Barlow's Wills Point Plating

Site Background

The Barlow's Wills Point Plating Company site is located on the south side of U.S. 80, 3.4 miles east of its intersection with Texas 64 in Wills Point, Van Zandt County, Texas. The site is a 2.0-acre plot consisting of one metal building located on a concrete slab. The facility was used for electroplating operations from early 1987 until early 1990. The electroplating operations involved nickel-chromium electroplating, zinc-aluminum anodizing, and other miscellaneous plating lines utilizing copper, silver, or cyanide. The material generated from these processes included hazardous waste and rinse water as well as non-hazardous wastes. All wastes were handled on site with no apparent off-site shipments. Elevated levels of chromium, nickel, zinc, and copper have been found in the site soils. In March 1990, the site was abandoned with waste on site, including approximately 133 drums and containers. On August 24, 1990, all usable equipment was purchased and removed from the site.

Superfund Actions Taken to Date

• December 15, 1995, the TNRCC performed a removal action to clean the metal building of debris and use the cleaned area as a staging area for the old and overpacked drums. At the same time, a site perimeter fence was constructed to limit unauthorized access, and signs were posted warning of contamination.
• November 12, 1996, a legal notice was published in the Texas Register (21 TexReg 11125) describing the site and proposing the site for listing on the state Superfund registry. A public meeting to receive citizen comments, was to be held at the Wills Point City Hall on December 16, 1996.
• June 7, 1999, the TNRCC issued a work order to determine the nature and extent of contamination (remedial investigation).
• June 8, 1999, remedial investigation, Phase I, under way.
• June 22, 1999, remedial investigation, Phase I, completed.
• September 21, 1999, the TNRCC received draft report of remedial investigation
  Phase I.
• August 28, 2000, the TNRCC received final report of remedial investigation Phase I.
• January 22, 2001, the TNRCC issued a work order to initiate the removal action of the remaining contamination.
• February 2001, the concrete slab was examined and tested for contamination.
• May 2001, the concrete slab was decontaminated.
• August 24, 2001, based on investigative technical reports, the TNRCC concluded that the site does not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. No further remedial action is warranted at the site. Conditions at the site met residential cleanup criteria established by Title 30, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 350 (Texas Risk Reduction Program), except for the area under the concrete slab, which contains nickel above the protective concentration levels required for residential property.
• January 30, 2002, an updated copy of the community relations plan was prepared for the Barlow's Wills Point Plating site.
• September 1, 2002, effective date of the name change from Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
• November 20, 2002, a deed notice restriction was filed in the real property records of Van Zandt County, concerning an environmental use limitation for the concrete slab at the site. To prevent exposure to the nickel contamination which remained under the concrete slab, the integrity of the concrete building foundation on the property must not be disturbed or changed without first notifying the executive director of the TCEQ and receiving written approval for the change. The remainder of the two acre site is suitable for residential use.
• January 10, 2003, a legal notice was published in the Texas Register (28 TexReg 501) proposing to delete the site from the state Superfund registry in accordance with 30 TAC §335.344(c) and inviting public comment on the determination that the site no longer presents an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public and the environment, and that no further remedial action is necessary. A public meeting was scheduled February 20, 2003, at the Wills Point City Hall.
• January 21, 2003, an affidavit of lien payable to the commission was filed in the Van Zandt County real property records by the TCEQ. The lien was filed pursuant to the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act, Texas Health and Safety Code §361.194, to recover the state's remediation expenses.
• February 20, 2003, a public meeting was held at the Wills Point City Hall to receive community comments on the proposal to delete the Barlow's Wills Point site from the Superfund registry. No further remedial action is warranted at the site. Conditions at the site met residential cleanup criteria established by Title 30, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 350 (Texas Risk Reduction Program), with the exception of the area under the concrete slab which contains nickel above the protective concentration levels required for residential property.
• April 25, 2003, a legal notice was published in the Texas Register (28 TexReg 3628) officially deleting Barlow's Wills Point Plating from the state Superfund registry in accordance with 30 TAC 335.344(b). No challenges or comments were received on the determination that the site no longer posed an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and safety or the environment. In accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code §361.188(d), a notice will be filed in the real property records of Van Zandt County stating that the site has been deleted from the state Superfund registry.

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