REAL PROPERTY INSTITUTE OF CANADA FEDERAL CONTAMINATED SITES NATIONAL WORKSHOP
2014 PROGRAM
APRIL 14-16, 2014 THE WESTIN OTTAWA HOTEL, OTTAWA, ONTARIO PARTNERS
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Thank you to DST Consulting Engineers for supporting RPIC’s Greening Initiative by providing delegates with a USB gift with an electronic version of this year’s Workshop Program.
Thank you to AMEC for helping fulfil RPIC’s bilingualism policy by providing support for simultaneous interpretation.
2 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP WELCOME
WELCOME TO THE 2014 RPIC FEDERAL CONTAMINATED SITES NATIONAL WORKSHOP
On behalf of the Real Property Institute of Canada (RPIC) and the Workshop Organizing Committee, we are really pleased to welcome all delegates, exhibitors and event partners to the fifth RPIC Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop being held at the Westin Hotel Ottawa. Through the hard work and dedication of the Organizing Committee and The Willow Group, we have again assembled a high quality program that we hope you will find stimulating and informative.
Since the early 1990’s, federal environmental specialists have worked to develop a nation-wide strategy to address federal contaminated sites. The combination of the government’s 2004 commitment of long-term funding and the establishment of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) program has made it possible for federal custodians and the environmental industry to undertake a collaborative effort for effective and responsible management of federal contaminated sites.
The first four National Workshops, held in Ottawa in 2006, in Vancouver in 2008, in Montreal in 2010 and in Toronto in 2012, provided a unique forum for federal public servants engaged in environmental management and remediation, industry representatives and academics to share experiences and learn from one another. Building on this foundation, the 2014 plenary sessions, poster displays, trade show and numerous networking opportunities provide a venue to discuss technical, scientific and management strategies for addressing federal sites with colleagues from across the country, and allow for the building of partnerships that are critical to our collective success.
Our program begins with the popular pre-Workshop Professional Development Day which offers intensive sessions for those seeking a more in-depth look at the FCSAP decision making framework; contaminated sites procurement approaches; a panel discussion on considerations in the selection of remediation vs risk management; long-term monitoring; sustainable remediation; soil, water and air sampling; project data management; estimating remediation liability; the tools for risk assessment validation and site closure; and, climate change impacts.
The next two days of the Workshop will feature concurrent streams covering the topics of management of radioactive contamination technologies and rase studies; sediment characterization and remediation; contaminated sites guidance; project management; LNAPL management framework; nothern project; risk assessment and risk management; emerging contaminants; stockholder engagement; liability and socio-economic considerations; and, sustainability.
Our special thanks go out to the 2014 Organizing and Technical Review Committees for the time and effort taken to review and select presentations and to the staff of The Willow Group, without whom it would have been impossible to hold a Workshop of this size and scope.
We look forward to meeting you at the Workshop and hope that our program will provide you with the tools and information you require as you undertake the challenges of addressing federal contaminated sites.
Sébastien Yelle Sébastien Fournier Public Works and Government Services Canada Department of National Defence Workshop Chair Technical Co-Chair
3 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP 2014 WORKSHOP ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / CONTENTS
2014 Workshop Organizing Committee • Rita Mroz Environment Canada Sébastien Yelle • Martin Sarault Workshop Chair Correctional Service Canada Public Works and Government Services Canada • Sébastien Fournier Department of National Defence Sébastien Fournier • Sébastien Yelle Technical Co-Chair Public Works and Government Services Canada Department of National Defence • Tammy Lomas-Jylha TLomasjylha Consulting Planning Committee • Tracy Dannell • Andrea Peters CIMA+ Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat • Caroline Béland-Pelletier CBP Consultant • Clayton Truax Public Works and Government Services Canada • Debbie Nicholls Department of National Defence Contents • Jean-Claude Prevost Parks Canada Welcome • Jessica MacKinnon 2014 Workshop Organizing Committee Environment Canada Schedule at a Glance • Jorge Escalante-Gafau Environment Canada Monday, April 14, 2014 • Meggan Sine Professional Development Day Environment Canada • Rita Mroz Tuesday, April 15, 2014 Environment Canada Lunch Keynote • Sarah Orovan Stream A - Management of Radioactive Contamination Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Stream B - Remediation Technologies and Case Studies • Tracy Dannell Stream C - Sediment Characterization CIMA+ Stream D1 - Project Management • Vanessa Lyon Stream D2 - Liability and Socio-Economic Considerations Health Canada Stream D3 – Sustainability • Walter Van Veen Stream E1 - Contaminated Sites Guidance Atomic Energy of Canada Limited • Xing Wu Stream E2 - Special Considerations Environment Canada Wednesday, April 16, 2014 Technical Review Committee Lunch Keynote • Caroline Béland-Pelletier Stream F1 - LNAPL Management Framework CBP Consultant Stream F2 - Portfolio and Project Management • Clayton Truax Stream G - Remediation Technologies and Case Studies Public Works and Government Services Canada Stream H - Sediment Remediation • Danielle Currie Stream I1 - Northern Projects Correctional Service Canada Stream I2 - Emerging Contaminants: PFOS • Dawn Ryan Stream J1 - Risk Assessment and Risk Management Department of National Defence Stream J2 - Stakeholder Engagement • François Beaudoin Golder Associates Ltd. Posters • Jean-Claude Prevost Exhibitors Parks Canada • Lori Bishop Public Works and Government Services Canada • Meggan Sine Environment Canada • Monique Punt Bronson Consulting • Mylène Salvas Parks Canada
4 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Monday, April 14, 2014 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING DAY These sessions will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation. Support for simultaneous interpretation provided by AMEC.
7:30 am - 4:30 pm | Registration Foyer
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Training Sessions Federal Contaminated Sites 101 – An Contaminated Site Procurement Panel Discussion: Considerations in Introduction to the Decision-Making Approaches for Federal Project the Selection and Implementation of Framework Managers Remediation vs. Risk Management of Marie-Claude Fortin, Environment Canada Daniel St-Arnaud, Public Works and Government Federal Contaminated Sites Services Canada Location: Governor General I Eric Parsons, Public Works and Government Location: Governor General II Services Canada Michael Billowits, Outcome Consultants Federal Contaminated Sites Action Integration of Sustainable Rodger Martin, Canada Lands Company Plan Long-Term Monitoring Planning Craig Wells and Jean Rheaume, Department of Development into Contaminated Sites Guidance National Defence Management François Lauzon, Stantec Consulting Ltd. Location: Governor General III Sylvain Hains and Guillaume Carle, Golder Location: Newfoundland / Nova Scotia Associates Ltd. Location: Quebec
10:30 am - 10:50 am | Refreshment Break PRESENTED BY: Golder Associates Limited Provinces / Confederation I
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Lunch Break Provinces / Confederation I
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm | Training Sessions
Introduction to Soil, Air and Water Project Data Management Introduction to Estimating Sampling Walter Vanveen, Barb Worthington and Bosco Lee Remediation Liability for Federal Dr. Mahipal Jadeja, Seneca College Darko Poletto, Spatial Knowledge Engineering Inc. Contaminated Sites Alana Devanney and Belinda Campbell, Public Location: Governor General I Works and Government Services Canada Elaine Grout-Brown, CRMA Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III
Tool for Risk Assessment Validation Climate Change Impacts on the and Site Closure Tool Management of Federal Contaminated Natasha Corrin, Golder Associates Ltd. Sites Andrew Henderson, Franz Environmental Inc. Juraj Cunderlik, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Location: Newfoundland / Nova Scotia Location: Quebec
2:30 pm - 2:50 pm | Refreshment Break Provinces / Confederation I
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Welcome Reception PRESENTED BY: CH2M Hill Canada Limited Location: Confederation II / Confederation III
5 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Tuesday April 15, 2014 WORKSHOP These sessions will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation. Support for simultaneous interpretation provided by AMEC.
7:30 am - 2:30 pm | Registration Foyer
7:30 am - 8:30 am | Continental Breakfast in the Tradeshow/Poster Areas Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
8:30 am - 8:45 am | Welcoming Remarks Sébastien Yelle, Chair, 2014 RPIC Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop Provinces / Confederation I
8:45 am - 9:00 am | Opening Keynote George Green, RPIC ADM Champion and Vice President of Heritage Conservation, Parks Canada Provinces / Confederation I
9:00 am - 10:00 am | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM A: Management of Radioactive STREAM B: Remediation Technologies and Contamination Case Studies Location: Provinces / Confederation I Location: Governor General I 9:00 am - 9:30 am 9:00 am - 9:30 am Risk-based Prioritization of Restoration Integrated Plume Treatment with Persulfate Projects in the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Oxidation and Sulfate Reduction Program at the Chalk River Laboratory Mahsa Shayan, University of Waterloo Jerel Nelson, WorleyParsons Canada
9:30 am - 10:00 am 9:30 am - 10:00 am AMEC Experience with Post-Fukushima Phytoremediation of Petroleum and Salt Characterization and Remediation in Japan Impacted Soils: Successfully Meeting Steven D. Rima, AMEC Environment & Infrastructure Generic Tier 1 Standards and Making Green Technologies Work Greg MacNeill, University of Waterloo
6 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Tuesday April 15, 2014 WORKSHOP
9:00 am - 10:00 am | Concurrent Presentations (Continued)
STREAM C: Sediment Characterization STREAM D1: Project Management STREAM E1: Contaminated Sites Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Guidance 9:00 am - 9:30 am Location: Quebec Going Off the Deep End: Characterizing 9:00 am - 9:30 am 9:00 am - 9:30 am Deep Sediment in the Owen Sound Metrics for Success at Contaminated Canadian Exposure Factors Handbook, Harbour - Applying COA Framework and Sites 2013 Risk Assessment Principles Chris Ludwig, Franz Environmental Inc. G. Mark Richardson, Stantec Consulting Ltd. Renee Recoskie, Dillon Consulting Limited
9:30 am - 10:00 am 9:30 am - 10:00 am 9:30 am - 10:00 am Aquatic Biomonitoring at CFB Gagetown A Multi-lines of Evidence Approach Health Canada Guidance on Assessing Tamsin Laing, Royal Military College of Canada for Phase II Environmental Site Human Health Risks Associated with Assessment Contaminated Sediments Lina Letiecq, Public Works and Government Sanya Petrovic, Health Canada Services Canada
10:00 am - 10:30 am | Refreshment Break in the Tradeshow/Poster Areas PRESENTED BY: WorleyParsons Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM A: Management of Radioactive STREAM B: Remediation Technologies and Contamination Case Studies Location: Provinces / Confederation I Location: Governor General I 10:30 am - 11:00 am 10:30 am - 11:00 am The Port Hope Area Initiative – Canada’s Case Study: The New Science Centre Project, Largest Low Level Radioactive Waste Cleanup TELUS World of Science Design Optimization of Gets Underway an Active Sub Slab Depressurization System to Walter van Veen, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Mitigate Vapour Intrusion of Methane Gas from a Former City of Calgary Landfill Beth McReynolds, AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
11:00 am - 11:30 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am Protecting Lake Ontario – Wastewater Full-Scale In-situ Electrical Resistive Heating Treatment for the Remediated Low-level Used for the Remediation of a DNAPL Source Radioactive Waste Management Facility Zone Till Freihammer, AECOM Thomas H. Grimminck, Dillon Consulting Limited
11:30 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 am - 12:00 pm Port Hope Project Historical File Review Heat Enhanced Extraction to Treat Oil, Creosote – Are There Things We Could Do Better? Or Tar Contaminated Sites Lauren McDonald, Franz Environmental Inc. Yvo Veenis, Groundwater Technology
7 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Tuesday April 15, 2014 WORKSHOP
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations (Continued)
STREAM C: Sediment Characterization STREAM D1: Project Management STREAM E1: Contaminated Sites Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Guidance Location: Quebec 10:30 am - 11:00 am 10:30 am - 11:00 am 10:30 am - 11:00 am Factoring Stormwater Source Control Protecting the Present While Cleaning Defining Background Conditions and and Natural Recovery into Long- Up the Past: Environmental Management Using Background Concentrations in Term Risk Management Planning for Planning for the Esquimalt Harbour Ecological Risk Assessment (FCSAP Harbour Sediment, Victoria BC Remediation Project Guidance) Mark Larsen, Anchor QEA, LLC Rachael Jones, Golder Associates Ltd. Amy Sparks, Environment Canada
11:00 am - 11:30 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am Assessing Propeller Wash Influence Ontario 153/04 Risk Assessments Guidance for Aquatic Contaminated on Sediment Stability in Victoria for Federal Contaminated Sites Site Management of Federal Active Harbour, BC Ruwan Jayasinghe, Stantec Consulting Ltd. Harbour Sites Kathy Ketteridge, Anchor QEA, LLC Viviane Paquin, Royal Military College of Canada
11:30 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 am - 12:00 pm NAPL Transport at Surface Water Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Towards the Development of Additional Interface and in Sediment Remediation Project – Risk Soil Quality Guidelines for Trace Metals Jeff Gentry, CH2M HILL Canada Limited Management, Contingency and Ian Mitchell, Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd. Financial Management Andrew Mylly, Public Works and Government Services Canada
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Lunch PRESENTED BY: Quantum Murray LP Provinces / Confederation I
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm | Luncheon Keynote: The FCSAP Program: An Update on Progress and What’s Ahead Jeremy Anglesey, Environment Canada Clayton Truax, Public Works and Government Services Canada Provinces / Confederation I
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm | Dessert in Tradeshow/Poster Areas Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
8 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Tuesday April 15, 2014 WORKSHOP
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM A: Management of Radioactive STREAM B: Remediation Technologies and Contamination Case Studies Location: Provinces / Confederation I Location: Governor General I 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Lessons Learned During Remediation of More Than In-situ Application of Biochar to Immobilize 4,000 Properties in Grand Junction, CO, USA Residual Soil Contaminants in Place: An John E. Elmer, The S.M. Stoller Corporation Innovative Site Closure Strategy
Barbara A. Zeeb, Royal Military College of Canada
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Talking About Low-Level Radiation: A Field Study on the Limitations of ISCO Communicating Risk and Safety to the Public Applications Alexandra Mahabir, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Steven Rose, Malroz Engineering Inc.
