As part of its remedial Investigation of the Millington Asbestos Dump Superfund Site, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plans to begin field sampling in late May at four Limited Action Areas (LAAs) including Sites 5, 7, the former Mcdonough property and the Conroy property to define Asbestos Containing Material (ACM). USFWS also plans to begin more extensive field investigations of OU-3 and a fifth LAA (the Old Farm Road Site) during the first week of June 1996.
SITE BACKGROUND ........ Operable Unit 3 (OU-3), also referred to as the former Dietzman Tract site (on the Blue Trail off Long Hill Road), of the Millington Asbestos Dump Superfund site is situated entirely within the portion of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GSNWR) designated as a National Wilderness Area. The GSNWR is located approximately 26 miles west of New York City, New York and seven miles south of Morristown, NJ. OU-3 is a former privately-owned tract of land where open dumping, landfilling, and burning of household, industrial and asbestos-containing wastes was conducted for approximately 50 years by the former owners. Five other LAAs will also be investigated during the Phase 2 RI. The LAAs are less complex sites, where it is suspected that limited amounts of ACM were placed for the purpose of surfacing driveways and filling low areas.
The asbestos-containing wastes at OU-3 and the LAAs came from the National Gypsum Company (NGC) Plant formerly located in Millington, and were disposed of prior to USFWS possession of the property. The USFWS initially learned of potential asbestos haxards from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) in June 1978. OU-3 was placed on the Superfund National Priorities List in 1983. NGC, a potentially responsible party, conducted studies at the site in the 1980s. The company declared bankruptcy in 1990. The Unites States filed suit and received damages for past response and future site restoration activities. Since then, the USFWS has taken a pro-active approach at OU-3 and the LAAs. The current investigation will fill data gaps in the previous OU-3 investigations; will provide baseline information for the LAAs; and, will provide geotechnical and ecological data necessary for development and evaluation of potential remedial alternatives.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES ........ In late May 1996, the USFWS will begin shallow soil sampling at the LAAs. This sampling program will consist of collecting surface and shallow subsurface soil samples using low impact equipment such as hand augers. Building debris will also be sampled for ACM. Following a Community Information Open House in late May, more intensive sampling at OU-3 and the LAAs will start in early June 1996. USFWS's activities will include: test pit sampling to evaluate the possibility of buried drums of waste of OU-3; surface water, sediment and ground water sampling; acquiring geotechnical data from borings; wetlands delineation survey; sampling for ecological risk assessment; and aquifer testing from on-site groundwater monitoring wells. In addition, the air monitoring program started in January will continue.
FUTURE ACTIVITIES ........ The USFWS and its contractors, Foster Wheeler Environmental Corporation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE), will be conducting the Phase 2 RI at OU-3 and the LAAs from mid-May through July 1996. The Work Plans for these activities have recently been completed and will soon be available for review at two designated public information repositories:Harding Township-Kirby Municipal Building
P.O. Box 666
Blue Mill Road
New Vernon, NJ 07976
Long Hill Township Free Public Liubrary
91 Central Avenue
Stirling, NJ 07980FURTHER INFORMATION ....... The USFWS has developed a Community Relations Plan that addresses communication needs of nearby communities, environmental and civic groups, and local officials. This plan is part of the Phase 2 RI Work Plan for the site. Additional information regarding OU-3 and the LAAs can be obtained by calling, or writing to:
Ms. Krista Doebbler
USFWS Project Manager
755 Parfet Street, Suite #200
P.O. Box 25207
Denver, CO 80225-0207
Temporary Local Information Phone No:
(201) 842-7102
(210) 842-7291 (fax).Write to Kris at the above address to be placed on the mailing list for future fact sheets and project information.