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SUBRA COMPANY
P. O. BOX 9813
NEW IBERIA, LA 70562
337 367 2216
subracom@aol.com
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF HURRICANE KATRINA TRANSPORTED SEDIMENT
DEPOSITS - RESIDUES LOCATED ON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PROPERTIES IN
THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA
To: Marylee Orr
Louisiana Environmental Action Network
P. O. Box 66323
Baton rouge, LA 70896
Rev. Cory Sparks
Pastor, Carrollton UMC and Parker Memorial UMC
921 South Carrollton Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118
From: Wilma Subra
Subra Company
Date: February 12, 2006
Eleven samples of undisturbed storm surge transported sediments
were collected by Wilma Subra of Subra Company on January 13 and 15,
2006. The samples were collected from United Methodist Church
Properties in the greater New Orleans area which were selected by Rev.
Cory Sparks. The samples were analyzed by Pace Analytical Laboratories
in New Orleans and Petroleum Laboratories in Lafayette for the
heavy metals Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium and Lead (US EPA Method 6010).
Sample Information
The eleven samples of sediment were collected from the following locations on January 13 and 15, 2006:
L-02 Shaw Temple UMC, across street from
8819 Pear
St.,1040 hours 1-13-06
Latitude 29o 58.422’ North
Longitude 90o 06.788’ West
Overwash Sediment on front and side of Church
building (side towards New Orleans Country Club).
Overwash material moist, light brown sandy material,
depth not able to be determined.
L-03 St. Luke’s UMC 5875 Canal Blvd. 1135 hours
1-13-06
Latitude 29o 59.843’ North
Longitude 90o 06.510’ West
Sediment at corner of Canal Blvd. and Brooks
Sediment 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, dark brown, moist and
sandy
LM-1 Covenant UMC 115 East D’amour St. Chalmette
1019 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 29o 56.477’ North
Longitude 89o 57.812’ West
Sediment to Right of sidewalk facing church
Sediment 1/2 to 2 inches thick, black, dry and
sandy/silty
LM-2 Cornerstone UMC 5276 Bullard Ave. New Orleans
1145 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 30o 01.967’ North
Longitude 89o 57.044’ West
Sediment between entry way and side walk
Sediment 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, dark brown, moist
sandy/silty sediment
LM-3 Hartzell UMC 2014 Caffin Ave., Lower 9th Ward, New
Orleans 1200 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 29o 58.250’ North
Longitude 90o 00.771’ West
Sediment from between two front doors and from top
of stairs leading to the door
Sediment dry on surface, damp under surface, black
granular silty sediment, 1/2 inch thick
LM-4 Thompson UMC, 1023 St. Roch, Bywater, New Orleans
1225 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 29o 58.250’ North
Longitude 90o 00.770’ West
Sediment from curb in front of church and sidewalk
around tree flower bed
Sediment dark brown, dry silty particles, 1/4 inch thick
LM-5 Bethany UMC 4533 Mendez St., Pontchartrain Park,
New Orleans 1435 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 30o 01.066’ North
Longitude 90o 02.323’ West
Sediment from either side of entry gate along church
edge of side walk
Sediment black granular, slightly moist
LM-6 Brooks UMC 4000 Buchanan St., Near the St. Bernard
Housing Project, Gentilly 1505 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 29o 59.842’ North
Longitude 90o 04.865’ West
Sediment from lawn along ditch edge
Sediment black, dry and sandy
LM-7 Mount Zion UMC, 2700 Louisiana Avenue, New Orleans
1540 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 29o 56.280’ North
Longitude 90o 05.783’ West
Sediment along sidewalk near entrance to church
Sediment dark brown, dry granular
LM-8 Peck UMC, 3631 Washington Ave., New Orleans
1555 hours 1-15-06
Latitude 29o 56.864’ North
Longitude 90o 05.897’ West
Sediment along side of sidewalk leading to main
entrance of church
Sediment dark brown , dried granular
LM-9 First UMC, 3401 Canal St. New Orleans, 1627 hours
1-15-06
Latitude 29o 58.217’ North
Longitude 90o 05.667’ West
Sediment from sidewalk leading to main entrance of
church
Sediment dark black, dry, granular
Sample Results
The heavy metals Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium and Lead contained in
the sediment samples are presented in the attached table. The most
highly contaminated sediment sample was collected from station LM-9,
the First United Methodist Church at 3401 Canal St. in New Orleans.
The sediment was collected from the side walk leading to the main
entrance of the church. The sediment contained all four heavy metals in
excess of the Screening Criteria. The sediment Arsenic content, 1.4
mg/kg, exceeded the EPA Region VI Soil Screening Level of 0.39 mg/kg by
3.6 times. The sediment Cadmium content of 14.8 mg/kg (highest Cadmium
value of all samples collected) exceeded the LA DEQ RECAP Standard of
3.9 mg/kg by 3.8 times. The sediment Chromium content, 28.0 mg/kg
(highest Chromium value of all samples collected) exceeded the LA DEQ
RECAP Standard of 23 mg/kg by 1.2 times. The sediment Lead content of
759 mg/kg was twice the LA DEQ RECAP Standard and the EPA Region VI
Soil Screening Level of 400 mg/kg .
