600 River Road Apartments (Site # 932161) – North Tonawanda, New York
Brownfields Cleanup Program Project
PEI Project Manager: Mr. Peter Gorton/Mr. John Berry, P.E.
Rock One Development, LLC owner of the 4630 River Road Site (NYSDEC Site #C932161) located at 600 River Road, North Tonawanda, New York entered into a Brownfied Cleanup Program (BCP) Agreement with the NYSDEC under the Voluntary section of the “Brownfield Cleanup Program Act”. Rock One Development, LLC contracted Panamerican Environmental, Inc. (PEI) to complete the BCP process. The approximate 6.02-acre Site was historically part of the larger Niagara Iron Works/Tonawanda Iron Works Site, located along the Niagara River. The property was mostly vacant land along the Niagara River. PEI completed the BCP from application through Certificate of Completion (COC).
The RI tasks were completed in accordance with a defined scope of work and approved workplan and included: Assessment of surface and subsurface soil/fill materials across the site; Test trenches were excavated across the site and surface and subsurface soil samples were collected for analysis; Assessment of groundwater conditions by installing, developing and sampling on-site groundwater monitoring wells; Completion of a radiological survey of all test pit soils and analyzed soil samples for laboratory gamma spectroscopy.
The results of the RI indicated that several test trench samples across the site were found to have elevated PAHs and metal compound concentrations both in the surface and subsurface soils above Part 375 Restricted Residential SCOs. The RI program noted a few elevated metal compounds in groundwater that exceeded NYSDEC TOGs Guidance. The radiological survey conducted during test trench operations indicated that surface readings on average were at or slightly below general area background for the Western New York area. However, a soil/slag layer below the surface had elevated radioactivity levels to above 2 times background and test pit with readings on average that approached four times background.
PEI completed a qualitative exposure assessment included in the RI/AAR report. The remedial alternative recommended in the RI/AAR, and accepted by the NYSDEC included the placement of a minimum two feet of clean soil cover over the entire site prior to any new development. PEI prepared a Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) for the proposed cover system that was accepted by the NYSDEC. The owner provided an off-site source of clean backfill and topsoil material that was evaluated and tested by PEI in accordance with NYSDCE protocols. PEI provided field inspection/oversight of all soil placement activities to ensure compliance with the RAWP including implementing a community air monitoring program as called for in the RAWP. PEI also prepared a Site Management Plan (SMP) and a Final Engineering Report (FER) upon completion of the soil cover remediation that allowed the site to receive the BCP Certificate of Completion (COC) in 2015.