Posted on 06.06.16
Still gasoline in downtown Linden’s groundwater
Source: http://www.tctimes.com, June 3, 2016
By: Hannah Ball
Remediation process could cost business $380,000
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) denied Beacon and Bridge’s final assessment concerning the underground gasoline leak that was detected nearly two years ago.
Owner of Beacon & Bridge Gas Station in downtown Linden, Quick-Sav Food Stores, Ltd. in Flint, submitted the final assessment report on Feb. 12, and the DEQ sent the denial letter dated May 6.
The Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD) of the DEQ denied the final assessment, which was prepared by PM Environmental, because their audit of the report did not confirm that corrective actions took place in compliance with Section 21315 of Part 213, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks of the Natural resources and Environmental Protection Act.
The letter also stated that groundwater has been contaminated.
“The groundwater is contaminated,” said Marjorie Easton, environmental quality analyst for the DEQ. “Much of the extent of contamination has been defined, but more investigation is needed along utility corridors and on the Union Block property to the north of the Beacon & Bridge, number eight location.”
According to the DEQ, in the denial letter, the final assessment report states that the groundwater contamination identified at the North Bridge Street plumes is not related to the Beacon & Bridge leak because chemical signatures indicate the release was from an older source, methly-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was only found at the North Bridge Street property, and the groundwater flow goes west.
The RRD states they originally believed a potential alternative source was a gasoline station believed to be located at 122 N. Bridge St. because it used to be an address for Standard Oil Company.
However, after searching historical records and speaking with citizens, the RRD found that 122 N. Bridge St. was not used as a gasoline or service station.
The denial letter also states that MTBE was used as oxygenate for fuels in Michigan from 1979 to 2003, but was discontinued because it was too dangerous. Aged petroleum was also found at the site.
“The fact that MTBE exists down-gradient of the subject site is an indicator that an undetected or unreported release occurred at Bacon & Bridge #8 sometime before 2003,” the letter states.
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Hazardous Materials Storage Inspector records show evidence of releases that were never confirmed.
“The findings of the DEQ investigation showed that all other known alternative sources are either too far way, the communication was limited in size and degraded, or the migration pathway cannot account for impact at the North Bridge Street area,” the letter states.
The RRD determined that the Beacon & Bridge leak and the North Bridge Street leak are from the same location but occurred at different times.
The leak has been detected in more areas in Linden. Petroleum vapors have been detected at the Linden Presbyterian Church on West Broad Street, across from the Eagles Wooden Park.
The leak was first confirmed in November 2014. Kevin Begola, owner of Bridge Street Exchange, smelled gas in his business.
“This has hurt real estate values and any bank that will look to finance will have an issue with a property that has environmental issues,” he said.
Begola said he thinks this issue is larger than what Linden residents are ready for and hopes the DEQ will hold another public forum to get people up to speed and continue pressure on the responsible party to take care of this issue.
“The original FAR report submitted by the gas station was a stretch at best trying to muddy the waters and it did not work,” he said.
Linden City Manager Paul Zelenak said the city heard there was potential that a leak occurred several years ago, but they don’t know if it was a separate leak or one continuous one.
“We’re waiting for the response from Beacon & Bridge and the DEQ. We’ll keep an eye on it because it’s obviously a concern for the residents and community,” he said.
The denial letter states that the gas station must reply to the DEQ within 21 days of receiving the letter.
Further risks
The sanitary sewer and storm sewer north and west of the site are at risk for contamination, according to the DEQ, but the extent has not been confirmed.
“Additional work is needed to determine if gasoline is still present in the sanitary sewer, and if so, what phase of gasoline is present. The different phases could be vapors, dissolved components, or gasoline itself,” said Marjorie Easton, environmental quality analyst for the DEQ.
Because of this, it is necessary to complete an evaluation of potential fire and explosion risks, which the final assessment report failed to do.
Mobile Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) is still present at the site, which is causing the continued migration of contamination, according to the RRD.
The DEQ found that vapor intrusion levels are too high in buildings along South Bridge Street and North Bridge Street based on soil and groundwater analytical results. The denial letter states the standard operating procedures regarding vapor intrusion are insufficient in the report.
Remediation efforts
The DEQ has accepted the gas station’s choice of remediation, the LNAPL Sorption and Enhanced Bioremediation option.
According to a previous Times article, a product called NutriBind will be used to immobilize the mobile LNAPL present and elevated sulfate concentrations within the groundwater to enhance the biodegradation process on the site of the leak.
Engineers will sample the monitoring wells before the substance is added, as well as for six months after and quarterly two times. These samples will be sent to an independent laboratory for testing.
If the containment levels are decreasing by appropriate amounts, soil samples will be collected for testing. Soil borings will be placed at sites where contaminants were detected.
Engineers will collect groundwater samples from the wells quarterly for two years, according to the report. The samples will be sent to an independent laboratory for testing. Soil vapor samples will also be collected and tested.
