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SEMASS Resource Recovery Facility Audit Questionnaire

Site Management

1. Provide facility name and address, including corporate structure, EPA ID number, any State or Federal permits and ID numbers.

Facility Name and Address
  SEMASS PARTNERSHIP
  Route 28
  141 Cranberry Hwy.
  Rochester, MA 02770

Permit Effective Expiration
Plymouth Solid Waste South St. Transfer Station No. 51963 6/1/94

N/A

Braintree Solid Waste Transfer Station Permit No. NESW 87-009 6/21/88 N/A
USEPA Prevention of Significant Air Quality Deterioration Permit to Construct No. 025-120MA14 3/15/82 N/A
Authorization to Operate, Combined permit, final 8/21/95 N/A
MADEP Conditional Approval and PSD permit for construction of Third Boiler Application No. 4I87182, 4087130 and 4P90109 6/21/90 N/A
MADEP Conditional Approval Leachate Use Application No. 4P94063 12/11/95 N/A
Interim Permit for Water Withdrawal No. 9P-4-24-250.01 6/7/91 N/A
Water Withdrawal Permit No. 9P-4-24-250.01 9/11/92 5/31/11
Stormwater General Permit No. MAR00A315 12/31/92 N/A
Action T5, Ventilation, Load, and Tires 12/2/96 N/A
CMW Landfill, ATO Phase IVA 5/12/98 N/A

Corporate Structure
The facility is owned and operated by American Ref-Fuel

2. Provide financial statement and amount of security, review of closure and post closure estimates.
Company is privately owned and operated. Our parent companies? Annual Reports are available for review.

3. List of acceptable wastes, permitted volumes and final disposal of ash.
Non-hazardous waste streams, including residential, commercial, and industrial wastes. Our ash is currently being sent to the CMW, a local landfill.

4. Provide the following insurance information, comprehensive general liability, workers compensation, environmental impairment and indemnity liability.
Insurance information is available on this website.

5. Is there on-site security and in-house inspections (self audit)?
There is a security force on site during the hours that waste is received (Monday-Saturday 4:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.) The site is fully fenced to provide security during other hours.

Site History

1. What was the site used for prior to current operations?
In July 1978 the former owners, Environmental Energy Corporation received an initial site assignment of 99.5 acres from the Rochester Board of Health. In 1981 it was amended to indicate Energy Answers Corporation as the assignee, and again in September 1986 to indicate SEMASS Partnership as the successor of interest. Then, in December 1987, it was amended to include construction of Unit 3, it was also amended for hours of operation. The original plans called for construction of two processed refuse fuel (PRF) boilers, and all ancillary refuse processing equipment. Conditional plan approval to construct Units 1 & 2 was issued in September 1985 and was reissued in June 1990 to include Unit 3 by the Massachusetts DEP.

Prior to the site being utilized in the current manner the land appears to have been unutilized. There is very limited information available about the site besides the owner?s name, William L. Byrne.

2. How old is the current operation?
The SEMASS Partnership purchased the land from William Byrne in 1984, the facility first burned waste at the site in 1989. American Ref-Fuel took over operation of the site in 1996 by acquiring a 90% interest.

3. Has the site operations changed significantly or has the site been modified since waste treatment (incineration) began on site?
No.

4. What treatment or storage methods were used in the past which are not currently active?
None.

5. How long is the final product (ash) stored on site?
Less than 1 week, all ash is transported to a landfill operated by American Ref-Fuel.

6. List all reported spills or State or Federal violations in the last three years.
Since American Ref-Fuel assumed operation of the Resource Recovery Facility, there has been one reportable quantity. A 50-gallon diesel oil spill occurred on August 10, 1996, the spill was cleaned to background levels, and certified in accordance with the MCP, by a Licensed Site Professional.

