The Maryland Department of Environment held a third Public Information Meeting September 30, 2015 conducted by Ms. Barbara Brown, MDE-LRP-VCP Section Head on the former Sparrows Point Steel Mill environmental cleanup.
MDE continues primary onshore work oversight while EPA continue primary off shore overnight.
The prospective FedEx parcel , Area A1 Environmental Assessment work completion delineates the entire 48.5 acre site will be capped with either concrete, asphalt paving or clean approved fill material over a geotextile fabric in landscaped areas. Institutional controls will include a groundwater use deed restriction, industrial land use restriction and cap maintenance requirements.
Other topics were:
- Tin Mill Canal Sediment Cleanout Sampling and Analysis Work Plan
- Sparrows Point Terminal Parcel Investigation Status
- New Cold Mill Complex
Potential Recognized Environmental Concerns - Billet Building Phase II Work Plan
- Rod and Wire Mill Work Plan
- Coke Oven Area Interim Measures
- Greys Landfill
- Coke Point Land Fill Proposed Monitoring Wells
- Demolition Progress
Click here for the entire MDE Power Point Presentation
Since the last MDE/EPA/ SPT Public Information Meeting in May 2015, MDE upgraded the proposed visual monitoring of ambient dust at the proposed FedEx construction site from visual observation monitoring to employing equipment designed for continuous real-time measurement of ambient dust and particulate matter.
Mr. Steve Lang, MDE Lead Regulation and Compliance Engineer for the Air Quality Compliance Program under the Air and Radiation Management Administration was contacted September 29, 2015 concerning wind transmission of fugitive dust from Sparrows Point reaching Fort Howard advising currently ” no certified meteorological stations are located at Sparrows Point or North Point,” reporting wind direction but did offer several websites:
FHCA requested and received MDE geological data regarding the Sparrow Point peninsula geography along Wharf Road (near the North Point Yacht Club), decades ago used for recreation providing baseball, and including an event known as the “Steel Bowl,” from 1946 to 1973, when Sparrows Point hosted football games every Thanksgiving weekend at Pennwood Park. Dundalk and Sparrows Point teams were arch rivals.
In that reported region of Penwood Park a Subsurface Investigation Report, Bethlehem Steel Plant -Site 3A, (see map below) Sparrows Point Boulevard, Maryland ATC Project Number 17348.00001 for future developments at the Site prepared for Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management by ATC Associates Inc., 8989 Hermann Drive, Columbia, Maryland 21045 on January 21, 1999 its conclusion states:
” No VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) or SVOC’s (semi-volatile organic compounds) were detected in the soil or ground water samples, with the exception of SS-1 and SS-7, which had acetone concentrations above detection s limits. It should be noted the acetone concentrations were most likely due to laboratory contamination and are probably not representative of the site condition,”
AND THAT ” The arsenic levels detected in soil should not be a potential concern for future development at the Site. The industrial RBC’s (risk based concentrations) are based on soil ingestion which is not expected to be a major concern since the recorded concentration were taken at depth approximately 3 feet below ground surface,”
AND THAT “With respect to the ground water potential concern for future development at the site. Assuming that potable water source for the development will be municipal , the RBC and MCL (maximum contamination levels) exceedances for tap water is irrelevant… based on the premise future development will be constructed of slab-on-grade structures and construction activity will not involve significant excavation or dewatering.”
Below are site maps of the ATC investigation and current SPT of the reported past recreational area of the Sparrow Point peninsula.
1999 ATC SITE MAP
2015 SPT SITE MAP
Residents of Fort Howard and FHCA thank MDE, EPA, and SPT for all their steadfast efforts re-mediating the legacy of 125 years industrial contamination both on land and off shore at Sparrows Point and the outstanding public information outreach .
Special thanks to Mr. Aaron Tomarchio of Sparrows Point Terminal recently meeting with the Fort Howard Community Association September 24, 2015.
Mr. Tomarchio invited all residents to attend his companies’ Open House on OCTOBER 15, 2015 at 6 PM , 1600 Sparrows Point Boulevard in the the old Career Development Center Building. Please attend if your schedule permits as the new CEO Mr. Michael Moore will be present, as well as SPT engineers, MDE, EPA, and other technical personnel to answer your questions.
FHCA
