[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 45601-45604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17299]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 300

[FRL-7792-8]


National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan; 
National Priorities List

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Direct final notice of deletion of the Ralph Gray Trucking 
Company Superfund Site from the National Priorities List.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IX is 
publishing a direct final notice of deletion of the Ralph Gray Trucking 
Company Superfund Site (Site), located in Westminster, California, from 
the National Priorities List (NPL).
    The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 
1980, as amended, is appendix B of 40 CFR part 300, which is the 
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). 
This direct final deletion is being published by EPA with the 
concurrence of the State of California, through the California 
Department of Toxic Substances Control because EPA has determined that 
all appropriate response actions under CERCLA have been completed and, 
therefore, further remedial action pursuant to CERCLA is not 
appropriate.

DATES: This direct final deletion will be effective September 28, 2004, 
unless EPA receives adverse comments by August 30, 2004. If adverse 
comments are received, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal of the 
direct final deletion in the Federal Register informing the public that 
the deletion will not take effect.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Don Hodge, Community Involvement 
Coordinator, U.S. EPA Region IX (SFD-3), 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94105-3901, (415) 972-3240 or 1-800-231-3075.
    Information Repositories: Comprehensive information about the Site 
is available for viewing and copying at the Site information 
repositories located at: U.S. EPA Region IX Superfund Records Center, 
95 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901, (415) 536-2000, 
Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Westminster Public Library, 
8180 13th Street, Westminster, CA 92683, (714) 893-5057.

[[Page 45602]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Bowlin, Remedial Project 
Manager, U.S. EPA Region IX (SFD-7-3), 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94105-3901, (415) 972-3177 or 1-800-231-3075.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Introduction
II. NPL Deletion Criteria
III. Deletion Procedures
IV. Basis for Site Deletion
V. Deletion Action

I. Introduction

    EPA Region IX is publishing this direct final notice of deletion of 
the Ralph Gray Trucking Company Superfund Site from the NPL.
    The EPA identifies sites that appear to present a significant risk 
to public health or the environment and maintains the NPL as the list 
of those sites. As described in 300.425(e)(3) of the NCP, sites deleted 
from the NPL remain eligible for remedial actions if conditions at a 
deleted site warrant such action.
    Because EPA considers this action to be noncontroversial and 
routine, EPA is taking it without prior publication of a notice of 
intent to delete. This action will be effective September 28, 2004, 
unless EPA receives adverse comments by August 30, 2004, on this 
document. If adverse comments are received within the 30-day public 
comment period on this document, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal 
of this direct final deletion before the effective date of the 
deletion, and the deletion will not take effect. EPA will, as 
appropriate, prepare a response to comments and continue with the 
deletion process on the basis of the notice of intent to delete and the 
comments already received. There will be no additional opportunity to 
comment.
    Section II of this document explains the criteria for deleting 
sites from the NPL. Section III discusses procedures that EPA is using 
for this action. Section IV discusses the Ralph Gray Trucking Company 
Superfund Site and demonstrates how it meets the deletion criteria. 
Section V discusses EPA's action to delete the Site from the NPL unless 
adverse comments are received during the public comment period.

II. NPL Deletion Criteria

    Section 300.425(e) of the NCP provides that releases may be deleted 
from the NPL where no further response is appropriate. In making a 
determination to delete a release from the NPL, EPA shall consider, in 
consultation with the State, whether any of the following criteria have 
been met:
    i. Responsible parties or other persons have implemented all 
appropriate response actions required;
    ii. All appropriate Fund-financed (Hazardous Substance Superfund 
Response Trust Fund) response under CERCLA has been implemented, and no 
further response action by responsible parties is appropriate; or
    iii. The remedial investigation has shown that the release poses no 
significant threat to public health or the environment and, therefore, 
the taking of remedial measures is not appropriate.
    Even if a site is deleted from the NPL, where hazardous substances, 
pollutants, or contaminants remain at the deleted site above levels 
that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure, CERCLA section 
121(c), 42 U.S.C. 9621(c) requires that a subsequent review of the site 
be conducted at least every five years after the initiation of the 
remedial action at the deleted site to ensure that the action remains 
protective of public health and the environment. If new information 
becomes available which indicates a need for further action, EPA may 
initiate remedial actions. Whenever there is a significant release from 
a site deleted from the NPL, the deleted site may be restored to the 
NPL without application of the hazard ranking system.

