the remedial actions implemented at Operable Unit 1 (OU-1) of the Ordnance Works Disposal Areas (ODWA) Superfund Site (also known as the Morgantown Ordnance Works Site or MOW), located in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia. The purpose of this FYR was to determine if the remedial actions that have been implemented are protective of human health and the environment. The review process consisted of the following activities: notification and involvement of stakeholders, review of existing and relevant documentation and data, identification and review of recent and new information, and an assessment of Site conditions. This report documents the review process and presents the findings, conclusions, and recommendations. It is important to note that Operable Unit 2 of this Site was addressed under removal authorities. Since all of the contaminated material was removed, no operation and maintenance (O&M) of OU-2 is required and it is therefore not part of this Five-Year Review.

This FYR concludes that the remedy is protective of human health and the environment. The PRPs have implemented the remedy at Operable Unit One in accordance with the remedial action objectives of the 1999 ROD, and it is currently functioning as intended. The landfill has not been found to be a significant source of contamination to the groundwater in the area and the COCs identified in the 1999 ROD have not been detected in groundwater samples during this FYR period. The multi-layer RCRA landfill cap was determined to be effective in containing hazardous waste materials, the treatment wetland ponds appeared to be functioning as intended, and Site access restrictions were found to be functional. Institutional controls are in place to prohibit disturbing the landfill cap, use of groundwater, and non-commercial use of any kind within OU1. Operation and Maintenance including annual inspections, leachate monitoring and treatment wetland monitoring are performed pursuant to the 2012 Operation and Maintenance Plan. Additionally, results of this FYR report indicate that the remedial action objectives for the selected remedy have been achieved.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Region III, with assistance from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), conducted this Third Five-Year Review (FYR) of the Ordnance Works Disposal Areas Site (OWDA or Site), pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Section 121(c), National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan (NCP) Section 300.400(f)(4)(ii), and OSWER Directives 9355.7-02 (May 23, 1991), 9355.7-02A (July 26, 1994), and 9355.7-03A (December 21, 1995). The Comprehensive Five-Year Review Guidance, EPA 540-R-01-007 (USEPA, 2001), was consulted in preparation of this FYR. This is a post- Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) remedial action, enforcement- lead response action, statutory review. The triggering action for this statutory review is the signature date of the Second Five Year Review, September 16, 2011.

This document will become part of the Site file and is the Third FYR for the OWDA Site. This review evaluated the OU-1 remedial measures at the OWDA. The review process consisted of the following activities: (1) notification and involvement of stakeholders, (2) review of existing and relevant documentation and data, (3) identification and review of recent and new information, and (5) an assessment of current Site conditions.

This report presents the methods, findings, conclusions, and recommendations for the FYR of the former OWDA. The purpose of the FYR is to ensure that a remedial action remains protective of human health and the environment and is functioning as designed.

1.1 PURPOSE

The primary purpose of this FYR was to evaluate whether the response actions undertaken at OU-1 are functioning as intended and remain protective of human health and the environment. Another objective was to identify and provide recommended remedies for any issues of concern associated with the implemented response actions. Section 121(c) of CERCLA, as amended by SARA, and §300.430(f)(4)(ii) of the NCP mandate that a post-SARA remedial action be reviewed no less often than every five years after initiation of the remedial action at sites where hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants remain at levels above those that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure. This is the Third FYR for the OWDA Site.

1.2 SITE OVERVIEW

The OWDA is part of the former Morgantown Ordnance Works (MOW), and is located approximately one mile southwest of the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, along the west bank of the Monongahela River (See Figure1). The OWDA Site is often referred to as the MOW Site. The OWDA Site is located within a 670 acre industrial park known as the Morgantown Industrial Park which is owned by Enroute Properties, Inc. The property which comprises the OWDA OU-1 Site is currently owned by the Morgantown Industrial Park Associates (MIPA) which are the previous owners of the Morgantown Industrial Park (MIP). For the purposes of environmental investigation and remediation, OWDA is made up of three segments:

A. OU-1 encompasses a small portion of the MIP formerly used for disposal of tar and other wastes;
B. Two tracts of land currently owned and operated by Crompton Corporation (purchased from General Electric (GE) Company in 2003). The tracts are known as the North Plant and South Plant. Crompton/GE properties are not covered under the Superfund Program, but are covered by Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action authorities.
C. Operable Unit 2 (OU-2) covers all other parts of MIP, including abandoned production areas, never used parts of the property (undeveloped woodlands), and currently leased parcels.

1.3 CURRENT STATUS OF OPERABLE UNITS

All OU-1 remedial action work has been completed as part of the overall requirements of the Administrative Order for Remedial Design and Remedial Action, Docket No. III-90-27-DC, signed by USEPA on June 20, 1990. The named Respondents are Rockwell International Corporation, Olin Corporation, GE Specialty Chemical, Inc., and Morgantown Industrial Park Associates, Limited Partnership (MIPA).

OU-2 encompasses all other parts of the MIP. OU-2 is not included within the Site’s NPL boundary. OU-2 comprised the remainder of the property, not including the currently active Crompton/GE Facility, and was addressed through a removal action performed in 1997 that included the following actions:

• Removal of water/debris from on-site sumps and pits;
• Off-site disposal of soils/sediments;
• Backfilling and re-vegetation of excavated areas; and
• Elimination of physical hazards.

USEPA has indicated that it does not expect further CERCLA responses for OU-2, as documented in the OU-1 ROD:

“EPA does not anticipate further CERCLA response actions within OU-2 of the OWDA, expansion of the NPL listing to include OU-2, or issuance of a ROD for OU-2. Although cleanup actions deemed necessary by EPA at the GE properties within OU-2 will likely occur under RCRA, the Agency has reserved its right to perform or require CERCLA response actions in connection with such properties.”

As of the date of this FYR, the GE properties are being addressed through EPA’s RCRA corrective action program. Since all of the contaminated material was removed, no operation and maintenance (O&M) of OU-2 is required and it is therefore not part of this Five-Year Review. Actions taken to address OU-2 are documented in the August 20, 1997 Final Report, Morgantown Ordnance Works, OU-2 Removal Action Report.

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TABLE 1 — OWNERSHIP and ACTIVITY

1940 – 1945
E.I. Dupont de Nemours under lease to U.S. Government produced hexamine from ammonia and methanol

1945 – 1950
Sharon Steel and Heyden Chemical leased property for coke plant and ammonia production

1951 – 1958
Olin Mathieson leased property and produced ammonia, methyl alcohol, formaldehyde, hexamine and ethylene diamine

1958 – 1962
Facility remained idle

1962 – 1978
Purchased and operated by Morgantown Ordnance Works, Inc. Leased to Sterling/Rockwell. 1964, Borg Warner purchase

1978 – 1982
Purchased and operated by Princess Coals, Inc.

1982 – Present
Purchased and operated by Morgantown Industrial Park Associates (MIPA), Limited Partnership

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Morgantown Ordnance Works Panoramas, 1940-1942 – Pieces of History, National Archives, 2018

Panoramic photograph of the construction of Morgantown Ordnance Works looking southeast at the plant, 10/9/1942. (National Archives Identifier 74627974)

https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2018/03/05/morgantown-ordnance-works-panoramas-1940-1942/

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