ENVIRONMENTAL SITE INVESTIGATIONS AND REMEDIAL ACTIVITIES

Phase I Investigation

Buena Park, California

EDFA’s Phase I Investigations meet or exceed ASTM standard E 1527-00, and commonly include reviews of title documents, building permits, aerial photographs and regulatory databases.  In this instance, information obtained from these reviews and a site inspection by an EDFA employee was used to identify a number of potential environmental concerns at the subject property.

Hydrocarbon Impacted Soil

Benefit to Client: This investigation identified numerous potential environmental concerns, including the dumping of vehicle waste oil on the property by tenants and improper storage of hazardous materials.  The identification of these issues prior to close of escrow ensured that they did not become a liability for the new property owner, or an issue that would lessen the property’s commercial value. 

Phase II Investigation

Soil and Groundwater Remediation

Santa Ana, CA

EDFA assumed management of a Phase II investigation that had been stalled for over five years.  Contact was re-established with regulatory agencies, and a Phase II Investigation workplan was prepared and approved for implementation by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (SARWQCB) and the Santa Ana Fire Department.  This investigation included a hydrogeological site evaluation and the installation of four groundwater-monitoring wells. 

Results from the investigation confirmed that only residual petroleum fuel contaminants remained in subsurface soils.  EDFA demonstrated that these contaminants did not pose a threat to human health or the environment.  The SARWQCB agency agreed, but required one year of groundwater monitoring to conclusively demonstrate EDFA’s position.  After one year of groundwater monitoring, EDFA successfully petitioned the SARWQCB for site closure.

Benefit to Client: EDFA successfully defused an antagonist relationship between our client and the SARWQCB, effectively preventing the situation from escalating to a Notice of Violation.  EDFA diligently worked with both parties to establish a cooperative and amicable atmosphere.  Previous work completed at the property was compiled and utilized, thus avoiding duplication of effort and minimizing project cost.  Site closure was obtained from the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board with no deed or use restrictions, thus restoring the property to its full commercial value, and permitting our client to redevelop the property for any use.

Phase II Investigation

Soil and Groundwater Remediation

Preliminary Endangerment Assessment / Health Risk Assessment

Orange County, CA

This property was historically occupied by a gasoline station.  Underground storage tanks (USTs) installed by the gasoline station were removed from the site in the mid-1970’s.  However, no evaluation of potential leakage from the USTs was performed at that time because environmental regulations pertaining to UST removal had not been enacted.  The property was subsequently acquired by a private high school.

In 1998, the school began efforts to construct a new addition on the property, and EDFA was retained to evaluate environmental conditions.  Preliminary investigations confirmed that soil and groundwater were impacted by gasoline components, including benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX), fuel-oxygenated compounds, including methyl tertiary butyl ether (MtBE) and chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

Working through the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, EDFA designed and implemented site investigations to define the lateral and vertical extent of impacted soils and groundwater.  These investigations were followed by the development and implementation of remedial activities to remove chemically impacted soils and groundwater.

After remedial activities were completed, site closure through the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board was imminent.  However, operators of the school decided to pursue closure through the Department of Toxic Substances Control’s (DTSC’s) School Property Evaluation and Cleanup Division, to ensure that all clean up activities were on par with those now required for public school properties.

EDFA opened communications with the DTSC on behalf of the school, and assisted with entering the school into the DTSC Voluntary Clean-up Program.  After the administrative tasks were completed, EDFA provided the DTSC requested technical information regarding the site.  This cumulated with the performance of a DTSC Preliminary Endangerment Assessment (PEA) and Health Risk Assessment demonstrating that un-acceptable risks to human health and the environment did not exist at the site.  A DTSC approved site closure is pending.

