Otis Singleton
The National Electric Coil Company, a coal mining machinery repair facility, operated from 1951 to 1987. The company's operations included repairing and rewinding electric motors and manufacturing coils for coal mining machinery. In the process, they used chemicals to remove oil and tar from motors, capacitors, transformers, and other equipment. However, the improper discharge of these chemicals, wastes, and contaminated transformer oils onto the ground and into the nearby Cumberland River led to significant environmental contamination. As a result, the site was placed on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992 due to contaminated air, soil, and groundwater. Since then, cleanup efforts have been ongoing to address the contamination and protect the health of nearby residents and the environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Years of operation | 1951-1987 |
| Parent company | McGraw Edison Company |
| Operations | Rewinding electric motors, manufacturing coils, rebuilding machinery for coal mining |
| Contamination sources | Chemicals, wastes, contaminated transformer oils |
| Contamination discharge methods | Onto the ground, through a drainage pipe to the Cumberland River |
| Cleanup activities | Digging and disposing of contaminated soil, backfilling with clean soil, groundwater pump-and-treat |
| Current status | No threat to people living and working near the site |
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What You'll Learn
Coal mining machinery repair facility
The National Electric Coil Company, in operation since 1917, has serviced the power generation industry, initially focusing on coal mining machinery repair. From 1951 to 1987, the company ran a coal mining machinery repair facility under the ownership of the McGraw Edison Company. This facility, located in Kentucky, was responsible for rewinding electric motors, manufacturing coils, and rebuilding machinery for the coal mining industry.
The coal mining machinery repair operations involved the use of chemicals to remove oil and tar from used motors, capacitors, transformers, and other equipment. The improper handling and disposal of these chemicals, wastes, and contaminated transformer oils led to the contamination of the site. The National Electric Coil Company discharged these hazardous substances directly onto the ground and into a drainage pipe flowing into the Cumberland River.
As a result of this contamination, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992. The EPA, along with the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) and the site's potentially responsible parties (PRPs), initiated investigations and cleanup efforts to address the contaminated air, soil, and groundwater.
The cleanup plan included recovering contaminated groundwater from beneath the site and adjacent properties, treating contaminated gas, and discharging treated groundwater into the Cumberland River. Additionally, a significant amount of contaminated soil was excavated and removed from the site in 2001, amounting to approximately 170 tons. The EPA and KDEP continue to monitor and protect the area from further contamination.
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Discharging of chemicals, wastes, and transformer oils
From 1951 to 1987, the National Electric Coil Company operated a coal mining machinery repair facility under the ownership of the McGraw Edison Company. The company's operations included rewinding electric motors, manufacturing coils, and rebuilding machinery used in the coal mining industry.
During these operations, the company used chemicals to remove oil and tar from used motors, capacitors, transformers, and other equipment. The resulting wastes, contaminated transformer oils, and other chemicals were discharged onto the ground and into a drainage pipe that led to the Cumberland River. This discharge of pollutants led to contamination of the air, soil, and groundwater in the surrounding area.
The contamination was primarily caused by the improper disposal of transformer oils and other chemicals used in the company's operations. Transformer oils, also known as insulating oils, are used to prevent the coils in transformers from overheating and melting due to the high amounts of current they carry. These oils have a very high boiling point, which allows them to absorb a significant amount of heat. While the specific chemicals used by the National Electric Coil Company are not mentioned, it is known that Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) were commonly used as insulating oils in transformers during the period of the company's operations.
PCBs are man-made organic compounds that have toxic and bio-accumulative properties, causing harmful effects on human and animal health. They were widely used in transformers, capacitors, and other electrical equipment due to their insulating and cooling properties, as well as their low flammability. However, due to evidence of their environmental persistence and negative health impacts, the manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the US in 1977, and their use in electrical equipment was banned in 1987.
The improper discharge of contaminated transformer oils and other chemicals by the National Electric Coil Company resulted in the contamination of the surrounding environment, leading to the site being placed on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Priorities List in 1992. Cleanup efforts have been ongoing since then, with the EPA, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP), and the site's potentially responsible parties (PRPs) working to protect people and the environment from further contamination.
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Contaminated air, soil, and groundwater
The National Electric Coil Company (NEC) has serviced the power generation industry since 1917, initially servicing mines in West Virginia and evolving over 30 years into a full-scale heavy electrical manufacturer and overhauler. From 1951 to 1987, the company operated a coal mining machinery repair facility in Kentucky under the ownership of the McGraw Edison Company.
