Special Environmental Services

Manufactured Gas Plant
Former manufactured gas plant (FMGP) activities by EERG focused on the risk, cost and liability reduction at FMGP properties:

• MGP data management system. This database houses an environmental standards databank with both national and worldwide standards for soil and ground water. It has provided better site management, eliminated unnecessary testing and inefficient remedial options and lowered the costs.

• DNAPL free product recovery system.

• Optimized ground water monitoring protocols to minimize data variability due to sampling and sample handling.

• Multi-site thermal desorption of FMGP soils to examine the geotechnical properties of thermally treated soil for use as an engineered backfill. This project provided the economic and environmental benefits by secondary uses of thermally treated soils.

• Leachability of residual contaminants from thermally treated FMGP soils. This work was to show that potential for contaminants to leach from thermally treated soils to groundwater is minimal, although may be of concern under certain conditions.

• Bioremediation and landfarming of FMGP contaminated soils. Laboratory work was conducted that demonstrated that some FMGP contaminants degrade under some conditions. Field scale along with laboratory work was conducted to examine the effectiveness of “landfarming” FMGP soils. It examined and documented the extent to which FMGP contaminants could be reduced to meet standards by this technology.

• Monitored Enhanced Natural Attenuation work has been conducted at three FMGP sites in Iowa. This work has focused on sampling and analysis of geochemical data and contaminant data to better understand the effects of natural attenuation processes on MGP contaminants and the fate of these contaminants in the environment, and to look for evidence of degradation of contaminants under natural conditions.

• Review of Selected FMGP Sites for Potential MNA Implementation. This work included an in-depth examination of site history and data collection and interpretation of four MGP sites with a focus on data needs to implement a natural attenuation remedial program. Current and historical data, together with other potential responsible parties (PRP) and adjacent property issues were evaluated to assess potential physical and regulatory roadblocks to the implementation of a natural attenuation program.

• FMGP liability protection systems. These include installation of forensic monitoring wells, investigating commingling of petroleum or other contaminants with MGP contaminants, property boundary issues, other PRP involvement and their share of liability, geologic characteristics of the site, examination of evidence for groundwater contaminant plume stability, and comparisons of current groundwater contaminant concentrations with applicable national statewide standards.

• Hazardous Waste Tracking System Design was conducted for the primary use in the construction industry and could also be implemented in environmental remediation for hazardous waste tracking. This system helps to increase security, accountability and cost management for FMGP projects.