superfund

EPA Update: Bush Valley Landfill

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency * Region 111 January 2000

Site Work Starts in Spring 2000

Construction Plans Approved

Before construction starts, a lot of engineering work is done. This work includes

drawing up blueprints and safety plans. Recently EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) approved the plans related to work at this site. Because of this, site work will start this spring.

Upcoming Work

This spring, work will start to cap the landfill. A cap is a barrier that covers a landfill. Caps stop water from flowing through landfill wastes. This is important because water moving through a landfill can pick up the contaminants and move them.

Before the cap goes on, workers will clear the area getting capped. This area will be shaped and shored up to prevent erosion. After that, the layers that make up the cap will be put on top of the landfill. These layers are shown in the drawing.

Once the cap is in place, it will be seeded, mulched, and fertilized. Workers will plant warm-season grasses and native wildflowers. This area will remain a "green space" and provide wildlife habitat.

Work to sample air and water will continue after the cap is in place. A system to vent and monitor landfill gas will be built at the same time the cap is put on.

If the weather is in our favor, we expect that work could start in late spring. We plan to have the work completed this fall.

The Bush VaIley Landfill is a Superfund Site. Sites in the Superfund program can receive federal money to remove potential hazards to people and the environment. Harford County is coordinating the cleanup and hiring the workers. This work is paid for by a group of people required to clean this site. EPA is supervising this project.

Did you know ... ? The plastic layers that make up the cap are welded so strongly that seams are even

stronger than the plastic! The manufacturer tests this plastic for durability in a lab. The cap material we're

using can withstand over 90 pounds of pressure over a square inch.

After Capping... What Next?

EPA is requiring regular tests of air, water and landfill gas. This testing will check the cap's effectiveness. Twice a year, we'll measure landfill gasses from fourteen areas. These areas are five vents and nine monitoring points built into and around the cap.

Underground water will also be tested over the next five years. Twice a year we will take samples from fourteen monitoring wells surrounding the landfill.

Over the next six years, we will check the air quality near the site. Twice a year, we will test the air. This involves taking samples based on wind direction. We'll gather data from areas that are upwind and downwind of the site.

Once the cap is finished, the County plans to close part of Bush Road. This section runs between the landfill and Route 7. This will not cause a problem for the follow-up tests needed at the landfill. For information on the road closing, contact: Daniel Pazdersky, Engineer, County Department of Public Works, (410) 638-3018.

For More Information...

Public Files

EPA keeps files at a local library. These files have site data and documents EPA used in making its decisions. You can review these files (Information Repository) at:

Harford County Library

Bel Air Branch

100 Pennsylvania Avenue

Bel Air, MD 21014

(410) 638-3151

EPA Employees

Feel free to contact one of these employees:

Mr. Hilary Thornton

Project Manager

(215) 914-3323

[email protected]

Ms. Lisa Brovn