EPA Region 6 SuperFund Pollution Reports

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Pollution Reports
(POLREPS)

Date: 13 August, 2001
Subject: BNSF Train Derailment, Magnolia, Montgomery County, Texas
From: Robert M. Ryan, P.E., OSC, U.S. EPA, Region VI (713) 962-1935
To: Director, OERR
Charles A. Gazda, Chief, RPB, EPA Region VI
Director, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission

POLREP No.: 4

Event: Train Derailment
Site ID No.: NRC# 575418
Start Date: 5 August, 2001
Completion Date: N/A
Site Type: Railroad Train Derailment
Site Latitude/Longitude: 30 deg., 12 min., 21.3 sec. N/95 deg., 40 min., 54.4 sec. W

I SITUATION

On 5 August, 2001, at approximately 0225 hours, a Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) freight train bound for Houston, Texas derailed near the City of Magnolia, Texas. At approximately 0545 hours the National Response Center (NRC) contacted the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 Duty Officer in regards to the train derailment. The derailment location was further identified to be on the east side of the intersection of State Highway 149 and State Spur 149 near Pinehurst, Montgomery County, Texas. A total of 21 cars derailed. The potentially responsible party is BNSF. The focus of the BNSF derailment response centered around three (3) tank cars that reportedly leaked hazardous materials at the time of the derailing. The hazardous materials cars’ contents were determined to be acetic anhydride and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. It was reported that approximately 13,000 gallons of acetic anhydride and 23,000 gallons of 2-ethylhexyl acrylate spilled at the time of the incident. The incident occurred in a rural area bordered by a small residential area to the west of the railroad track. According to BNSF, the cause of the derailment has not been determined. Federal, state, and local officials currently present on-site include the EPA, Federal Railroad Administration (U.S. DOT), Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Railroad Commission/Office of Pipeline Safety (TRRC), Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department (MFD), and Magnolia Emergency Medical Services (EMS). BNSF continues to utilize their following contractors: Hulcher Professional Services, Inc. (Hulcher), R.J. Corman Environmental Services (Corman), Pat Baker Environmental Services (Pat Baker), Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH), ThermoRetec Corporation, and A&B Laboratory.

II ACTIONS TAKEN

See POLREP No. 1, 2, and 3 for additional information.

Week No. 1: During 8 - 11 August, 2001, the following activities have occurred.
A work train was utilized by BNSF to simulate passenger exposure to the acidic chemicals involved in the derailment. A CTEH representative boarded a passenger train from the North, while another CTEH representative walked the track from the South. According to CTEH, both teams used a portable air analyzer, photo-ionizing detector, and sampling pump and tubes to detect acetic anhydride and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. Non-detect readings less than 0.25 ppm were recorded for both chemicals. Shortly thereafter, the track was cleared for travel.

CTEH continued perimeter air monitoring activities at nearby residences, Deanco dirt yard, and the work site. As of 11 August, 2001, air monitoring readings for acetic anhydride had been non-detect (less than 0.25 ppm) and 0.0 ppm for ethylhexyl acrylate.

On 8 and 9 August, 2001, BNSF met with representatives from Waste Management of Texas, Inc. (Waste Management), a security recycling and disposal facility in Cut-N-Shoot, Texas. Waste Management is located approximately 30 minutes from the site, near Cleveland, Texas. On 9 August, 2001, Waste Management began accepting BNSF closed top roll-off boxes with contaminated soils. A total of 55 roll-off boxes, about 1,100 cubic yards, have been transported from Deanco to Waste Management as of close of business 11 August, 2001.