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Broad Environmental Impacts and Risks to Mitigation of PCB Using Permeable Reactive Workers for the Remediation of an Abandoned Barrier Technology at Resolution Island, Uranium Mine in Northern Saskatchewan Nunavut From 2005 to 2013 Monique Wismer, Saskatchewan Research Council Allison Rutter, Queens University
STREAM C: Sediment Characterization STREAM D2: Liability and Socio- STREAM E2: Special Considerations Location: Governor General II Economic Considerations Location: Quebec Location: Governor General III
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Evolution of the approach of the Economic Analysis of Job Creation Site Assessment, Risk Management Department of Fisheries and Oceans from Site Remediation and Remediation Based on CSM – Quebec Region regarding the Don Plenderleith, Golder Associates Ltd. Refinement classification of fishing harbour water Marc Bouchard, Stantec Consulting Ltd. lots. Daniel Laroche, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Developing an Environmental Characterizing and Estimating the Species At Risk and Contaminated Monitoring Program for the Saint John Total Liabilities for All Current and Sites – Implications for Brownfield Site Harbour Future Federal Contaminated Sites Assessment and Remediation Karen Kidd, University of New Brunswick Rod Story, Parliamentary Budget Office Barbara Hard, Franz Environmental Inc.
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Ecological Risk Assessment of Partnering with Private Industry to Pittsburgh Institution Contaminated Sediments in Victoria Reduce Liability Andrea Catley, Golder Associates Ltd. Harbour – Framework for Decision- Lou Spagnuolo, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern making Development Canada Patrick Allard, Azimuth Consulting Group
9 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Tuesday April 15, 2014 WORKSHOP
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Refreshment Break in the Tradeshow/Poster Areas Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm | Concurrent Presentations STREAM B: Remediation Technologies and STREAM C: Sediment Characterization Case Studies Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General I 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Treating a Mixture of cVOCs Contaminated Pilot Scale Test for Sustainable Remediation of Groundwater Using Nano Zerovalent Iron Contaminated Sediment Hardiljeet K. Boparai, University of Western Ontario Tiana Robinson, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Surfactant Flushing and Enhanced Remediation Application of a Risk Based Strategy during the at a Remote Site in Northern BC Assessment of Small Craft Harbour Sites in Richard Wells, Franz Environmental Inc. British Columbia David Kettlewell, SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water
STREAM D3: Sustainability STREAM E2: Special Considerations Location: Governor General III Location: Quebec 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm How Sustainable is ‘Sustainable’ Remediation? MIP/LIF Technology: To Use or Not to Use? Debora Reanne Ridsdale, University of Saskatchewan Ian Mendes, Golder Associates Ltd.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Future Land Use and Sustainable Remediation Design of a Long-term Monitoring Program at the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Oven Based on Past Performance and Future Risk Sites Remediation Project: A Case Study and Daniela Loock, Royal Military College of Canada Lessons Learned on Adaptive Remedial Design Bruce Noble, AECOM
5:00 pm - 5:45 pm | Cocktail Reception Provinces Foyer / Confederation Foyer
5:45 pm - 8:00 pm | Gala Evening and Awards Ceremony Provinces / Confederation I
10 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
7:30 am - 2:30 pm | Registration Foyer
7:30 am - 8:30 am | Continental Breakfast in the Tradeshow/Poster Areas Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
8:20 am - 8:30 am | Welcoming Remarks Sébastien Yelle, Chair, 2014 RPIC Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop Provinces / Confederation I
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM F1: LNAPL Management Framework STREAM G: Remediation Technologies and Location: Provinces / Confederation I Case Studies Location: Governor General I 8:30 am - 9:00 am 8:30 am - 9:00 am FCSAP Management Framework for LNAPL Sites Application of Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron for Craig Wells, Department of National Defence Contaminant Site Remediation: Results from Two Field Trials Denis O’Carroll, University of Western Ontario
9:00 am - 9:30 am 9:00 am - 9:30 am It’s All About the LNAPL Conceptual Site Model Concurrent Soil and Groundwater Matthew C. Rousseau, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Ltd. Phytoremediation: Case Study of a Former Oil Refinery in Ontario Impacted with Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Metals in Soil and Groundwater Tereza Dan, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
9:30 am - 10:00 am 9:30 am - 10:00 pm Ricker Method® for Plume Stability Analysis The Use of Advanced Phytotechnologies and LNAPL Removal Benefit Analysis in Remediating Metal- and Metalloid- Joe Ricker, EarthCon Consultants, Inc. Contaminated Soils and Waters James Higgins, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I1: Northern Projects STREAM J1: Risk Assessment and Risk Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Management Location: Quebec 8:30 am - 9:00 am 8:30 am - 9:00 am 8:30 am - 9:00 am Innovations and Successes in Contaminant Mass Balance and Flux What’s in a Hazard Quotient? Validating Remediation Dredging the Harbor Estimates as Conceptual Tools to Ecological Risk Estimates at DFO Light Island Superfund Site Improve Remediation Plans at Complex Stations Thomas L. Patterson, SLR International Corporation Contaminated Sites: Silver Bear Terra David Rae, AMEC Environment & Infrastructure Minesite Doug Bright, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
11 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Concurrent Presentations (Continued)
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I1: Northern Projects STREAM J1: Risk Assessment and Risk Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Management Location: Quebec 9:00 am - 9:30 am 9:00 am - 9:30 am 9:00 am - 9:30 am Advances in Remediation of Remediation of the Abandoned Giant Vapour Intrusion in Northern Canada: Contaminated Sediments Using Mine, Northwest Territories, Canada Considerations for Assessment Amended Capping – North American Michael Nahir, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Sara Ryan, Franz Environmental Inc. Perspectives Development Canada 9:30 am - 10:00 pm Mark Mahoney, Anchor QEA, LLC 9:30 am - 10:00 pm Developing Unique Risk Assessment 9:30 am - 10:00 pm Concentrations of Contaminants in Fish Scenarios Development of a Detailed Basemap from Yellowknife Bay After 50 Years of Krista Trounce, Geofirma Engineering Ltd. and Model Surface to Support Sediment Mining: Establishing a Pre-remediation Remediation of Esquimalt Harbour – Dataset for Giant Mine Challenges of Reconciling Datasets Carey Sibbald, Stantec Consulting Ltd. with Multiple Users Cameron Wallace, SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water
10:00 am - 10:30 am | Refreshment Break in the Tradeshow/Poster Areas PRESENTED BY: Golder Associates Limited Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
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12 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM F1: LNAPL Management Framework STREAM G: Remediation Technologies and Location: Provinces / Confederation I Case Studies Location: Governor General I 10:30 am - 11:00 am 10:30 am - 11:00 am Practical and Innovative Approaches to Pilot Project for the Removal of RDX in Evaluate Sites with LNAPL a Tributary of the Aux Pins River at CFB David Fursevich, SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water Valcartier (Québec) François-David Cloutier, Department of National Defence
11:00 am - 11:30 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am Stakeholder Engagement and Risk Update on the Assessment and Remediation of Communication – Essential Aspects of Project a Former Unofficial Dumpsite in the Columbia Success: 5 Wing Goose Bay Remediation National Wildlife Area Project Lindsay Paterson, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. Lynn Pilgrim, AMEC Infrastructure & Environment
11:30 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 am - 12:00 pm A LNAPL Management Framework for 5 Wing Innovative Remediation of a Petro Chemical Goose Bay: Case Study Plant Tom MacNeil, AMEC Infrastructure & Environment Raminder Grewal, Keystone Environmental Ltd.
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I1: Northern Projects STREAM J1: Risk Assessment and Risk Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Management Location: Quebec 10:30 am - 11:00 am 10:30 am - 11:00 am 10:30 am - 11:00 am Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project, Grouping Northern Contaminated Sites Goose Bay Stillwaters: Ecological Risk Importance of Integrated Remedial to Promote Sustainability Initiatives – Assessment as a Remediation Decision Investigation A Holistic Approach Based on Recent Tool Derek Ormerod, Anchor QEA, LLC Projects Completed for PWGSC North Jody Berry, AMEC Infrastructure & Environment of 60 François Lauzon, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
11:00 am - 11:30 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am 11:00 am - 11:30 am Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Faro Mine Remediation Project – Considerations for Human Health Risk Remediation (Phase 1B) Environmental Electronic Data Capture and Field- Assessment of Consumption of Aquatic Management Plan Implementation accessible Project Data Biota David McKeown, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. Alan Campbell, CH2M HILL Canada Limited Ross Wilson, Wilson Scientific Consulting Inc.
13 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations (Continued)
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I1: Northern Projects STREAM J1: Risk Assessment and Risk Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Management Location: Quebec 11:30 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 am - 12:00 pm 11:30 am - 12:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Finding What You Can’t See: Integrating The Value Added by Human Health Risk Remediation (Phase 1B) Confirmatory Site Investigation Approaches Assessment to the FCSAP Sampling Analysis and Evaluation Plan Indra Kalinovich, Dillon Consulting Limited G. Mark Richardson, Stantec Consulting Ltd. Implementation and Dredging Residuals Management David McKeown, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Lunch Provinces / Confederation I
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | Luncheon Keynote: Accounting for Liabilities for Contaminated Sites in the Public Accounts of Canada Cindy Laprade, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Provinces / Confederation I
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm | Dessert in Tradeshow/Poster Areas Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
consultingD engineers S T Environmental Site Assessment/ Charactérisation des Terrains Site Remediation/ Réhabilitation des Terrains Contaminés Ecosystem Studies/ Études des Écosystèmes Soil Sampling/ Échantillonage des Sols Groundwater Sampling/ Échantillonage des Eaux Souterraines Hazardous Materials/ Matières Dangereuses Risk Assessment/ Évaluations du Risque Toxicologique Demolition/ Démolition
14 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM F2: Portfolio and Project Management STREAM G: Remediation Technologies and Location: Provinces / Confederation I Case Studies Location: Governor General I
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Canadian Army Range and Training Area Chemical Reduction Processes for Contaminant Management Program In-situ Soluble Metals Remediation and Stéphanie Munyal, Department of National Defence Immobilization Jean Paré, Chemco Inc.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Lessons Learned: CBDC Mine Site Closure An Overview of the Department of National Program Defence, Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Eric Parsons, Public Works and Government Services Canada Project Mike Bodman, Department of National Defence
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I1: Northern Projects STREAM J1: Risk Assessment and Risk Location: Governor General II Location: Governor General III Management Location: Quebec 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Coastal Zone Marine Environmental Risk Assessment of the Canol Pipeline: Consideration of Bioaccumulation of Effects Monitoring: The Sydney Tar A Complex Linear Corridor Inorganics by Produce at Contaminated Ponds and Coke Ovens Remediation Harriet Phillips, ARCADIS SENES Canada Inc. Sites Project Ian Mitchell, Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd. John Appleby, Public Works and Government Services Canada
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Lessons Learned, Innovations, and Long-term Monitoring Showing Modelled Ecological No-effect Soil Successes from U.S. Great Lakes Area Ecosystem Recovery Following Source Concentrations for Cattle, Sheep and of Concern Sediment Cleanups Removal of PCBs Deer Receptors: Safe for Humans? Gina Bayer, CH2M HILL Megan Lord-Hoyle, Royal Military College of Shannon Bard, Keystone Environmental Ltd. Canada
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm | Refreshment Break in the Tradeshow/Poster Areas Confederation II / Confederation III / Provinces Foyer
15 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations
STREAM F2: Portfolio and Project Management STREAM G: Remediation Technologies and Location: Provinces / Confederation I Case Studies Location: Governor General I 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Innovative Solutions Using Risk Assessment Implementation of a Thin Layer Cap on Lake Tools as a Map for Site Portfolio Management Superior in Marathon, Ontario
Janice Paslawski, SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water David G. Wilson, AECOM
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Achieving Durable and Cost Effective Remedies Using In-situ Thermal Remediation to Improve Using a Systematic Approach to Remedy the Sustainability of Source Removal Evaluation and Selection Ralph S. Baker, TerraTherm, Inc.
Thomas L. Patterson, SLR International Corporation
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm An Integrated Approach to Reserve-Wide Sustainability of Using Reactive Zones to Contaminated Sites Remediation: Kitasoo/ Remediate Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Urban Xai’xais Environmental Improvement Project Environment Tim Powers, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Yvo Veenis, Groundwater Technology Canada
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I2: Emerging Contaminants: STREAM J2: Stakeholder Engagement Location: Governor General II PFOS Location: Quebec Location: Governor General III 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot PFOS, PFOA and Other Fluorinated Great Slave Lake Project – Community Remediation Mega-Site (Phase 1B): Compounds in Environmental Engagement and Capacity Building Design, Contracting and Construction Samples - Overcoming Sampling and Strategy Challenges Analytical Challenges Ron Breadmore, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Andrew Mylly, Public Works and Government Terry Obal, Maxxam Analytics Development Canada Services Canada
16 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
Wednesday April 16, 2014 WORKSHOP
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Concurrent Presentations (Continued)
STREAM H: Sediment Remediation STREAM I2: Emerging Contaminants: STREAM J2: Stakeholder Engagement Location: Governor General II PFOS Location: Quebec Location: Governor General III 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Fate and Transport Modelling of First Nation and Stakeholder Remediation Project: Implementing a Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Involvement: Lessons Learned Through Sediment Remediation Mega-project Thomas Franz, Franz Environmental Inc. a Lake Superior Sediment Remediation at the Largest Deep-sea Shipbuilding Project and Repair Facility on Canada’s Pacific Michelle McChristie, Ministry of the Environment Coast – Challenges of Operational Coordination Matt Woltman, Anchor QEA, LLC
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Bench Scale Trials of Promising Community Engagement: The Process Remediation Mega-Site (Phase1A): Remedial Technologies for PFOS Can Be Very Rewarding – If You Want South Jetty Sheetpile Wall Extraction/Destruction To Do What It Takes James West, Stantec Consulting Ltd. Containment Design and Construction Mark Calette, Saskatchewan Research Council Challenges Geoff Cooper, Klohn Crippen Berger, Ltd.
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17 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
Monday, April 14, 2014 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING DAY
These sessions will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation. Support for simultaneous interpretation provided by AMEC.
