|
 |
|
| |
Site Type: Long Term/National Priorities List (NPL)  |
MOTTOLO PIG FARM |
 | Click here for interactive map
Get an interactive map |
|
| Raymond, New Hampshire |
Rockingham County
| Street Address: | Blueberry Hill Road |
| Zip Code: | 03077 |
Congressional
District(s): |
01 |
| EPA ID #: | NHD980503361 |
| Site ID #: | 0101123 |
| Site Aliases: |
|
|
| Site Responsibility: | Federal, State |
| NPL LISTING HISTORY |
| Proposed Date | 04/10/1985 |
| Final Date | 07/22/1987 |
|
Site Description
The 50-acre Mottolo Pig Farm Superfund site is an abandoned pig farm located in an undeveloped wooded area. From 1975 to 1979, the owner of the property disposed of chemical manufacturing wastes from two companies in a 1/4-acre fill area adjacent to the piggery buildings. During this 4-year period, over 1,600 drums and pails of wastes, including organic compounds such as toluene, xylene, and methyl ethyl ketone, were disposed of at the site. Studies by the state of New Hampshire showed that groundwater beneath the site was contaminated and that contaminants were seeping into a brook that empties into the Exeter River. The Exeter River is a drinking water supply for the nearby communities of Exeter, Hampton, and Stratham. An estimated 1,600 people depend on groundwater within three miles of the site as a source of drinking water. There are approximately 200 single family residences located within one mile of the site, with the nearest residence located approximately 150 yards from the source area. Residential areas border the site property.
Threats and Contaminants
Specific contaminants detected in groundwater include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and arsenic. The only potential threat to public health is drinking contaminated groundwater from beneath the site.
Cleanup Approach
The cleanup approach included an initial removal of leaking barrels and contaminated soils and a subsequent, more extensive soil cleanup which was intended to eliminate the source of groundwater contamination. The ongoing remedy for groundwater is natural attenuation.
Response Action Status
| Initial Action | In 1980, under authority of the Clean Water Act, the EPA used emergency funds to excavate and store drums on-site. From 1981 to 1982, the EPA removed drums and pails from the site along with 160 tons of contaminated soil, preventing further contamination of the soil and groundwater. EPA actions also included limiting site access, sampling and analyzing materials, strengthening berms, overpacking containers, and removing and disposing of materials. The EPA excavated observation pits to determine if surface water diversion was feasible. |
| Entire Site | Based on studies performed by the parties potentially responsible for contamination at the site, the EPA selected groundwater, surface water, and soil cleanup remedies which were documented in a 1991 Record of Decision (ROD). The selected remedies included installing a groundwater interceptor trench; sealing the ground surface in both the former drum disposal area and the southern boundary area with temporary caps; and installing and operating a vacuum extraction system to remove VOCs from the soils. The interceptor trench was installed in 1992. Natural attenuation is the remedy for groundwater as the sources of contamination were removed. Additional measures included installing a security fence to limit access to contaminated areas, continued monitoring of groundwater and surface water, and institutional controls, which will restrict the use of contaminated groundwater and prevent disturbance of cleanup activities. The fence was installed in the fall of 1992. Construction of the vacuum extraction system was completed in 1993 and operated until December 1996 when soil cleanup levels were attained. Ground and surface water monitoring will continue until groundwater cleanup levels are achieved. |
| Long Term Monitoring | Until all contamination is cleaned-up from a Superfund site, EPA conducts long term monitoring at least every 5 years (site evaluations, termed “5-year reviews”) to ensure that the selected remedies are performing as designed. The first two five year reviews (1998 & 2003) at Mottolo found the natural attenuation remedy for groundwater was performing as expected. The third five year review (2008), however, found persistent VOCs in groundwater at levels higher than expected which indicated that natural attenuation of the groundwater was not occurring uniformly across the site over the past 5 years, and that the estimated cleanup times had not been achieved. Based on this finding, the August 2008 five year review report made a number of recommendations, including the sampling of nearby residential wells to ensure that exposures to contaminated groundwater were not occurring.
From June–September 2009, NHDES sampled 34 residential wells surrounding the site and found what appears to be site related VOCs in 4 wells at levels that are considered to be low (at or below drinking water standards). In addition, arsenic was found in 12 wells at levels up to nine times the drinking water standard of 10 parts per billion. NHDES immediately provided all affected homes with either bottled water and/or treatment systems.
Because of the recent contamination found in nearby residential wells, EPA and NHDES re-evaluated the soils on-site in September/October 2009 to confirm that all soil contamination had been removed from the site. The findings from this effort are still being evaluated, however, it does not appear that any significant contaminant source remains within the soils on the site.
The next step in the evaluation of the site will be the installation of additional groundwater monitoring wells to determine if the contamination found in nearby residential wells is migrating from the Mottolo site. The installation of wells is anticipated to begin during the Winter of 2009-2010. |
| Enforcement Highlights | In 1988, the EPA and the K.J. Quinn Company signed an Administrative Consent Order, in which the company agreed to perform an investigation of the site under EPA and state oversight. The financial liability of all potentially responsible parties has been settled. |
Environmental Progress
In 2000, some monitoring wells were decommissioned and the chain link fence surrounding the site was removed. In the fall of 2001, the final components of the vacuum extraction system were removed from the site. Three five year review reports have been prepared (1998, 2003, and 2008) for the site. The August 2008 report identified several issues concerning the effectiveness of the remedy. Additional soil sampling (Fall 2009) was conducted by EPA and NHDES to re-evaluate site conditions. Installation of additional groundwater well and monitoring will be conducted during the Winter of 2009-2010.
Current Site Status
The third five year review (2008) found persistent VOCs in groundwater and recommended the sampling of nearby residential wells. From June-September 2009, NHDES sampled 34 residential wells surrounding the site and found what appears to be site related VOCs in 4 wells at levels that are considered to be low (at or below drinking water standards). In addition, arsenic was also found in 12 wells at levels up to nine times the drinking water standard. NHDES immediately provided affected homes with either bottled water and/or treatment systems.
In September/October 2009, both EPA and NHDES sampled the soils on-site to confirm that all soil contamination had been removed. The findings from this effort are still being evaluated, however, it does not appear that any significant contaminant source was found. The next step in the evaluation of the site will be the installation of additional groundwater wells to determine if the contamination found in nearby residential well is migrating from the Mottolo site. The installation of wells is anticipated to begin during the Winter of 2009-2010.
Site Photos
Drum removal - 1980
Completion of soils cleanup - 1997
Links to Other Site Information
Newsletters & Press Releases:
Federal Register Notices:
Administrative Records:
Reports and Studies:
Decision Documents:
Other Links:
Site Repositories
Dudley-Tucker Library, 6 Epping Street, Raymond, NH 03077
EPA New England Records Center, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 918-1440
Contacts
| EPA Remedial Project Manager: | Ron Jennings |
| Site Responsibilities: | Remedial Project Manager |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1242 |
| E-Mail Address: | jennings.ron@epa.gov |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| State Agency Contact: | Drew Hoffman |
| Address: | New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Hazardous Waste Remediation Bureau
P.O. Box 95
Concord, NH 03301-0095 |
| Phone #: | (603) 271-6778 |
| E-Mail Address: | Andrew.Hoffman@des.nh.gov |
| |
| |
|