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<br /> <br /> 9 <br />conducted within the permit area and adjacent area, CAM chose to sample and analyze <br />groundwater from the existing alluvial wells for the presence of petroleum-related and <br />petrochemical hydrocarbon compounds. The first and third quarter 2010 groundwater samples <br />were tested for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH); benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and <br />xylenes (BTEX); polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); and methyl tertiary-butyl ether <br />(MTBE). <br /> <br />The groundwater sample collected from Well RW-2 revealed a low level of toluene during the <br />first quarter 2010 (estimated at 0.2 ppb by ACZ). Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) was found <br />at levels of 20.6 and 20.1 ppb in Well RW-4, which is slightly above the State defined maximum <br />contaminant level of 20 ppb for MTBE in groundwater. The concentrations of all other <br />petroleum-related and petrochemical compounds were below detection limits in all four alluvial <br />wells. <br /> <br />The refinery originally processed gilsonite (i.e., bitumen, a naturally-occurring solid or semi-solid <br />hydrocarbon) ore into liquid products and petroleum coke. The refinery was later converted to <br />process conventional crude oils into liquids and coke. Gary Energy Corporation purchased the <br />operation in December 1973 and produced gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, naphtha, vacuum gas oil, <br />heavy fuel oil, calcined petroleum coke and liquefied petroleum gas. The acid-sludge waste cell <br />is a mounded and soil-capped square area, about 7 acres in size, near the site's northeast comer. <br />The 39-acre landfarm area consists of former evaporation ponds. There are several areas in the <br />northeast part of the Loadout where coke particulate-matter was disposed in a series of excavated <br />and unlined trenches. The material apparently originated from baghouses connected to the former <br />boiler exhaust stacks. In 1985, it was reported that at least 10,000 cubic yards of coke fines were <br />landfilled. The landfill appears to have a cap of native soils. <br /> <br />Any of the uses mentioned above could be the reason for detectable levels of the aforementioned <br />petroleum-related and petrochemical hydrocarbon compounds. A spill at the refinery is <br />considered the most likely source of these compounds. No slug tests or pump tests have been <br />performed on the existing wells, so hydraulic properties for the alluvial aquifer are unavailable. <br /> <br />Climate <br /> <br />The climate of the region is semi-arid. The topographic variation in west central Colorado <br />results in marked fluctuation in the seasonal precipitation and temperature. The average annual <br />temperature is 54 degrees F with an average of 170 frost free days. The average annual <br />precipitation is 9 inches and annual total snowfall is 15.8 inches. This information was provided <br />by the Fruita weather station located approximately 5 miles east of the loadout operation. A <br />monthly climate summary from 1893 to 2009 is provided in Section 2.04.8 of the PAP. <br /> <br />Vegetation <br /> <br />The Greasewood vegetation type is the one major plant community type within the permit <br />boundary. Wetland and riparian are two minor community types which are also present on the <br />site. The greasewood community occupies the flat terrain along the deeply incised Reed Wash