Monday, April 14, 2014 from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Federal Contaminated Sites 101 – An Introduction to the Decision-Making Framework Marie-Claude Fortin, Environment Canada LOCATION: Governor General I
This session will introduce participants to the Decision-Making Framework (DMF) developed by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Secretariat. The DMF is a roadmap that outlines the specific activities and requirements for addressing federal contaminated sites in Canada. It is based on A Federal Approach to Contaminated Sites, a 10-step process guiding federal custodians in all aspects of working with contaminated sites. In this session, participants will be introduced to a number of guidance documents and tools that are available under each of the 10 steps.
Contaminated Site Procurement Approaches for Federal Project Managers Daniel St-Arnaud, Public Works and Government Services Canada LOCATION: Governor General II
This session will be aimed at federal project managers to ensure that they are aware of procurement options typically used and available for federal contaminated sites projects. This session will also be used as an opportunity to discuss the development of procurement strategies in support of the delivery of federal contaminated sites projects. Representatives of Public Works and Government Services Canada Acquisitions (Real Property Contracting) will lead the delivery of this training.
Panel Discussion: Considerations in the Selection and Implementation of Remediation vs. Risk Management of Federal Contaminated Sites Eric Parsons, Public Works and Government Services Canada Michael Billowits, Outcome Consultants Rodger Martin, Canada Lands Company Craig Wells, Department of National Defence Jean Rheaume, Department of National Defence LOCATION: Governor General III
The panel will involve representation from the public and private sectors including technical and legal expertise. Following introductory remarks from the moderator, panellists will provide a brief overview of their philosophy/approaches/considerations in identifying the appropriateness of remediation versus risk management for individual contaminated sites in the federal context. Panellists will then broach questions/topics solicited from session participants in advance and prioritized by participants using on-site voting apparatus. The session will be concluded with summary remarks by panellists and the moderator. Session registrants will be provided with documents (tools, processes, etc.) referenced by the panellists during the session.
Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Long-Term Monitoring Planning Guidance François Lauzon, Stantec Consulting Ltd. LOCATION: Newfoundland / Nova Scotia
This half-day professional development training session builds upon the guidance provided in the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) guidance document. The FCSAP LTM document provides a framework for the development and implementation of scientifically defensible LTM plans, facilitates consistency across custodians and key stakeholders, and establishes procedures for identifying decision criteria prior to LTM data collection.
This interactive training session will provide a basic understanding of the LTM guidance document and where it fits into the Federal Approach to Contaminated Sites process. It will refer to other FCSAP Tools such as the Site Closure Tool, Environmental Risk Assessment Guidance, and the
18 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
Aquatic Sites Framework, and how they can be linked to LTM. This session will address project management of LTM under the FCSAP program and highlight the challenges posed by a wide range of sites that include remote and high arctic sites, and contaminated sediments. Using case studies, this session will challenge participants in the application of the LTM Guidance and provide key factors to consider in the development of LTM plans. The key focus will be to present scientific guidance and a framework for developing an LTM plan that is capable of achieving site closure, where possible.
Integration of Sustainable Development into Contaminated Sites Management Sylvain Hains, Golder Associates Ltd. Guillaume Carle, Golder Associates Ltd. LOCATION: Quebec
The objective of this professional development session is to introduce delegates to the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environment - into the contaminated sites field, building familiarity with the concept and how it can be applied to the planning of assessment, remediation or risk management projects. During this workshop, there will be a review of ongoing work in Canada, the United States and Europe, in regard to both tools and relevant references. The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Sustainable Development tool will be presented in detail. Finally, contracting processes that can be employed to implement these types of approached will also be discussed.
Monday, April 14, 2014 from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm may also be presented to provide a broader view on techniques that may be used to manage data on large or small projects.
Introduction to Soil, Air and Water Sampling Dr. Mahipal Jadeja, Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology LOCATION: Governor General I
This short course will provide an overview of procedures and protocols for soil, air and groundwater sampling. It will familiarize the participants with the basic contemporary analytical methods for environmental analyses and will focus on instruments, tools and strategies for sampling soil, air and groundwater. This session will emphasize areas pertaining to type of sampling, data quality, sources of error and quality assurance/ quality control (QA/QC).
Included in the curriculum will be the following:
• Mechanisms of formation, properties, and processes occurring in the geosphere and atmosphere; • Contaminants’ nature, source and occurrence in the environment (soil, air, rain water, surface water, ground water) to determine sampling options; • Outline the principles and processes used for quantification of pollutants in the environmental laboratory; • The application of data validity requirements to create a sampling plan, including QA/QC constraints; • Use of essential tools, accessories, documentation, procedures and protocols for a successful field sampling project; and, • Sampling logistics for remote locations. Project Data Management Walter van Veen, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Bosco Lee, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Barb Worthington, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Alana Devanney, Public Works and Government Services Canada Belinda Campbell, Public Works and Government Services Canada Darko Poletto, Spatial Knowledge Engineering Inc LOCATION: Governor General II
The Project Data Management session will include presentations by groups responsible for data management on two major Federal Canadian remediation projects, the Enterprise Cape Breton Mine Closure program in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and the Port Hope Area Initiative Low Level Radioactive Waste Cleanup in Southern Ontario. Both projects feature 700 to 5,000 complex work sites that lend themselves to sophisticated data management techniques. To address this need, the projects have developed web-based geographical information, document management, document review and file sharing systems that support the implementation of the projects, and provide long-term repositories of the information. The two projects will be presented independently from each other to provide attendees with an understanding of the art of the possible. Presentations will be from a technical design and user perspective, to appeal to a broad audience, with presenters representing both disciplines. Technical presentations will consider hardware and software needs, cost, time commitment, data capacity, and user interfaces. User presentations will feature live demonstrations of facets of the sites and discussions of the sites features, capabilities and interfaces. Experiences from other sites
19 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY
Introduction to Estimating Remediation Liability for Federal Contaminated Sites Elaine Grout-Brown, CRMA LOCATION: Governor General III
Remediation liability for federal contaminated sites is reported annually in the Public Accounts of Canada. Developing an accurate estimate of remediation liability requires an application of tools and techniques from a number of disciplines, including: project costing; financial accounting; and scientific/technical expertise in contaminated sites management.
This workshop will introduce participants to current federal guidance for estimating remediation liabilities at federal contaminated sites. The session will address frequently asked questions and provide departmental best practices. Case studies and practical examples will reinforce the concepts in the guidance. This workshop will be directed to both financial officers and contaminated sites program staff recognizing that both functional areas play a role in developing remediation liability estimates.
Tool for Risk Assessment Validation and Site Closure Tool Natasha Corrin, Golder Associates Ltd. Andrew Henderson, Franz Environmental Inc. LOCATION: Newfoundland / Nova Scotia
Public Works and Government Services Canada and the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Secretariat at Environment Canada, supported by the science-based Expert Support Departments (Health Canada, Environment Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada), have developed a tool for site closure to provide a consistent federal approach. Environment Canada, in its Expert Support role, has developed a supporting tool to validate risk assessments conducted at federal contaminated sites where remediation and/or risk management activities are being undertaken. The intent of these spreadsheet based tools and associated guidance will be to assist federal custodians in providing quality assurance as the project progresses, ultimately culminating in the demonstration and the documentation that no further action is required at a federal site. This professional development session will provide delegates with a detailed understanding of the Tool for Risk Assessment Validation and the Site Closure Tool within FCSAP.
Climate Change Impacts on the Management of Federal Contaminated Sites Juraj M. Cunderlik, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates LOCATION: Quebec
Expert predictions highlight the potential for environmental impacts that may occur as a result of climate change, including, for example, changes to air temperature, sea levels, permafrost, and frequency of droughts, as well as changes in precipitation patterns and storm intensity. These environmental changes may be relevant with respect to contaminated sites that are in the early stages of assessment and remediation, and also for sites where remediation has been implemented and long-term operation, maintenance and monitoring is being performed.
Based on a guidance document developed under the direction of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Secretariat in 2012-2013, this training course aims to provide guidance for custodians and their consultants on considering climate change effects during the process of contaminated site management. This course will provide an opportunity for managers of sites that may have the potential to be affected by climate change to hear some practical examples showing how the potential impacts of climate change can be incorporated in the management of the sites for which they are responsible.
20 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP LUNCH KEYNOTES
PLENARY PRESENTATIONS Location: Provinces / Confederation I
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm The FCSAP Program: An Update on Progress and What’s Ahead Jeremy Anglesey1 and Clayton Truax2 1Environment Canada 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
This presentation will provide an update on program progress, key accomplishments and next steps of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP). Details will be provided on: 1) status of sites in the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory; 2) progress on assessment and remediation activities; 3) forecasted FCSAP potential demand for private sector support on contaminated sites; 4) new guidance, training and tools; and 5) a look forward.
Jeremy Anglesey, Environment Canada Jeremy Anglesey is the Acting Unit Head of the FCSAP Secretariat at Environment Canada. He has been involved with the FCSAP program since its beginning in 2005, first as a custodian at DFO in Ontario before joining Environment Canada. His work at the FCSAP Secretariat includes program performance measurement, development of tools and guidance, and planning for FCSAP Phase III.
Clayton Truax, Public Works and Government Services Canada Clayton Truax is currently the Head of Expert Support for the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan within Public Works and Government Services Canada. In this role, he coordinates the development of project tools and training related to project management and sustainable/green/innovative remediation as well as the annual demand forecast; thus bridging the gap between the federal government and industry. Before joining the federal government in October 2001, Clayton worked as an environmental consultant for 12 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto and a masters in civil engineering from the University of Waterloo.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Luncheon Keynote: Accounting for Liabilities for Contaminated Sites in the Public Accounts of Canada Cindy Laprade, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
This presentation will highlight the Public Accounts of Canada accounting and reporting requirements related to contaminated sites for custodian departments in the federal government. The accounting and reporting requirements are based on the Public Sector Accounting Board Standard PS3260 – Liability for Contaminated Sites, which comes into effect on April 1, 2014, and relevant guidance issued by the Treasury Board Secretariat as part of the Financial Information Strategy (FIS) Manual. The presentation will include a discussion of Environmental Liabilities, Contingent Liabilities and Measurement Uncertainty, Recognition, Measurement and Disclosure Requirements.
Cindy Laprade, CMA, PFA, Office of the Comptroller General of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Cindy Laprade is a Certified Management Accountant and Public Finance Accountant. She works for the Office of the Comptroller General, Treasury Board Secretariat as a Senior Policy Analyst. Cindy is responsible for the interpretation and application of accounting standards related to Environmental Liabilities and Tax Revenue. She reviews all amounts reported in the Public Accounts of Canada to ensure amounts reported conform to Canadian Public Sector Accounting Standards.
21 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM A - MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM A - MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
LOCATION: Provinces / Confederation I 9:00 am - 9:30 am Risk-based Prioritization of Restoration Projects in the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program at the Chalk River Laboratory Jerel Nelson, Mike Kruzic, Mark Morton and Ian Bainbridge WorleyParsons Canada
Chalk River Laboratory (CRL), in Ontario, Canada, has over 359 restoration projects currently in the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program (NLLP), including 275 facility decommissioning projects and 94 environmental remediation projects (including large waste management areas), to be remediated at an estimated cost of $5.7B over the next 70 years. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) conducted prioritization of the CRL projects, utilizing the WorleyParsons Sequencing Unit Prioritization and Estimating Risk Model (SUPERmodel) to ensure that all stakeholder concerns are being addressed appropriately. Each project has multiple considerations that need to be addressed during prioritization.
As part of the risk-based prioritization process, AECL considered three risk factors: 1) health, safety, security and environmental (HSSE), 2) programmatic, and 3) economic, and the following risk parameters: radiological contamination, non-radiological contamination, proximity to surface water, proximity to public, condition, technical feasibility, experience and knowledge, complexity, uncertainty, conformance, maintenance costs/long-term monitoring costs, and rough order-of-magnitude cost estimates. Projects were evaluated against these risk parameters and assigned risk values accordingly. Where information was not available, default values were used based on hazard assessments, contamination zones, or other identifiable conditions. Risk parameters were weighted relative to the other parameters within the three risk factors. Risk factors were weighted relative to each other via use of scoring schemes. Multiple scoring schemes were defined that addressed differing concerns of key groups, organizations, and stakeholders by placing more emphasis on certain risk factors. A composite risk score and risk ranking value were assigned for each project, which facilitated development of a prioritized list of all NLLP liabilities.
This prioritization process makes use of the SUPERmodel which was previously used for large-scale site prioritization and sequencing of facility decommissioning and environmental restoration projects for nuclear liabilities, with existing operations, at nuclear laboratories in the United States. The process included development and vetting of risk matrices as well as confirmation/validation of project risks. Detailed sensitivity studies were also conducted to understand the impacts of weighting and influence of each risk parameter on prioritization. The repeatable prioritization process yielded an objective, risk-based and technically defendable process for prioritization that gained concurrence from all stakeholders, including Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) who are responsible for the oversight of the NLLP. It also allowed for additional perspectives to be considered. The SUPERmodel also performs optimization and sequencing of prioritized projects that may be performed during the next phase of the CRL project and provide maintenance reduction, footprint reduction, waste generation, and risk reduction forecasts.
9:30 am - 10:00 am AMEC Experience with Post-Fukushima Characterization and Remediation in Japan Steven D. Rima AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
The March 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, often referred to in Japan as Higashi Nihon Daishinsai and also known as the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, caused severe damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Facility on Japan’s east coast in Fukushima Prefecture. The damage to the reactors resulted in the release of airborne radioactive material, resulting in the evacuation of approximately 1,300 square kilometres, now referred to as the Special Decontamination Area.
Since late 2011, AMEC has been assisting with characterization and remediation of areas inside and outside the Special Decontamination Area through deployment of its Orion ScanSort and ScanPlot technologies. This presentation will focus on AMEC’s experience in Japan with characterization of land (schools, agriculture, etc.) remediation, lessons learned and path forward.
