BoRit Asbestos & The Superfund Process

1. BoRit Asbestos &The Superfund Process Stacie Peterson, Remedial Project Manager (RPM)

2. Overview of Proposed Borit NPL Site • Located on West Maple Street & Chestnut Avenue in Ambler, PA • Properties were used to dispose of asbestos-containing material (“ACM”) • Includes Three Properties • Current Kane Core Property, which contains a tall asbestos waste pile • Water Reservoir Property • Portion of former Whitpain Park

3. Borit Asbestos Site

4. Removal vs. Remedial • Removal Action = Immediate/near-term emergency where EPA determines that a site may pose a direct threat to human health and/or the environment now, or in the near future;

5. Removal vs. Remedial Remedial Action (Superfund)= May not be an emergency, but still poses a long-term threat to human health and the environment • Assessed and scored under the Hazard Ranking System (HRS) • National Priorities List (NPL) of most contaminated hazardous waste sites in the nation • Full Nature and Extent of Contamination • Longer process from Removal Action

6. How the Remedial Program Works • Site was proposed for the National Priority List (NPL) in September 2008 and was listed on April 8, 2009. • Now What Happens?

7. First Step in Superfund Process Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) (1) Investigate Contamination - Remedial Investigation (RI) • What’s out there (or “in” there) • Where it is and where it’s going • What threats it may pose (to human health and the environment)

8. First Step in Superfund Process – RI/FS (continued) (2) Develop Cleanup Options - Feasibility Study (FS) • How EPA determines what we can do about it • Evaluate methods to cleanup contamination

9. Analysis of Remedial Alternatives As required by law, all Superfund sites use 9 criteria for remedy evaluation.

10. Nine Criteria for Remedy Evaluation Threshold Criteria: • (1) Overall protection of human health & environment • (2) Compliance with state and federal laws (Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs))

11. Nine Criteria for Remedy Evaluation Primary Balancing Criteria • (3) Long-term effectiveness & permanence • (4) Reduction of toxicity, mobility, or volume through treatment • (5) Short-term effectiveness • (6) Implementability • (7) Cost

12. Nine Criteria for Remedy Evaluation Modifying Criteria • State acceptance • Community acceptance

13. EPA’s Proposed Remedy • EPA’s proposed remedy is documented in the Proposed Remedial Action Plan (“PRAP”), which includes all evaluated alternatives. • After public comment, the final alternative is made part of the public record, the Record of Decision (“ROD”).

14. Implementing & Maintaining the Selected Remedy • Design & Construct the Cleanup • Remedial Design (RD) • Remedial Action (RA) • Post-Construction Activities • Operation and Maintenance (O&M) • Five Year Reviews (FYRs)

15. EPA’s Technical Site Team • Remedial Project Manager (RPM) • Toxicologist • Geologist • Ecologist • Community Involvement Coordinators (CICs) • Support Personnel (contractors and consultants)

16. Consider Getting Involved • Superfund builds the community into the process. It’s good policy, and it’s the law. • Community Advisory Group (CAG) • Technical Assistance Availability

17. EPA Contacts • Francisco J. Cruz, Community Involvement Coordinator • Community Participation and Information • (215) 814-5528; cruz.franciscoj@epa.gov • Vance Evans, Community Involvement Coordinator • Community Participation and Information • (215) 814-5526; evans.vance@epa.gov • Stacie Peterson, Remedial Project Manager • (215) 814-5173; peterson.stacie@epa.gov

18. Questions?