GEOLOGICAL/HYDROGEOLOGICAL STUDIES
Local Public Water Supply System Feasibility Study - Enlow Fork Mine Expansion, Washington and Greene Counties, Pennsylvania
Published and unpublished geological and hydrogeological reports and data were reviewed to perform a preliminary analysis of the feasibility of developing local public water supply systems for rural areas potentially affected by the expansion of the Enlow Fork Mine in Washington and Greene Counties, Pennsylvania. Sources considered included groundwater, surface water, and mine pool water. The primary focus of the analysis was on the use of groundwater. Criteria that were evaluated relative to the siting of potential water supply wells included proximity to the mine and service areas, the presence of documented aquifers and their position relative to major surface drainage features, locations of documented high-yield wells, and the potential effect of geologic structure. The analysis also included projections of exploration, supply well construction, and permitting costs.
Feasibility Analysis for High-Volume Groundwater Supply – Maryland/Virginia
Performed a preliminary analysis of four areas of interest in Maryland and Virginia to assess the feasibility of obtaining a high-volume (more than 2,000 gpm) groundwater supply for the siting of a proposed electric power generating station. Work included the review of published geological, hydrogeological, and water supply reports; contacts with state and federal agencies to obtain relevant data and information, and preparation of a summary report.
Pre-Construction Analysis of Potential Groundwater Discharge to Sub-Grade Structures - Southwestern Pennsylvania
Prior to construction of a major academic building at a university, piezometers were installed and water-level data were monitored and analyzed to assess the potential for groundwater seepage into sub-grade portions of the building to be built near a building with a history of water damage to sub-grade rooms. Also evaluated was the influence of a small stream routed through the area via an underground culvert. Data and interpretations of groundwater occurrence and flow were provided for consideration in final building design.
SOIL AND GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION/REMEDIATION
Groundwater Contamination by Organic and Inorganic Constituents in Multiple Bedrock Zones - Pennsylvania
Releases due to housekeeping practices, leaking piping and tanks, and an unlined former lagoon contributed high concentrations of exotic organic compounds and inorganic constituents to an artesian groundwater system at a pre-WWI chemical plant. Total dissolved solids concentrations resulted in a dissolved plume that was heavier than water and migrated downward, against vertical hydraulic gradients. Groundwater conditions in multiple bedrock zones were investigated through sampling, flow mapping, and aquifer testing. Pumping wells to provide gradient control were installed at select locations and pilot testing was performed. Groundwater samples were used to conduct bench and pilot-scale testing of potential treatment technologies. A complex treatment plant was constructed to treat groundwater collected by a shallow drain system installed into primary source areas.
State-Level Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study and Remediation - Ohio
A multi-phase Remedial Investigation was performed to address TCE contamination of soil and groundwater at a manufacturing facility in east-central Ohio. TCE migration in groundwater had resulted in impacts to a nearby public water supply wellfield. Data from the RI were used to prepare a Feasibility Study, which the Ohio EPA used as a basis for selecting a site remedy in a Decision Document. A Remedial Design was prepared, which included pilot testing of soil vapor extraction. Installation of the SVE system included 14 SVE wells routed to three different SVE units by underground HDPE piping. The SVE systems were pre-fabricated in 8'x20' steel shipping containers for ease of mobilization and de-mobilization and included 10 hp to 25 hp blowers, heat exchangers to cool the air flow prior to treatment using activated carbon, and automated controls. Project work also included negotiation of technical aspects of Consent Orders with the Ohio EPA DERR and preparation of work plans, Quality Assurance Project Plans, RI/FS and RD/RA documents, management of pilot-testing and remedial construction, and ongoing O&M and monitoring of remedial systems and periodic reporting.
ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (representative examples)
- 85-year old coal cleaning/processing facility in southwestern Pennsylvania
- 70-year old deep coal mine entry portal and service facility in southwestern Pennsylvania
- 80-year old electric power generating station in eastern Pennsylvania
- Former vehicle leasing facility near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Former natural gas distribution company service center being used for commercial and light industrial in southwestern Pennsylvania
- Cardboard packaging materials manufacturing facility in southwestern Pennsylvania
- Heavy steel plate machining and fabricating facility, with subsequent Phase II sampling, Houston, Texas
- Former custom truck body fabricating facility in southwestern Pennsylvania
- Former passenger bus liner terminal and maintenance facility in southwestern Pennsylvania
- 71-acre “greenfield” property slated for residential subdivision in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Screening of Multiple Properties for Construction of Electric Power Generating Facilities - Pennsylvania and West Virginia
Preliminary environmental screening of 15 candidate properties for possible siting of combustion turbine electric generating stations. Criteria evaluated included the presence and proximity of wetlands, mining activities and affects (e.g., drainage, subsidence), public and private water supplies, flood plains, historic sites or structures, surface-water classifications, oil and gas wells, and sensitive ecological receptors. Based on the results of the preliminary screening, ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessments were then performed at six sites.
