EPA RCRA ID: PAD004339297
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The EPA is the lead agency for managing cleanups at this facility.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) finalized a First Amendment to the Consent Order & Agreement (CO&A) with Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc. (PTTI) on December 4, 2020. The focus is on the installation of larger diameter borings (wells) at the stream’s edge for pumping to try and capture the migration of oil/PCBs into Chartiers Creek.
PADEP provided EPA the most recent 2019 Semi-Annual Compliance Monitoring Report Former Tank Farm Area and Building 20/25 Area Canonsburg, PA dated January 2020. The analytical data are generally consistent with those from the previous sampling events indicating that the migration of contaminated groundwater has stabilized and is expected to remain within the existing area of contaminated groundwater. The most recent surface water samples collected as part of the sampling performed in May 2019 and submitted as part of the July 2019 Semi-Annual Compliance Monitoring Report indicate all samples are non-detect for the required VOC, PCB, TPH DRO and GRO sampling parameters.
EPA will continue to work with PTTI and PADEP and review information as it is received and determine if further activities are required to protect human health and the environment. The majority of Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted through the PADEP CO&A. EPA Region 3 will determine if any additional Corrective Action under RCRA is necessary.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. It is not intended as an extensive list of milestones/activities. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table and the Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility table that follows, a blank in the Status column could mean the action either has not occurred or has not been reported in RCRAInfo.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
|---|
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
PATT is located approximately one mile northeast of Canonsburg in Washington County, Pennsylvania along Chartiers Creek. This facility occupies 92 acres and consists of several industrial buildings that were constructed in the early 1900's. The original owner of the site was the Defense Plant Corporation, who manufactured warheads at the site for an unknown time period before 1947. In 1947, the property was purchased by Pennsylvania Transformer, who manufactured large power transformers and switch gears. In 1963, Pennsylvania Transformer merged with Lines Products to form McGraw-Edison, who also operated as an electrical transformer manufacturing/ reconditioning center. In 1985, Cooper Power Systems bought the site from McGraw-Edison and continued to manufacture switchgear and transformers. In 1996, PATT purchased the Facility from Cooper and began operations in 1997. Current hazardous wastes generated at the facility are limited to paint related waste and parts cleaning solutions.
Contaminants at this Facility
Groundwater at the facility is contaminated with PCBs, VOCs, oil, and grease. Contaminated groundwater is recovered and treated under a CO&A with PADEP. The groundwater treatment system consists of two groundwater collection systems (one in the southwestern and one in the northern portion of the Facility combined) and another system to treat contaminated storm water. All treated water is discharged to Chartiers Creek through two permitted outfalls that are sampled on a regular basis.
PATT finalized a Consent Order & Agreement (CO&A) on April 14, 2005 with PADEP to address maintenance issues with the existing pump and treat systems; subsurface lithology identification; further groundwater, surface water, and sediment sampling; and issues relating to the stormwater and sewer piping.
PATT initiated a site characterization program (initiated on 4/12/05) to delineate the plume associated with the "Guard House Seep". This seep has been the source of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated oils entering into Chartiers creek. The investigation of the Guardhouse seep has yielded significant information and the opportunity to recover contamination entering Chartiers Creek. Several groundwater monitoring wells were drilled to intercept fracture networks identified during GPR (ground penetrating radar) and VLF (very low frequency) geophysical surveys. A significant volume of oil contaminated with PCBs and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was encountered in more than one of the wells. >
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
The need for Institutional Controls is yet to be determined.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
|
Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
Documents available on-line: |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
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Governmental Controls (GC) |
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Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
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| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | ||||
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Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
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Non-Groundwater |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites
Documents, Photos and Graphics
Contacts for this Facility
EPA Region implements and enforces the RCRA Corrective Action program for and federally recognized tribes.
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.