Site Setting

1. Identify neighbors who might potentially be affected by site operations or an accidental spill or release to the environment.
Our site is bordered by the following:
North (across Cranberry Highway) - Concrete company, restaurant, homes
South - Cranberry bogs, asphalt plant
West - Undeveloped land
East - Cranberry bogs, Cedar Swamp Brook, homes

2. Are there any sensitive populations or areas within three miles of the site, i.e., school, hospitals, wetlands, parks, wildlife management areas, recreation or drinking water sources?
Yes, schools, parks, drinking water sources, and wetlands are all located within 3 miles of our site.

3. Identify the closest residential populations, i.e., distance.
Less than 1 mile.

4. What is the drinking water source in the area?
Municipal and private well water.

5. Are any wells used to supply drinking water in the area?
Yes, well water is used as potable water.

6. Identify the depth to groundwater.
Approximately 6-12 feet.

7. Does the facility emit any significant air emissions which might potentially affect workers and/or the local population?
No, the source has controlled emissions.

Regulatory Compliance

1. Are all permits current?
Yes

2. Are any up for renewal in the following year?
No.

3. Have any permits expired or been revoked?
There has not been any permit expiration or revocation during the American Ref-Fuel management of the facility.

4 Is the facility complying with all requirements of the permit?
Yes

5. Has the facility been issued any notices of violation? If yes, what are the nature of the violations and what steps have been taken to address the issues?
See attached Compliance History.

6. Please provide all necessary documentation provided by State or Federal authorities that indicate that are ash is legally considered non-hazardous.
Ash characterization information is available at the facility.

8. Is the following training given to employees?
  (a) Hazardous (RCRA) and/or non-hazardous waste handling procedures.
  Yes
  (b) OSHA Hazard Communications and Right to Know, if applicable.
  Yes
  (c) OSHA 1910.120 (Emergency Response Training), if applicable.
  Yes

9. Does the facility have a contingency plan or emergency response plan?
Yes.

10. When was the plan last revised?
January 2000.

Waste Handling & Containment

1. Is any waste that is delivered to the facility for processing contained in drums on-site? If yes, is the containment area diked, in good condition, impervious and orderly?
Yes, there are two (2) 500-gallon aboveground waste oil tank ? one is located in vehicle maintenance and the other is located in the power block. The containment is in good condition and impervious.

2. Is waste that is delivered to the facility for processing contained in tanks on-site? If yes, are tanks in good condition and what are their approximate age?
See above, approximately 10 years and 2 years respectively.

3. What is the permeability of the diking and containment structures utilized on-site?
The containment is impervious.

4. How is runoff from containment or operations managed?
Process water is collected by trench drains and directed to a low quality pump for use in the Plant. The Plant is zero discharge for process water. Stormwater is handled onsite through the use of stormwater ponds, which may overflow to adjacent wetlands during significant rain events.

5. Is the facility regulated under a NPDES permit?
There is none anymore.

6. Is waste handled in such a way as to prevent releases, contact with incompatibilities or safety hazards, i.e., ground, segregation, etc.?
Yes.

Services

1. What method of treatment, storage or disposal are offered by the facility, i.e., storage method, treatment and disposal methods on site?
Incineration, assured destruction.

2. What types of waste is the facility permitted to accept?
Residential, non-hazardous commercial and non-hazardous industrial wastes.

3. Are there any limits to the quantity?
Yes, 1,095,000 tons/year of non-hazardous wastes.

4. How is each specific waste type handled or treated on site?
Tipping area, with the use of pay-loaders to manipulate the waste.

5. Does the facility broker any waste off site? If yes, which waste and where?
Any waste materials brought in to the facility are processed in one of the facility?s three combustors. Bypass material is sent to BFI Fall River Landfill on occasion.

6. Is the facility backed by a parent company? If yes, what is the name of that company?
This facility is owned and operated by American Ref-Fuel Company.  Investors in American Ref-Fuel are Duke Energy North America of Houston, Texas; and United American Energy Corp. of Woodcliff Lake New Jersey.

Residuals Management

1. What residues are generated from on-site processes, i.e., ash, empty drums, spent carbon, bio-sludge, filters, etc.?
Ash residue, ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

2. What methods are used for disposal of residues generated at the Facility or site?
Contractor to haul the material to either our landfill facility or a local recycler.

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