Assessment of Multiple Mining Claims - Silverton Mining District, Colorado
By way of a corporate acquisition in 1967, an existing client obtained title to twenty 19th century mining claims near Silverton, Colorado. Ownership of the claims was largely unrecognized by the client until receiving inquiries concerning possible sale or lease of the claims and increased regulatory activity and reclamation efforts in the area. Extensive regulatory documents relating to existing water-quality impacts and reclamation efforts in the area were reviewed, and a reconnaissance of the claims was performed to confirm their locations and assess current or potential environmental or physical liabilities associated with historical mining activities. The reconnaissance included preparation of an extensive photographic log of the claims, field assessment of surface-water quality an and near the claims, and documenting the claim locations using GPS. A presentation of key information, observations, findings, and interpretations was prepared for corporate managers and counsel.
PROPERTY REDEVELOPMENT/BROWNFIELDS
Pennsylvania Act 2/Industrial Sites Cleanup Fund Support
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and development of a scope of work for further site characterization at a former coal cleaning/preparation plant proposed for redevelopment under Pennsylvania Act 2. Services included assistance in preparing documents for Industrial Site Cleanup Fund grant applications which secured $200,000 in funding.
Pennsylvania Act 2 Site Redevelopment
Site redevelopment/re-use project under Pennsylvania Act 2 at a 19-acre former industrial facility being redeveloped into an industrial subdivision for small and start-up businesses. Work included compilation of historical data, with limited additional sampling, and preparation of a Remedial Investigation Report, Risk Assessment Report, and Final Report to support the use of institutional controls as the remedy under the Site-Specific Standard. Environmental media investigated were soil, groundwater, surface water, and stream sediment. Contaminants of concern included chlorinated solvent and PAH compounds, PCBs, and metals. It was demonstrated that no active remediation was warranted, and a program of routine groundwater and administrative monitoring has been implemented. The site has received relief from further cleanup liability under Act 2.
Pennsylvania Act 2 Site Redevelopment
Site redevelopment/re-use project under Pennsylvania Act 2 at a former industrial facility being redeveloped into an industrial subdivision for small and start-up businesses. Work to included compilation of historical data and site characterization work to investigate the origin, occurrence, and movement of a chlorinated VOC plume in a bedrock system beneath a residential neighborhood and a downtown area. Activities included the installation of monitoring wells in the residential/commercial area, a door-to-door water supply survey, sampling of water entering residential basements, soil vapor sampling, sampling of indoor air in an occupied commercial building, and preparation of Remedial Investigation Report, Risk Assessment Report, and Final Report under the Site-Specific Standard. Environmental media investigated were soil, groundwater, surface water, stream sediment, soil vapor, and indoor air. Contaminants of concern included chlorinated solvent and PAH compounds, and metals.
Ohio Voluntary Action Program
Preparation of Voluntary Action Program documents for a 50-year-old, 122-acre former aluminum rolling mill facility. The facility was idled in 2005 and decommissioned in 2006. Under new ownership, the property has been redeveloped into an industrial park. The Phase I Property Assessment (PA) included a review of extensive facility and regulatory agency records relating to facility history, environmental permitting and compliance, and waste management and disposal; review of permit-related monitoring data; interviews with numerous current and previous plant employees; review of historical aerial photography; and a site reconnaissance. Based on the Phase I PA results, 37 VAP “Identified Areas” were designated for further investigation under a Phase II PA. The Phase II PA process included extensive sampling of soil, groundwater, sediment, indoor air, sub-floor soil vapor, electrical transformer areas, and residues on floors and working surfaces of the former facility. Remedial measures included excavation of localized areas of shallow soil, engineering controls in the form of existing asphalt and concrete surfaces to block exposure to affected soil, and preparation of an environmental covenant pursuant to ORC Chapter 5301 to serve as an institutional control, restricting future land and groundwater use.
Ordinance Restricting Private Water Supply Wells – Ohio
Worked with client’s counsel to develop an ordinance restricting the installation of private water supply wells in an area surrounding client’s facility where groundwater contamination was present. Proposed ordinance was approved by the municipality, eliminating a potential exposure pathway and substantially reducing the need for active groundwater remediation.
Concrete Floor as Presumptive Remedy Under Ohio VAP – Ohio
A former industrial building with more than one million square feet of floor space was the subject of investigation under the Ohio VAP. The building included numerous sub-grade pits, sumps, and vaults with extensive inter-connecting piping. Investigating potential releases to soil would have required dozens of borings through the concrete floor, in places 16 inches or more thick. It was recognized at the outset that the remedy for any identified soil contamination would most likely be to leave the concrete floor in place and maintain it as an engineering control to block exposure to any such impacted soil. This approach was accepted by the agency and a nominal operation and maintenance plan was prepared, thereby negating the need for costly characterization of soil conditions beneath the floor.