III. Deletion Procedures

    The following procedures apply to deletion of the Site:
    (1) The EPA consulted with State of California on the deletion of 
the Site from the NPL prior to developing this direct final notice of 
deletion.
    (2) The State of California concurred with deletion of the Site 
from the NPL.
    (3) Concurrently with the publication of this direct final notice 
of deletion, a notice of the availability of the parallel notice of 
intent to delete published today in the ``Proposed Rules'' section of 
the Federal Register is being published in a major local newspaper of 
general circulation at or near the Site and is being distributed to 
appropriate federal, state, and local government officials and other 
interested parties; the newspaper notice announces the 30-day public 
comment period concerning the notice of intent to delete the Site from 
the NPL.
    (4) The EPA placed copies of documents supporting the deletion in 
the Site information repositories identified above.
    (5) If adverse comments are received within the 30-day public 
comment period on this document, EPA will publish a timely notice of 
withdrawal of this direct final notice of deletion before its effective 
date and will prepare a response to comments and continue with the 
deletion process on the basis of the notice of intent to delete and the 
comments already received.
    Deletion of a site from the NPL does not itself create, alter, or 
revoke any individual's rights or obligations. Deletion of a site from 
the NPL does not in any way alter EPA's right to take enforcement 
actions, as appropriate. The NPL is designed primarily for 
informational purposes and to assist EPA management. Section 
300.425(e)(3) of the NCP states that the deletion of a site from the 
NPL does not preclude eligibility for future response actions, should 
future conditions warrant such actions.

IV. Basis for Site Deletion

    The following information provides EPA's rationale for deleting the 
Site from the NPL:

Site Location

    The Ralph Gray Trucking Company Superfund Site is located in a 23-
acre residential neighborhood of Westminster, Orange County, 
California. This neighborhood, also known as Westminster Tract Number 
2633, is located north of the San Diego freeway (I-405) and is bounded 
by the Orange County flood control channel to the south, Goldenwest 
Avenue to the west, the U.S. Navy railroad (abandoned) to the north, 
and Chestnut Street to the east. The area to the west of the site is 
residential and the other surrounding areas are used for light 
industrial and commercial activities.

Site History

    During the 1930s, the immediate area was primarily used for 
agricultural purposes and the site was known as the Murdy Dairy Farm. 
From 1936 until the late 1930's, Ralph Gray Trucking Company collected 
acid sludge, oil field wastes, and oil refinery wastes and used four 
unlined pits at the farm as a disposal site. The disposal pits were 
abandoned in place and remained undisturbed until the construction of 
75 homes in the late 1950s. The Hintz Development Company moved the 
hazardous substances from the pits and buried the material in two 
unlined trenches which had been cut through the backyard areas of about 
25 of the lots before the homes were built. Five homes were built 
directly over one of the original waste pits.
    By 1965, residents reported black sludge seeping into their yards 
from the ground. Throughout the 1970s, residents routinely complained 
to city officials about the black sludge and buried waste material 
uncovered during excavations

[[Page 45603]]

for swimming pools and house additions. In 1983, Orange County referred 
the site to the California Department of Health Services (DHS) for 
investigation. Between 1987 and 1991, DHS conducted annual seep 
removals and issued an advisory to the residents recommending they not 
eat vegetables and fruit grown in their yards. During the period, DHS 
also completed a Mulipathway Health Risk Assessment, developed a draft 
feasibility study (RI/FS), and prepared a draft Remedial Action Plan 
(RAP).
    In 1989, EPA completed the Preliminary Assessment/Site 
Investigation (PA/SI) which concluded that local residents could 
potentially be exposed to hazardous substances via several exposure 
routes, including dermal contact, ingestion, and inhalation. The Site 
was proposed for listing on the NPL in July 1991 and placed on the NPL 
in October 1992. EPA decided to conduct a non-time-critical removal 
action because of the threat to public health posed by hazardous waste 
and contaminated soil at the Site and the length of time necessary to 
initiate a remedial action selected in a Record of Decision.

Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA)

    From November 1992 through April 1993, EPA conducted a focused 
investigation to further study the waste body. In general, the 
hazardous substances found at the site were present in two different 
forms: surface seep material and buried waste. Both forms of the 
material were comprised of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), various 
sulfur and organic sulfur compounds, and polynuclear aromatic 
hydrocarbons (PAHs).
    EPA completed the Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA) 
in August 1993 which recommended a removal action to address the buried 
hazardous substances on site. The EE/CA found that releases of VOCs and 
sulfur dioxide from both seep and buried waste material had occurred 
and would continue to occur unless a removal action was conducted. The 
VOCs in the seep and buried waste material included known and potential 
human carcinogens, and the levels of sulfur dioxide could impact 
individuals with impaired respiratory systems.

Action Memorandum

    The initial Action Memorandum (AM) for the site, dated March 29, 
1994, authorized the non-time-critical removal action for the site. 
Under this AM, EPA proposed to excavate contaminated soils and 
subsurface hazardous substances from 25-30 properties, and dispose of 
the contaminated materials and soil off-site at an authorized disposal 
facility. The removal action required the razing and restoration of 
backyard improvements such as house additions, swimming pools, decks, 
and other structures. The AM also authorized EPA to conduct a 
groundwater investigation to determine whether contaminants had 
migrated to the underlying groundwater.
    The second AM, dated May 12, 1995, authorized EPA to raze and 
reconstruct five homes which were built directly over the waste body. 
The third AM, dated July 8, 1996, authorized EPA to enter into a cash 
settlement agreement with one resident in lieu of landscaping 
restoration. The fourth AM, dated December 17, 1996, authorized EPA to 
enter into cash settlement agreements with the owner of the five homes 
that were razed during the removal in lieu of reconstruction.

