Ballard Pits

Site Background:

The Ballard Pits site is a former sand and gravel pit that was used in the late 1960s for storage and disposal of unknown waste types. The site consists of two uncovered surface impoundments located at the end of Ballard Lane, west of its intersection with County Road 73 approximately 5.8 miles north of Robstown in Nueces County. The two pits have a combined surface area of approximately 63,000 square feet, and an estimated volume of 14,000 cubic yards. The waste contains volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls. The pits are within a half mile of the Nueces River and flood waters have inundated the impoundments in the past. The nearest drinking water intakes serving 284,601 people are located more than two miles downstream of the pits. The potential for releases of hazardous substances from the impoundments into the Nueces River is a concern.

• December 2004, a hazard ranking system (HRS) document was prepared for the Ballard Pits site. [Read the text of the hazard ranking system summary in PDF. ( Help with PDF.) The PDF file does not include illustrations or copies of documents cited. The complete hazard ranking system document is available as part of official repository records at the Corpus Christi Public Library, Northwest Branch, in Corpus Christi and the TCEQ Records Management Center in Austin.]
• January 13, 2006, a legal notice was published in the Texas Register (31 TexReg 316-317) describing the site and proposing the site for listing on the state Superfund registry. TCEQ is proposing to use commercial/industrial criteria in setting cleanup levels based on the existing land use of the property, as is prescribed in 30 TAC Chapter 350, Texas Risk Reduction Program, under §350.53. [Read the text of the legal notice in PDF. ( Help with PDF.) The PDF file does not include illustrations or copies of documents cited.]
  A public meeting to receive citizen comments will be held February 23, 2006 at the Calallen High School.
• February 23, 2006, approximately 50 interested members of the community attended the public meeting. No challenges were received to the proposal of the Ballard Pits site to the state Superfund registry.
• July 2006, a work order was issued for the start of the remedial investigation.
• August 2006, a remedial investigation soil and groundwater sampling event was performed.
• February 2007, the technical memorandum for the remedial investigation was reviewed and approved, completing the remedial investigation.
• November 30, 2007, a legal notice was published in the Texas Register (32 TexReg 8963) of intent to perform a removal action at the Ballard Sand Pits site.[Read the text of the legal notice in PDF. ( Help with PDF.) The PDF file does not include illustrations or copies of documents cited.]
• January 8, 2008, a public meeting was held to inform the community of the planned removal action. The purpose of the removal action is to prevent the spreading of the contaminated waste material to the surrounding property and the possible infiltration into the shallow groundwater which is used by adjacent residents for their drinking water. The removal action will consist of excavation of contaminated soil and waste material.
• January 9, 2008, the project manager presented details of the planned removal action to the Nueces County commissioners.
• March 2008, an additional community meeting is scheduled for March 27 at the Calallen High School to provide additional information and to answer any outstanding questions about the planned removal action. The purpose of the removal action is to prevent the spreading of the contaminated waste material to the surrounding property and the possible infiltration into the shallow groundwater which is used by adjacent residents for their drinking water. The removal action will consist of excavation of contaminated soil and waste material.
• June 27, 2008, a community relations plan was prepared for the Ballard Pits site. (Help with PDF.) The PDF file does not include illustrations or copies of documents cited as references. The complete community relations plan is available as part of official repository records at the Corpus Christi Public Library, Northwest Branch, and at the TCEQ Records Management Center.
• October 14, 2008, site update. TCEQ has completed the removal of waste material from the West Pit. Additional investigation of the East Pit will be conducted during the fall of 2008.

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E-mail: superfnd@tceq.state.tx.usif you have any questions.