Hoff VC

Site Facts

Municipality/County: New Hanover Township, Montgomery
HSCA Site Since: 2011
Primary Contaminants of Concern: chlorinated solvents, oil and gasoline components, pesticides, and PAHs

Updated November 2020

Why is DEP Investigating

• In July 2011 DEP learned of residential contamination from the Montgomery County Health Department.
• Volatile Organic Compounds, Semivolaltile Organic Compounds, and 1,4-Dioxane have been detected in groundwater and surface water at the Site.
  • Hoff VC Response Justification Document (PDF)

Private Drinking Water Investigation and DEP’s Response

• Between 2011 & 2013, DEP sampled over 40 nearby homes, business, and schools.
• Sampling by DEP identified nine residential properties with private wells that had contaminants exceeding DEP’s standards.
• In 2012, DEP held a public meeting to discuss the installation of public waterline to the affected residents. On March 1, 2013 DEP issued a Statement Of Decision for the Site, selecting the extension of a public waterline as the remedy for contaminated potable water at the site. The cost of the construction of the waterline extension was funded by DEP through a grant to New Hanover Township.
• In 2014, 27 total properties, including the nine residential properties with exceedances, were connected to the extended waterline.

Source Investigation and DEP’s Response

• Between the 1960s to late 1980s, Swann Oil Company, a heating oil distributor, operated at the Site.
• In the early 1970s, the Swann Oil company was cited several times by DEP’s predecessor, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health for illegal discharges of hazardous substances, including a chlorinated solvent, from a truck-wash to an unnamed tributary of Swamp Creek. Swann Oil also had several oil and kerosene spills during its operation.
• In the early 1990s, the Site was purchased by its current owner, the Good Oil Company. The Good Oil Company removed many of the Aboveground Storage Tanks and Underground Storage Tanks (UST) improperly and punctured an UST while drilling a monitoring well. DEP’s Storage Tanks Corrective Program has filed orders and liens against Good Oil. Whitetail Disposal Company currently leases property from Good Oil as a truck staging area. In the early 2000’s, Gibraltar Rock Inc. (GRI) purchased several parcels of land less than ½ mile from the Site for a future quarrying operation.
  • More information on the Gibraltar Rock Quarry can be found here.
• Between 2011 & 2014 DEP conducted investigation activities which included the installation of monitoring wells, surface water sampling, and a vapor intrusion investigation.
  • 2014 – Project Investigation Report prepared by Leidos (PDF)
    • Appendix A - EDR Photos
    • Appendix B - EDR Radius
    • Appendix C - EDR City Dir
    • Appendix D - Gibraltar
    • Appendix E - Rem Alt Analysis
    • Appendix F - Well Logs
    • Appendix G - Geophysics
    • Appendix H - Straddle Pkr Memos
    • Appendix I - Straddle Sample Forms
    • Appendix J - Nested Screen Memos
    • Appendix K - Waste Disp
    • Appendix L - GW Sampling Forms
    • Appendix M - 2014 GW Lab Rpts
    • Appendix N - SG&IA Sample Forms
    • Appendix O - SG&IA Lab Rpts
    • Appendix P - VI Insp Forms
    • Appendix Q - PADOH LHC
    • Appendix R - 3D Model
    • Appendix S - F&T
  • Tetra Tech F&T Analysis (PDF)
  • Fate and Transport Analysis and Assessment of Hoff VC Site Contaminant Migration (PDF)
• In 2016, DEP located a concrete pit on the source property which contained hazardous waste. DEP subsequently removed 8000 gallons of hazardous waste from the concrete pit and 217 tons of contaminated soil surrounding the pit as part of a Prompt Interim Response.
  • Hoff VC Pit Contamination List (PDF)
  • July 2018 - Waste Pit Area Soil Excavation Report (PDF)
• In 2018, DEP initiated an in-situ remediation pilot study to address remaining groundwater contamination, which included the installation of five monitoring/injection wells near the concrete pit.
• Starting the week of November 16, 2020, sodium and potassium persulfate and iron will be injected into the shallow groundwater to degrade the contaminants near the concrete pit. DEP will monitor the effectiveness of the injections over the next few months.
  • Pilot Study Area Groundwater Results (PDF)
  • IET Proposal (PDF)
  • USEPA Rule Authorization (PDF)

Reports prepared by others

• Kessler Presentation (PDF)

Contacting DEP

Please direct correspondence or inquiries to one of the following:

• Site Information: Colin Wade, Site Project Officer, at 484-250-5722 or cowade@pa.gov
• Community and Media Relations: Virginia Nurk, Community Relations Coordinator at 484-250-5808 or vnurk@pa.gov
• Legislative Inquiries: Rob Fogel, Local Government Liaison, at 484-250-5817 or rofogel@pa.gov

To schedule an appointment to review files associated with this Site and project, please call the Norristown Office at 484-250-5910.

Municipality Information

New Hanover Twp: Phone: (610) 323-1008, contact@newhanover-pa.org