The Garfield Warehouse and Office Complex is a textbook example of the Brownfield process breathing new life into a community. The approximately 37-acre Developer-owned property is located adjacent to the Saddle River in Garfield, New Jersey. The Site was initially developed in the early 20th century as a looming facility and later used for warehousing activities associated with an aircraft engine manufacturing plant. After years of operating the property for warehousing, the Developer embarked on an aggressive site-wide retail redevelopment to enhance the utilization of the property. During investigation of the property by prospective retail tenants, it was determined that soil and groundwater at the site were impacted by historic discharges of chlorinated volatile organics (CVOCs) resulting in Trichloroethene (TCE) at high concentrations and varying lower concentrations of TCE degradation products, including cis-1,2-Dichloroethene (DCE), and Vinyl Chloride (VC).
The Developer retained EXCEL to evaluate data previously generated by others and to complete the investigation in order to 
determine whether the property could be remediated and redeveloped in a reasonable timeframe and at a reasonable cost. The Developer had specific timelines that had to be met before building construction could proceed therefore the remediation of CVOCs in soil and groundwater had to be completed on an expedited basis and with a high probability of success.
Following demolition of the abandoned buildings, EXCEL completed soil and groundwater investigation/remediation, including removal of underground storage tanks, excavation and offsite disposal of CVOC-impacted soil that was the source of shallow groundwater impacts, and selection, design, and implementation of an in-situ groundwater remedial action through aerobic co-metabolism via injection of CL-Out ®, a consortium of Pseudomonas sp. In addition, the remedial action included the capping of Site-wide Historic Fill using various components of the retail shopping center as Engineering Controls under a Deed Notice. Today, the site has been successfully redeveloped as a large retail shopping center.
Project Overview
- A Private Developer retained EXCEL to conduct site-wide remediation in preparation of redevelopment.
- EXCEL conducted a Preliminary Assessment (PA)/Site Investigation (SI)/ Remedial Investigation (RI) to characterize site-wide Areas of Concern (AOCs).
- EXCEL prepared a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Developer and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and a Remedial Action Workplan (RAWP) with the NJDEP.
- After building demolition and disposal of building debris and concrete, EXCEL removed two 5,000 gallon UST’s and associated oil-impacted soil from within the footprint of the building.
- Excavation conducted to remediate 1800 CY of CVOC-impacted soil that was the source of shallow groundwater impacts at the Site.
- Selected, designed, and implemented an in-situ groundwater remedial action through aerobic co-metabolism via injection of CL-Out®, a consortium of Pseudomonas sp, that resulted in the reduction of CVOC concentrations in groundwater to allow redevelopment to proceed.
- Remedial action also included the reuse of approximately 36,000 CY of building concrete and pumping and onsite treatment of more than 33,000 gallons of groundwater.
- EXCEL provided oversight for the design and construction of Engineering Controls as part of the planned redevelopment construction.
- EXCEL prepared Remedial Action Reports (RAR) for soil and groundwater to document the building demolition, UST removal, excavation and disposal of impacted soil, in-situ remediation of CVOCs, and post-remediation soil and groundwater quality conditions.
Key Components of Excel’s Work Scope
Completion of site-wide PA/SI/RI and preparation of report.- Preparation of a MOA and Remedial Action Work Plan that was approved by NJDEP within three weeks.
- Following excavation of approximately 1,800 CY of CVOC-impacted soil, CVOC concentrations in groundwater were reduced by 50%.
- In-situ remediation of groundwater through the injection of CL-Out®, a consortium of Pseudomonas sp that resulted in the reduction of CVOC concentrations via aerobic co-metabolism.
- Microbial plate counts and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing confirmed that Dehalococcoides ethenogenes and other anaerobic dehalogenators were thriving alongside the Pseudomonas sp. organisms thus enhancing the CVOC degradation.
- Post-injection groundwater analytical results confirmed a 50% to 75% further reduction with target levels being achieved and redevelopment construction able to proceed.
- Oversight for the installation of Engineering Controls using the concrete slab and/or asphalt pavement and imported topsoil associated with the new development and preparation of the necessary Deed Notice documents for submission to NJDEP.
- Preparation of Final Remedial Action Reports for soil and groundwater.
Primary Environmental Services Provided by Excel
- Bid specification preparation and management of bidding process
- Demolition and Remediation budgetary estimates
- Preparation of a Remedial Action Workplan
- Remediation Work Scope Development
- Interaction and Negotiation with the NJDEP
- Remediation Construction Management
- Groundwater Remediation Through In-Situ Bioaugmentation
- Project Management
- Preparation of Project Documents, including Work Plans, Reports, and Permit Applications
- Preparation of Deed Notice and CEA