NATIONAL BROWNFIELDS DEVELOPER

For this national brownfields real estate developer’s superfund site in the Philadelphia suburbs, Synergy performed remediation activities in conformance to a published EPA Record of Decision (ROD) which involved several unique contaminants, including ammonia and cyanide. Successful implementation of the remedy included conducting agency negotiation and stakeholder collaboration for this high profile project within a very vocal and active community.
 

METAL TREATING COMPANY

For this PRP in the North Penn Area 6 Superfund site, Synergy performed implementation of a complex Remedial Action Work Plan involving soil and groundwater remediation. Activities included an aquifer study and subsequent baseline Risk Assessment report which demonstrated sufficient groundwater capture to achieve regulatory approval for risk based contaminant concentration action levels. This resulted in significant cost savings for the client, which have been built into subsequent Consent Decrees for various Operating Units (OUs) at the site.

 

INSURANCE & COST CAP UTILIZATION FOR GAS STATIONS

Synergy has provided extensive environmental services for a major Petroleum client in New Jersey, Pennsylvania & New York State. The client purchased multiple retail gasoline stations from major oil companies from 2004 to present. Synergy has provided a wide array of services since that time. These services include administrative as well as field operation tasks. To date, the portfolio of sites at which these services are provided consists of 174 sites throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Synergy has acquired insurance to cover the costs associated with these services. An Insurance Cost Cap was obtained to cover all costs associated with current conditions at the sites and a Pollution Limited Liability (PLL) policy was established to cover all future work and any new releases. In Pennsylvania, some of the sites are funded by Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund (USTIF).

Synergy has transferred permits for each site: all Environmental permits as well as all permits associated with Underground Storage Tanks (USTs). Some examples of these permits are Stage II Vapor Recovery and Discharge to Groundwater.

We utilized our knowledge of the regulations and remediation technologies, as well as our extensive engineering experience designing and operating remediation systems, to prepare a Cost to Closure.   Synergy has also developed a Scope of Work to achieve closure for each site.

Synergy has assumed the role as remediation contractor and in that role has provided both field and administrative services. Synergy has developed a close working relationship with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). These relationships, as well as our technical capabilities have allowed us to implement the most effective and efficient remediation solutions for these sites.

In New Jersey, Synergy has requested and been granted a Generic Air Permit By Rule for Ozone Injection from the NJDEP specifically geared towards Natural Remediation Compliance Program (NRCP) applicable sites.

The remedial services include remediation system design and installation. To this end, Synergy has conducted additional investigations to further delineate contamination, as well as perform on-site pilot tests to determine appropriate remediation technology(s) for each specific site. Remediation technologies currently being used at these sites ranges from air sparging, ozone injections, dual phase extraction, soil vapor extraction, chemical injections, and enhanced bioremediation. Many sites are designed with combinations of these technologies, to be used to expedite cleanup as the contamination levels decrease in the different media. Synergy is currently operating remediation systems on many of the properties acquired and has automated these systems. Synergy also conducts all required operation and maintenance (O&M) on these systems including all repairs and upgrades.

Synergy has accepted responsibility for all necessary regulatory reporting for these systems and has submitted Remedial Action Plan Addendums (RAWAs) to the NJDEP for each of these newly designed / retrofitted systems.   Synergy conducts all associated monitoring and submits all associated reports for these sites.

In Pennsylvania, Synergy is responsible for oversight of environmental remediation for a portfolio of 70 former Exxon owned gasoline station sites. The budgets, schedule, and scope of work were determined at the time of the property transaction. Synergy’s responsibility is to ensure that work at the site complies with the predetermined scope of work, schedule and budgets; to be a liaison between the funding sources and the client; also, to be a liaison between the regulatory agency (PADEP) and the client. Twelve of these sites require active remediation such as, ozone treatment of impacted groundwater, pumping and treating impacted groundwater, soil vapor extraction. Additionally, within the portfolio, Synergy has performed groundwater contaminant fate and transport modeling to determine groundwater contaminant plume lengths. The work to be performed at the sites is funded through a blend of two sources the Pennsylvania Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund (USTIF) and money set aside in an escrow account.

Synergy obtained Release of Liabilities related to soil and groundwater utilizing either the Site Specific or Statewide Health Standards for petroleum releases to the environment

In New York, Synergy took over a portfolio of 50 sites from the contractor originally awarded the work. The original Selection of the Remediation Contractor/Consultant was dictated by a Major Oil Company. However, after several years of performance, the Client & the Major Oil Company agreed to replace the original contractor with Synergy. This decision was based on Synergy’s track record of success and performance & remedial results on the other portfolios.

Synergy met with NYDEC case managers and established a scope of work and schedule moving forward. Synergy has established an excellent working relationship with the DEC, benefiting the progress of the remediation as well as the site closure rate. This has also benefited the project budgets and ultimately the client.

