Complete and accurate characterization of a site undergoing federal or state regulatory review sets the stage for evaluating environmental conditions and reaching decisions regarding any required actions. Data collected during site characterization are not only mapped and compared to standards, but are used in geostatistical and computer modeling analyses, risk assessments, and remedial alternatives engineering studies. Number and location of samples, types of measurements and their resolution or accuracy, and the list of chemicals to be analyzed must be carefully planned before and during the characterization effort with these end uses in mind.

McLane Environmental has experience in site assessment and characterization under a variety of federal and state regulatory frameworks including CERCLA, RCRA, NEPA, New Jersey’s Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA), and the Illinois Tiered Approach to Corrective Actions (TACO). Our strength in data analysis and modeling allows us to guide a characterization program beyond the basic regulatory requirements to collect information required for the analyses that turn raw site data into the right decisions.

We strive to maximize efficiency and reduce cost by:

• Developing analysis-based strategies for innovative and focused work plans.
• Evaluating options for using streamlined sampling approaches (e.g. TRIAD) and rapid data acquisition technologies.
• Assisting clients in optimizing data collection and analyses through the use of advanced technologies such as GIS, 3-D data visualization, statistical analysis of the data, and computer modeling of groundwater flow and contaminant transport.
• Working collaboratively with field program managers to assess various options for data collection.
• Developing and evolving a detailed and accurate Site Conceptual Model as characterization progresses to better guide further characterization and to establish the foundation for later project analyses.

Representative Experience

McLane Environmental’s staff has experience in analyzing soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater data for site characterization, risk assessment and remedial investigation at sites including oil refineries, manufactured gas plants, pharmaceutical plants, transportation facilities, gasoline service stations, and military facilities. Examples of our site characterization project experience include:

• Designed a monitored natural attenuation parameter sampling plan for a VOC contaminated landfill site in New England as part of an EPA 5-year Superfund site review.
• Performed magnetic geophysical surveys within a former bombing range in South Dakota to locate unexploded ordnance (UXO) to estimate the magnitude of UXO hazards.
• Evaluated site characterization data collected in the vicinity of an operating groundwater Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) system at a Colorado U.S. Department of Energy facility to determine completeness, quality and usability of data for remedial design analyses.
• Designed aquifer testing and surface water sampling plans to assess hydrologic impacts to the aquifer and sensitive ecological areas surrounding a proposed well field site to provide site characterization data for a new source permit application.
• Performed an electro-magnetic geophysical survey at a former U.S. Army depot in New York to identify UXO material as part of a site remediation, transfer, and reuse project.
• Prepared a groundwater monitoring plan to investigate the movement of chlorinated solvents and perchlorate at a Superfund site in California.
• Performed semi-annual peer reviews of technical activities and prepared recommendation reports for a seven-year $70 million site characterization program conducted for a New Mexico U.S. Department of Energy facility.
• Prepared soil sampling plans to evaluate the extent of contamination, delineate hot spots, and investigate possible contaminant migration to groundwater at sites in New Jersey, California and Missouri.
• Directed and performed site characterization activities for a Superfund site in California including installation and logging of single and multiple completion groundwater monitoring wells, aquifer testing, and water quality and water level monitoring to determine the extent and movement of chlorinated solvent and perchlorate contamination.
• Provided technical review team expert services to evaluate and prepare recommendations regarding site characterization programs and remediation plans for a group of U.S. Department of Defense installations.
• Developed and presented a national series of workshops under the U.S. Navy Remediation Innovative Technology Seminar (RITS) program to provide Navy personnel and contractors with information regarding state-of-the-art site characterization and data analysis equipment and techniques.
• Prepared groundwater sampling plans to evaluate off-site contaminant migration to support Classification Exception Area (CEA) applications for numerous sites in New Jersey.
• Analyzed data from permeability tests, sieve analyses, slug tests and pumping tests in order to estimate aquifer hydraulic conductivities for sites in New Jersey, Illinois, California and Massachusetts.
• Prepared a soil sampling plan to characterize the extent of chlorinated solvents in the vadose zone at a Superfund site in California.
• Prepared statistical analyses of the soil and groundwater quality data to evaluate sources of arsenic contamination for a chemical site in New Jersey.
• Analyzed soil and groundwater data to evaluate contaminant source areas and distribution of DNAPL in fractured bedrock at a former manufacturing plant in Georgia.
• Conducted pump tests, estimated aquifer parameters, and quantified streamflow with weir network to evaluate induced infiltration at a water supply well field in New England.

Our involvement in the site characterization process for any size project, and the guidance we provide with end uses of the data in mind, results in more focused data collection, higher quality analyses, and better project decisions.