In Preparation for Redevelopment
Excel Environmental Resources, Inc. (Excel) was retained by the Borough of Butler to perform a Preliminary Assessment (PA) and subsequent Site Investigation (SI) in order to facilitate the Borough’s intended acquisition and redevelopment of a property as part of a plan for revitalizing the downtown area of Butler. Funding for the project in the amount of $100,000.00 was obtained by Excel on behalf of the Borough of Butler, from the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF). Following are some key aspects of the project:
- As a result of the PA, Excel identified several areas of potential environmental concern (AOC) that were evaluated during a subsequent SI. In an effort to satisfy contract-imposed timeframes established on behalf of a prospective third party developer, Excel accelerated the performance of the SI, with NJDEP approval prior to completion of the PA to facilitate the proposed redevelopment project for the site.
- The SI was performed using a phased approach to streamline investigation activities and to efficiently utilize the project funds to collect as much information as possible in an effort to steer the project towards completion.
- The first phase of the SI was conducted to verify surface and subsurface soil quality, including potential Historic Fill, and groundwater quality at the site.
- Based on the initial SI activities, a supplemental investigation was conducted as part of a second phase of SI to evaluate lateral and vertical soil quality, further evaluate whether constituents reported at concentrations above the NJDEP soil cleanup criteria during the initial SI were AOC-specific or associated with contaminated Historic Fill, and to verify groundwater quality at the site through installation and sampling of monitoring wells.
Project Outcome: As a result of the phased approach to the SI, characterization of each of the AOCs was efficiently completed and the data indicate that the majority of soil concentrations above the applicable NJDEP Soil Cleanup Criteria are associated with contaminated Historic Fill material. Through Excel’s thorough evaluation of each AOC as part of the SI, the minimum SI and RI requirements for characterization and delineation of contaminated Historic Fill and the underlying native soils were satisfied so that no additional investigation was required by NJDEP.
With the investigation and delineation of the Historic Fill complete, no further investigation is warranted and Excel prepared a Remedial Action Workplan for submission to NJDEP that including a site-wide Deed Notice as the final remedial action for the Historic Fill with Engineering Controls to be fully integrated into the Borough’s redevelopment plans for the property. Redevelopment of the property for a mixed commercial and retail center will therefore proceed as originally planned with no changes to the development plan design. The buildings, paved parking areas, and landscape areas will serve as the NJDEP-required Engineering Controls as part of the Deed Notice as the final remedy for the contaminated Historic Fill.