22 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM A - MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
10:30 am - 11:00 am The Port Hope Area Initiative – Canada’s Largest Low Level Radioactive Waste Cleanup Gets Underway Walter van Veen1, Dave Smith1, Dave Lawrence2 and Jimi Arey2 1Atomic Energy of Canada Limited 2Public Works Government Services Canada
The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) involves the cleanup of the by-products of the processing of pitch blend from the North West Territories for the refinement of uranium and radium between 1932 and 1988 by the former crown corporation Eldorado Nuclear Limited. It is the largest clean-up of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) ever undertaken in Canada. The PHAI is located in Port Hope and Clarington, two adjacent Ontario communities on Lake Ontario approximately 100 kilometres to the east of Toronto, and is functionally divided into two projects known as the Port Hope Project and the Port Granby Project. The PHAI scope includes the removal and management of an estimated 1.7 million cubic metres of contaminated material and its consolidation within two new waste management facilities, one in each community, in the form of above-ground, engineered containment mounds.
With a budget of approximately $1.28 billion, the PHAI includes a broad and complex range of remedial elements including two state of the art water treatment plants and two engineered waste management facilities, one for each of the two projects as waste is not permitted to cross municipal boundaries.
The Port Hope Project includes the transfer of approximately 450,000 cubic metres of marginally contaminated LLRW soil to an adjacent waste management facility, the removal of 52,000 cubic metres of LLRW impacted municipal solid waste from a closed landfill as well as the temporary removal of 135,000 cubic metres of municipal solid waste to expose the LLRW impacted material, removal of wastes from 12 major LLRW sites (151,000 cubic metres) and five non-LLRW industrial sites (51,000 cubic metres), dredging of 110,000 cubic metres of sediment, the radiological investigations of all 5,000 properties in the community and the remediation where required of an estimated 425 small scale properties. This work will take place within the footprint of an urbanized area requiring high level of community engagement and care.
The Port Granby project is located approximately 14 kilometres west of Port Hope in the adjacent Municipality of Clarington. The existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility contains an estimated 375,000 cubic metres of LLRW and contaminated soil consisting of uranium refinery process wastes such as limed raffinate, magnesium and calcium fluoride based sludges and by-products, ammonium nitrate. Additionally, there are contaminated industrial wastes, miscellaneous drummed materials, and purportedly, unusual items such as a number of compressed gas cylinders, large box filtration units, possibly a concrete truck mixing drum and a small road vehicle to contend with. These materials will be moved from their current position adjacent to Lake Ontario approximately 700 m north to an upland engineered mound where they will be secure from coastal erosion.
The projects are currently in a state of rapid build up of activity as they transition from planning and design to construction. The designs for the major sites are complete, the construction of the two waste water treatment plants are underway and the investigations of 450 small scale properties are be near to completion. Within the next year tendering and construction will commence on preliminary works on the Port Hope Long-term Waste Management Facility (LTWMF) site. In this same period tenders will be released for the construction of the Port Hope and Port Granby Long-term Waste Management Facilities and the remediation of up to 13 sites in Port Hope, starting in 2016. In 2014 the investigations and remediation planning, where required, at 800 properties will commence, followed by 1,250 properties in each of the next three years. Following opening of the LTWMF in 2016, remediation will commence at the community sites with an expected completion date of 2021.
This presentation will discuss the status of the Port Hope Project and the Port Granby Project in terms of licenses received, designs completed, and sets out the scope and schedule for the remaining studies, engineering designs and remediation contracts.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Protecting Lake Ontario – Wastewater Treatment for the Remediated Low-level Radioactive Waste Management Facility Till Freihammer1, Jimi Arey2, Barb Chaput1 and Blair Greenly1 1AECOM 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Port Granby Project is part of the larger Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI), a community-based program for the development and implementation of a safe, local, long-term management solution for historic low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) and marginally contaminated soil.
The Port Granby Project involves the excavation, relocation and remediation of up to 0.43 million cubic meters of waste from the existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility (WMF), inland approximately 700 m to a new long-term waste management facility (LTWMF) consisting of an engineered mound, all located in the Municipality of Clarington, Ontario.
23 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM A - MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
Location of the New and Existing Port Granby Waste Management Facility
The LLRW is the result of radium and uranium refining and process activities by a former federal Crown Corporation and its private sector predecessors. The LLRW contains residues, contaminated equipment and other waste materials discarded or used during construction and landscaping activities. The LLRW contains radium-226, uranium, arsenic, nitrate, ammonia and other contaminants of potential concern (COPC) in various proportions.
The project scope for the LTWMF includes onsite physical systems, buildings and infrastructure and a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The plant is designed to treat wastewater consisting of contaminated surface run off and leachate generated during the site remediation process at the Port Granby WMF.
Numerous factors will influence the wastewater flows and influent loads to the WWTP during remediation and the contaminants will change as they become exposed to the atmosphere.
The water treatment combines biological treatment with chemically assisted process stages supported by membrane separation. The residuals treatment combines multiple waste streams and reduces solids volumes to a minimum.
The treatment sequence is comprised of the following processes: equalization to minimize impacts from hydraulic peaks, fine screening, membrane bioreactor technology, and reverse osmosis followed by residuals treatment including lime precipitation, thickening, dewatering, evaporation, drying, and packaging for disposal.
This presentation will give an overview of the key project stages, the wastewater treatment process concept and its design aspects. The overall water treatment concept has been tested in a six-month pilot study in which contaminant removal rates were monitored and optimized. Some of the results are presented in this presentation.
The presentation will also include information related to the ongoing WWTP’s construction and early start up phase, which is currently scheduled for early 2014. Start up and commissioning will extend over several months. Remediation of the Port Granby WMF will begin once the new WWTP is in operation.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Port Hope Project Historical File Review – Are There Things We Could Do Better? Lauren McDonald1, David McClellan1, Lucy Zhang1, Mitra Saidi2, Viktors Kulnieks2 and John Benson3 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Public Works and Government Services of Canada 3Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
The historical deposition of uranium refining wastes and re-use of radiologically contaminated building materials has resulted in low-level radiological contamination of several properties within the Port Hope community. Since the mid-1970s, radiological investigation of most community properties has been documented, and the results contained within radiological property files (RPFs) that are maintained by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) for each municipal address. These RPFs contain a variety of information useful in determining the likelihood that a property is, or is not, impacted by radiological wastes.
In preparation for the cleanup and local, long-term safe management of historic low-level radioactive waste in the Port Hope area, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Natural Resources Canada and AECL have embarked upon a process to investigate each property. Beginning with a review of the RPF, a work plan will be prepared for each property which includes non-intrusive (i.e., gamma surveys) and intrusive investigations (e.g., borehole drilling, soil sampling and analyses) to document property conditions.
24 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM A - MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
With over thirty-five years of historical records for most properties, summarizing and consolidating data from over 4,800 RPFs in a consistent and relevant form was a daunting task. Ranging in volume from as few as six pages to well over 1,000 pages, few property files were the same. Each page of every file needed to be read and interpreted to identify the possible presence/absence of radiological contamination and ultimately to justify recommendations for intrusive investigations necessary to confirm property conditions. Where appropriate, these investigations were targeted to investigate issues of concern identified through the file review.
The investigative program is now well underway, with most historical file reviews complete, and the first 450 sites surveyed. The work to date has identified a number of opportunities to refine the survey, verification and remediation programs - changes that will lend value to the process, and help to focus program expenditures where they will bring best value. This presentation will discuss the file review, site verification and site remediation processes currently in place, and discuss those areas where review at this early stage could yield benefits to the overall clean up and management program.
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lessons Learned During Remediation of More Than 4,000 Properties in Grand Junction, CO, USA John E. Elmer The S.M. Stoller Corporation
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed the remediation of more than 4,000 properties in the Grand Junction, Colorado area. The 4,000 properties were contaminated with radioactive uranium mill tailings as a result of milling operations conducted for the U.S. government during the 1950s and 1960s. The mill tailings were used by the community as backfill around structures and utilities and as a sand mixture in concrete and mortar. The U.S. Congress passed the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act in 1978 to authorize DOE to remediate and to permanently dispose of the radioactive mill tailings.
DOE and its contractors were tasked with planning, characterizing, designing the remedy, and remediating the 4,000 residences and businesses. Types of remediation involved simple sidewalks to relocating government facilities (e.g., the city police department) to remove contaminated concrete and soils. Some of the key aspects of managing a program of that size and complexity and lessons learned are described below.
The management structure for the 15-year-long project involving 4,000 properties and owners required use of tracking 26 milestones for each property. Functional groups such as land survey, radiological assessments, engineering, homeowner relations, procurement, construction, completion reports, and records were established to perform the work. In addition, special work groups were established to manage unique properties such as the college, police station, and landfills that did not meet the standardized approach. A detailed work-breakdown structure was developed for the project, and a cost schedule control system was used to track budgets and schedule.
Since the program involved remediation of industrial properties, managing hazardous substances and hazardous waste was critical to complete remediation. The types of wastes encountered included petroleum, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, lead (from batteries), medical waste, and more. Agreements were reached with the state and federal agencies to establish the protocols for safe handling and treatment, when necessary.
Numerous properties were remediated and still left with elevated radon daughter concentrations (RDC). A protocol was set up with regulators to perform further investigation and if no other contamination was found, conclude that the elevated RDC was due to naturally occurring conditions.
The regulations allowed radioactive materials to be left behind if justified through a process named supplemental standards. This was a major cost avoidance resulting in millions of dollars of savings for the DOE. However, after 15 years, it is obvious that the material left behind will be encountered sooner than anticipated through such projects as tearing down an electric power plant, redeveloping the Main Street shopping area, digging up utilities, and remodels of businesses and homes. Leaving a disposal cell open for management of tailings after the original program ended has allowed a cost-effective approach for the public to manage the tailings.
Records of past activities are a key aspect to preserving vital information to demonstrate at a later time what was remediated or left behind. Preserving the records through microfilm (then) or digital storage (today) is critical so that information can be retrieved for generations.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Talking About Low-level Radiation: Communicating Risk and Safety to the Public Alexandra Mahabir Port Hope Area Initiative, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) is a federal government environmental remediation underway in the municipalities of Port Hope and Clarington in southern Ontario, about 100 kilometres east of Toronto. The PHAI will clean up approximately 1.7 million cubic metres of historic low-level radioactive waste that resulted from the radium and uranium refining processes from the 1930s to the 1980s of Eldorado Nuclear – a
25 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM A - MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
former Crown Corporation – and its private sector predecessors.
About 50 people a month visit the PHAI Management Office seeking information about the project. Visitors range from people considering moving to the area or starting a local business to those looking to increase their knowledge about the PHAI. At some point during their visit, they are likely to hear or read the PHAI’s flagship statement: “The purpose of the Port Hope Area Initiative is the cleanup and safe, long-term management of historic low-level radioactive waste in the municipalities of Port Hope and Clarington, leaving an honourable legacy for future generations.”
Although this statement provides reassurance and confidence, it is clear that “radioactive” is the only word that resonates with some people, and that the context provided by the term “low-level” is negated by a perception of radiation based on misinformation or a complete lack of information. Unaware that we live on a naturally radioactive planet or unfamiliar with the distinctions between the risks associated with low, intermediate and high-level radiation, they respond with fear and mistrust – fear for their safety and mistrust of the information being provided to them. The learning curve that takes them from information deficit to an understanding of background radiation is very steep.
The challenge in communicating radiation lies in conveying scientific data in a way that is relevant to an individual’s context. To do so, the communicator must first determine the internal and external factors that influence the person’s perception of risk related to radiation, factors such as heightened sense of worry for the health of children, belief that all radiation can lead to a Fukushima-type event, and mistrust of the mainstream scientific community. Then the communicator must provide clear, accurate information that addresses the person’s concerns while taking into account those influences.
Effectively communicating health risks can be essential to the success of a remediation project. This presentation will highlight the approaches used by the PHAI Management Office to provide people with the knowledge they need so that they can assess risk for themselves and their families, empowering them to make an informed decision.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Broad Environmental Impacts and Risks to Workers for the Remediation of an Abandoned Uranium Mine in Northern Saskatchewan David Sanscartier, Susan MacWilliams, Monique Wismer and Ian Wilson Saskatchewan Research Council
The remediation of abandoned uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan will deliver benefits such as the protection of public health and minimization of ecological risks associated with radionuclide-impacted sites. However, given the scale of the remediation activities planned and the remoteness of the sites, the project has the potential to cause negative environmental impacts. As an established tool, life cycle assessment (LCA) can be used to estimate the overall environmental impact of the remediation options being considered extending beyond the limits of the contaminated land. As such, its application can contribute to sustainable remediation efforts. Remediation of remote sites poses additional risks to site workers travelling back and forth over long distances, which are seldom considered. Their examination as a social variable to sustainability ensures a more rounded analysis.
The current study had two main objectives: (1) to examine the broad environmental impacts of remediation options being considered at an abandoned uranium mine site (the site); and, (2) to estimate risks from working at and traveling to the site for workers.
A screening LCA compared the environmental effects of options for the remediation of 2.7 million m3 of waste rock and 2.4 million m3 of mine pit water contaminated with radionuclides. Activities such as material production (e.g., peat, steel), transportation, machinery operations, and water treatment were modeled using specialized LCA software. Five environmental impact categories were examined including climate change and non-renewable resource use. Two types of risk to site workers were estimated using statistical data: occupational health and safety risk from environmental and civil engineering work at the site and risk of fatalities during air travel to the remote location.
The overall environmental burden of the remediation options examined ranged widely. The options involving dewatering the mine pit in two years and relocating the waste rock into the mine pit had higher overall impacts than the alternative to cover the waste rock with clean soil and to continuously treat the mine pit effluents for 100 years. The break-even duration when the scores of the two options become equivalent is approximately 180 years, which provides insight on the potential impacts of water treatment in perpetuity that may be required at the site given the type of contamination (i.e., radionuclides). The options involving the relocation of the waste rock posed the most risk to the safety of workers. The risks of air accidents (estimated probability of up to 0.7 fatality over the course of the remediation project) were estimated to be up to five orders of magnitude greater than the acceptable incremental lifetime cancer risk at contaminated sites (1 in 1,000,000). The two types of risks are not directly comparable, but their comparison put the risks associated with travel to a remote site into perspective. Although there are uncertainties and limitations associated with such analyses, they can be useful to inform internal decision-making, help identify the activities contributing most to the overall impacts, and steer design and improvement efforts.
