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“A Civil Action”

“A Civil Action”. WELLS G AND H WOBURN, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System ( CERCLIS ) No. MAD980732168. http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/classes/geol351/woburn.htm. Five sources of TCE : New England Plastics

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“A Civil Action”

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  1. “A Civil Action” WELLS G AND H WOBURN, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) No. MAD980732168 http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/classes/geol351/woburn.htm

  2. Five sources of TCE : • New England Plastics • Wildwood Conservation Trust (Riley Tannery/Beatrice Foods) • Olympia Nominee Trust (Hemingway Trucking) • UniFirst • W.R. Grace (Cryovac)

  3. 0 1000 feet Woburn Site TCE in 1985 Geology: buried river valley of glacial outwash and ice contact deposits overlying fractured bedrock Aberjona River W.R. Grace Municipal Wells G & H Wells G&H operated from October 1964- May 1979 The trial took place in 1986. Beatrice Foods Did TCE reach the wells before May 1979?

  4. Common organic contaminants Source: EPA circular

  5. UniFirst Corportation • Formerly a dry cleaning facility - Interstate Uniform Service Corporation (IUSC) (1966-1983). • From 1977-1982, a 5,000-gallon above-ground tank was used to store the dry-cleaning agent tetrachloroethylene. • In 1988 Ebasco Services Inc. reported the recovery of less a liquid contained 19,000,000 ug/l of tetrachloroethylene.

  6. Cryovac Division of W.R. Grace and Co. • A food wrapping manufacturer since 1961. W.R. Grace and Co. utilized degreasing agents such as trichloroethylene at its facility. W.R. Grace and Co. made use of a pit behind the plant for waste disposal, and discharged waste into the city's sewer system. In accordance with an EPA Administrative Order, the pit was excavated and six 55-gallon drums of liquid waste and contaminated soil were removed to a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA)-approved disposal facility in June, 1983.

  7. New England Plastics Corporation • A manufacturer of solid vinyl siding and various other plastic products. • Prospect Tool and Die Company is also located within the same building. • In December 1986, water from an industrial well which tapped the bedrock aquifer was found to be contaminated with various volatile organic compounds (PCE & TCE). • In 1988, effluent from the New England Plastics Corporation was found to enter the Aberjona River via a drainage ditch.

  8. Olympia Nominee Trust Corp. • 1970 - 200 to 500 five-gallon containers of arsenic trioxide were discovered on the property. • The Hemingway Transport Co., which owned the property since 1980, had four underground storage tanks at the trucking terminal facility. • In May 1983, a 6,280-gallon gasoline tank was found to be leaking, and was removed in July 1983. It is unknown when the tanks were installed and when the gasoline tank began leaking.

  9. Wildwood Conservation Corporation • John J. Riley sold the land to Beatrice Foods, Inc., in 1978, then repurchased the property in 1983. • Established the property as the Wildwood Conservation Corporation in 1985. Various trails leading from two neighboring facilities, Whitney Barrel Company and Murphy Waste Oil Company, to the property existed during the period 1966-1983. • On the property, extensive contamination consisting of sludge, discolored soils, trash, 55-gallon drums, paint cans and debris piles has been documented. John J. Riley Tannery has an industrial water supply well on the property.

  10. Introduction to Environmental Geology

  11. Population growth Sustainability The earth system Uniformitarianism Hazardous earth processes Geology as a basic environmental science Fundamental Concepts of Environmental Geology

  12. Fundamental Concepts-Population Growth • Population Growth is the #1 environmental problem • Why? • www.prb.org

  13. Fundamental Concepts-Population Growth • It is impossible to support exponential population growth with a finite resource base • Primary goal of environmental work is to defuse the population bomb • Pessimistic: the earth will take care of itself through disease and catastrophes • Optimistic: find better ways to control population growth within the limits of our available resources

  14. Fundamental Concepts-Sustainability • Sustainability is the environmental objective • We are currently using most living environmental resources faster than they can be naturally replenished • What would we need for a sustainable global economy? • Populations of humans in natural harmony with air, water, and land • Energy policies that do not pollute or cause climatic perturbations • Utilization plans for renewable resources (Recycling) • Utilization plans for nonrenewable resources

  15. How do we predict the consequences of earth system changes? • Understand the nature of the system • Understand rates of change • Conduct input-output analysis

  16. Fundamental Concepts-The earth system • The earth system • Understanding the earth’s systems and their changes is critical to solving environmental problems. • The earth itself is • an open system with respect to energy • a closed system with respect to material

  17. Fundamental Concepts-The earth system • Feedback • A system response where: System output (something happening) is a new system input • Positive and negative feedback • Input-output analysis

  18. Fundamental Concepts-The earth system 1. Positive feedback-- "vicious cycle" a. one action intensifies the next (example: erosion) 2. Negative feedback-- "self-regulating" enables the system to reach a steady state or equilibrium (example: stream morphology). 3. Threshold events -- No apparent changes until threshold levels are reached (Lake Turnover).

