Intermet Radford Foundry

INTERMET RADFORD FOUNDRY, VA PC#1995-1015N
Description of Role: Primary Environmental Consultant/Contractor
Key Personnel: Andrew Alden, Jeffrey Fisher, Chris Lalli, and Carl Cirillo
Project Cost: $260,755
Time Period of Project Work: January 1996 to present
Client: Intermet Corporation
Client Representative: Jeremy Flint
Regulatory Agency: Department of Environmental Quality
Regional Office(s): West Central Regional Office

Introduction:

Environmental Engineering, Inc. (EEI) is presenting this project as an example of EEI’s ability to assume project management from a previous consultant and provide Post-SCR monitoring, additional site characterization (free product plume delineation), CAP development, CAP implementation, as well as emergency response and management at a large industrial site. EEI has successfully used a conventional pump and treat remediation system to recover free product and temporarily attain free product remedial endpoints within 14 months of system start-up.
This example also demonstrates emergency response capabilities in terms of providing services to abate hazardous conditions impacting receptors in proximity to the release site. All professional/field services and equipment discussed in this example were provided exclusively by EEI, unless explicitly noted in the Scope-of-Work or Staff Resources and Involvement sections of this project overview.

Scope of Work:

Diesel fuel contamination was discovered in 1993 during the characterization of a lin oil tank release (PC # 93-0575) by EnviroTech Mid-Atlantic, Inc. In October of 1994, the DEQ requested that Intermet Corporation (formerly Lynchburg Foundry Company) submit a SCR in respect to the diesel fuel release. During the SCR investigation prepared for the site by ENSCI Environmental, Inc., free phase diesel fuel was detected at two monitoring wells on-site (MW-3 and MW-7) at thicknesses ranging between 0.02 feet to 0.04 feet. The SCR recommended that free product on-site be addressed through passive adsorption using absorbent wicks placed into wells. ENSCI began free product monitoring at the site in 1995.
EEI was contracted by the Intermet Corporation to act as the primary environmental contractor in January of 1996, and assumed responsibility for continued free product monitoring. EEI installed monitoring well, MW-8, in April 1996 to better delineate the free product plume. Free product monitoring continued through December of 2001 with free product being detected at a total of five wells, and in thicknesses of up to 1.60 feet during the monitoring phase.
In 1999 EEI responded to a DEQ request to develop a CAP by conducting a DPE system pilot test; and utilizing subsurface fracture trace analytical methods to find the most suitable location for a 6-inch diameter free product recovery well, that was later installed in 2000.
The CAP submitted by EEI in December of 1999 included the fracture trace analysis investigation results.. This investigation successfully identified folds and fractures in the complex subsurface conditions controlling groundwater and contaminant movement. One additional 6-inch diameter petroleum recovery well was installed in October of 1999 as part of CAP development activities. This well was subsequently found to contain a maximum free product accumulation of 0.83 feet.
During CAP development EEI also conducted a 238-hour DPE pilot test on-site in order to examine the ability of DPE technology to attain the free product remedial endpoint of 0.01 feet. The DPE pilot test was successful at removing an estimated 80 lbs (0.34 lbs./hr.) of petroleum from the petroleum-impacted aquifer, and DPE was recommended as a feasible technology to achieve the remedial endpoint in the CAP.
The CAP Addendum that EEI submitted in February of 2001 included a comparison of DPE technology and conventional total fluids pumping, in attaining the remedial endpoint. This comparison was presented in the form of a detailed projected cost effectiveness analysis. Additionally, the CAP Addendum thoroughly explored the costs associated with two different methods of treatment system effluent disposal. During CAP addendum development EEI also consulted with Intermet to secure an agreement with the Peppers Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment Authority for the discharge of recovered fluids to their facilities.
In March of 2000 EEI provided emergency response assistance following a natural gas explosion on-site. To abate additional hazards immediately following the explosion, hydraulic oil was drained and diverted to an on-site wastewater lagoon. EEI set up and maintained an extensive array of petroleum-absorbent booms (measuring over 520 feet in total length) across the lagoon in order to minimize the impact to New River. EEI routinely monitored and replaced booms as necessary between March and June of 2000, when the lagoon was pumped and dredged.
During the first phase of the CAP Implementation process, EEI designed and developed specifications for the total fluids recovery system to be used for on-site remediation. EEI then provided oversight of the bid process used to procure a quality remediation system at the lowest price. EEI also provided oversight of the cleaning/jetting of the existing sewer line on-site in order to ensure that the line could accommodate the high volume of effluent to be generated by the remediation system. Once the bid process was successfully concluded, EEI worked closely with the winning bid manufacturer to see that the system was designed, built, and delivered correctly and on-time.
During the second phase of the CAP Implementation process, EEI installed the remediation system and all appurtenances on-site. This included subsurface trenching below the frost line for the installation of subsurface compressed air lines and recovered fluids return lines between the remediation system and the fluids recovery wells. EEI also trenched and laid-out the subsurface lines connecting the remediation system to the existing sanitary sewer system on-site. Trenching operations traversed an area that included buried concrete pads, foundations, and railroad tracks.
On August 1, 2002 the remediation system was activated, and remediation has been on-going since that date. EEI performs weekly remediation system operation and maintenance site visits to ensure the continued and efficient operation of the system. To date the remediation system has recovered over two million gallons of petroleum-contaminated water and over 73 gallons of free product. The free product remedial endpoint was temporarily achieved on-site following approximately 14 months of active remediation; however, since that time free product has been detected on-site, necessitating additional active remediation.

Staff and Resource Involvement:

Mr. Alden has provided project management assistance, including oversight of the fracture trace analysis for the site, and engineering oversight of the remediation system design. Mr. Lalli has been responsible for scheduling of personnel and field equipment to the project since 2001. Mr. Cirillo has been primarily responsible for all project management aspects of this pollution complaint. EEI field technicians collected all field data and provided support for the operation of equipment and machinery. Mr. Fisher was responsible for the development of the CAP Addendum, and for obtaining permission to discharge treated petroleum-contaminated water to the regional wastewater treatment authority. Mr. Robert Speiden was responsible for field management of the underground air and water line installations, and connection of the recovered fluids treatment system to the sanitary sewer. Mr. David Tollefson was responsible for the programming and maintenance of the telemetry system, which included the replacement of the factory-installed telemetry on the remediation system. EEI field technicians have collected all field data and provided support for the operation of equipment and machinery. Equipment owned and operated by EEI that was used on this project included a CAT 416C backhoe, mobile liquid ring pump DPE system, and a 50Kw diesel generator. Monitoring and recovery well installations via air rotary were subcontracted to Bedford Drilling Company, Inc.; however, EEI has provided field management of all monitoring and recovery well installations.

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