EPA v. SIBLEY COMPANY

Case summary

A STATE OF CONNECTICUT INTERDEPARTMENTAL REPORT DATED 11/13/1981 STATES THAT LEAKING SPENT 111-TRICHLOROETHANE (F001/F002) WAS OBSERVED FLOWING FORM BULK STORAGE DURING DEP's FIRST SITE INSPECTION ON APRIL 7, 1981. THE REPORT INDICATES THAT CHLORINATED SOLVENTS WERE STORED AT THE SIBLEY FACILITY, AND THAT RELEASES OF THESE SOLVENTS OCCURRED TO ON-SITE SOILS. A MAY 1982 REPORT PREPARED BY GERAGHTY & MILLER, INC. ENTITLED INVESTIGATION OF GROUND-WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE VICINITY OF THE SIBLEY COMPANY, HADDAM, CONNECTICUT INDICATES THAT ON-SITE GROUNDWATER HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY ON-SITE RELEASES OF CHLORINATED SOLVENTS. AVAILABLE INFORMATION INDICATES THAT THE FACILITY IS A PROBABLE SOURCE OF GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION THAT HAS SPREAD OFF-SITE AND INTO DOWNGRADIANT RESIDENTIAL WELLS. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR WORKER EXPOSURE TO VOLATILIZED CHLORINATED SOLVENTS INDENTIFIED IN SOILS AND/OR GROUNDWATER BECAUSE THESE SOLVENTS POSE A POTENTIAL VAPOR INTRUSION RISK TO BUILDING OCCUPANTS. RECENT INFORMATION FROM OTHER RCRA CORRECTIVE ACTION SITES INDICATES THAT VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs) PRESENT AT LEVELS NEAR MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVELS (MCLs) BENEATH BUILDINGS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO VOC LEVELS IN INDOOR AIR IN SUCH BUILDINGS. SUCH LEVELS POSE AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK TO BUILDING OCCUPANTS. GROUNDWATER DATA COLLECTED BY SIBLEY AND THE CONNECTICUT DEP OVER THA APPROXIMATE PERIOD OF 1981 THROUGH 1999 INDICATE THAT NUMEROUS PROPERTIES IN THE HADDAM BRIDGE ST AREA ARE CONTAMINATED WITH VOCs. BASED ON AVAILABLE GROUNDWATER DATA, THE CONCENTRATIONS OF VOCs AT MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES HAVE INCREASED OR REMAIN RELATIVELY CONSTANT WITH TIME. BECAUSE A MUNICIPAL SOURCE OF POTABLE WATER IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE AREA, THESE HOMES OBTAIN THEIR POTABLE WATER FROM PRIVATE DRINKING WELLS. ALTHOUGH SIBLEY IS PROVIDING POTABLE WATER TO THESE HOMES, THE RESIDENTS MAY BE AT RISK IF THEY USE WATER DRAWN FROM THEIR PRIVIATE DRINKING WELLS. EPA CONDUCTED AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE FACILITY, USING THE NATIONAL CORRECTIVE ACTION PRIORIZATION SYSTEM (NCAPs) MODEL. SITES IDENTIFIED BY EPA AS OF HIGH SIGNIFICANCE POSE THE GREATEST THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. SUCH SITES GENERALLY HAVE PRIORITY FOR REMEDIATION. ON OCTOBER 30, 1992, EPA DETERMINED THE SIBLEY FACILITY TO BE PF HIGH SIGNIFICANCE .

Defendants (1)

• SIBLEY COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SIBLEY CO

  95 BRIDGE STREET, HADDAM, CT, 06438-1354

  Registry ID: 110000621596

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3013 — Monitoring, Analysis, Testing

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SIBLEY COMPANYentered 2003-12-15

  Primary law: RCRA

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2003-12-15Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2003-12-15Final Order Issued
• 2004-01-06Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2004-04-20Enforcement Action Closed
• 2004-04-20Compliance Achieved