Environmental Assessment & Remediations of Patchogue, N.Y. has been awarded the National Ground Water Association’s (NGWA) Outstanding Ground Water Remediation Project Award for 2004.
This award recognizes outstanding science, engineering and/or innovation in the area of remediating groundwater and soil.
EAR received this award for its innovative investigative and remedial approach used at a site in Hampton Bays, where a plume of gasoline contamination impacted the pristine groundwater of the area leading to and effecting the waters of Tiana Bay. After the Suffolk County Department of Health Services detected high concentrations of the gasoline component MTBE in a Hampton Bays well, EAR was contracted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to investigate the extent and fate of the MTBE contamination and other fuel constituents
EAR performed an accelerated site assessment procedure (ASAP) using direct push methods, guided in the field by analysis results obtained from their on-site mobile laboratory. After evaluating the ASAP results, EAR installed a three dimensional monitoring network to further delineate the contamination and provide future sampling locations. The ASAP results showed that a mixed fuel oxygenate plume, including methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and its degradation product, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), extended over 2,500 feet towards and impacting Tiana Bay.
Based on the results of EAR’s ASAP investigation and computer modeling, the NYSDEC requested the installation of an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) to prevent further impact to the Tiana Bay. For the IRM, EAR designed and constructed a large, innovative, sequential air-stripping/bio-augmented granulated activated carbon treatment train capable of removing the existing high concentrations of both MTBE and TBA at high flow rates.
Within the first five months of operation, the IRM systems treated approximately 20 million gallons of water, and removed approximately 235 pounds of MTBE and 29 pounds of TBA from the aquifer. Additional information regarding this site can be found at www.fueloxrem.com.
Because of the innovative investigative and remedial approaches adopted at the Hampton Bays site, it was recently used as a demonstration site for the joint NYSDEC -- Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) -- Long Island Groundwater Research Institute (LIGRI) workshop entitled "MTBE and TBA Comprehensive Site Assessment and Successful Groundwater Remediation".
"EAR deserves to be recognized for its role in protecting ground water through its innovation and excellence. This recognition is consistent with NGWA’s desire to be a leading advocate for the protection and efficient use of ground water resources," said Kevin McCray, executive director of NGWA.
Source: National Ground Water Association