26 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM B - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM B - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
LOCATION: Governor General I 9:00 am - 9:30 am Integrated Plume Treatment with Persulfate Oxidation and Sulfate Reduction Mahsa Shayan1, Neil R. Thomson1, James F. Barker1, Ramon Aravena1, Daniel Hunkeler2, Eugene Madsen3, John W. Molson4 and Tim Buscheck5 1University of Waterloo 2Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland 3Cornell University 4Laval University 5Chevron Energy Technology Company
Background/Objectives: The coupling or sequential use of different remediation technologies combines the strengths of each individual technology to improve treatment performance. The sequential use of in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) and enhanced bioremediation (EBR) is an example of a treatment train approach. The notion behind a persulfate-based ISCO/EBR treatment train is that it could potentially combine the aggressive nature of persulfate ISCO in the source zone with the long-term efficiency of subsequently enhanced sulfate reduction in both the source zone and downgradient plume. The primary objective of this research effort was to develop a better understanding of the characteristics of a coupled persulfate ISCO/EBR treatment train by executing a carefully monitored pilot-scale field experiment. A modelling tool was also developed to simulate the interacting processes involved in the treatment train.
Approach/Activities: The pilot-scale field experiment was conducted at the University of Waterloo Groundwater Research Facility at the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden near Alliston, Ontario, Canada. A dissolved plume of specific PHC compounds was generated using a diffusive source. Emerging environmental molecular diagnostics (EMDs) tools, including compound-specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) and molecular biology tools (MBT) have been used along with the conventional data (e.g., hydrogeological data, chemical, and geochemical data), to better characterize the mass removal processes involved in a coupled treatment train.
The BIONAPL/3D model (Molson & Frind, 2013) has been selected as the basis for developing a numerical modelling tool to simulate a persulfate-based ISCO/IBR treatment train. Key processes captured in the modified model (BIONAPL/PS) include density-dependent advective-dispersive transport, persulfate decomposition, and chemical oxidation of dissolved petroleum hydrocarbon compounds by persulfate and sulfate-reducing biodegradation.
Simulations using the enhanced model were used to help design a proposed laboratory column experiment, which in turn generated data to determine the chemical and biological reaction rates and to validate the enhanced BIONAPL/PS model.
Results/Lessons Learned: In this presentation we will present the design of the pilot-scale field experiment, and the results from extensive field monitoring and data analysis. Also, the key attributes of the modified model are described and the simulation results will be presented and discussed.
9:30 am - 10:00 am Phytoremediation of Petroleum and Salt Impacted Soils: Successfully Meeting Generic Tier 1 Standards and Making Green Technologies Work Dr. Bruce Greenberg1, Xiao-Dong Huang1, 2, Scott Liddycoat1, 2, Greg MacNeill1, 2, Peter Mosley1, 2 and Perry Gerwing3 1Department of Biology, University of Waterloo 2Waterloo Environmental Biotechnology 3Earthmaster Environmental Strategies Inc.
We have successfully developed and implemented advanced phytoremediation systems for removal of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), PAHs, and salt from soils. The plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) enhanced phytoremediation systems (PEPS) we deploy, provide large amounts of root biomass in impacted soils, which promotes growth of rhizosphere microorganisms. The root and rhizosphere biomass facilitate rapid partitioning of contaminants out of the soil, and their subsequent uptake and metabolism by microbes and plants. PEPS result in degradation of PHCs in soil and large amounts of biomass for sequestration of salt into plant foliage. We have performed several full-scale
27 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM B - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
deployments of PEPS. PEPS, when implemented by properly trained personnel, lead to aggressive plant growth on poor quality, contaminated soils. The result is PHC and salt remediation to Tier 1 standards. Not only are these ‘green’ solutions for remediation of impacted sites, but the costs for PEPS are less than half the costs associated with landfill disposal. From 2007 to 2012, we utilized PEPS at 19 sites in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec for PHC remediation. At all sites, we achieved ~ 35 % remediation per year of PHC from soil (CCME fractions 2, 3 and 4). At seven sites, we have met Tier 1 standards, and at the remaining 12 sites, we are well on our way to achieving remediation goals within a two to three year treatment period. We are now refining CCME PHC analytical methods to make phytoremediation and other ‘green’ in-situ remediation techniques more efficient. Our work shows that PEPS is broadly deployable at a wide variety of PHC impacted sites (including sites that have barite as a co-contaminant), with a time frame of only two to three years to complete remediation. Beginning in 2009, we initiated full-scale deployments of PEPS at ten salt impacted sites in Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. PGPR greatly enhanced plant growth on the salt impacted soils, allowing good plant growth on soils with ECe’s up to 25 dS/cm. Furthermore, the plants (both grasses and cereals) take up sufficient amounts of salt to make phytoremediation feasible. Notably, we have already achieved salt remediation to regulatory targets at two of the sites. The advanced ‘green’ PEPS technologies described above are based on procedures that have been scientifically proven and are effective at full field-scale levels when deployed by highly trained scientists.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Case Study: The New Science Centre Project, TELUS World of Science Design Optimization of an Active Sub Slab Depressurization System to Mitigate Vapour Intrusion (VI) of Methane Gas from a Former City of Calgary Landfill Sean Ezekiel, Beth McReynolds and Randy Pennell AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
As part of the development permit application for the TELUS World of Science’s New Science Centre 2011 Project in Calgary, Alberta, AMEC prepared an environmental management plan (EMP) to manage the environmental impacts related to historical landfilling operations conducted at the site.
The building is constructed on top of a portion of the former Nose Creek Landfill which has been used for landfilling operations since the early 1920s. Landfilling operations along the western half of the Nose Creek Valley used the existing low-lying areas, specifically the meanders and oxbows of Nose Creek, for waste receptacles.
AMEC was retained to complete the TELUS World of Science’s application to the City of Calgary and Alberta Environment (AENV) to waive the minimum landfill setback distance (300 m) between the former landfill and the new science centre. As part of that application, environmental management controls were implemented, as part of the EMP, including removal of a surface waste pile prior to construction; and characterization, segregation and off-site removal of any waste debris encountered during earthwork activities. The site is located in the flood fringe of the Nose Creek valley and required the importation of approximately two metres of fill across the site to raise the surface elevation to an acceptable level for construction. The site required mitigative measures to address the methane gas issues associated with the construction and demolition (C&D) waste materials buried beneath the site, as well as the potential for methane migration from the municipal solid waste (MSW) materials present beneath the adjacent property to the south.
This presentation will focus on the building control technologies used to mitigate vapour intrusion (VI) into site facilities. These technologies include the installation of an active subslab depressurization (SSD) system, utility gas migration controls, and continuous building methane detection. Active SSD is an effective engineering control to reduce indoor air concentrations and protect building occupants. SSD systems work with the general principal of altering the pressure differential across the base slab in order to prevent vapours from entering the occupied space of the building.
The design, commissioning and operational requirements for typical SSD systems will be discussed along with an exploration of how implementing additional design optimization technologies can maximize energy efficiency, reduce gas emissions, and offer cost savings to our clients. This presentation will also discuss the role sustainable initiatives such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) play in influencing the type of remediation technologies used for brownfield developments.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Full-Scale In-situ Electrical Resistive Heating Used for the Remediation of a DNAPL Source Zone Thomas H. Grimminck and Sean L. Salvatori Dillon Consulting Limited
Electrical resistive heating (ERH) is an in-situ technology used to heat soil and groundwater coupled with aggressive multi-phase extraction for the remediation of volatile organic compound (VOC) and DNAPL source zones. This presentation provides highlights on the first full-scale application of this technology in Canada at the former Outboard Marine Corporation of Canada (OMC Canada) industrial facility in Peterborough,
28 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM B - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
Ontario. The presentation includes an overview of the remediation design, remediation processes, interim progress monitoring, post-remediation compliance monitoring of soil and groundwater and a discussion of lessons learned on the project.
The OMC Canada site was the location of a 1,250 m2 source zone located beneath the floor of a warehouse. The source zone contained trichloroethylene-DNAPL throughout the soil column with accumulations of over 30 cm of DNAPL at the aquifer-aquitard interface. The ERH remediation was successful in removing over 2,000 kg of DNAPL and reducing soil and groundwater concentrations of trichloroethylene by greater than 99% from their pre-remediation levels. There has been no occurrence of DNAPL noted in the remediation zone since the end of active remediation, and two years after the end of remediation the concentrations of trichloroethylene in soil and groundwater are stable and below the remedial targets.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Heat Enhanced Extraction to Treat Oil, Creosote or Tar Contaminated Sites Yvo Veenis, Groundwater Technology
In this presentation, we will outline, compare, and discuss results from multiple projects where petroleum hydrocarbons have been removed effectively from soil and groundwater, using heat enhanced extraction techniques.
Results from five full-scale operational projects implemented in Europe at industrial, urban residential and brownfield sites will be shown and discussed. We will present the results of the first heat enhanced extraction project in Ontario, demonstrated on the Greenwich Mohawk site in Brantford. The site geology varies widely, from fine sand with clay and peat to coarse sand. We will show how excellent results can be achieved even in low permeability soils.
Wood processing industries (where timber was cut and treated), as well as railroad sleeper conservation sites, are often severely contaminated with creosote tars. These compounds are next-to-impossible to remediate using pump and treat or soil vapour extraction. Once the soil is heated, the oil moves freely and is easily drawn towards the extraction wells. In a matter of a few weeks a couple of months, a site can be remediated effectively. After heat-enhanced extraction, biological remediation is implemented to polish residual concentrations.
We will show how these in-situ remediation technologies are implemented underneath existing infrastructure (factories, roads, even residential homes).
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm In-situ Application of Biochar to Immobilize Residual Soil Contaminants in Place: An Innovative Site Closure Strategy Barbara A. Zeeb1, Mackenzie J. Denyes1 and Allison Rutter2 1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada 2School of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University
The use of carbon amendments such as activated carbon (AC) and biochar to immobilize contaminants in-situ is gaining in popularity. To date, most studies have focused on AC and there is less data available for biochar (a carbon rich by-product produced from the thermal decomposition of organic matter under low oxygen concentrations), which is a greener more cost-effective material. In addition, biochar has traditionally been used to improve soil quality and hence increase crop yields, and also sustainably sequester atmospheric carbon. In a series of greenhouse and in-situ field experiments conducted at a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated site in southern Ontario, AC and biochar significantly reduced PCB uptake into plants and soil invertebrates. In addition, biochar amended to industrial PCB-contaminated soil increased both aboveground plant (Cucurbita pepo) biomass, and worm (Eisenia fetida) survival rates. Similar experiments are currently underway in a Canadian national park contaminated with dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and these will also be reported on. It appears that biochar has significant potential to serve as a mechanism to decrease the bioavailability of contaminants in soil, reducing the risk these chemicals pose to environmental and human health, and at the same time improve soil quality and decrease CO2 emissions.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm A Field Study on the Limitations of ISCO Applications Rick McGregor1 and Steven Rose2 1InSitu Remediation Services Ltd. 2Malroz Engineering Inc.
The application of in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) for treating contaminants within groundwater and soil has matured with ISCO being used to address numerous compounds including petroleum, chlorinated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons over the past decade. The understanding
29 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM B - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
of how contaminants are oxidized using a variety of oxidants is fairly well understood and demonstrated. However, a large percentage of ISCO programs result in incomplete remediation of soil and groundwater. Numerous reasons have been suggested for this incomplete remediation including choice of oxidant, method of activation (if applicable), concentration and volume of oxidant applied, scavenging by other compounds and poor delivery.
In order for ISCO to be effective, the oxidant must come into contact with the contaminant. Site specific factors such as geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, contaminant distribution, etc. play important roles in controlling the design of any successful ISCO program. Very few studies, including investigations of oxidant distribution, have been completed in the field to look at why ISCO remedial programs have had mixed success.
A review of the literature combined with a detailed field study was conducted to gather data on the limitations of ISCO programs. This work comprised a detailed field study of the effect of various injection and delivery methods for three common oxidants; persulphate, percarbonate and hydrogen peroxide. The effect of the oxidant type and delivery method on the distribution and persistence of the oxidant within the subsurface was also examined. Delivery methods examined for each oxidant included changes in pressure and pulsing. The results of the study indicated that the pressure of oxidant delivery had a significant impact on the distribution whereas pulsing had little measurable effect at the site tested. The persistence of the oxidants were also evaluated and a large variability in persistence was noted between the three oxidants with percarbonate existing the longest within the subsurface followed by activated persulphate and hydrogen peroxide. These results suggest that the choice of oxidant and delivery method are key design parameters for any in-situ remedial program.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Mitigation of PCB Using Permeable Reactive Barrier Technology at Resolution Island, Nunavut From 2005 to 2013 Allison Rutter, Indra Kalinovich, R.Kerrey Rowe, Daniel Jones, Natalie Plato and Stephen Hooey Analytical Services Unit, School of Environmental Studies, Queens University GeoEngineering Centre at Queen’s-RMC and Department of Civil Engineering, Queen’s University Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
The three permeable reactive barriers (PRB) at Resolution Island, Nunavut were installed in 2005 and 2006 and are a novel remediation technology developed to deal with surface runoff of PCBs at the site. PRBs have previously been developed for ground water contaminated with PCBs but these barriers are unique in that they are designed to deal with surface sediments as well as surface runoff containing PCBs (Kalinovich et al, 2012, 2008 and 2007). The barriers were required because the fractured bedrock at Resolution Island contained soils contaminated at Tier I (PCBs concentrations between 1 and 5 ppm), Tier II (PCB concentrations between 5 and 49 ppm) and CEPA (PCB concentrations at or above 50 ppm) levels. These soils could not be accessed during excavation of the PCB contaminated soils. In addition certain areas containing soils contaminated with PCBs at the CEPA level were inaccessible due to the steep inclines present on site. Eight years later, the barriers continue to function very well and are mitigating the migration of PCBs. This talk will describe the construction of the PRBs and results of the long term follow up from 2006 to 2013; the successful capture the PCB contaminant sediment and the stability of the geotextiles used. Current plans for decommissioning the barriers at Resolution Island will also be presented.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Treating a Mixture of cVOCs Contaminated Groundwater Using Nano Zerovalent Iron Hardiljeet K. Boparai and Denis M. O’Carroll Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University
Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) are amongst the most prevalent groundwater contaminants found at numerous hazardous sites throughout the world. Given their pervasive contamination, severe health effects and the low drinking water guidelines, there is considerable interest in removing these cVOCs from contaminated sites before they reach drinking water sources. Nano zerovalent iron (nZVI), a promising technology, is being successfully used to treat a variety of organic and inorganic contaminants. Nano iron particles are particularly attractive for remediation purposes due to their significant surface area to weight ratio leading to a greater density of reactive sites and contaminant removal capacity. Although extensive research has investigated the removal of various cVOCs in single contaminant systems (e.g., Trichloroethylene) by nZVI, comparatively little research has studied the treatment of groundwater contaminated by a mixture of cVOCs using nZVI. The overall objective of this study is to assess the efficiency of nZVI to remove a mixture of cVOCs in groundwater samples from an actual contaminated site in Australia. Both carboxymethylcellulose coated nZVI (CMC-nZVI) and palladium catalyzed CMC-nZVI (Pd-CMC-nZVI) were able to significantly remove a wide range of cVOCs including chlorinated-ethenes, ethanes as well as methanes. Pd-CMC-nZVI was found to remove greater amounts of cVOCs at much faster rates than CMC-nZVI. There was no noticeable removal of 1,2-dichloroethane and dichloromethane by both nZVI types even at higher doses. The nZVI solutions turned from jet black to greenish white after four weeks of reaction, indicating that the zerovalent iron was completely utilized in the removal of cVOCs. These results suggest that nZVI can be successfully used to treat groundwater contaminated with a mixture of cVOCs.