  19. Fundamental Concepts-The earth system • Negative Feedback • Stream • A. Increase gradient • B. Increases the river's velocity, which • C. Increases the rate of erosion, which • D. Widens and deepens channel, which • E. Slows rivers velocity • F. promotes deposition • G. reduces gradient

  20. Fundamental Concepts-The earth system • Example of threshold event • Lake turnover

  21. Fundamental Concepts- Uniformitarianism • James Hutton, 1785 • “the present is the key to the past” • Geologic processes modifying our landscape have operated in the past • Human activity is a new geological force • Affects the magnitude and frequency of geologic processes • “the present is the key to the future”

  22. Fundamental Concepts-Hazardous Earth Processes • Some geologic hazards are inevitable • Planning is important • The impacts of hazardous earth processes are enhanced by spatial concentration of population and resources • Should be considered in cost-benefit analysis

  23. Fundamental Concepts-Geology as a basic environmental science • Geology is a factor in every person’s life: • “Civilization exists by geological consent…subject to change without notice”--Will Durant

  24. Fundamental Concepts-Geology as a basic environmental science • Branches of Environmental Geology: • Geomorphology (Geologic Landforms and Processes) • Hydrogeology (Water and soil / rock interactions) • Pedology (Soils) • Economic geology • Engineering geology • Classical geology

  25. Fundamental Concepts-Geology as a basic environmental science • Environmental problems are interdisciplinary • Physical Geography, geologic processes, hydrology, rock types, soil types, climate • Biological • Plants, animals, biologic conditions, spatial analysis of biologic information • Human interest/use Land use, economics, aesthetics, environmental law, hazards, historical/archaeological value

  26. Environmental Geology and Land-Use Planning • There is a limited supply of land • We strive to plan so that suitable land is available for specific uses for this generation and those that follow • Comprehensive plan – designed for long-range local development based on and environmental inventory of resources and hazards

  27. Landscape Evaluation • Environmental geologists provide geologic information and analysis to assist in planning, design, and construction • Former and Present land use • Physical and chemical properties of earth materials • Pollutants • Engineering Properties of soil and rock • Natural Hazards • Groundwater Characteristics

  28. Site Selection • Cost-Benefits Analysis – Assumes all relevant costs and benefits can be determined • Examples: Building a shopping mall in a flood zone; Drilling oil wells in National Parks? • Physiographic Determination-Applying ecological principals to planning • Considers physical, social, and aesthetic data • Let natural characteristics determine the choice of a site

  29. Environmental Impact Analysis • 1969- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) • All major federal actions which could affect the quality of the human environment must be preceded by an evaluation of the project and the potential impact to the environment • Environmental Impact Statements • Discussion of the environmental consequences of the proposed project and of the alternatives • State Environmental Impact Legislation • State Environmental Policy Acts (SEPAs) • California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

  30. What do Environmental Geologists do? Mostly Site Assessments (ESAs) and BrownFields Studies

  31. What are ESAs? • Identify/evaluate: • environmental concerns • Magnitude and extent of contamination • Cleanup goals • Remediation options • Future land use

  32. Phase I ESA • Identify potential environmental concerns • All Appropriate Inquiry • Involves • Records review • Site reconnaissance • Interviews • Report

  33. Evaluates potential concerns from Phase I Tailored to site-specific needs Limited sampling/analysis Confirm/rule out concerns Expanded sampling/analysis Amount and extent of contamination Recommended cleanup goals/options Phase II ESA Increasing Costs

  34. Phase III ESA • Corrective actions for environmental concerns

  35. Environmental Concernsat Brownfields • Buildings and Improvements • Underground/ aboveground storage tanks • Process areas/ machinery • Asbestos • Lead-based paint • Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) • Fill materials • Impaired soil, water, or air conditions from historical use • Land uses: • Waste storage/ disposal • Manufacturing/industrial • Transportation/rail • Petroleum • Mining • Agribusiness

  36. Land Uses Contaminants & Related Risk What are ESAs? – Summary Focus on: Site Improvements Past, Present & Future

  37. Conventional borings/excavation groundwater monitoring wells decontamination/plugging/abandonment/waste disposal crude field-screening off-site analysis Accelerated geophysical surveys direct-push probes field labs/test kits off-site analytical confirmation electronic data archiving/interpretation Sampling/Analysis –Sampling Methods

  38. Sampling/Analysis –Sampling Methods • Conventional drilling/sampling technology

  39. Sampling/Analysis –Sampling Methods • Screening/field-based methods - Direct-push methods

  40. Sampling/Analysis –Sampling Methods • Geophysical Methods Ground-Penetrating Radar Electromagnetic Conductivity & Magnetic Surveys

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