Benefit to Client: Preliminary plans for the school expansion were underway by the time that EDFA became involved in the project, and a preliminary construction schedule had been established.  EDFA was able to quickly determine that a significant problem existed, procure appropriate regulatory involvement and oversight, and complete regulatory approved remedial actions so that the construction schedule could be maintained.  Further, most fieldwork pertaining to investigation and remedial activities was performed after hours, on weekends, holidays and during the summer vacation, thus eliminating student exposure to potential air borne dust and construction equipment.

When the school operators decided to pursue a DTSC approved closure, the entire site was under construction.  EDFA was able to demonstrate that previous environmental site work was valid, thus greatly reducing DTSC requirements, and significantly reducing the time required to meet DTSC closure requirements.

Phase II Investigation and Remediation

Herbicide-Impacted Soils

La Habra, California

EDFA conducted a remedial investigation to identify the lateral and vertical extent of herbicide impacted soils.  EDFA solicited regulatory agency involvement to obtain approval of a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) to remove the impacted soils, and implemented the RAP, providing construction management services for excavation of impacted soils. 

Benefit to Client: EDFA researched and identified reliable field-testing procedures to guide precise excavation of the pesticide-impacted soils, saving our client the considerable expenses of demolishing a structure that adjoined the spill area.  EDFA performed verification sampling and provided a Closure Report documenting field activities, remedial procedures and documentation that all herbicide-impacted soils were removed.

Groundwater Remediation

Woodland Hills, California

EDFA provided treatment for groundwater impacted by chlorinated solvents and heavy metals that was unexpectedly encountered during the construction of an office tower in the Woodland Hills area.  EDFA negotiated and obtained a permit for water treatment and discharge within a compressed time frame, provided the groundwater remediation system design, supervision for its installation and operation of dewatering and remediation equipment.  EDFA also provided all environmental agency reporting, and necessary agency communications and documentation for decommissioning of the system at the project’s conclusion.   

Benefit to Client: Over two million gallons of water were successfully treated, and the construction project was not significantly delayed by the unanticipated dewatering and groundwater remediation requirement.  EDFA was able to obtain permission to discharge the treated water to the industrial sewer, thus greatly reducing the cost for off-site disposal.

Groundwater Remediation

Southern California Fire Station

EDFA reviewed work performed by others and prepared a Remedial Action Plan for removal of free product (gasoline) from groundwater.  This project was located within sight of a pumping well field supplying drinking water to the local municipality.  EDFA installed and supervised operation and maintenance of the system.

Benefit to Client: The free product recovery approach developed by EDFA was able to be implemented in a compressed time frame, and saved our client approximately $20,000 in costs over an alternative approach proposed by a competitor.  The system was installed and free product recovery began within three days of EDFA receiving authorization to proceed from our client.  More than 300 gallons of free product were recovered during the first week of operation. 

Closure of Bunker Fuel System

San Pedro, California

EDFA provided environmental construction services for closure of a major shipping company’s dockside bunker fuel system.  The project included decommissioning of the bunker fuel electrical system (including disabling of high voltage electrical components), removal of all electrical conductors, cleaning and removal of over 3,000 feet of bunker fuel piping, and complete decommissioning of four bunker fuel valving pits.

Benefit to Client: The project required considerable coordination with the Port of Los Angles and other shipping lines that used portions of the dock crossed by the bunker fuel distribution piping.  The project was competed with no disruptions to ancillary shipping operations. 

Groundwater Monitoring Well Abandonment

Fullerton, California 

EDFA provided services and oversight to abandon 14 groundwater-monitoring wells that averaged 80 feet in depth.  These wells were located on an industrial property that had been the site of a chemical cleanup.  Remedial activities were completed, and the industrial property was scheduled for redevelopment.  

Benefit to Client: Because of an unanticipated change in schedule, it was necessary to abandon these wells on short notice.  EDFA was able to permit, schedule and complete the well abandonments within a three-day period, thus avoiding costly delays and keeping the project on track.  These well abandonments were performed under the jurisdiction of the Orange County Health Care Agency, which subsequently issued a formal approval of the abandonment procedures.