To date, two thirds of the sites have achieved closure.

REGIONAL  GASOLINE DISTRIBUTOR: REMEDIATION TO CLOSURE

For this major regional gasoline distributor, Synergy has performed all aspects of due diligence; site investigation; remediation and oversight to enable the client to acquire over 260 gasoline stations in the past 5 years.  Synergy has enabled the client to achieve significant cost savings through aggressive remedial strategies which emphasize satisfaction of regulatory requirements and achievements of No Further Action status, and have accessed available state funding where applicable (particularly PA USTIF).  Synergy has also developed their proprietary remote management system, FUELVIEW, in support of this client.

PHASE I DUE-DILLIGENCE – CHIGAGO, IL 

Synergy Environmental, Inc. was retained by a large Gas Station owner to complete Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I ESAs) to facilitate the purchase of 22 facilities located in the Chicago, Illinois suburbs.  The facilities were all fuel stations.  Eighteen of the fuel stations were located in Illinois.  The remaining four fuel stations were located in Indiana.  Some of the fuel station sites included car wash buildings and/or attached restaurants.

The Phase I ESAs were conducted in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”) document entitled “Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments:  Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process,” (E152713), which pursuant to 40 CFR § 312.11 meets the requirements of all appropriate inquiry.  The objectives of this project were to evaluate the environmental conditions at the Sites, to document that due diligence was exercised; and, to perform “all appropriate inquiry” for the purpose of CERCLA sections 101(35)(B)(i)(I) and 101(35)(2)(B)(ii) and (iii) and in accordance with 40 CFR Part 312.

The Phase I ESA activities included:

  • Performance of Site visits by Synergy personnel;
  • Review of regulatory databases and historic aerial photos, topographic maps and city directories;
  • Attempted retrieval/retrieval and review of regulatory files available through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management;
  • Review of environmental lien and activity and use limitations information for each site;
  • Review of vapor migration screenings for each site; and
  • Preparation of a summary report.

The Phase I ESAs were completed within approximately nine weeks, wrapping up during early June 2014.  However, a listing of recognized environmental conditions, by location, was provided within seven weeks to meet the settlement deadline.

PHASE  I ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS – VIRGINIA & WEST VIRGINIA

Synergy Environmental, Inc. was retained by a confidential client from Houston, Texas to complete Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I ESAs) to facilitate the assets purchase of 107 facilities in Virginia and West Virginia.  The facilities included 13 bulk storage facilities, one corporate office building and 93 fuel stations.  All of the bulk storage facilities were located in Virginia.  Seventy-nine of the fuel stations were also located in Virginia.  The remaining fourteen fuel stations were located in West Virginia.  Some of the fuel station sites included car wash buildings and/or attached restaurants.   Additionally, three of the fuel station locations in West Virginia were located along the West Virginia Turnpike.

The Phase I ESAs were conducted in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”) document entitled “Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments:  Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process,” (E152705), which pursuant to 40 CFR § 312.11 meets the requirements of all appropriate inquiry.  The objectives of this project were to evaluate the environmental conditions at the Sites, to document that due diligence was exercised; and, to perform “all appropriate inquiry” for the purpose of CERCLA sections 101(35)(B)(i)(I) and 101(35)(2)(B)(ii) and (iii) and in accordance with 40 CFR Part 312.

The Phase I ESA activities included:

  • Performance of Site visits by Synergy personnel;
  • Review of regulatory databases and historic aerial photos, topographic maps and city directories;
  • Retrieval and review of regulatory files available through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection;
  • Review of environmental lien and activity and use limitations information for each site;
  • Review of vapor migration screenings for each site; and
  • Preparation of a summary report.

Subsequent to conditions observed during the site visits and discovered during the review of the historic and regulatory information, limited Phase II investigations were recommended for eight of the thirteen bulk storage facilities.  The limited Phase II investigations included:

  • Preparation of a site-specific Health and Safety Plan, developed in accordance with the requirements set forth in 29 CFR 1910.120, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response;
  • Mark out of public and private utilities by the Virginia ONE call;
  • Pre-excavation of the soil boring locations with an air knife/high vacuum (“soft-dig”) rig;
  • Installation of soil borings and the collection and analysis of soil samples;
  • Collection and analysis of groundwater samples, if groundwater was encountered during the soil boring activities; and
  • Preparation of a summary report of findings.

The Phase I ESAs and limited Phase II activities were completed within approximately ten weeks, wrapping up during mid-April 2014.  However, a listing of recognized environmental conditions, by location, was provided within six weeks to meet the settlement deadline.

GROUND WATER REMEDIATION IN EAST PETERSBURG

Synergy implemented an aggressive liquid ring pump remediation system to address a significant petroleum hydrocarbon groundwater contamination problem.  Synergy was able within 18 months to petition for closure based on successful improvement in site conditions.