Limits on Building Construction to Address Hypothetical Vapor Intrusion Risk – West Virginia
At a site being administered under the West Virginia VRP, residual concentrations of VOCs in soil were determined to pose an unacceptable risk due to the potential for vapor intrusion into hypothetical future buildings constructed in a certain area of the property. So as not to unduly hinder the ability to develop the property, deed restrictions are being crafted to require building construction within the subject area to include vapor mitigation features, such as vapor barriers and/or passive sub-slab venting.
Support for In-Place Closure of Hazardous Waste Landfill – Pennsylvania
Utilizing mainly existing data, analyzed hydrogeologic and groundwater quality conditions, including groundwater-surface water relationships, to support the in-place closure of a hazardous waste landfill at an industrial facility in north-central Pennsylvania. PADEP had originally ordered the waste material to be excavated and transported to a commercial facility for disposal. In-place closure resulted in a cost savings of more than $1,000,000.
Support for Alternate Cap Design - Pennsylvania
Conducted hydrogeological studies and analysis of extensive historical groundwater monitoring data to support an alternate cap design for a residual waste landfill in Pennsylvania, reducing closure cost by approximately $800,000. Twenty years of quarterly ground-water quality data were reviewed and evaluated and a risk analysis was conducted to demonstrate that an engineered soil cover constructed of on-site material adequately reduced infiltration through the waste and substantially satisfied regulatory requirements for cap construction.
SPCC/SWP3 Planning and Support – Ohio
Assisted an industrial park in obtaining coverage for stormwater discharges under the Ohio General Permit for stormwater discharges associated with industrial activities, including preparation and implementation of the facility’s Storwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3). In conjunction with the development of the SWP3, a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan was also prepared. A joint SPCC/SWP3 training program is being developed for the industrial park management staff and the park’s tenants.
WELLHEAD PROTECTION/WATER SUPPLY
Wellhead Protection Plan for Municipal Wellfield - Southwestern, Pennsylvania
Prepared Wellhead Protection Plan for a municipal wellfield along the Ohio River in southwestern Pennsylvania. Work included organization of a Steering Committee; delineation of Zone I, II, and III wellhead protection areas; inventory of potential contaminant sources; development of wellhead protection area management measures, public education/awareness activities, and contingency measures; and, evaluation of potential new sources. The plan was the first Wellhead Protection Plan to receive approval from the Pittsburgh regional office of the PADEP.
Wellhead Protection Plan for Municipal Wellfield - Western, Pennsylvania
Prepared Wellhead Protection Plan for a municipal wellfield along the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania. Work included organization of a Steering Committee; delineation of wellhead protection Zones I and III; review and critique of PADEP-sponsored groundwater flow model used to delineate wellhead protection Zone II; inventory of potential contaminant sources; development of wellhead protection area management measures, public education/awareness activities, and contingency measures; and, evaluation of potential new water supply sources. Ramifications of groundwater impacts at a HSCA site within Zone II were also evaluated.
Pre-Drilling Plan and Installation of New Water Supply Well - Municipal Water Supply Wellfield – Southwestern Pennsylvania
Prepared a Pre-Drilling Plan in support of a permit for a new groundwater source for a municipal wellfield in southwestern Pennsylvania. Work included siting test holes, documenting geologic conditions, overseeing installation of the supply well, aquifer testing, test pumping of the new well, delineation of the Wellhead Protection Area, and preparation of a contaminant source inventory.
Expert Testimony Regarding Contaminant Release Timeframe v. Insurance Coverage Period
Provided expert testimony, by way of deposition, in support of a client's insurance claim for costs resulting from third party damages associated with off-site migration in groundwater of volatile organic compounds. At issue was the time required for VOCs to migrate through unsaturated zone soils and subsequently through the aquifer to the client's property boundary, relative to the period during which insurance coverage was in effect.
Expert Testimony Regarding Contaminant Release Timeframe and Scope of Remediation v. Applicability of Insurance Coverage
Provided expert testimony, by deposition, in support of a client’s insurance claim for costs resulting from a CERCLA RI/FS and associated remediation program. Key issues included time frames of contaminant releases to soil and groundwater, plume/source area relationships, and the appropriateness of the remedy selected.
Expert Testimony Regarding Phase I ESA Standard of Care
Provided litigation support by way of deposition and expert testimony at an arbitration hearing in support of a land development company. At issue was whether an environmental professional had met a reasonable standard of care in failing to provide any indication of the possible presence of wetlands on a property for which they prepared a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment.
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Geo Resource Group
Consulting in environmental and geological sciences
Geo Resource Group
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