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Site Type: Long Term/National Priorities List (NPL)  |
PINE STREET CANAL |
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| Burlington, Vermont |
Chittenden County
| Street Address: | Pine Street |
| Zip Code: | 05401 |
Congressional
District(s): |
01 |
| EPA ID #: | VTD980523062 |
| Site ID #: | 0101479 |
| Site Aliases: |
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| Site Responsibility: | Federal, Potentially Responsible Parties |
| NPL LISTING HISTORY |
| Proposed Date | 10/23/1981 |
| Final Date | 09/08/1983 |
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Site Description
The 38-acre Pine Street Canal site consists of the Pine Street Canal, a turning basin, an adjacent wetland, an area formerly known as Maltex Pond, and an additional portion of land. Around 1908, a coal gasification plant began operating on Pine Street, southeast of the canal. The plant ceased operations in 1966. Plant wastewaters and residual oil and wood chips saturated with organic compounds were directly discharged or disposed of in the Pine Street Canal wetland. During the 1960s and 1970s, an oil-like material was detected seeping from the wetland into Pine Street Canal, the turning basin, and Maltex Pond. The State detected high levels of organic compounds associated with coal tar at several locations while investigating the site for a then proposed major highway. The State was concerned that construction would release organic compounds into the canal and possibly into Lake Champlain, the source of Burlington's drinking water. The area is surrounded by large and small businesses. There are several single and multiple-family dwellings, including apartment buildings, located within 1 mile of the site. Burlington has a population of approximately 39,100.
Threats and Contaminants
Contaminants in the groundwater include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including benzene, toluene, and xylenes. Canal sediment are contaminated with PAHs, VOCs, and metals. The soil contains PAHs, VOCs, and heavy metals including lead. Cyanide has also been detected in the soil. There is unrestricted public access to the site, although access is difficult because of the marshy terrain. Portions of the site are seasonally flooded, permitting the potential spread of contamination. Wildlife at the site has been adversely affected by contaminants, especially by the canal sediments.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: emergency actions and a long-term remedial phase focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
| Emergency Actions | In 1985, the EPA excavated 500 cubic yards of coal tar, solidified it, and disposed of it in an approved facility. The Maltex Pond area also was capped with clay and covered with topsoil and seeded. A temporary fence was erected, warning signs were posted, and sampling was conducted. |
| Entire Site | By early 1991 the EPA had conducted field investigations, including a soil gas survey, a geophysical survey, air sampling, ecological studies, surface water and sediment sampling, soil sampling, installation of monitoring wells, and groundwater sampling to determine the nature and extent of the site contamination. Treatability studies to aid in remedy selection were completed in 1992. An investigation to determine cleanup alternatives was completed in late 1992 and the EPA proposed a cleanup plan. The cleanup plan was withdrawn in 1993 in response to the comments received during the public comment period. Additional studies focusing on ecological risk and contaminant migration were then completed by the potentially responsible parties. The EPA completed a supplemental ecological risk assessment based on new data. EPA evaluated alternative cleanup measures in late 1997 thru 1998. A cleanup proposal was released for public comment in June 1998. A Record of Decision (ROD) was signed on September 29, 1998. The ROD contains the remedy supported by the public. Elements of the remedy include, capping contaminated sediments in portions of the canal, turning basin and adjacent wetlands, institutional controls to prohibit potable use of groundwater below the site, institutional controls for certain land-use development such as residential and children's day care center, site boundary definition to allow for redevelopment of certain adjacent parcels, long term performance monitoring, and five year reviews. |
| Historic Resources | It has been determined that sunken barges in the canal and other features at the site are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. EPA, the Vermont State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Peforming Defendants agreed to a mitigation plan for the damages to these historic resources that will be incurred as a result of implementing this remedy. Under the plan, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum studied another sunken barge of similar type, this one at the botton of Lake Champlain proper. Field work on the barge, called the Sloop Island Canalboat, was conducted during the summers of 2002 and 2003. A large number of artifacts were collected from the barge, including what is believe to be a maternity coat. The artifacts are on display at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. A draft report was submitted in October 2008 and is undergoing a review. |
| First Five Year Review | The first five year review of the remedial action was completed in October 2006. The remedy is currently protective of human health and the environment except for ongoing release of coal tar in a limited area of the subaqueous cap in the canal. The remedy will not be protective in the future without a mechanism in place to monitor to determine compliance with institutional controls that have been established to restrict land and groundwater use at the site. Two issues that must be evaluated in order to determine protectiveness in the future are: 1) the vapor intrusion to indoor air pathway and the potential to impact current or future indoor receptors and 2) the ability of the existing compliance monitoring program to adequately monitor performance standards for contaminant migration given new site conditions. |
| Draft ESD | A draft Explanation of Differences (ESD) has been issued to accept public comment on a modification to the remedy as set forth in the 1998 ROD. The five-year review noted that although the remedy was working effectively to isolate contaminants in the canal sediments over most of the site, coal tar and oil (collectively referred to as nonaqueous phase liquid, or NAPL) is breaking through the underwater sand cap at the southern end of the canal. In areas where NAPL is seeping, EPA is proposing that the cap be partially replaced and/or augmented with a new cap system that will capture NAPL before it is released into the canal. The NAPL that accumulates will periodically be removed and shipped off site for treatment or disposal in an approved facility. EPA is accepting written comments on these changes to the remedy between December 22, 2008 and January 27, 2009. |
| Enforcement Highlights | In 1993, a Coordinating Council was formed to address the complex issues regarding the cleanup of this site. The group, under the direction of a neutral facilitator, includes EPA, the State, the potentially responsible parties, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the city, and environmental and community groups. Working as an EPA pilot project for more effective community involvement the group planned additional studies to fill data gaps and recommended a final cleanup remedy to the EPA. The remedy selected by the EPA in the ROD is the plan recommended by the coordinating council. |
Environmental Progress
In 1985, EPA undertook an emergency removal of coal tar, capping of the Maltex Pond area, and construction of gates at key access points to reduce exposure to hazardous substances. A ROD for the site cleanup was signed in September 1998. In November 1999, a Consent Decree between EPA, Department of Justice (DOJ), and twenty-one potentially responsible parties was lodged in Federal Court. The remedy which included capping eight acres of contaminated sediments, habitat restoration, long-term operation and maintenance, and compliance monitoring, was completed in 2004. Deed restrictions to ensure that the site is not used in a way so as to expose the waste left in place and/or adversely affect the remedy, were recorded in July 2006. The first five-year review was completed in October 2006.