30 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM B - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Surfactant Flushing and Enhanced Remediation at a Remote Site in Northern BC Richard Wells1, Greg Frank1 and Raman Birk2 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
A remote site in northern BC is being remediated using a combination of surfactant flushing and enhanced bioremediation. The remedial approach utilizes a modified pump and treat system with a sub-surface reinjection bed and air injection using a blower. The surfactant is used to mobilize hydrocarbons while the recirculation system is used with countercurrent air injection to oxygenate the water as it percolates back down to the contaminated zone. Trends in contaminant loading and bioremediation markers are presented along with lessons learned, system modifications to support the remedial approach and techniques developed.
31 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM C - SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM C - SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION
LOCATION: Governor General II 9:00 am - 9:30 am Going Off the Deep End: Characterizing Deep Sediment in the Owen Sound Harbour Applying COA Framework and Risk Assessment Principles Renee Recoskie, Tony Walker and Tony Windsor Dillon Consulting Limited
As the ultimate receptor of contaminants from surface water runoff, and potentially effluent from industrial, agricultural, commercial and marine activities, the long-term accumulation of contaminants in aqueous sediments can pose potentially significant environmental issues. The retention of contaminants in aqueous sediments pose a threat to human health via ingestion of edible aquatic organisms where contam- inants have bioaccumulated over time and can have an overall negative impact on the ecological health of the ecosystem. The evaluation of contaminated sediment following an “ecosystem” approach in Canada has been prescribed in the Canada-Ontario Decision-Making Framework for Assessment of Great Lakes Contaminated Sediment (COA). While commonly applied for the evaluation of shallow sediment, the framework was applied to evaluate deeper sediment in the Owen Sound harbour (up to 3 metres below sediment surface). Deeper sediment characterization improved contaminant delineation, which allowed for more accurate quantification of contaminated sediment volumes, and provided a better understanding of contaminant distribution within the harbour. Additionally, accurate calculation of sediment volumes facilitated the planning of potential dredging activities that would significantly reduce the cost of sediment disposal compared to what would have been achieved using the traditional approach (Walker et al., 2013).
To achieve deeper sediment characterization, Dillon Consulting Limited applied novel sediment coring technology and methodologies to achieve spatio-temporal sediment contaminant delineation horizontally across the harbour floor and vertically throughout the sediment column. The use of vibracoring technology compared to other more traditional sediment sampling methods allowed for a wider range of sampling depths to be achieved, reduced sediment sample disturbance and was able to be rapidly deployed from a small vessel, translating to significant time and cost savings for the project. For the Owen Sound harbour, various contaminated sediment potential disposal options were explored based on accurate sediment characterization.
9:30 am - 10:00 am Aquatic Biomonitoring at CFB Gagetown Tamsin Laing1, Andy Smith2 and Viviane Paquin1 1Royal Military College of Canada 2Department of National Defence
Fifth Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown (5 CDSB Gagetown), near Fredericton, NB, is one of the largest military training facilities in Canada. The large-scale removal of vegetation, combined with an extensive road and trail infrastructure and the use of the area for army training activities, has resulted in excessive catchment erosion and increased the sediment input to local watercourses. To address these issues, a Sediment Erosion Control Plan (SECP) was developed that includes annual and long-term actions such as re-vegetation of sections of the training area, improvement or decommissioning of roads, trails and fords and re-engineering water crossings. An aquatic biomonitoring program using benthic macroinvertebrates to assess ecological conditions in watercourses at 5 CDSB Gagetown was initiated in 2003. Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) protocols were adopted for the program in 2008 and the Environmental Sciences Group (ESG) was brought on for the 2011 field season to work with 5 CDSB Gagetown to identify the optimal sampling design for the overall aquatic biomonitoring program. A hydrological model is also being developed for the main watershed draining the training area and provides complementary information for site management.
Since 2011, studies have included a GIS-based land use analysis, a statistical analysis of previous biomonitoring data and annual field sampling programs to assess the ecological status of biomonitoring sites. The land use analysis has aided in defining catchment-based measures of disturbance associated with training activities that can be used to prioritize areas for monitoring and SECP action. Statistical analyses on five years of monitoring data (2008 to 2012) indicated that differences in benthic assemblages amongst sites can be attributed mostly to natural factors, such as bedrock geology, but variables related to disturbance (e.g., number of upstream fords, substrate embeddedness) also explained a significant proportion of variation in the benthic assemblages. Use of the recently developed CABIN Atlantic reference condition approach model to assess benthic assemblages at the Gagetown monitoring sites indicates that the ecological status at sites with multiyear monitoring data has remained stable or improved over time, and that most sites are currently classified as “good” or “high” quality in relation to Atlantic reference condition.
32 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM C - SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION
The benthic monitoring program results to date suggest that mitigation activities undertaken through the SECP at 5 CDSB Gagetown have likely improved aquatic ecological conditions and appear to be effective at maintaining healthy benthic communities. Continued monitoring is needed to assess the effects of ongoing training activities on 5 CDSB Gagetown watercourses and identify existing or emerging water quality/habitat problems.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Factoring Stormwater Source Control and Natural Recovery into Long-term Risk Management Planning for Har- bour Sediment, Victoria, BC Mark Larsen1, Wendy Hovel1, Gary Watson2, Erin Shankie3 and Beth Lamoureux1 1Anchor QEA, LLC 2Transport Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
Sediments within the Lot 17 area of Victoria Harbour (BC) are managed by Transport Canada. Over the past several years, Transport Canada and Public Works Government Services Canada (PWGSC) have been evaluating the nature and extent of contaminated sediments within the Lot 17. These studies have included the recent completion of a human health and ecological risk assessment. These studies have also included evaluation of ongoing source inputs and natural recovery processes to understand the role of these processes in controlling contaminant concentration trends over time in sediments and harbour biota.
Ongoing stormwater source inputs were evaluated, and these were found to be significant particularly for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The most significant inputs were associated with a small number of stormwater outfalls located in current/former industrial areas. Contaminant loadings from stormwater outfalls were modelled to evaluate the significance of these inputs both to the aquatic food web, as well as to potential recontamination of harbour sediments. These studies have been useful to prioritize certain stormwater basins for coordinated source control work with the local municipality, in parallel with risk management planning for harbour sediments.
Natural recovery processes within the harbour have been quantified directly using sediment geochronology cores, and using trend analysis in sediments and tissues over time. Despite the presence of ongoing source inputs, natural recovery rates have been shown to be significant both for harbour sediments. The decreasing contaminant trends observed for sediment are also observed in harbour biota. Substantial reductions in PCB and dioxin/furan concentrations have been documented in the tissue of Dungeness Crab during over 20 years of biomonitoring. Evaluation of risk management options for the harbour sediments has considered ongoing monitored natural recovery and its benefits to further long-term risk reduction.
Ongoing remediation and risk management planning is focused on detailed options evaluation for a localized hot spot area within the harbour. For other harbour areas with low defined risks, risk management planning will include coordination of source control activities with the local municipality, and monitoring of recovery in sediment and tissue contaminant concentrations.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Assessing Propeller Wash Influence on Sediment Stability in Victoria Harbour, BC Kathy Ketteridge1, Gary Watson2, Erin Shankie3 and Mark Larsen1 1Anchor QEA, LLC 2Transport Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
Sediments within the portion of Victoria Harbour are managed by Transport Canada. These sediments have been the subject of numerous environmental investigations that have documented the presence of certain contaminants in Harbour sediment. The site location within the Harbour extends generally from the Selkirk Trestle north of the Upper Harbour to the Outer Harbour breakwater south of Ogden Point. As part of risk assessment activities for the site, a study was conducted to determine potential impacts to the benthic community and long-term sediment recovery within the site due to vessel-induced sediment disturbance and erosion. The objectives of the study included:
1. Develop understanding of vertical and horizontal extents of vessel disturbance to sediment bioactive zone: The upper bioactive zone in marine and estuarine sediments generally consists of the upper 5 to 10 centimetres of the sediment bed. The bioactive zone contains abundant benthic organisms that colonize the sediment and mix it through biological activity. These benthic communities can be disturbed by chemical contamination or through physical disturbance (e.g., propwash, anchor drag, or dredging). An understanding of the typical extent and depth of propwash forces within the Harbour helps to inform ongoing risk assessment activities, and to aid in the interpretation of sediment triad testing data (chemical, bioassay, and benthic community assessment data) for Lot 17.
2. Evaluate propwash impacts on natural recovery processes: The Harbour has been shown to be a depositional environment subject to ongoing sediment burial and natural recovery processes. However, in some locations and under certain conditions, propwash can
33 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM C - SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION
result in sediment scour events that can expose sediments otherwise buried beneath the sediment bioactive zone. Understanding the extent and depth of likely propwash helps to evaluate the potential for natural recovery processes to be effective at reducing sediment risks and contaminant levels over the long term. This information provides important inputs to risk assessment and risk management planning.
The following tasks were completed as part of the propwash evaluation:
• Local vessel operator interviews were conducted to evaluate typical operations within the study area; • Typical design vessels and operational areas within the site were defined for the study area based on results of interviews; • Surface sediments were characterized to evaluate the value and variability of critical shear stress of bottom sediments throughout the site; • Near-bottom velocities induced by propwash (based on typical design vessels and operations) were estimated; and, • Potential scour depths were estimated from predictions of near-bottom velocities.
The results of these evaluations were used to develop maps correlating vessel operations, erosion potential of bed sediments, and vertical scour depths throughout the site. This information was used to assist in interpretation of benthic community assessment data and develop a better understanding of the influences on the benthic community in Victoria Harbour. This presentation will provide a discussion of the how the evaluation was conducted, present the results, and provide an overview of the implications of study based on study objectives.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm NAPL Transport at Surface Water Interface and in Sediment Jeff Gentry CH2M HILL Canada Limited
Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) are liquids that are immiscible in water and include petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents and other products. Many of the industries that use these products are located near surface waters for proximity to water-based transportation. Releases of these products into the environment can cause migration of NAPL to surface water causing significant environmental impacts.
Once introduced into the environment, there are multiple mechanisms that move NAPL. In subsurface soil and sediment, NAPL is subject to gravity, capillary pressure and hydrodynamic forces. Gravity forces are driven by the density difference between the NAPL and groundwater. Capillary forces are the pressures resulting from surface tensions between the wetting and non-wetting fluids and solid particle surfaces. Hydrodynamic forces are driven by groundwater exerting pressure on the NAPL.
Another mechanism for NAPL transport is ebullition. Ebullition is the natural process whereby methane and other gases generated from biodegradation of organic matter in sediment are released from water bodies via gas bubbles. Hydrophobic NAPL droplets can coat the gas bubbles or is at times entrained within the bubble and then get carried to the water surface. Once on the surface, the bubbles either burst, creating a sheen, or remain on the surface until enough gas escapes to make the droplet more dense than water again and then it sinks to the sediment floor, thereby contaminating the sediment surface.
Identifying and measuring NAPL, assessing mobility and establishing remediation techniques is an evolving field that affects both small and mega sites and aquatic as well as upland sites. Specific techniques are available for identification and mapping of NAPL impacts in the subsurface environment. These include borehole laser-induced fluorescence and above ground resistivity mapping. Each of these techniques allows qualitative assessment of NAPL impacts in the subsurface environment but each has distinct advantages and disadvantages which are a function of site specific conditions.
Specific techniques have also been developed to determine the mobility of NAPL in soils and sediment. These tests can be beneficial to determine NAPL impacts that are potentially mobile and impacts that are residual where further migration would not be expected.
This presentation will present:
1. An overview of each of mechanisms relating to NAPL transport from upland source to sediment and surface water and in sediment; 2. Specific equations for each transport mechanism; 3. Techniques to identify NAPL impacts in the subsurface; and 4. NAPL mobtility assessments.
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1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Evolution of the approach of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Quebec Region regarding the classifica- tion of fishing harbour water lots. Daniel Laroche, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) owns more than 1,000 fishing harbours. Given the reduction in classification funds from the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan and the significant costs associated with the classification of water lots, DFO – Quebec Region (DFO-QR) has accelerated the classification of water lots over the last few years. Since 2010, DFO-QR has conducted detailed classifications of 14 water lots.
From 2010 to 2012, the majority of classified sites exceeded the applicable criteria and several bioassays were conducted. The results of the bioassays were not correlated with the concentrations of contaminants measured. The consultants had difficulties interpreting the results and their recommendation leaned to rehabilitation, a soil- rather than sediment-based approach. Statistical analyses showed that the impacts measured during the bioassays (mortality, reduced growth) were better correlated with parameters such as ammonia nitrogen and sulphurs rather than PAHs and metals.
The classifications carried out in 2012 were much more limited in terms of bioassays due to the changing criteria for decisions regarding whether or not bioassays need to be carried out. A second element that changed is the location of the samples gathered for the bioassays, being closer to the surrounding natural environment.