The second highest sediment contamination level was present at
station LM-4, the Thompson United Methodist Church at 1023 St. Roch
street in the Bywater area of New Orleans. The sediment was collected
from the curb in front of the church and the sidewalk around the tree
flower beds. The sediment contained three of the four heavy metals
tested for, Arsenic, Chromium and Lead, in excess of the Screening
Criteria. The sediment Arsenic content, 1.0 mg/kg, exceeded the EPA
Region VI Soil Screening Level of 0.39 mg/kg by 2.6 times. The
sediment Chromium content, 26.4 mg/kg exceeded the LA DEQ RECAP
Standard of 23 mg/kg by 1.2 times. The Lead sediment content, 894
mg/kg, (the highest lead value of all samples), was twice the LA DEQ
RECAP Standard and the EPA Region VI Soil Screening Level of 400 mg/kg.
The third highest contaminated sediment level was detected at
station LM-8, Peck United Methodist Church at 3631 Washington Ave. in
New Orleans. The sample was collected from from the side of the
sidewalk leading to the main entrance. The sediment contained two of
the four heavy metals, Arsenic and Cadmium, in excess of the Screening
Criteria. The sediment Arsenic, 7.9 mg/kg
(highest Arsenic content of all samples collected), exceeded the EPA
Region VI Soil Screening Level of 0.39 mg/kg by more than 20 times.
The sediment Cadmium content of 10.7 mg/kg exceeded the LA DEQ RECAP
Standard of 3.9 mg/kg by 2.7 times.
The Arsenic content of 7 of the 11
samples collected, exceeded the EPA Region VI Soil Screening Level of
0.39 mg/kg:
L-03 2.29 mg/kg -5.9 times the standard- St. Luke's UMC
5875 Canal Blvd.. Lake View area of New
Orleans
LM-4 1.0 mg/kg - 2.6 times standard-Thompson UMC,
1023 S. Roch, Bywater area of N. Orleans
LM-5 1.75 mg/kg-4.5 times standard-Bethany UMC,
4533 Mendez St. Pontchartrain Park area
of New Orleans
LM-6 0.41 mg/kg-1.1 times standard-Brooks UMC
4000 Buchanan St. near St. Bernard
Housing Project in Gentilly
LM-7 5.3 mg/kg-13.6 times standard-Mount Zion UMC
2700 Louisiana Ave., New Orleans
LM-8 7.9 mg/kg-20.3 times standard, highest Arsenic
value-Peck UMC 361 Washington Ave.
New Orleans
LM-9 1.4 mg/kg-3.6 times standard-First UMC
3401 Canal St. New Orleans
The contaminated sediment residue from the First UMC on Canal St.,
Thompson UMC in the Bywater area and Peck UMC on Washington Ave. should
be immediately removed and properly disposed of in order to reduce the
exposure to church members and workers repairing the churches and
participating in services at the churches.
The contaminated sediment residue from St. Luke’s UMC in Lake
View, Bethany UMC, in the Pontchartrain Park area, Brooks UMC near the
St. Bernard Housing Project in Gentilly, and Mount Zion UMC on
Louisiana Ave. should be removed and properly disposed of immediately
after the sediments have been addressed at the first three highest
contaminated church properties.
The
heavy metals contribute to cumulative health impacts
when exposure occurs through skin contact and via inhalation and
ingestion. The health impacts associated with contact with the
contaminated sediments are skin irritation, infections of the skin that
do not respond to normal antibiotic treatment, respiratory distress,
asthma, and bronchitis. Church members are encouraged
to avoid
coming in contact with the contaminated sediment material. If
contact
is not preventable, protective clothing, gloves, and respirators
should be utilized in order to reduce the risk of health impacts.
Louisiana Environmental Action Network provides Re-entry
Protection
Kits that contain the necessary equipment to reduce risk when coming in
contact with the contaminated sediments.
Sediment
Samples
Heavy Metals (mg/kg)
Location Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Lead
L-02
ND
ND
3.55 6.92
L-03
2.29*
1.05
8.96 71.1
LM-1
0.066
2.01
17.3 31.1
LM-2
0.087
0.57
10.1 6.14
LM-3
ND
1.94
17.4 30.3
LM-4
1.0*
2.47
26.4* 894**
LM-5
1.75*
3.05
20.9 46.7
LM-6
0.41*
0.79
6.8 25.2
LM-7
5.3*
0.59
14.9 270
LM-8
7.9*
10.7*
13.1 202
LM-9
1.4*
14.8*
28.0* 759**
LA DEQ Soil Recap Screening Standards
12
3.9
23 400
EPA Region VI Soil Screening Levels
0.39
39
210 400
* Exceeded LA DEQ Soil RECAP or EPA Screening
** Exceeded LA DEQ Soil RECAP and EPA Screening
Level
ND None Detected
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