Newsom Brothers/Old Reichhold Chemicals

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index (All PDF): OU2 (4 pp., 196K), Deletion (4 pp., 242K)
• Additional Site Documents including Five Year Reviews, Records of Decisions (ROD) and Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD).
• For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office (http://www.epa.gov/region4/foiapgs/submit.htm).

Site Background:
The 81-acre Newsom Brothers Site was used to produce wood derivatives such as resin, turpentine, pine oil and tall oil. The process involved grinding pine stumps and digesting them with a boiling liquor of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite. The site operated for almost 50 years. Reichhold Chemicals purchased the property and continued mixing pentachlorophenol with diesel oil. An explosion and fire in one of the boiler units destroyed most of the processing facility in 1977 and operations ceased. In 1984, EPA's initial investigation discovered 600 surface drums, two contaminated on-site ponds and several areas of contaminated soil.

Cleanup Progress: Remediation Complete:
Cleanup activities have been completed. After EPA's initial investigation, EPA removed the drums and filled the two ponds. Cleanup actions taken by Reichhold Chemicals, the responsible party, included: removal of asbestos-containing materials; removal of above-ground and underground storage tanks; excavation of contaminated soils; excavation of black tar-like waste material; drainage of on-site ponds; disposal of contaminated sediments; and groundwater monitoring. During the final stages of the cleanup action, a small area of potential groundwater contamination was identified in the vicinity of the North Pond. Since groundwater contamination was not addressed initially, EPA began a second site study. After completion of this study, EPA determined that no further action was required. However, continued groundwater monitoring is being conducted at the site to confirm the protectiveness of the selected remedy.

In FY97, a 3-year groundwater monitoring program began pursuant to the second EPA site study. The most recent groundwater monitoring report, dated July 1998, continues to show no contaminants at levels above groundwater protection standards. The last required monitoring event for the site occurred in December 1999. The final groundwater report, submitted in early 2000, indicated that no threat to the environment or human health exists in the groundwater at the site. A certificate of completion for this operable unit (OU2) was issued to the PRP on July 26, 2000. A delisting package was then prepared for the site.

The site was proposed for delisting in August 2000 by publication in the Federal Register for a 30-day public comment period. Only one comment was received and a Responsiveness Summary was prepared. The Notice of Deletion was finalized and published in the Federal Register on September 27, 2000. No Five-Year Reviews are required for the Site. No further updates are warranted at this time.