On 8 August, 2001, BNSF began excavating on the east side of the railroad track in 50 x 30 foot sections to determine the extent of contamination. Based on pH sampling and head space analysis for acetic anhydride and ethylhexyl acrylate, soils were excavated down to the natural hard rock layer. Air monitoring was performed continuously by CTEH inside the excavation pit area. Occasional air monitoring levels above 2.5 ppm required Level C PPE. On 10 August, 2001, hydro-vac activities were completed. A distance of 800 feet was excavated to delineate the locations of the fiber optic cables, 4-inch and 8-inch gas lines at 25 to 50 foot intervals. The waste liquid from the hydro-vac was temporarily stored on-site in a lined pit. The slurry will also be transported to Waste Management. During hydro-vac activities, ThermoRetec (Retec) collected both soil and water samples. The soil and water samples were submitted to A&B labs for pH analysis. Based on CTEH head space analysis and pH analysis of soil and water samples collected by Retec, contamination exists at an unknown distance from the unnamed creek and travels upward. On 10 August, 2001, Acacia Pipeline representatives inspected their gas lines for structural integrity and performed a hydrostatic test. Due to a successful hydrostatic test, Acacia moved product on 11 August, 2001 through 13 August, 2001, during non-excavating hours.

The benzene product involved in the derailment was transported inside 3 transport trucks to the manufacturer, Texas Aeromatic in Channelview, Texas. Approximately 40,000 gallons of acetic anhydride was transported off-site by the manufacturer, Celanese Chemical. The ethylhexyl acrylate tank car appeared to be empty at the time of the derailment. BNSF has plans to submit a coupon of the ethylhexyl acrylate tank car to a metallurgist to determine structural integrity.

BNSF representative confirmed the amount of product released from each of the hazardous material rail cars. The ethylhexyl acrylate tank car released 26,256 gallons and the acetic anhydride tank cars released a combined amount of 354 gallons.

On 9 August, 2001, Pat Baker began the decontamination process on six railcars which included the acetic anhydride, ethylhexyl acrylate, and benzene tank cars. On 12 August, 2001, Pat Baker completed cleaning and purging of the tank cars. The damaged tank cars will be cut into sections and sold to a scrap metal dealer.

North American Recovery Services, Inc. (NARS) utilized vacuum truck to continue clean-up activities to recover and/or dispose of wheat, tallow, polypropylene pellets, bone chips, and road-based bentonite. The polypropylene pellets will be collected and recycled by the manufacturer, while other non-hazardous materials will be transported to an undisclosed non-hazardous waste facility.

III FUTURE PLANS

On 10 August, 2001, BNSF developed a plan of action to construct two trenches to collect product approximately 600 feet south before entering an unnamed creek. A vacuum truck will be deployed at the trench to collect liquid product. Meanwhile, BNSF began backfilling activities and proceeded with southward excavation of the next 50 foot section. The second section of excavation will concentrate on exposing the 8-inch gas pipeline as to expedite inspection by pipeline company representatives. After completing assessment activities of the pipeline, BNSF has plans to continue excavation activities east of the pipeline. Upon approval from the pipeline company, BNSF will remove the abandoned 4-inch pipeline and replace the pipeline at a later date.

IV KEY ISSUES

The EPA START will remain on-scene to continue oversight activities and coordination with state and local officials during soil removal and site restoration operations.

V DISPOSITION OF WASTES

According to BNSF the excavated soil and hydro-vac waste liquid have been classified as nonhazardous and will be disposed of at the Waste Management landfill in Cleveland, Texas. The disposition of non-hazardous waste has yet to be determined. Benzene and acetic anhydride products were off-loaded and taken to the respective manufacturers to be recycled.

VI ATTACHMENTS

Digital Photographs: *.jpg files

Photo #	Date	Time	View	Subject	Photographer
004	8/9/01	0912	South	Hydrovac activities approximately 100 feet south of the first excavation area	P. Kulow
012	8/9/01	1435	East	View of first 50 foot excavated area and exposed fiber optic cables and gas lines	P. Kulow
021	8/10/01	1429	North	View from unnamed creek, approximately 600 feet south of the first excavation area	P. Kulow

Case Pends

OSC: Mike Ryan, P.E.
START-2: Patty Kulow

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