1999-4822
INTRODUCED BY: BRIAN J. CHAMPAGNE, COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT II
RESOLUTION NO. 4697
Title
A resolution to request a comprehensive remedial investigation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality of the Oil Transport/Bayou Fleet Property in Hahnville, LA (LDEQ Docket Nos. LE-C-91-0001 and LE-P-91-0001).
Body
WHEREAS, Oil Transport, Inc., a subsidiary of American Marine Corporation operated a barge fleeting facility (Bayou Fleet) on the Mississippi River at River Mile 125 AHP on the west bank of the River in Hahnville, Louisiana; and,
WHEREAS, On July 10, 1990 LDEQ received a complaint from the U.S. Coast Guard concerning a partially sunken barge (Bayou Gentilly) discharging a heavy, oil substance into the river. The inspectors discovered 8 barges on the river batture containing a heavy, oily sludge; and,
WHEREAS, On July 12, 1990, LDEQ returned to the site with Wayne Desselle (LADEQ Hazardous Waste Division) and Lt. Lundgren (U.S. Coast Guard-MSO). During this inspection E.W. Saybolt Inc. was called in to sample the barges at the direction of the Coast Guard; and,
WHEREAS, On September 4, 1990, LDEQ observed Oil Transport workers pumping water from a trench that was dug around the steam plant barge to a sandy area on the batture; and,
WHEREAS, On September 5, 1990, LDEQ responded to a complaint filed by the Hahnville Fire Department concerning burning barges on the site. The fire was coming from one of the barges that was being cut up for scrap metal; and,
WHEREAS, On September 14, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site and observed the workers on site pumping water from the moat adjacent to the PPB barge to a sandy area on the batture. Samples were collected from the portable pump. The salvage operation was still ongoing. They were cutting the barges and hauling the scrap steel off site. Photographs were taken during the inspection; and,
WHEREAS, On September 21, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site and observed the workers cutting the barges. The salvage operation was still ongoing at this time; and,
WHEREAS, On September 22, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site. At the time of the inspection the salvage operation was continuing; and,
WHEREAS, On September 27, 1990, LDEQ inspected the facility; and,
WHEREAS, On September 29, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site. There were no workers on the site at the time of the inspection; and,
WHEREAS, On October 2, 1990, LDEQ collected sediment samples in the river adjacent to the facility from the LADEQ vessel "Water Doctor"; and,
WHEREAS, On October 13, 1990. LDEQ inspected the facility. LDEQ observed workers transferring water from the levee side compartment of the DXE Barge to the river side compartment; and,
WHEREAS, On October 16, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site. At the time of the inspection workers were constructing a road on the upstream side of the Flying A barge; and,
WHEREAS, On November 14, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site. Skye Durant, Oil Transport Inc. told Don Brandin that workers pumped water from the Flying A barge moat to the Steam Plant barge moat. They said the water was being moved to remove the asbestos from the Flying A barge. The hoses and pumps were still in place; and,
WHEREAS, On November 14, 1990, LDEQ talked to Peter Durant on the telephone. He was told to discontinue the transfer of waste water from the moats on site; and,
WHEREAS, On November 16, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site. Salvage operations on the Steam Plant barge were ongoing. Water was being pumped between a moat near the Flying A barge and the Steam Plant barge moat; and,
WHEREAS, On November 19, 1990, LDEQ attended a meeting in Baton Rouge to discuss the clean up of the site; and,
WHEREAS, On December 10, 1990, LDEQ inspected the site. During this inspection LDEQ collected samples from the site in the same area company representatives sampled for their permit application. Photographs were taken during the inspection; and,
WHEREAS, On January 3, 1991, LDEQ inspected the site. The river level was at 12.0 feet and rising. Approximately 75% of the site was under water. The PPB barge was exposed and all the other barges were covered with water. Oil was observed leaving the site during the inspection. Workers were moving oily material from the compartments in the PPB barge adjacent to the river and placing the material in the compartments closer to the levee. The company was making no attempts to remove this oil from the site; and,
WHEREAS, On January 4, 1991, LDEQ inspected the site. The workers were still moving oily material from the lower to upper compartments on the PPB barge. Vacuum trucks were transferring oil from the PPB barge to a holding barge (Barge Oiseau); and,
WHEREAS, On January 5, 1991, LDEQ inspected the site. Thompson Environmental Services was on site under contract by the Coast Guard. Workers from Oil Transport Inc. were still moving oily material from the lower to the upper compartments of the PPB barge. The river was still on the rise and covered most of the batture; and,
WHEREAS, The Hahnville Volunteer Fire Department was repeatedly summoned to the site; and,
WHEREAS, Since there is no long term plan in place for use of the property, it is possible the property could be put back in commerce; and,
WHEREAS, On November 21, 1991, Legal Division and the U.S. Coast Guard determined "No approved clean up plan for the site. All present agreed that the plan that was submitted by the company on July 5, 1991, was incomplete and that the general understanding at the end of the last meeting with OTC on July 12, 1991, was that the company was going to incorporate the comments from the LDEQ and the U.S. Coast Guard into the clean-up plan and then submit a revised plan. This has never happened to the best knowledge of anyone present. We then talked about the requirement that the LDEQ will require a soil remediation plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL do hereby request a comprehensive remedial investigation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality with third party scoping and monitoring of the investigation of the Oil Transport/Bayou Fleet Property in Hahnville. LA.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Senator John Breaux, Senator Mary Landrieu, Representative W. J. "Billy" Tauzin, Senator Ron Landry, Representative Joel T. Chaisson, II, Louisiana Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, and United States Attorney Eddie Jordan asking their assistance in this regard.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality video tapes, (both the three minute version and the 1½ hour version) shall be placed in the public libraries; the tapes shall be entered into the record as a part of the meeting and shall be replayed as a continuation of the Parish Council Meeting.
Vote
The foregoing resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
And the resolution was declared adopted this 16th day of August , 1999, to become effective five (5) days after publication in the Official Journal.
remedial investigation.Rev
CHAIRMAN :
SECRETARY:
DLVD/PARISH PRESIDENT:
APPROVED : DISAPPROVED :
PARISH PRESIDENT:
RETD/SECRETARY:
AT: RECD BY: