Former Bulk Petroleum Terminal

This site in Cold Spring Harbor, New York is a former bulk petroleum terminal that operated until 2003. On-site there were four above-ground storage tanks (ASTs), a terminal building, truck loading rack, tanker unloading dock, fuel product storage system, and a stormwater management system. Demolition was completed for all structures, except the former terminal building, in 2005.

In 2002, Roux was retained by the client to conduct compliance activities for the terminal such as SPDES discharge sampling and reporting, and Major Oil Storage Facility (MOSF) monitoring well gauging and sampling. In addition, Roux conducted monitoring well gauging associated with open spill numbers and separate-phase product recovery from several monitoring wells. Following demolition of the terminal, Roux completed soil sampling beneath the ASTs and underground storage tanks (USTs). Based on these results, which indicated petroleum- and lead-contaminated soil, the presence of separate-phase product, and the fact that there were several open spill numbers for the Site, Roux’s goal was to achieve site closure and the remedial approach was excavation and off-site disposal of impacted soil.

Challenges associated with this project included excavation of several areas 7 feet into the water table, an unseasonably high water table (higher than observed during historic monitoring well gauging and soil boring completion), and significant water recharge for all excavation areas. When excavating saturated soils, Roux staged the stockpiles in a lined area designed to drain the water from the piles. With this method, Roux was able to eliminate the need for any soil stabilization additives, which can be costly in procurement, mixing, and dust control; as well as the added cost due to increase in weight of the material to the disposal facility.

Although a significant portion of the property was excavated, there were several areas where Roux was able to negotiate with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to reduce the extent of the excavation and/or the volume of soil to be disposed of off-site. The NYSDEC approved leaving some lead-impacted material in place to avoid destruction of the wetland areas; clean material within the first 4 feet beneath the building foundation was approved for reuse as backfill, and site-specific criteria was renegotiated during the final stages of the project.

In addition, Roux was able to negotiate with the NYSDEC to conduct downgradient soil and groundwater sampling on the southern property boundary, rather than the neighboring property off-site which had initially been requested. The results from these downgradient borings indicated that there were no off-site impacts and the excavation ceased at the property line.

The objective for the Site was to achieve closure of the open spill numbers associated with separate-phase product observed in monitoring wells on-site, as well as address petroleum- and lead-contaminated soil beneath the former ASTs. In addition, Roux coordinated the building demolition, including asbestos survey and remediation, cesspool remediation and closure, UST removal, oversight of the building demolition, and excavation below the building foundation of previously unidentified petroleum-impacted soil.

Roux conducted several soil boring investigations to delineate the source areas, prepared and submitted an Alternatives Analysis Report/Remedial Action Work Plan (AAR/RAWP) to excavate the source area soils, and successfully completed the work in accordance with the approved AAR/RAWP.

The Remedial Action took 16 months, between February 3, 2009, and June 10, 2010, to complete, and included the excavation of approximately 22,218 tons of petroleum-contaminated soil and 4,447 tons of lead-impacted soil. Following excavation, Roux prepared and submitted a Final Engineering Report to the NYSDEC with the results from all post-excavation samples collected. Post-remedial groundwater monitoring was completed for three sampling rounds, at which time the results were non-detect. The client received closure from the NYSDEC on March 1, 2011.

Roux worked with the client to successfully transfer the property to a local non-profit organization for use as a wildlife habitat.

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