This method is estimated to take two to five years and cost $380,000.
In compliance with Part 213, the affected property owners must be notified of the contamination and risks.
The gas station will pay for the remediation efforts.
Owner of Beacon & Bridge Gas Station in downtown Linden, Quick-Sav Food Stores, Ltd. in Flint, submitted the final assessment report on Feb. 12, and the DEQ sent the denial letter dated May 6.
The Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD) of the DEQ denied the final assessment, which was prepared by PM Environmental, because their audit of the report did not confirm that corrective actions took place in compliance with Section 21315 of Part 213, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks of the Natural resources and Environmental Protection Act.
The letter also stated that groundwater has been contaminated.
“The groundwater is contaminated,” said Marjorie Easton, environmental quality analyst for the DEQ. “Much of the extent of contamination has been defined, but more investigation is needed along utility corridors and on the Union Block property to the north of the Beacon & Bridge, number eight location.”
According to the DEQ, in the denial letter, the final assessment report states that the groundwater contamination identified at the North Bridge Street plumes is not related to the Beacon & Bridge leak because chemical signatures indicate the release was from an older source, methly-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was only found at the North Bridge Street property, and the groundwater flow goes west.
The RRD states they originally believed a potential alternative source was a gasoline station believed to be located at 122 N. Bridge St. because it used to be an address for Standard Oil Company.
However, after searching historical records and speaking with citizens, the RRD found that 122 N. Bridge St. was not used as a gasoline or service station.
The denial letter also states that MTBE was used as oxygenate for fuels in Michigan from 1979 to 2003, but was discontinued because it was too dangerous. Aged petroleum was also found at the site.
“The fact that MTBE exists down-gradient of the subject site is an indicator that an undetected or unreported release occurred at Bacon & Bridge #8 sometime before 2003,” the letter states.
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Hazardous Materials Storage Inspector records show evidence of releases that were never confirmed.
“The findings of the DEQ investigation showed that all other known alternative sources are either too far way, the communication was limited in size and degraded, or the migration pathway cannot account for impact at the North Bridge Street area,” the letter states.
The RRD determined that the Beacon & Bridge leak and the North Bridge Street leak are from the same location but occurred at different times.
The leak has been detected in more areas in Linden. Petroleum vapors have been detected at the Linden Presbyterian Church on West Broad Street, across from the Eagles Wooden Park.
The leak was first confirmed in November 2014. Kevin Begola, owner of Bridge Street Exchange, smelled gas in his business.
“This has hurt real estate values and any bank that will look to finance will have an issue with a property that has environmental issues,” he said.
Begola said he thinks this issue is larger than what Linden residents are ready for and hopes the DEQ will hold another public forum to get people up to speed and continue pressure on the responsible party to take care of this issue.
“The original FAR report submitted by the gas station was a stretch at best trying to muddy the waters and it did not work,” he said.
Linden City Manager Paul Zelenak said the city heard there was potential that a leak occurred several years ago, but they don’t know if it was a separate leak or one continuous one.
“We’re waiting for the response from Beacon & Bridge and the DEQ. We’ll keep an eye on it because it’s obviously a concern for the residents and community,” he said.
The denial letter states that the gas station must reply to the DEQ within 21 days of receiving the letter.
Further risks
The sanitary sewer and storm sewer north and west of the site are at risk for contamination, according to the DEQ, but the extent has not been confirmed.
“Additional work is needed to determine if gasoline is still present in the sanitary sewer, and if so, what phase of gasoline is present. The different phases could be vapors, dissolved components, or gasoline itself,” said Marjorie Easton, environmental quality analyst for the DEQ.
Because of this, it is necessary to complete an evaluation of potential fire and explosion risks, which the final assessment report failed to do.
Mobile Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) is still present at the site, which is causing the continued migration of contamination, according to the RRD.
The DEQ found that vapor intrusion levels are too high in buildings along South Bridge Street and North Bridge Street based on soil and groundwater analytical results. The denial letter states the standard operating procedures regarding vapor intrusion are insufficient in the report.
Remediation efforts
The DEQ has accepted the gas station’s choice of remediation, the LNAPL Sorption and Enhanced Bioremediation option.
According to a previous Times article, a product called NutriBind will be used to immobilize the mobile LNAPL present and elevated sulfate concentrations within the groundwater to enhance the biodegradation process on the site of the leak.
Engineers will sample the monitoring wells before the substance is added, as well as for six months after and quarterly two times. These samples will be sent to an independent laboratory for testing.
If the containment levels are decreasing by appropriate amounts, soil samples will be collected for testing. Soil borings will be placed at sites where contaminants were detected.
Engineers will collect groundwater samples from the wells quarterly for two years, according to the report. The samples will be sent to an independent laboratory for testing. Soil vapor samples will also be collected and tested.
This method is estimated to take two to five years and cost $380,000.
In compliance with Part 213, the affected property owners must be notified of the contamination and risks.
The gas station will pay for the remediation efforts.