Operations included rewinding electric motors and manufacturing coils, as well as rebuilding machinery used in the coal mining industry. To rebuild the equipment, chemicals were used to remove oil and tar from used motors, capacitors, transformers, and other equipment. These chemicals, wastes, and contaminated transformer oils were then discharged onto the ground and through a drainage pipe into the Cumberland River.
As a result of these coal mining machinery repair operations, the air, soil, and groundwater became contaminated. In 1989, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) sampled the community and private drinking water wells surrounding the site. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were detected at concentrations exceeding safe drinking water standards in 12 of the wells. Residences and businesses were then connected to the public water supply system.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992 due to the contaminated air, soil, and groundwater. The EPA, KDEP, and the site's potentially responsible parties (PRPs) have led investigations and cleanup activities to protect people and the environment from contamination. Cleanup activities have included recovering and treating contaminated groundwater, treating contaminated gas, and excavating and removing contaminated soil from the site.
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Cleanup activities and groundwater treatment
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the National Electric Coil Company site on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992 due to contaminated air, soil, and groundwater. The contamination resulted from coal mining machinery repair operations, with chemicals, wastes, and contaminated transformer oils being discharged onto the ground and into the Cumberland River.
Cleanup activities at the National Electric Coil Company site have been ongoing since the 1990s, led by the site's potentially responsible parties (PRPs), including McGraw-Edison/Cooper, Treen Land Company, and National Electric Coil Company, under the oversight of the EPA and the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP).
From 1990 to 1991, interim cleanup activities were conducted, involving the excavation and disposal of approximately 5,500 tons of contaminated soil. The excavated areas were then backfilled with clean soil. In 1992, the EPA listed the site on the NPL, and in 1993, the PRPs initiated preliminary groundwater pump-and-treat activities to minimize the migration of contamination.
The EPA issued a long-term cleanup plan for the site in 1994, which included recovering contaminated groundwater from beneath the site and adjacent properties, treating contaminated gas from air stripping operations, and discharging treated groundwater into the Cumberland River. An activated carbon air stripper was used to treat the contaminated groundwater.
In 1997, the EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) to summarize a minor change to the cleanup plan, which included adding a trench to collect shallow surface water contamination and installing additional recovery wells. In 2001, approximately 170 tons of contaminated soil was removed from the site.
The EPA, KDEP, and the site's PRPs continue to protect people and the environment from contamination by treating and monitoring groundwater and conducting required Five-Year Reviews.
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Site investigation and monitoring
Initial site investigations likely involved sampling and analysis of environmental media, including soil, groundwater, and surface water. Sampling results indicated the presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in nearby drinking water wells, exceeding safe drinking water standards. This prompted the connection of residences and businesses to the public water supply system, ensuring that people living and working near the site were not threatened by contaminated water sources.
Further investigations focused on assessing the extent and nature of contamination. Groundwater, being a significant pathway for contamination, was a key area of concern. The EPA issued a long-term cleanup plan in 1994, which included recovering and treating contaminated groundwater using an air stripper technology. This technology, known as an activated carbon air stripper, effectively removes contaminants from groundwater. The plan also addressed the treatment of contaminated gas generated during air stripping operations.
To prevent the off-site migration of contamination, preliminary groundwater pump-and-treat activities were initiated in 1993. This involved pumping out contaminated groundwater, treating it to remove pollutants, and then discharging the treated water to the Cumberland River. Additionally, a trench was dug to collect shallow surface water contamination, and recovery wells were installed to capture and treat contaminated groundwater. Approximately 170 tons of contaminated soil were excavated and removed from the site in 2001, and the excavated areas were backfilled with clean soil.
Ongoing monitoring is essential to ensure the effectiveness of cleanup efforts and to protect human health and the environment. Regular groundwater monitoring, conducted by the EPA, KDEP, and the site's PRPs, helps detect any potential recontamination or residual contamination. Five-Year Reviews are also conducted to comprehensively assess the site conditions and ensure the continued protection of people and the environment from site contamination.
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Frequently asked questions
The National Electric Coil Company operated a coal mining machinery repair facility from 1951 to 1987. The company used chemicals to remove oil and tar from used motors, capacitors, transformers and other equipment. These chemicals, along with wastes and contaminated transformer oils, were discharged onto the ground and into the Cumberland River.
The contamination resulted in polluted air, soil and groundwater. The site was placed on the Superfund program's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP), and the site's potentially responsible parties (PRPs) have led investigation and cleanup activities. Cleanup efforts have included recovering and treating contaminated groundwater, treating contaminated gas, and excavating and removing contaminated soil.
No, the contamination no longer poses a threat to people living and working near the site. Since 1989, residences and businesses in the area have been connected to the public water supply.
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