SITE CHARACTERIZATION & REMEDIATION

Professional Environmental Consultants, LLC (PEC) can deliver comprehensive environmental site characterization and remediation services that protect property value, support regulatory compliance, and facilitate redevelopment or financing. PEC’s goal is to meet our client’s objectives of identifying and mitigating environmental liabilities early in the project lifecycle, supporting informed decision-making during property transactions, redevelopment, or ongoing operations, as well as achieving regulatory closure efficiently while maintaining business continuity.

Site Characterization

Site Characterization begins with a review of available due diligence and preliminary assessment data, including:

  • Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) per ASTM E1527 and EPA AAI standards
  • Additional regulatory file and database reviews for compliance and liability screening, as necessary
  • Subsurface and Environmental Investigation
  • Phase II ESA investigations for soil, groundwater, and vapor intrusion impacts
  • Geophysical surveys to locate underground storage tanks, piping, and buried debris
  • Soil boring and monitoring well installation with laboratory analysis
  • Evaluation of subsurface lithology and hydrogeology;
  • Development of a preliminary conceptual site models (CSMs) to understand potential routes of exposure and risk to human health and/or the environment.

The Site Characterization process then continues with additional environmental sampling to provide additional contextual data to identify and fill data gaps regarding contaminants of concern (COCs), the vertical and lateral distribution of COCs, as well as the estimated concentrations of COCs, and may include:

  • Additional soil, groundwater, soil vapor, and/or indoor air quality sampling;
  • Three-Dimensional Subsurface Lithology modeling;
  • Contaminant Fate & Transport modeling; and,
  • Development of a comprehensive CSM;

Data Analysis and Reporting may include:

  • Integration of analytical results into risk-based decision frameworks
  • Risk evaluation, potentially including human health toxicology evaluations
  • Recommendations for a path towards regulatory case closure and/or remediation
  • Preparation of regulatory-compliant reports for agency submittal or lender review

Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Evaluation

In the event remediation is determined to be necessary to achieve site-specific goals, the next phase of the project may include the following remedial feasibility evaluations and/or investigations:

  • Definition of remediation goals based on site conditions, desired future land use, as well as human health and environmental risks
  • Determination of potential remedial alternatives using cost-benefit and effectiveness criteria
  • Bench-scale and pilot testing of innovative in-situ and/or ex-situ treatment technologies
  • Development of strategic remedial action plans that minimize existing business or construction disruption

Remediation Design and Implementation

When a suitable remedial alternative has been identified and determined to be feasible to address onsite impacts, an appropriate remedial design and implementation plan, as well as ongoing operation and maintenance and monitoring plans will be developed and implemented, and may include:

In-situ remediation refers to the process of cleaning up or treating contaminated soil and/or groundwater where the contamination occurred or migrated to, without excavating or removing the material.

  • Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) is a process in which subsurface impacts are left in place and monitored over time to allow natural degradation of the COCs into non- or less-toxic concentrations or compounds, thus reducing potential risk to human health or the environment. MNA is often the least expensive alternative and generally requires the most time for regulatory case closure.
  • In-situ Chemical Oxidation/Reduction (ISCO/ISCR) for targeted contaminant treatment is a process which includes applying chemicals into the subsurface soil and/or groundwater to reduce the COCs into non-or less-toxic concentrations or compounds to reduce potential risk to human health and/or the environment
  • Enhanced Bioremediation is a process in which the natural subsurface environment can be altered to accelerate natural degradation of COCs into non- or less-toxic concentrations or compounds and may include the injection of oxygen or ozone (aerobic stimulation) and or the removal of oxygen (anaerobic stimulation) of the environment.
  • Soil vapor extraction (SVE), air sparging, and dual-phase extraction (DPE) are processes in which COCs are removed from the subsurface utilizing the volatile properties of the compounds using air and/or groundwater flow through the vadose and/or saturated lithology.

Ex-situ remediation refers to the process of removing contaminated soil, sediment, or groundwater from its original location and treating/disposing of it off-site or above ground.

  • Excavation and off-site disposal or on-site treatment of impacted soils
  • Pump-and-Disposal and/or Pump-and-Treat systems remove groundwater water from the subsurface and either dispose of the groundwater in the local municipal treatment system, and or treat the groundwater above ground and re-inject it back into the subsurface when remedial objectives are met.

Design and Construction Management

  • Preparation of design drawings, specifications, and permitting documentation
  • Turnkey system installation and startup oversight
  • Field supervision ensuring safety, quality, and schedule adherence

System Optimization and Performance Monitoring

  • Ongoing remedial system operation, maintenance, and data analysis
  • Performance monitoring to track cleanup progress
  • Optimization to improve efficiency and reduce life-cycle costs
  • Preparation of performance summaries and regulatory progress reports

Risk Assessment and Regulatory Closure

  • Human health and ecological risk assessments to support site-specific cleanup levels
  • Coordination with regulatory agencies to negotiate risk-based closure actions
  • Preparation of No Further Action (NFA) and closure documentation packages
  • Assistance with property transaction disclosures and environmental certifications

Post-Remediation Stewardship

  • Long-term groundwater and/or vapor monitoring
  • Implementation of engineering or institutional controls
  • Periodic compliance verification and reporting for lenders and regulatory agencies
  • Support for redevelopment planning and environmental covenants

Specialized Services by Client Type

Industrial Clients

  • Ongoing compliance and spill response support
  • Remediation integrated with facility operations
  • Asset divestiture and decommissioning environmental oversight

Real Estate Developers

  • Pre-acquisition site assessments and cleanup cost estimates
  • Brownfield redevelopment planning and funding application assistance
  • Remediation integrated with construction schedules

Commercial Real Estate Agents

  • Rapid environmental screening to support property listings/transactions
  • Interpretation of environmental reports for transaction support
  • Coordination between buyers, sellers, and environmental professionals

Commercial Lending Institutions

  • Risk-based review of borrower environmental reports
  • Independent third-party opinions on environmental liability
  • Support for loan approvals, collateral evaluation, and portfolio management

Value-Added Benefits

  • Reduction of financial and regulatory uncertainty
  • Streamlined project permitting and regulatory closure
  • Enhanced property marketability and financing readiness
  • Proven record of cost-effective, results-driven outcomes