Phase 3 Environmental: Site Characterization and Remediation

Soil and groundwater contamination delineation, characterization, site cleanups and remediation

Phase 3 Environmental is a general term used for describing the site characterization and cleanup or remediation phase. This phase is typically conducted under the supervision of the Local Oversight Agency (LOA). Since most lenders require a closure or no further action letter from the LOA, this phase usually takes longer to complete. However, in some simpler cases, the cleanup can be conducted on a "self-directed" basis.

AAI designs and implements work plans, feasibility studies and remediation systems at sites that have significant soil and/or groundwater contamination problems that require cleanup. The most common type of cleanup is soil excavation and removal to an appropriate disposal facility (dig and haul). The second most common technique is a soil vapor extraction system (SVE), which includes the installation of soil vapor wells and utilizing a motorized vacuum. This system works well at volatile-contaminated sites with shallow sandy soil contamination.

If a contamination plume can be shown to not be a human-health risk and the source has been removed, monitored natural attenuation and passive biodegradation can be effective. This is often done in concurrence with a deed restriction at industrial properties. The land-use limitation, deed restriction or conveyance will state that any redevelopment or change in use will require cleanup in the future.

The following list of remediation techniques are available at sites where the budget and parameters are optimal for the various techniques.

• Monitored Natural Attenuation
• Soil Excavation
• Soil Vapor Extraction and Air Sparging
• Bioremediation
• Activated Carbon Treatment
• Air Stripping
• Capping
• Chemical Dehalogenation
• Chemical Oxidation
• Fracturing
• In Situ Flushing
• In Situ Thermal Treatment
• Incineration
• Permeable Reactive Barriers
• Pump and Treat
• Soil Washing
• Solidification/Stabilization
• Solvent Extraction
• Thermal Desorption
• Vitrification

Soil Remediation

AAI designs and executes soil remediation and mitigation work plans and manages the entire process from oversight agency approval of the workplan to final verification sampling and clean backfill, with follow up and agency closure, if necessary.

Groundwater Remediation and Monitoring

We design and install groundwater monitoring and extraction wells to treat and remediate groundwater, and/or conduct groundwater monitoring to determine the effectiveness of the remediation or to assure that the contamination plume does not spread or create other potential liabilities, such as: drinking water well impact. land-use limitations, human health exposure and vapor intrusion into structures.