First Quality Cylinders

The First Quality Cylinders state Superfund site is located on approximately 1.3 acres in northwest-central San Antonio at 931 West Laurel Street. Activities at the site from 1986 until the site was abandoned in January of 1994 included the rebuilding of aircraft cylinders utilizing a chromium plating process. The site consists of a warehouse on the western portion, where the chromium plating process was conducted. The remaining area has been paved with asphalt and fenced, and contains a shallow groundwater recovery system with a French drain, three recovery wells and a pump system with a 6,000 gallon above-ground storage tank. In April 1988, the first indication of leaking chromium plating solution was noted by workers who were renovating a plating line. In June, 1988, during excavation to repair an external sewer line, a leak of about 200 gallons per week was found. The company installed a French drain and a collection system which collected about 200 gallons per week of solution. In September 1989, the liquid began to display a yellowish hue, which analysis identified as chromium plating solution. In January 1992 and March 1993, onsite spills had resulted in citations for unauthorized discharge of chromium wastewaters to the public streets and potentially nearby San Pedro Creek.

• September 10, 1997, a site perimeter fence was constructed to limit unauthorized access and signs were posted warning of contamination.
• September 14, 1997, TNRCC conducted immediate removal actions to dispose of on-site wastes inside the warehouse and to repair and provide operation and maintenance of the on-site shallow groundwater recovery system and dispose of the collected contaminated groundwater. TNRCC continues to operate the groundwater recovery system and oversees the disposal of the collected contaminated groundwater.
• August 1999, a hazard ranking system (HRS) document was prepared for the First Quality Cylinders 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 HRS record is available as part of official repository records at the San Antonio Public Library and at the TCEQ Records Management Center.
• November 12, 1999, legal notices were published in the Texas Register, and the San Antonio Express-News, describing the site, proposing the site for listing on the state Superfund registry, and also proposing commercial/industrial land use specifications for remediation of the site contamination. The land use designation may be considered in any remedial action proposed for the site. [Read the text of the legal notice in PDF. (Help with PDF.)] A public meeting to receive citizen comments was to be held December 16, 1999, at the VIA Metro Center Community Room.
• December 16, 1999, a public meeting was held to receive comments on the proposal of the site for listing on the Superfund registry and to designate land use of the site as commercial/industrial. The designation may provide guidelines for the remedial investigation and remedial action for the site.
• February 15, 2000, a community relations plan was prepared for the First Quality Cylinder site. [Read the text of the community relations plan, in PDF. (Help with PDF.) The PDF file does not include graphic illustrations or copies of documents cited as references in the community relations plan. The complete community relations plan is available as part of the official repository record at the San Antonio Public Library and at the TCEQ Records Management Center.]
• February 25, 2000, a work order was issued to have a scope of work prepared for the remedial investigation of the site.
• June 22, 2001, it was reported that 10,904 gallons of water polluted with chromium had been recovered with the shallow groundwater recovery system.
• June 27, 2001, a work order was issued to start the remedial investigation to determine the nature and extent of contamination (RI)
• October 1, 2001, the TNRCC consultant completed the field sampling plan for the first phase of the remedial investigation.
• December 20, 2001, a work order was finalized with the consultant for installation of groundwater recovery wells at the site and offsite disposal of the waste water at a permitted facility.
• March 14, 2002, TNRCC completed the removal of the facility's exhaust stack.
• May 15, 2002, TNRCC completed the field work for the first phase of the remedial investigation.
• June 25, 2002, TNRCC amended the work order with the consultant to perform additional soil, sediment, and groundwater sampling, initiating the second phase of the remedial investigation.
• July 3, 2002, the second round of groundwater sampling was completed.
• September 1, 2002, effective date of the name change from Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
• September 16, 2002, TCEQ approved the technical memorandum report on the first phase of investigation. TCEQ requested its contractor to produce a work order proposal and cost estimate for performing trenching and other site investigation activities.
• October 2002, groundwater collection and disposal was ongoing with three tanker truck loads hauled in September. TCEQ's contractor initiated preparation of a work order proposal and cost estimate for operating the groundwater collection and disposal operation for the remainder of fiscal year 2003.
• July 2003, Collection and disposal continues through fiscal year 2003 as necessary to prevent releases of contaminated groundwater to the environment. TCEQ's contractor conducted additional on-site soil sampling to more clearly define the extent of chromium contamination. Additional groundwater samples were collected to gather more data needed to evaluate potential remedies for the site.
• August 2003, TCEQ completed a tier 1 ecological risk assessment, which determined that the site met the exclusion criteria, meaning that no further ecological assessments are needed.
• September 2003, TCEQ issued a work order to the contractor for pre-feasibility study work.
• November 2003, TCEQ conducted a site tour with the contractor for pre-feasibility study work.
• January 2004, TCEQ approved the final remedial action investigation report.
• February 2004, TCEQ issued a work order to the contractor to build security upgrades and increase the capacity of the ground water recovery system
• April 2004, TCEQ issued a work order amendment for additional groundwater management and repairs to the site security fence that was damaged by vandalism.
• May 2004, the contractor conducted site security repairs and removed abandoned pumps from the extraction wells.
• March 2005, groundwater collection and offsite disposal is continuing to prevent release of contaminated groundwater to the environment. TCEQ is evaluating the need for additional remedial investigation work to support pre-feasability activities.
• August 2005, TCEQ reviewed and approved the pre-feasibility study memorandum which identified potential remedy technologies and additional feasibility study sampling to gather data to support technology-specific feasibility evaluations.
• September 2005, the groundwater collection and offsite disposal system has effectively prevented release of contaminated groundwater to the environment.
• March 2006, the groundwater collection and offsite disposal system has effectively prevented release of contaminated groundwater to the environment.
• April 2006, TCEQ worked with the Texas Department of State Health Services to investigate a health complaint from a nearby resident. Additional soil sampling was performed at the citizen's property and at a nearby construction site.
• April 24, 2006, TCEQ conducted on-site soil sampling, sampled offsite monitor wells and conducted a geophysical investigation as part of pre-feasibility study field activities for the First Quality Cylinders site.
• May 16, a work order was issued for performing off-site surface soil sampling as part of the pre-feasibility study field activities.
• May 22, 2006, a work order was approved authorizing analysis of 11 samples collected during the off-site sampling event.
• May 16, 2006, soil and groundwater sampling of off-site properties was completed.
• February 6, 2007, groundwater was sampled.
• March 30, 2007, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of contaminated groundwater.
• April 11, 2007, groundwater was sampled.
• April 26, 2007, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of contaminated groundwater.
• July 2007, TCEQ conducted several groundwater extraction and removal events due to heavy rainfall at the site.
• September 2007, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of contaminated groundwater.
• September 9, 2007 the TCEQ approved the groundwater monitoring reports associated with the April and February 2007 sampling events.
• October 1, 2007 TCEQ approved the alternative development and technical screening memorandum.
• October 17, 2007 the TCEQ approved the July 2007 groundwater monitoring report.
• September 2008, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of the contaminated groundwater.
• October 2008, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of the contaminated groundwater.
• November 2008, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of the contaminated groundwater.
• December 2008, TCEQ continues to conduct groundwater collection and offsite disposal to prevent offsite migration of the contaminated groundwater.

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