EPA, DEQ work to contain oil from power plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Division of Environmental Quality, with cooperation from the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., are engaged in a project to recover oil and prevent seeping of the oil into the Tanapag Lagoon. This oil comes from the CUC’s power plants 1 and 2 in Lower Base. EPA will collect and treat soil and groundwater contaminated with petroleum products. The fuel contamination is the result of chronic releases from CUC power plant operations and has the ability to impact the marine environment in the vicinity of the power plant.
Fuel spills at power plants 1 and 2 have resulted in an underground plume of oil seeping into Tanapag Lagoon in the area of the Seaplane ramp. Actions are currently being taken by both CUC and EPA to address the causes of the problems and the resulting contamination of soil and groundwater. CUC is engaged in a comprehensive effort to inspect, repair, and clean aboveground tanks and replace the CUC pipeline under EPA oversight. EPA is addressing the oil that has leaked into the soil, groundwater and ocean.

EPA and its contractors will be installing an interceptor trench system along the shoreline between the CUC power plants 1 and 2 and Tanapag Lagoon. This trench will provide protection for the marine waters by catching and recovering oil that is seeping toward the Lagoon. This interceptor trench is on the Commonwealth Ports Authority property in the area between the Seaplane Ramp and the CUC power plant. Inside the facility, EPA will install oil recovery trenches and sumps to collect oil from the ground. During the oil recovery process, EPA will capture, treat, and release groundwater that has been contaminated by the fuel spills. A treatment system has been built by EPA that will treat this water so that it is clean enough to put back into the ground.

In order to install the trenches and address areas with heavy oil contamination in soils, EPA will excavate petroleum-contaminated soil. The excavated soil will be taken to a bioremediation treatment cell for contaminated soils. This system is being set up on an adjacent property. The treatment will use microbes already in the soils and additional nutrients to break down the petroleum in the soil over time. The treatment cell has a liner beneath it, is surrounded by a berm and will also be covered to prevent any material from leaving the area during the treatment phase. The treatment is expected to last approximately six to nine months.
[B] How the community can help[/B]

During the construction of the protection or interceptor trench, public access to this area will be restricted. We ask that people do not park in or near the path of the heavy equipment. Work areas will be surrounded by orange fencing and “Keep Out” signs to keep people and cars away from heavy equipment and work areas. Also, please keep your children away from these areas. Areas, which will be used by heavy equipment, will be marked with “No Parking” signs. We understand that some of these areas are fishing areas or places where you may be used to parking your vehicles. During the next few months of construction, please find alternate places to fish and park your cars. These areas will reopen once the work is completed and they are safe to access.

In addition, the area around the bio-treatment cell will have a lot of activity, with trucks going in and out. This area is the old Department of Public Works yard in Lower Base, where the Aggreko generators were located. Please be careful of the trucks, and do not park in the way of the entrances to the old DPW Yard. Heavy equipment and trucks must be able to conduct work and bring materials into the soil treatment area. There may be some odors coming from the soil treatment area as the microbes break down the petroleum in the soil. These odors are likely from the sewage sludge that will be used to feed the microbes and encourage biological activity and are not harmful.

It is essential that everyone cooperate so the project gets done quickly and safely. It is our intention to complete this work with as little impact on the community as possible. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we work to protect Saipan’s marine environment.

The trenching and excavation portion of this EPA work should be completed by the end of November. Treatment of soil and water will be ongoing for some time.[B][I] (EPA)[/I][/B]