Prestige Environmental’s private sector client base includes owners and operators of office buildings, warehouses, retail establishments, shopping centers, strip malls, gasoline service stations, auto repair shops, oil recycling facilities, dry cleaners, schools, hospitals, and numerous industrial facilities.
The 1.3-acre brownfield property known as Mile Square Machinery was located at the intersection of First Street and Harrison Street in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. Prestige Environmental led successful efforts from 1998 to 2002 to identify, evaluate, and remediate various areas of concern as part of the regulatory compliance. The facility received the NJDEP approval in 2002. Prestige Environmental assisted client with the DEP/EDA grant, and cost recovery from the previous owners/operators.
In April 2003, the property purchased by developers for the construction of Harrison Towers, a high-rise residential building with commercial establishments and a child care facility at the street level. Prestige Environmental’s project team provided key services for the redevelopment of this brownfield property which included: obtaining necessary regulatory permits, supervision during construction, preparation and implementation of Remedial Action Workplan (RAWP), soil reuse plan, health and safety plan, and a revised deed notice. In 2007, Prestige Environmental assisted a child care center obtain a license from the DEP. The firm was also engaged by the condo association to file bi-annual certificate for the deed notice.
The commercial property had a history of soil and groundwater contamination from three leaking petroleum underground tanks. Prestige Environmental is actively involved on all aspects of the project including: soil and groundwater investigation; receptor evaluation; well search; surface water and sediment sampling from the near-by brook; establishment of CEA and Well Restriction Area; evaluation of off-site sources of contamination and migration pathways; enhanced free product recovery; and contaminant source control.
After a successful pilot test and NJDEP approval of the workplan, a full-scale dual-phase soil vapor extraction (SVE) system was designed and installed to treat soil and groundwater contamination. Prestige Environmental obtained permits from regulatory agencies including: NJDEP-Bureau of Air Quality Compliance & Enforcement for emission of treated vapors, Middlesex County Utilities Authority (MCUA) for the discharge of treated water through POTW, and PSEG for power supply. Prestige Environmental’s project team also prepared detailed cost estimates, and obtained “Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Remediation Upgrade and Closure Fund Grant” pursuant to P.L. 1997, C. 235.
The SVE system was installed and commissioned in August 2008, and with the exception of interruptions for adjustment or maintenance, operated continuously. The firm’s project team monitors the system performance, screens the untreated and treated vapor discharges, and measures extraction airflow rates to track the mass of contaminants removed. Prestige Environmental also records the volume of water extracted and treated by the system and discharged to the POTW. A monthly summary of the system operation and the estimated contaminant mass and groundwater volume extracted by the system is prepared. Representative samples of the treated water are collected every month for laboratory analysis to document compliance with the discharge parameters specified by the MCUA. The system is operated with two of the six extraction points at a time to stay within the 5,000 gallons per day limit on the volume of discharge specified by MCUA.
Results of the semi-annual groundwater and su rface water sampling have demonstrated that the operation of the DPVE system has substantially improved groundwater and surface water quality, and has reduced the contaminant plume size and concentrations by more than 90% in less than three years. The site remediation is anticipated to be completed within budget and as per schedule before April 2012.
The 4.5-acre facility was owned and occupied by a large corporation’s relay instrument division from the late 1800’s until 1983 to manufacture electric meters, electrical instruments, recording instruments, protective relays, voltage regulators, automotive generator motor equipment, street arc lamps and ventilating motors. Nineteenth century multi-story industrial buildings occupied more than 80% of the property. After purchasing the property in December 1983, client discovered that the property contaminated, and subsequently commenced litigation against the former owner/operator.
Prestige Environmental’s project team conducted major investigative and remedial phases between 1994 and 2005. In March 1998, more than 30,000 gallons of heating oil was overfilled by an oil supplier. Prestige Environmental supervised cleanup of the building interior areas undertaken by the oil supplier’s insurance company, and later evaluated impact on subsurface soil and groundwater. In December 1998, Prestige Environmental disposed drums and containers of hazardous materials on an emergent basis. In March 1999, Prestige Environmental mobilized resources in response to a major spill from several transformers inside the building due to vandalism. The firm supervised employees and subcontractors during all phases, reviewed contractors’ health and safety plans, conducted safety briefings, maintained manifests, MSDS, and employee training records, and verified compliance records and licenses of disposal facilities.
From 1994 until 2001, Prestige Environmental conducted extensive soil and groundwater investigation, removed several underground storage tanks (USTs), characterized waste and disposed at offsite facilities, performed asbestos and lead paint surveys, and prepared bid specifications and solicited estimates from vendors for the lead and asbestos abatement. Prestige Environmental also assisted client’s legal team as an expert witness/consultant, and prepared several legal affidavits to support the conclusion that historic operations had impacted the soil and groundwater quality at the site.
In an Expert Report submitted to NJDEP in September 2002, Prestige Environmental concluded, with a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, that historic industrial operations caused the site contamination. In response, NJDEP agreed with the conclusions presented in the report and directed the former owner/operator to initiate remedial efforts. Prestige Environmental’s expert team also participated in intense negotiations between the parties to develop remedial investigation and corrective measures to provide client maximum protection against future liabilities. As part of the settlement, the former owner/operator agreed to remediate the site, and reimbursed client the cost of environmental services, which exceeded $500,000.
After the settlement was reached between the parties in 2002, the former owner/operator undertook site remediation. Prior to demolition of buildings in 2007, Prestige Environmental assisted client during asbestos and lead abatement, building decommissioning, and decontamination. Following demolition of buildings in 2007, our project team continues to provide services on as-needed basis.