Site Characterization/Investigation

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The site characterization and investigation process often drives the entire evaluation and remedial progression at a site, and can affect site management for years into the future. For this reason, it is critical to manage the investigation process in a manner that maximizes the control of the overall scientific and regulatory process.

Premier has extensive experience in managing the site characterization process at a wide range of sites, including those that have no previously collected environmental data. Premier�s staff of engineers and scientists have managed site investigations under various state and federal programs, including:

  • CERCLA (Federal Superfund)
  • RCRA (permitting and corrective action)
  • State Superfund/Voluntary Programs (i.e., Georgia HSRA, Tennessee VRP, Illinois SRP, Ohio VAP, Washington MTCA, etc.)
  • State underground storage tank programs

Depending on regulatory and site conditions, Premier scientists and engineers use a variety of strategies to help minimize unnecessary data collection and sampling. We also incorporate phased approaches to ensure that investigations and any possible remedial actions remain focused and cost effective.

Site Characterization Staff

Robin J. Ferber, Senior Consultant

Expertise: Brownfields redevelopment, hazardous waste characterization investigations, environmental expert witness/litigation support, Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Site Assessments, leaking UST investigations, and remedial investigation/ feasibility studies.

Mr. Ferber has been a lead consultant in several ongoing brownfield redevelopment projects located throughout Los Angeles County, California. He has extensive experience in leaking underground storage tank projects and has provided litigation support service and served as an expert witness for several clients whose properties were impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons originating from leaking underground storage tanks. He has served as an environmental expert for the Office of the City Attorney, City of San Diego, and for the State of Hawaii. He acted as the Principal-in-Charge for a characterization and remediation project, and was the lead consultant on several Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Site Assessments.

Carol Northern, Principal

Expertise: site characterization; remediation; strategy and negotiations; project management; CERCLA, RCRA, and state programs.

Ms. Northern is a Principal with Premier with experience in site investigations, regulatory strategy, and corrective action under CERCLA, RCRA, and state environmental programs. Prior to joining Premier, Ms. Northern was a Principal Geologist and Manager of the Site Restoration Group for the National Technical Center of an international engineering/consulting firm. Ms. Northern has managed site investigations, remedial designs, and remedial actions regulated under CERCLA, RCRA, state superfund and voluntary programs, and voluntary actions conducted in accordance with the National Contingency Plan.

Site Characterization Case Studies

Developing Alternate Groundwater Remedial Strategies for a Former Industrial Manufacturing Facility

Situation

A former industrial manufacturing facility in the southeastern United States had been placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) under the Federal Superfund program. During the course of completing the Remedial Investigation (RI), four inorganic analytes (metals) and chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) were detected in groundwater above groundwater cleanup standards. In response, USEPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) requiring a site-wide groundwater remedy for the metals at an estimated cost of over $20,000,000 and implementation of a separate remedy to address CVOCs in an isolated area of the property at an estimated cost of $3,000,000.

Solution

Premier personnel were retained by the PRP to evaluate alternatives to the remedy for metals in groundwater. After bifurcation of the Remedial Design process to allow the CVOC and metals remedies to track separately, a focused investigation of metals concentrations was conducted to determine representative metals concentrations in groundwater. The focused investigation included the design of refined purging and sampling protocols to reduce artificial entrainment of soil particles that might contain naturally-occurring metals. Additionally, the groundwater recovery and treatment program for CVOCs specified in the ROD was reevaluated in order to determine whether treatment of groundwater was necessary prior to discharge to the publicly-owned treatment works (POTW).

Results

The $250,000 focused study resulted in the determination that metals were not present in groundwater and that remediation was not necessary. After significant negotiations, USEPA and the state agency concurred and the $20,000,000 remedy was vacated. In addition, an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD) was developed to eliminate the treatment of recovered groundwater impacted by CVOCs. As a result of direct discharge of the recovered groundwater, the portion of the groundwater remedy for the CVOCs was cut in half (approximately $1,500,000).

Program Management for Soil and Groundwater Investigation in Los Angeles

Situation

A Premier staff member was retained as Program Manager for a Soil and Groundwater Investigation during the Summer and Fall of 1999 for a middle school of a major school district in Los Angeles, California, located across the street from an abandoned plating facility. The objectives of the Phase II Soil and Groundwater Investigation were to characterize the extent of hexavalent chromium and volatile organic compounds present in soil and in both shallow and deep groundwater beneath the middle school and former plating properties. The California Environmental Protection Agency Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) provided regulatory oversight.

The Scope of Work included the installation of six shallow and three deep groundwater monitoring wells at the middle school, two shallow groundwater monitoring wells at the plating facility, a geophysical survey of the three deep groundwater monitoring wells at the middle school, the abandonment of a pre-existing shallow groundwater monitoring well at the middle school, and the collection and analytical testing of soil, groundwater, and quality assurance/quality control samples.

Solution

Because the middle school is a year-round multi-track school, drilling activities at the school had to be conducted when students and staff were not present. In addition, all the deep wells had to be installed using mud rotary techniques, which were further complicated by the shortened drilling hours.

Results

All activities were coordinated with the school district, DTSC, and appropriate agencies from the City of Los Angeles to conduct the drilling and sampling activities on weekends and during holidays. Extended hour work permits for weekends were obtained from the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles Police Department so that the work activities could be continued late into the weekend evenings. Noise abatement panels were erected to minimize noise impacts to nearby residential areas. The shallow and wells were installed without disruption to student learning activities.