Characterization of Risk

    The Multipathway Health Risk Assessment determined that the sum of 
excess individual lifetime cancer risks from the contamination at the 
site ranged from 6 x 10-6 to 7 x 10-5 which is sufficient to warrant an 
EPA response action given the close proximity of humans to the waste 
and the uncertainty associated with risk characterizations. In 
addition, a June 1993 review by DHS identified the potential for an 
acute health threat to individuals who inhaled the emissions from 
disturbed seep or buried wastes.

Response Actions

    EPA entered into an Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Bureau of 
Reclamation (USBR) to conduct the removal activities at the site. USBR 
conducted engineering surveys of all the properties at the site, 
extensive soil sampling throughout the neighborhood to determine the 
extent of the waste body, prepared the removal design package, retained 
a removal contractor and restoration contractor, and administered the 
temporary relocation program. The removal action commenced in June 1994 
and was completed in February 1997.
    Pursuant to the first AM, EPA conducted groundwater sampling from 
nine previously installed monitoring wells to determine if cleanup 
activities were necessary. EPA conducted sampling in July 1997 through 
November 1997 and in October and November 1999. Based on the sampling 
results, EPA determined that neither the intermediate nor deep 
aquifers, which are the only viable potential sources of drinking water 
in the area, were impacted by the contamination at the site. Sampling 
of the perched shallow zone indicated minor water quality impacts from 
the site were present. However, EPA did not propose any further action 
because (1) this perched zone is not a viable potential source of 
drinking water, hence human exposure to the residual contamination is 
unlikely, and (2) the residual contamination did not pose a significant 
health risk even in the unlikely event of human consumption.

Site Closure

    During the removal work at the Site, EPA installed vault boxes for 
a potential soil vapor extraction (SVE) system. After EPA conducted 
soil and groundwater sampling, EPA determined that the removal action 
was successful and that the SVE system was not needed. In April 2003, 
EPA properly abandoned the SVE vaults and the nine groundwater 
monitoring wells.

Cleanup Standards

    The cleanup of the site complies with the ``clean closure'' 
requirements, consistent with the Resource Conservation and Recovery 
Act of 1976, as amended, 40 CFR 264.111. EPA believes that it has found 
and removed all significant sources of hazardous waste from the site. 
Confirmatory sampling verifies that EPA has achieved the Action 
Memoranda cleanup objectives. There are no hazardous substances 
remaining at the site above health-based levels, and, therefore, no 
five-year reviews will be required.

Community Involvement

    Public participation activities have been satisfied as required in 
CERCLA section 113(k), 42 U.S.C. 9613(k), and CERCLA section 117, 42 
U.S.C. 9617. Documents in the deletion docket which EPA relied on for 
recommendation of the deletion from the NPL are available to the public 
in the information repositories.

V. Deletion Action

    The EPA, with concurrence of the State of California, has 
determined that all appropriate responses under CERCLA have been 
completed and that no further response actions under CERCLA are 
necessary. Therefore, EPA is deleting the Site from the NPL.
    Because EPA considers this action to be noncontroversial and 
routine, EPA is taking it without prior publication. This action will 
be effective September 28, 2004, unless EPA receives adverse comments 
by August 30, 2004. If adverse comments are received within the 30-day 
public comment period, EPA

[[Page 45604]]

will publish a timely withdrawal of this direct final notice of 
deletion before the effective date of the deletion and it will not take 
effect and, EPA will prepare a response to comments and continue with 
the deletion process on the basis of the notice of intent to delete and 
the comments already received. There will be no additional opportunity 
to comment.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 300

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Chemicals, 
Hazardous waste, Hazardous substances, Intergovernmental relations, 
Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Superfund, Water 
pollution control, Water supply.

    Dated: July 21, 2004.
Laura Yoshii,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.

0
For the reasons set out in this document, 40 CFR part 300 is amended as 
follows:

PART 300--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for part 300 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1321(c)(2); 42 U.S.C. 9601-9657; E.O. 
12777, 56 FR 54757, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p.351; E.O. 12580, 52 FR 
2923, 3 CFR, 1987 Comp., p.193.

Appendix B--[Amended]



0
2. Table 1 of Appendix B to Part 300 is amended under California 
(``CA'') by removing the entry for ``Ralph Gray Trucking Co.''

[FR Doc. 04-17299 Filed 7-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P