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PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

LIMESTONE ROAD SITE
CUMBERLAND, ALLEGANY COUNTY, MARYLAND


CONCLUSIONS

Surface soil contaminants from the Limestone Road Site may pose a public health hazard for dermal and incidental ingestion exposure. However, because several factors raise uncertainties about the level of exposure to contaminated soil, the site is classified as an indeterminate public health hazard. Factors which may limit these exposures include depth of contamination and extent of vegetation. Although contaminants of concern were detected in the upper two feet of soil, concentrations are not uniform throughout this layer, and may not all exist at the surface where they would be available for contact. Furthermore, soil covered with vegetation is not as available for contact. All recreational contact with soil would be practically eliminated if the contaminated areas were enclosed with a locked fence as was originally planned. The target date for fence installation is August 1994.

Groundwater contaminants at the site pose an indeterminate public health hazard from past exposure to elevated concentrations. These contaminants were not detected reliably or were found at lower levels in more recent sampling events. Further sampling data will be available in the near future to clarify the contamination levels, if any.

Physical hazards on-site pose a public health hazard to children and other people who may gain access to either the Limestone Road site or the former Cumberland City Dump property.


RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. Restrict access to the Limestone Road site itself, as well as the Old Cumberland City Dump.

  2. Monitor groundwater in residential wells for organic contaminants including methylene chloride. The Supplemental RI work plan calls for this analysis and is scheduled for completion by Fall 1993.

  3. Conduct additional on-site surface soil sampling to ensure that the uppermost strata in all areas are adequately characterized.

  4. Implement measures to prevent the migration of surface soil to off-site areas. These measures should address the erosion of soil via surface water runoff.

  5. Conduct additional surface water and sediment sampling in Evitts Creek and other downstream tributaries to determine the impact of over-land runoff from the site.

  6. Inform local residents about physical hazards that exist on and around the former Cumberland City Dump property.

HARP STATEMENT

In accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended, the data and information developed in the Limestone Road NPL Site Public Health Assessment have been evaluated for appropriate public health actions. Currently, there is possible exposure to contaminants in on-site surface soil and physical hazards off-site, in the vicinity of the former Cumberland City Dump. There are indications of possible past exposure to lead, methylene chloride, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in drinking water, although lead may have originated in the plumbing systems and the organics may have been attributable to laboratory contamination. Because there are no indications that these possible exposures have been serious enough to cause illness, HARP has determined that no follow-up health activities are warranted at this time. If new information becomes available to suggest a greater level of exposure has occurred, ATSDR will evaluate that information to determine what actions, if any, are necessary.

Public Health Actions

  1. MDE will inform Limestone Road residents about the physical hazards that exist in the vicinity of the former Cumberland City Dump.

  2. Based on the 1986 Record of Decision (ROD), EPA will fence both the CC&SC and Diggs properties and institute deed restrictions for these properties, prohibiting their development.

  3. Under the Supplemental Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (SRI/FS) additional surface soil, surface water, and sediment sampling will be conducted. Groundwater from residential wells will also be tested for organic compounds including methylene chloride. As determined by USEPA, areas which exhibit contamination equal to or greater than one part per million (ppm) cadmium, 100 ppm lead and 1,000 pm chromium will be capped to control the direct contact threat while controlling leaching and infiltration of surface water into the streams and groundwater.

PREPARERS OF REPORT

Carolyn Nunley, M.P.H.
Environmental Toxicologist
Environmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment Division
Maryland Department of the Environment

Data and Technical Reviewers:

Sesh Lal
CERCLA Division
Hazardous and Solid Waste Management Administration
Maryland Department of the Environment

ATSDR Regional Representative

Charles Walters
Public Health Advisor
Regional Operations
Office of the Assistant Administrator

ATSDR Technical Project Officer

Gail D. Godfrey
State Programs Section
Division of Public health assessment and Consultation


CERTIFICATION

The Limestone Road Site Public Health Assessment has been prepared by the Maryland Department of the Environment under a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). It is in accordance with approved methodology and procedures existing at the time the public health assessment was initiated.

Gail D. Godfrey
Technical Project Officer, SPS, RPB, DHAC

The Division of Health Assessment and Consultation, ATSDR, has reviewed this public health assessment and concurs with its findings.

Robert C. Williams, P. E., DEE
Director, DHAC, ATSDR


REFERENCES

  1. CH2M Hill. Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study, Limestone Road Site, Cumberland, Maryland, August, 1986.

  2. Personal Communication, from Bob Simson to Carolyn Nunley

  3. CH2M Hill. Draft Community Relations Plan for the Limestone Road Site, Cumberland, Maryland, August 26, 1986.

  4. Personal Communication, to Carolyn Nunley, from Conrad Zimmerman, November, 1991.

  5. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Arsenic, Atlanta: ATSDR, March 1989.

  6. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Beryllium, Atlanta: ATSDR, December, 1988.

  7. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Atlanta: ATSDR, April, 1989.

  8. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Chromium, Atlanta: ATSDR, July, 1989.

  9. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Cyanide, Atlanta: ATSDR, December, 1989.

  10. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Cadmium, Atlanta: ATSDR, March, 1989.

  11. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Lead, Atlanta: ATSDR, June, 1990.

  12. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Manganese, Atlanta: ATSDR, October, 1990.

  13. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 5. Toxicological Profile for Methylene Chloride, Atlanta: ATSDR, April, 1989.

  14. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 5. Toxicological Profile for Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, Atlanta: ATSDR, December, 1990.

  15. SSM Laboratories. Analytical Data Quality Package for Roy 16. Weston, Inc. Limestone Road Project. September, 1990.

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