1. Marathon Battery Cold Spring, NY CERCLA Cleanup
Marathon Site
Site Description
Federal Court Actions ‘70s
Project History
1st Dredging Operation
Contaminants of Concern
CERCLA Actions
Total Cd Load to Marsh
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

2. W. Fish, Portland State University
Site Description
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On the Hudson River in NY; Two components:
East Foundry Cove Marsh (EFCM)
Constitution Marsh
Click for Synoptic Site Map
Click for Aerial Photo
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

3. W. Fish, Portland State University
History: US Army
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1952: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Constructed
1953, under Contract with the Army Signal Corps, Sonotone Corporation operated plant to produce nickel-cadmium batteries for use in the Nike missile program
Run under Army ownership ; declared “excess property” in 1962.
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

4. W. Fish, Portland State University
Private Owners
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1962: U.S. sold it to Sonotone Corporation.
1967: Sonotone Corporation became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clevite Corporation
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

5. W. Fish, Portland State University
Marathon
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1969, Clevite Corporation Merged with Gould, Inc.
1969, Gould, Inc. sold the Plant to Business Fund, Inc.; later changed its name to Marathon Battery Company (MBC)
MBC operated the plant until March 1979.
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

6. W. Fish, Portland State University
After the Battery Era
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Plant inactive from 3/79 until 11/80
Battery manufacturing equipment removed and shipped to an MBC plant in Waco, Texas
Sold to the current owner, Merchandise Dynamics, incorporated, for use as a book storage facility
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

7. Contaminants of Concern
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Cadmium: Cd
Toxic to humans, animals and plants
Carcinogenic
Waste stream had large amounts of Cd, mostly as Cd hydroxide; also caustic wastes
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

8. Original Wastewater Treatment System
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A lift station and piping for transfer of all process wastewater into the Cold Spring sewer: Discharged directly into the Hudson River
Bypass Valve Was Installed
When the Lift Station Was Shut down or Overloaded, direct Gravity Discharge Could Be Made into a Storm Sewer
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

9. W. Fish, Portland State University
Discharges to EFCM
High dissolved solids and pH of the Effluent Resulted in Extreme Fouling Within the Pump and Piping
Pumps Required Shut down and Maintenance
Bypass Valve Was Opened and the Flow Diverted to EFCM: 2x per week
9/20/2018
W. Fish, Portland State University

10. Cadmium Load:
Approximately 50,000 kg of Cadmium May Have Been Discharged to the Cove During the Life of the Plant
9/20/2018

11. New Sewage Plant
1965: New York State Department of Health said Cold Spring must build seage treatment plant
Battery Plant effluent could not be handled, too toxic
Sonotone ordered to disconnect from sewer
Entire waste flow diverted to storm sewer
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12. Attempts at Treatment Sonotone installed treatment equipment
precipitate Cd(OH)2 and neutralize discharge
Never really worked, Cd kept on flowing
NY found lots of Cd in marsh, river
Plant given Jan 1, 1970 deadline to comply with state discharge regulation
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13. 70 Civ. 4110 Judgement of Federal Court
Suit brought under Federal Water Pollution Control Administration against Marathon
Enforcement then shifted to new EPA
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14. Relief Sought by US
Permanent injunction against further discharge of Cd and other metals into Foundry Cove
Demanded removal of Cd in sediments
Sept. 1971: Complaint amended, named Sonotone, Clevite and Gould as additional defendants
9/20/2018

15. Final Judgment
June 1972: Remove all sediment with Cd >900 ppm (mg/kg)
1971: Discharge was stopped; routed back to sewer after treatment
: Hydraulic dredging by GOULD
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16. 1st Dredging Operation Hydraulic dredging of “hot” areas
Spoils dewatered in parking lot inside a temporary dike
dewatering leaked all over the place
Effluent settle overnight, discharge to marsh
Solids mixed with limestone, scored in underground vault on site
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17. Areas Dredged Outfall area Channel leading to the marsh
About 9 hectares = 22 acres
About 4000 cu.m. stored in vault
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18. “Satisfaction”
April 24, 1974: US Attorney issues “satisfaction of judgment”
Site is off the hook…or isi it?
Agreement included monitoring by NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)
Studies by NYSDEC, EPA, NYU
9/20/2018

19. Whoops, There it Is
Studies showed much of area was still > 900 mg/kg
Channel area was recontaminated
Only about 10% of Cd had been removed
9/20/2018

20. CERCLA 1980: CERCLA Passed 1981: First NPL Prepared
Guess what was one of the first sites proposed for the interim NPL?
1983 went on Final NPL
Also OSHA found high Cd dust inside book warehouse
9/20/2018

21. CERCLA Units 1986 ROD: Three “operating Units”
Area I: EFCM & Constitution Marsh
Area II: Plant, grounds, vault
Area III: Cove itself and Hudson
9/20/2018

22. RI/FS Findings ~8% of EFCM had >1000 mg/kg Cd
Dust up to 120,000 mg/kg in plant
9/20/2018

23. ROD Plan: 1986 Dredge EFCM, dewater, haul offsite
Leave Constitution Marsh alone
Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA)
2 other RODS issued ‘88, ‘89
9/20/2018

24. Final Consent Decrees Marathon, Gould, USACOE are RPs
Total cost $109 million
Gould $57M
ACOE $43 M
Marathon $9M
9/20/2018

25. Dredging Began 1993
Dredging removed 55,000 cu. Yd sediment to depth of 1 ft.
Assumed to get about 95% of Cd this way
Did not shoot for a specific target conc.
Dredging completed in 1994
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26. Marsh Cleanup 1800’ dike, 6-7 ft high
31,000 cu.yd soil excavated, treated, shipped of site
reconstructed the marsh
9/20/2018

27. DELISTING Declared finished and delisted from NPL, October 1996
9/20/2018