Several new documents were published by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan regarding the evaluation of sediment quality. The field studies carried out by MPO-RQ make it possible to judge those documents and orient future studies regarding the characterization of water lots.
The exposé will present some ambiguous results and classifications, as the statistical analyses help better explain these ambiguities, particularly regarding bioassays, and will describe the evolution of the DFO-RQ approach. Finally, the main lessons learned will be shared.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Developing an Environmental Monitoring Program for the Saint John Harbour Karen Kidd, Heather Hunt, Kelly Munkittrick, Marie-Josée Abgrall and Bryce Pippy Biology Department, University of New Brunswick
The Saint John Harbour, New Brunswick, is home to an oil refinery and several other industries, and is an active port with dredging to maintain the shipping channels. In addition to industrial discharges, this harbour also receives treated and untreated municipal wastewaters and runoff. Studies from the late 1970’s to early 2000’s showed elevated concentrations of some metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in sediments from sites within the Inner Harbour, and these “hotspots” were likely related to localized anthropogenic activities. Despite the range of previous studies that have been done, none have generated the information needed to identify appropriate reference sites and sampling strategies that are critical for setting thresholds and triggers for a regional monitoring framework. In addition, no recent data exist to understand the extent and magnitude of contaminants and their potential effects in benthic infauna using both community and population data. In the current study we are resampling priority sites in the Saint John Harbour to assess current metal and PAH concentrations and risks to benthic invertebrate communities and populations, sampling additional sites for which no data currently exist (especially reference locations) to establish baseline data for future monitoring programs, and to generate temporal and spatial information on sediment contaminants and macroinvertebrates in the Harbour. In 2011-13 surface sediment grabs were collected quarterly or bi-annually at six reference sites and nine suspected “hotspots” for both contaminant and macroinvertebrate analyses. Results to date show little seasonal variability in metals and PAHs at reference sites and few exceedances of CCME guidelines for marine sediments at all sites. Species richness and abundance of macroinvertebrate communities varied among sites and seasons and were highest in October and June, respectively. Populations of clams (Nucula proxima) and polychaetes (Nephtys incisa) were also variable among sites and dates but tended to have highest abundances and proportionally more of the smaller size classes in April and June. These data are being used to 1) establish baseline levels, 2) refine critical effects sizes needed to define a warning level, and 3) set an action level at which management strategies would need to change. In addition, the information will be used to design a long-term monitoring program for the Harbour that includes ideal reference sites, sampling methods (collection, frequency, handling of samples), and lab analyses (including quality assurance, detection limits).
35 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM C - SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Ecological Risk Assessment of Contaminated Sediments in Victoria Harbour – Framework for Decision-making Patrick Allard1, Norm Healey1, Gary Mann1, Cheryl Mackintosh1, Gary Watson2 and Erin Shankie3 1Azimuth Consulting Group Partnership 2Transport Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
Transport Canada manages a significant portion of the seafloor in Victoria Harbour, British Columbia (BC). Over the last decade, this portion of the harbour, known as Lot 17, has been the subject of numerous investigations in which areas of historical sediment contamination and associated risk were assessed. This presentation summarizes key conclusions of a multi-year ecological risk assessment (ERA) and reviews the potential implications of these conclusions for the risk management of contaminated sediments in Lot 17. In particular, we wish to emphasize the conceptual framework used to facilitate the evaluation of likely risk management actions in response to results of the ERA.
The Lot 17 ERA relied on a formal framework (see FCSAP ERA Guidance) and analytical process to evaluate potential adverse effects of chemicals to marine invertebrates, fish, and wildlife. This process involved a series of field investigations, analyses, and reports to understand the magnitude of potential impacts, their likely cause(s), and the degree of uncertainty associated with each risk prediction. Results of the ERA were also interpreted in light of other related studies conducted in the harbour. Furthermore, a series of yearly meetings were held with federal and provincial agencies (Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, BC Ministry of Environment) to review the status of the work and discuss next steps. Ultimately, findings of the ERA are meant to support decision-making by Transport Canada, and lead to the preparation of a remediation action plan/risk management plan (RAP/RMP).
Depending on the outcome of the ERA, a range of different management options may be considered by Transport Canada. These include: no action (if risks are deemed acceptable), further ERA studies (if uncertainty is too large), monitoring (if physical actions are not deemed necessary but risk predictions need to be verified in the long-term), and remediation (if physical actions are considered necessary for source/ pathway control). Regardless of the option (or combination of options) being contemplated, Transport Canada’s decision-making process ultimately needs to be guided by whether ecological risks and associated uncertainties are considered acceptable or not. In contrast to human health risk assessment, there are no clear, functional criteria established to distinguish acceptable from unacceptable ecological effects associ- ated with contaminated sediment in ERA. This is true from both a federal and provincial (at least in BC) perspective.
To assist Transport Canada in evaluating management options in Lot 17, the ERA conclusions for each receptor group were depicted in terms of risk (i.e., magnitude of contaminant-related impacts) and in terms of uncertainty (i.e., degree of confidence in the estimate of magnitude and cause of impact). These conclusions were then overlaid on the range of likely management options that might be considered under various scenarios. This approach allows for a transparent evaluation of the options available for each ERA conclusion and provides the risk manager with an opportunity to consider other information (outside of ERA) that might be important for decision-making (e.g., public perceptions and stakeholder expectations; potential operational and environmental impacts; and the cost, benefits, and feasibility of active risk management).
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Pilot Scale Test for Sustainable Remediation of Contaminated Sediment Tiana Robinson1, Tanya Shanoff1, Michael Charles1, Mike Greenhill2, Naz Ritchie2, Melissa Ryan3, Nick Gollan3 1Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2Region of Waterloo 3City of Kitchener
Stormwater management (SWM) facilities are designed to enhance quality and control quantity of urban stormwater runoff. Sediment impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals can often accumulate in these ponds. The cost to recover and dispose of contaminated sediment is becoming an increasing financial burden due to increased stringent regulations and limited alternatives for disposal of these impacted soils since contaminant levels are often higher than the concentration limits permitted by applicable guidelines and regulations. To date, only limited full scale application outside highly controlled laboratory conditions has been undertaken to study biodegradation of PAHs present in dewatered sediment. The City of Kitchener and the Region of Waterloo partnered to undertake a study of the beneficial reuse potential for sediments from SWM facilities and retained Stantec Consulting Ltd. (Stantec) to assess if recovered SWM pond sediment can be effectively remediated through a simple, low-cost process to promote sustainable re-use of these materials, instead of landfilling.
This session will present the results of the pilot-scale trials which involved the set-up of five separate stockpiles of dewatered sediment, from an online SWM facility on Schneider Creek in downtown Kitchener, to examine the effectiveness of blending the impacted sediment with compost feedstock to breakdown contaminants of concern during the compost cycle (which takes approximately six to nine months). Additional test cells were also constructed to assess the effects of differing amendments (nutrients) and tilling practices, such as increases in temperature and/or aeration on contaminant degradation rates over a two year period. Concentrations of PAHs, PHCs, and metals were analyzed for select indicator
36 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM C - SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION
parameters and treatment effectiveness trends in the test cells. Field trial data was also assessed to determine which pilot treatment methods are viable and provide cost effective solutions for managing impacted SWM facility sediments in the future. The evaluation included a review of degradation trends, comparison of final concentrations of target compounds compared with applicable standards/regulations, and a discussion of the social, economic, and environmental benefits of this management solution versus other potential solutions, such as thermal treatment and landfilling.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Application of a Risk Based Strategy during the Assessment of Small Craft Harbour Sites in British Columbia David Kettlewell1, Scott Moseley2, Dedar Boparai2, and Meredith Guest1 1SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is responsible for the environmental assessment and management of many coastal properties in the Pacific Region, including approximately 160 Small Craft Harbour (SCH) sites. In general, SCH sites tend to be remote and subsequent access for remediation is challenging given the associated costs, environmental impacts, and uncertain benets. However, a risk assessment approach can provide a cost effective alternative means to addressing the long-term risk management of these sites. The development of a risk-based strategy (RBS) was undertaken by DFO to provide the framework for the assessment, remediation and risk management of these sites. The RBS provides consulting practitioners with guidance on the use of a risk assessment based approach to facilitate the collection of risk-based information (such as the status of exposure pathways or the presence of receptors of concern) as early in the assessment process as possible. The application of this RBS approach was used by SNC-Lavalin Inc. for a number of SCH sites assessed between 2011 and 2013 in the greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island areas. A number of key issues were addressed using the RBS approach which include: i) use of SCH-specic Tier 3 guidelines that include a ten-fold attenuation applied to water quality guidelines to protect aquatic life; ii) approaches for addressing the use of drinking water quality criteria when assessing groundwater on SCH sites; iii) development of liability and costing models for the risk management of contaminated sites; iv) preparation of a checklist for immediate risk management priorities (i.e., to identify conditions based on eld or analytical data that could pose an imminent health and safety hazard that warrants priority consideration); v) use of the provincial sediment quality criteria as the primary criteria in determining whether sediments at SCHs are considered contaminated or not; vi) recognition of operational contaminants at SCH sites (i.e., petroleum hydrocarbons from creosote, engine exhaust, and fuel storage and handling; zinc from galvanized structures and sacricial zinc electrodes; copper from anti-fouling bottom paints and treated timbers; chromium and arsenic from treated timbers; etc.); vii) collection of sufcient background samples to provide appropriate background comparison for potential contaminants; viii) use of EPA screening values for organotins where provincial and federal numeric environmental quality criteria in sediment or porewater do not exist; ix) the use of sediment coring at SCHs in a depositional environment where there is a historical source of contamination, to determine if buried hotspots; x) collection of sediment and tissue chemistry data to characterize local reference conditions; and, xi) advantageous collection of other useful data during the assessment including orthorectied current and historical aerial photographs, bathymetry, biophysical data, biological and cultural resources, and potential impacts from sewage discharges. RBS based conclusions for these sites provided DFO with the appropriate information to make informed decisions on whether or not further work was necessary.
37 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM D1 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM D1 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
LOCATION: Governor General III 9:00 am - 9:30 am Metrics for Success at Contaminated Sites Andrew Henderson and Chris Ludwig Franz Environmental Inc.
Performance measurement is critical to the management of large programs. Measurement of performance for contaminated sites programs has historically been a work in progress; however, modern financial reporting has increasingly required performance measurement to demonstrate value for money.
There are several problems that must be addressed to measure performance at contaminated sites. First, there is no single measurement of “contaminated sites effectiveness” that can be compared to funds spent at a site. The National Classification System for Contaminated Sites was developed as a prioritization tool for funding, but numeric results of the System are explicitly not to be used to rank sites relative to one another, and by extension cannot be used to demonstrate effectiveness.
For contaminated sites funded by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP), the Site Closure Tool provides a definite end-point, but does not allow for a determination of value for money. Small sites with few impacts can be closed for small amounts of money, while large sites with complex issues will cost much more to close.
Through examination of data available from federal contaminated sites and investigation of techniques used in other jurisdictions around the world, we will propose a handful of metrics that will allow for the measurement of progress and calculation of value for money at contaminated sites.
9:30 am - 10:00 am A Multi-lines of Evidence Approach for Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Lina Letiecq Public Works and Government Services Canada
In the context of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) and/or for potential divestiture and acquisition programs for the department or other governmental departments, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) manages numerous Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA-II). This work is contracted out to the private sector through standing offer agreements or a specific request for proposals. One of the challenges that PWGSC-Ontario Region has faced over the years is the consistency of ESA-II interpretations, conclusions and associated recommendations.
As the goal of ESA-II is to better define the potential human health and ecological risks associated with properties, the main process consists of confirming areas of actual contamination by sampling media of concern. Most often the CCME generic approach is used, and sampled media is analysed and compared with federal guidelines. But the methodology to evaluate results is not clearly defined and varies between assessors. Understanding that ESA-II is very site-specific and subject to professional judgment, the interpretation of results for similar concerns is found to be inconsistent. It was noted that some assessors include in their interpretation different factors such as chemistry data, regional and local background, magnitude and number of exceedances when assessing the results, while others did not.
This triggered a need for PWGSC to reflect on the requirements identified in the statement of work (SOW) sent to consulting firms. An approach has been identified in the SOW, so the assessor has to consider multi-lines of evidence that takes into account the different site characteristics in order to adequately define a contaminated site. As this approach still leaves room for professional judgment, it promotes a more consistent interpretation of results for ESA-II.
In this presentation, the approach will be presented along with a few case studies where the application proved to be successful in receiving an adequate and consistent product.
38 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP STREAM D1 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
10:30 am - 11:00 am Protecting the Present While Cleaning up the Past: Environmental Management Planning for the Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project Rachael Jones1, Andrew Smith2 and Tim Whalen1 1Golder Associates Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Department of National Defence (DND) is planning to implement an aquatic contaminated site remediation program in Esquimalt Harbour (the project area), as part of a long-term strategy to address sediments that have been contaminated by historical industrial activities in the harbour. The project area is under the ownership and management of DND and part of the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt.
Esquimalt Harbour has a long history of naval and industrial activity, dating back to the mid-1800’s. These activities have resulted in the contamination of sediments. In recent decades, substantial improvements have been made with respect to the handling and management of waste materials and the implementation of best management practices for industrial activities, however historical contamination is present in several areas of the harbour. Remediation being undertaken by DND is proposed to be implemented in a phased approach that will initially target six areas of higher contaminant concentrations, located around existing infrastructure, with longer term remediation and management of other areas of the harbour based on the results of ongoing updates to the human health and ecological risk assessment. Each of the six proposed remediation locations has been subject to historical shipping, naval and industrial activities.
The environmental assessment (EA) and development of an environmental management framework for the remediation project are key components of the project planning stages. The EA is important to assist project stakeholders in (i) understanding the specific and cumulative environmental impacts of the project; (ii) determining whether the project is likely to result in significant adverse environmental effects; and, (iii) understanding appropriate mitigation strategies and plans required to remove or reduce the chance for adverse environmental effects, and the potential implications of those strategies on the design, construction, cost and schedule of the project.