Closure of Paint Manufacturing Facility

Los Angeles, California

EDFA developed and implemented a comprehensive plan for the decommissioning of a paint manufacturing facility in the Los Angles Area.  This plan included provision to resolve outstanding environmental issues with the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board as well as closure of an underground storage tank (UST) and a remedial investigation to identify areas of potential concern (e.g., paint mixing vaults) at the facility. 

Benefit to Client: EDFA successfully re-established a working relationship with the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB), and prepared a Closure Plan for the facility that was acceptable to the LARWQCB, and met our clients scheduling and budget requirements.  All work was completed within the allotted schedule and budgetary constraints, and the facility received a full closure from the LARWQCB.

Aircraft Hanger Renovation/Environmental Construction Management Services

Los Angeles International Airport

An aircraft hanger used for jet engine maintenance by a major airline was leased to a new airport tenant.  The hanger required major modifications, including partial demolition.  Because of the hangers pervious use, it was deemed likely that soils contaminated with chlorinated solvents would be encountered by site workers.  EDFA provided construction management and field monitoring services for identification and excavation of solvent impacted soils encountered during renovation of a commercial aircraft hanger. 

EDFA performed preliminary soil sampling to identify areas where solvent impacted soils would be encountered.  EDFA developed a site-specific health and safety plan for the excavation and provided personnel and instrumentation to perform vapor emission monitoring and segregate the solvent impacted soils as they were encountered during the excavation. 

Benefit to Client: The preliminary investigation and site services provided by EDFA identified areas of potential environmental concern before they became a project-halting problem.  EDFA was able to work with the excavation contractor, and ensure that properly trained persons were available when it was necessary to remove solvent impacted soils.  EDFA successfully segregated impacted soils from clean soils, saving client thousands of dollars in transportation and off-site disposal fees.  Performed clearance sampling of excavated areas to document that all impacted soils were removed.  Provided report documenting field activities, sampling procedures and analytical results. 

Soil and Groundwater Remediation

Commerce, California

EDFA was retained to get soil and groundwater remediation back on-track at a gasoline station after the project was abandoned by another consulting company.  A catastrophic tank failure had released more than 5,000 gallons of gasoline to subsurface soils and groundwater.  Petroleum fuel contaminants, including the fuel oxygenating compound methyl tertiary butyl ether (MtBE) were being drawn towards a pumping municipal water supply well located within 100 feet of the gasoline station.  

The station had been completely demolished and re-built in a new configuration.  Most of the remediation system had been destroyed in the process.  Remedial equipment was in an advanced state of disrepair, and its usefulness was questionable.

EDFA re-permitted the existing vapor extraction equipment, and made necessary repairs to belts and electronic controls.  An appropriate equipment enclosure was constructed, and utility connections to the equipment were re-routed and upgraded.  Safety features (e.g., fire extinguishers, safety interlocks and emergency shut off switches were added as required.  The system was successfully restarted, and has removed more than 3,000 pounds of petroleum fuel contaminants from sub-surface soils.

The basic design for a groundwater remediation system had been approved by the lead regulatory agency when EDFA became involved on the project.  EDFA completed the necessary permitting, including obtaining a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for treated groundwater discharge. 

 It was necessary to install a large portion of connecting piping for the groundwater remediation system within the Public Right of Way.  EDFA cleared all underground utilities, obtained all necessary City and County Public Right of Way permits, provided the required traffic control and supervised the installation.  As shown in the photograph below, trench plates (to the right) were used to secure the excavation after working hours and minimize disruptions to traffic patterns.

Benefit to Client: By acting quickly to get the project back on track, EDFA prevented further legal action against our client, and contributed to the protection of a valuable municipal water supply well.  Previous work and existing equipment were used to expedite the installation and start-up of remedial systems, permitting project work to proceed at an accelerated rate and preventing additional expense to our client from duplication of effort.