Current Site Status
The 1998 Record of Decision (ROD) called for the placement of a subaqueous cap in the canal to address risk to ecological receptors; long term monitoring; and the imposition of land use restrictions on the site to prevent migration or unacceptable human exposure to contaminants. The remedy was implemented in two phases. The first involved the installation of a weir where the canal empties into Lake Champlain. The weir will maintain desired water levels in the canal to prevent future erosion of the subaqueous cap. Construction of the weir was completed in November 2001. The second phase involved capping contaminated soils at the southern end of the site, placing the subaqueous cap over contaminated sediments in the canal and turning basin, making improvements to the stormwater control system, and wetlands restoration. Work began in July 2002, and was completed in March 2003. In June 2003, a breakout of coal tar and oil was discovered in an uncapped area immediately adjancent to, but not in, the canal. During the summer of 2004, the sand cap was extended over a portion of the canal's west bank where coal tar and oil was being released to the ground surface via macropores (e.g., historic cribbing, root system of dead trees). The expanded cap appeared to address the release of contamination until oily sheens and globules of coal tar were observed floating on the surface water at the southern end of the canal during routine compliance monitoring in the spring of 2005. Subsequent studies conducted by the parties responsible for the implementation of the cleanup, under the supervision of EPA and VT DEC, concluded that the coal tar and oil is migrating upwards through the sand cap, primarily when gas bubbles are released from the peat below the cap. EPA has proposed, in a draft Explanation of Significant Differences, modifying the cap, and is seeking public comment. Environmental controls, such as absorbent booms, keep the contamination from entering Lake Champlain.
Site Photos
Links to Other Site Information
Newsletters & Press Releases:
Federal Register Notices:
Administrative Records:
Reports and Studies:
Historic Resources Study, May 23, 2001 (2MB)  | | |
| Photodocumentation of Historic Canal Cribwork Identified During Construction of the Pine Street Canal Weir, November 19, 2001 (1.3MB) | | |
| Draft Phase 1 Remedial Action Construction Completion Report, OU1, January 29, 2002 (20 MB) | | |
| Five-Year Review Report, October 03, 2006 (7.28MB) | | |
| Five-Year Review Complete; Follow-Up Action Planned, January 2007 (4.52 MB) | | |
| Chronology of Remedial Action, July 2006 (406 KB) | | |
| Remedial Action Construction Completion Report, Volume 1, December 30, 2006 (opening file is 39.05 MB with links to six additional PDF files) | | |
| Remedial Action Construction Completion Report, Volume 2, December 30, 2006 (14.83 MB) | | |
| Final NAPL Investigation Report, February 1, 2008 (opening file is 15.57 MB with link to additional PDF file) | | |
| Final NAPL Controls Report, June 30, 2008 (3.21 MB) | | |
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Decision Documents:
Other Links:
NPL Site Narrative at Listing:  | | |
| Site Progress Profile | | |
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum's Sloop Island Canal Boat Study Information  | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 44 Lakeside Avenue and 501 Pine Street, Rear Lot, July 14, 2004 (645 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 128 Lakeside Avenue, June 17, 2004 (614 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – Zero Maple Street, June 04, 2004 (586 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – Zero Pine Street, June 16, 2004 (551 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 339 Pine Street, June 16, 2004 (564 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 345 Pine Street, July 15, 2004 (567 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 377 Pine Street, June 24, 2004 (608 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 405 Pine Street, June 11, 2004 (648 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 431 Pine Street, June 09, 2004 (529 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 431 Pine Street, Rear Lot, June 09, 2004 (757 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 453 Pine Street, June 09, 2004 (557 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 453 Pine Street, Rear Lot, June 09, 2004 (579 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions – 501 Pine Street, June 09, 2004 (792 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions - 501 Pine Street, Gatehouse, July 08, 2004 (656 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions - 585 Pine Street, June 16, 2004 (514 KB) | | |
| Deed Restrictions - 645 Pine Street, June 16, 2004 (588 KB) | | |
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Site Repositories
Fletcher Free Public Library, 235 College Street, Burlington, VT 05401
University of Vermont, Bailey-Howe Library, Burlington, VT 05401
EPA New England Records Center, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 918-1440
Contacts
| EPA Remedial Project Manager: | Karen Lumino |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1348 |
| E-Mail Address: | lumino.karen@epa.gov |
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| EPA Community Involvement Coordinator: | Rudy Brown |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1031 |
| E-Mail Address: | brown.rudy@epa.gov |
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| State Agency Contact: | Michael Smith |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (802) 241-3879 |
| E-Mail Address: | |
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