The development of an environmental management plan for the project is necessary to provide a framework through which potential environmental risks identified by the EA can be managed during implementation and to establish performance monitoring objectives against which the project will be assessed. The presentation will discuss some of the key environmental issues and environmental management requirements for dredging projects, the development of environmental performance monitoring objectives, and the challenges of balancing costs and schedule implications associated with the mitigation strategies with the broader goal of environmental clean-up.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Ontario 153/04 Risk Assessments for Federal Contaminated Sites Ruwan Jayasinghe1, Tereza Dan1, Jane Yaraskavitch1, Tanya Lalvani1, Brad Simpson2 and Randi Hay3 1Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Neegan Naynowan Stantec LP completed a due-diligence Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 153/04 risk assessment for the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) for an “environmentally sensitive” site located on a remote peninsula adjacent to Michipicoten Bay, Lake Superior, Ontario. The vacant site is privately owned by the Michipicoten First Nation (MFN), but had been operated under a Land Use Permit agreement as an attended lightstation established by the Canadian Coast Guard for over 70 years. A provincial risk assessment approach was chosen for the site to assess historical contamination at the site related to former lighthouse operations and to support the return of property from the DFO back to the MFN for non-federal use.
Although the risk assessment was conducted in accordance with the O. Reg. 153/04 standards, in order to address limitations of the site (i.e., remote location, low pH conditions, volume of impacted soils) and meet the needs of the DFO, several deviations were taken from the regulated MOE process as a Record of Site Condition filing was not planned. For example, maximum concentrations of contaminants found on-site were not used; instead health risks were quantified based on statistical exposure point concentrations deemed more representative of on-site contaminants. Overall, the risk assessment indicated that potentially adverse health impacts exist to human and ecological receptors as a result of historical contamination. Risk management measures, typical of an O. Reg. 153/04 risk assessment, were not considered feasible for the site; therefore, back-calculated risk based site-specific target levels (i.e., clean-up objectives) were proposed, as is commonly done in Federal risk assessments.
39 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM D1 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation Project – Risk Management, Contingency and Financial Management Andrew Mylly1, Amy Corp2, Dan Berlin2, Tom Wang2 and Matt Woltman2 1Public Works and Government Services Canada 2Anchor QEA, LLC
This presentation will describe strategies and tools used by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to manage risk, contingency, cost estimates and funding throughout the Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) Waterlot Remediation Project. The project work completed to date involved three main phases; Phase 1A, the installation of an underpier erosion protection sheetpile wall around the South Jetty, to isolate the sediment contamination beneath it; Phase 1B, dredging and off-site disposal of contaminated sediment in open-water areas, and; Phase 1C, construction of new intertidal marsh habitat. Phase 2 remediation of the South Jetty underpier contaminated sediments is yet to be completed. The total project cost including both Phase 1 and 2 is approximately eighty-three million dollars.
The risk management plan (RMP) is a key tool used to identify project risks and response actions, and estimate contingencies. This presentation will provide an overview of the methods used to identify risks, estimate costs for each risk based on potential unexpected outcomes and response actions, and manage contingencies for each category of risk (e.g., construction, consultant/engineer, PWGSC) and for each phase of work (1A, 1B, 1C, and 2). The resulting residual risk estimate carried forward for each category was used to estimate the risk management contingency (RMC), which is critical for expenditure forecasting and funding requests. Some of the largest risks included contaminated sediment transport and disposal pricing, and increases in dredging volumes. Examples of predicted risks will be compared against actual construction conditions.
Development and maintenance of a detailed work breakdown structure (WBS), integrated with the project schedule, cost estimate, and risk management plan, was an invaluable project management tool to track OTOBOS (on time, on budget, and on scope). The EGD Waterlot Remediation Project required tracking of actual and forecasted costs for contractors, consultants, and PWGSC, for each fiscal year and for each project phase. This was especially important for construction phases that spanned fiscal years, given the typical fiscal year restrictions. It was important to have the ability to present expenditures and forecasts in various formats depending on the various reporting requirements; for example FCSAP reporting for the entire project versus project approval reporting related only to Phase 1. Accurate and timely financial and progress reporting on all commitments was essential, as well as methods to extract and verify data from PWGSC’s financial management systems. The WBS was updated on a monthly basis, and was critical in order to provide accurate monthly reporting and forecasts.
Lessons learned will be presented regarding control and response strategies for project risks, considering actual risk outcomes. Lessons learned will also pertain to integration of cost estimates, schedules, and contract unit price tables with the WBS, more effective means of integrating with internal financial management systems, and human resources required to manage these processes.
40 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM D2 - LIABILITY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM D2 - LIABILITY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
LOCATION: Governor General III 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Economic Analysis of Job Creation from Site Remediation Peter Birkbeck1, Don Plenderleith2, Phyllis Bruleigh2 and Vanessa Velkoff-Woo3 1Deloitte 2Golder Associates Ltd. 3Environment Canada
An economic analysis of the economic benefits of federal site remediation projects was conducted by a team composed of Contaminated Site specialists and an Economist. The objective was to produce a composite measure of job creation for FCSAP remediation expenditures, in terms of annual full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs per $ one million of project expenditures, using actual data. Previous estimates of the job creation aspect of site remediation projects expenditures had used Statistics Canada (StatCan) employment categories which were based on estimates of average salaries by standard industry sectors; however, there is no specific industry sector for environmental remediation and Other Activities of the Construction Industry had been used to convert most of the large disbursements such as tipping fees to FTEs. This project was able to get actual labour duration and actual costs from six project to generate a remediation project specific multiplier.
The minimum input data requirements were determined by Deloitte. Golder Associates Ltd. defined the types of remediation projects to sample for a representatively weighed cross section of typical FCSAP projects. This included Northern Mine closure, DEW Line Remediation, urban dig and dump and remote dig and dump and land-farming. Six actual remediation projects were analyzed with a total project cost of $89 million. Three types of employment were considered: engineering, technical, and construction worker. Total expenditures within each type of employment and total person-days worked were captured. This averages out the spread of senior, junior, and intermediate wages. Although tipping fees are a significant cost on dig and dump projects, the job creation aspect of this was captured because the projects selected included all of the landfilling costs as labour on custodian owned sites.
The analysis showed a range from 6.29 to 2.79 annual FTE / $1M, with a median of 4.54 FTE / $1M for direct job creation. This is in the same range as the StatCan result of 8.18 and a specific analysis at Sydney Tar Ponds which gave 3.43 FTE / $1M and a French study that produced a result of 3.13 FTE / $1M. An additional 1.7 FTE / $1M may be attributed to indirect job creation.
As an example, the job creation aspect of an $11M contaminated soil remediation project at Houpsitas on Vancouver Island will be shown.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Characterizing and Estimating the Total Liabilities for All Current and Future Federal Contaminated Sites Rod Story and Tolga Yalkin Parliamentary Budget Office
The presentation overviews the methodology and results of the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) report on the total liability for remediating all current and future sites in the Federal Contaminated Site Inventory (FCSI) database. The PBO used a series of statistical methods to estimate total liability based on the data tracked in FCSI.
Each year, the government provides an estimate of the liability for remediating Canada’s contaminated sites. This estimate is recorded in the Public Accounts and is based on the Public Sector Accounting Board’s generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
The PBO’s estimate is likely to be higher than the government’s current, stated liabilities for three reasons. First, the government’s liability estimates are, on average, increasing over time. Second, the government has not included the liability for all known sites in its estimate; if a site has not been assessed, no liability is reflected in the Public Accounts, and a number of sites remain unassessed. Third, the government continues to add sites to the database, whose liability was not previously included.
The presentation will review:
• The methodology used to determine the total liability; • The characteristics of contaminated site liability behaviour; and, • The total estimated liability for all sites, including separating out the differences for existing and future sites and as well as by site class (1, 2 or 3).
41 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM D2 - LIABILITY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Partnering with Private Industry to Reduce Liability Lou Spagnuolo and Robert Lauer Northern Contaminated Sites Program, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
The Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) Northern Contaminated Sites Program (NCSP) is responsible for the remediation of abandoned sites located on Crown land in Canada’s three northern territories. The NCSP’s portfolio of properties in the North originates from private sector resource development and national defence activities. These sites date back over half a century, long before the environmental impacts of such activities were adequately understood or managed. The Program’s inventory of sites, which includes over 50 abandoned mines, has a total liability of over $2 billion, making it the largest Canadian federal program of its kind. To date, the NCSP has spent over $1 billion, with approximately half of this amount used to advance the remediation of a number of large, complex projects and the remaining funds used to complete the remediation of over 35 smaller sites across the North.
This presentation will provide an overview of the NCSP and discuss the ongoing challenges and opportunities that are experienced while undertaking site remediation in northern Canada. The discussion will focus on the various innovative agreements that have been negotiated with private industry to leverage existing resources (labour, equipment and historical assets) allowing the NCSP to significantly reduce its overall liability. At least two of these agreements, which collectively have saved the Crown over $35 million, will be presented in detail.
42 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM D3 – SUSTAINABILITY
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM D3 – SUSTAINABILITY
LOCATION: Governor General III 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm How Sustainable is ‘Sustainable’ Remediation? Debora Reanne Ridsdale1, Bram Noble1 and David Sanscartier2 1Department of Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan 2Saskatchewan Research Council
The remediation industry has grown exponentially in recent decades. International organizations of practitioners and remediation experts have developed several frameworks for integrating sustainability into remediation projects; however, there is no accepted definition or universal framework for sustainable remediation. Literature on sustainable remediation is only recently beginning to emerge, and there has been limited attention to how sustainability is best-integrated and operationalized in sustainable remediation frameworks and practices – or whether sustainability plays any meaningful role at all in sustainable remediation. This presentation examines the role of ‘sustainability’ in recently emerging sustainable remediation frameworks. More specifically, it presents the results of an analysis of how sustainability is defined, integrated and operationalized in sustainable remediation frameworks. Methods are based on a review of a sample of five leading remediation frameworks against a set of normative principles and criteria for sustainability integration adapted from sustainability assessments. Recommendations are made for improving the integration of sustainability in sustainable remediation frameworks, and how to better operationalize sustainability practices.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Future Land Use and Sustainable Remediation at the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Oven Sites Remediation Project: A Case Study and Lessons Learned on Adaptive Remedial Design Bruce Noble1, Donnie Burke2, David Wilson1 and John Ryan1 1AECOM 2Sydney Tar Ponds Agency
The Sydney Tar Ponds Remediation Project was the result of nearly 100 years of steel production in Sydney, Nova Scotia, leaving a legacy of contaminated soils, sediments and groundwater, contaminated with PAHs, VOCs, PHCs, PCBs and heavy metals at two major sites: the Tar Ponds, a 34 hectare marine site; and, the Coke Ovens, a 68 hectare land based site. Given their urban surroundings, the remediation program presented a unique opportunity for sustainable remediation, reclaiming an industrial brownfield and creating new areas for urban development.
The vision for the remediation of these sites had its roots dating back over 30 years and has encompassed aspects of green and sustainable remediation. With the construction being completed in the summer of 2013, the reality of a sustainable community-based solution for brownfield development at these sites has come into full and clear focus. This reality, coupled with strong community support for successful remedial implementation to date, has created momentum with respect to this vision for urban renewal that extends beyond the remedial construction phase.
The project proponent, the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, has leveraged recommendations from the environmental assessment to develop a future land use plan for the sites. Supported by community engagement the task of integrating the design and implementation of the remedial works with the future land use plan has begun. The project, through implementation of the future land use plan, will build upon sustainable remediation features in the remedial design and provide the necessary base foundation to enable future brownfield development to occur.
The primary remedial solution for the Tar Ponds site is solidification/stabilization (S/S) of approximately 700,000 tonnes of coal tar contaminated sediment within the marine influenced site. The remedial solution features green and sustainable remediation aspects and supports a recreational and park-type future land use. This has culminated in a future land use plan encompassing a commons area, walking trails, a lookout over Sydney Harbour, and passive recreational infrastructure that are coordinated with the remedial design and integrated with the surrounding area, including the Atlantic Ocean.
The remedial solution of the Coke Oven site includes subsurface infrastructure such as groundwater collection pipes and vertical cut-off walls. The entire site will be covered with a soil cover. This remedial solution includes similar sustainable remediation aspects to the Tar Ponds sites. In addition, the Coke Oven site bisects two residential communities within Sydney and as such the intent is to connect these areas via surface streets and promote light commercial development while preserving some areas as greenbelt.
43 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM D3 – SUSTAINABILITY
This presentation will provide an a review of sustainable remediation aspects of one of Canada’s largest remediation projects as a case study on the implementation of green and sustainable remediation on the Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens sites. The case study will highlight lessons learned in integrating green and sustainable remediation with a major remediation project from environmental assessment, through design and construction phases.
44 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM E1 - CONTAMINATED SITES GUIDANCE
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM E1 - CONTAMINATED SITES GUIDANCE
LOCATION: Quebec 9:00 am - 9:30 am Canadian Exposure Factors Handbook, 2013 G. Mark Richardson Stantec Consulting Ltd.
In 1997, the Compendium of Canadian Human Exposure Factors for Risk Assessment was published to provide Canadian population data and information as a basis for human health risk assessments in this country. That Compendium is now the most common source of receptor characteristics for contaminated site (and other) risk assessments in Canada, is the primary source of assumptions for human characteristics within Health Canada’s risk assessment guidance for federal contaminated sites, and is cited in various provincial environmental regulations, regulatory risk assessment guidance, protocols for the derivation of risk-based environmental quality guidelines to protect human health, and in technical documents for individual risk-based environmental guidelines and risk assessments. Recognizing that the 1997 Compendium was significantly out of date, recent Statistics Canada data have been accessed and analyzed towards bringing the Compendium up to date. The overall aim of the update was to improve the accuracy of, and reduce uncertainty in, assessments of risk posed to the Canadian population by exposure to environmental contaminants.
Recent Canadian data were available to update exposure factors for a variety of the variables contained in the Compendium, including body weights, skin surface areas, and time-activity patterns. Revised soil ingestion rates are also recommended. The basis for revised receptor characteristics will be discussed, and revised values compared to those recommended in 1997. The risk assessment implications of changes in the characteristics of the Canadian population will also be discussed.
9:30 am - 10:00 am Health Canada Guidance on Assessing Human Health Risks Associated with Contaminated Sediments Sanya Petrovic, Meghan Roushorne, Odette Bose, Heather Jones-Otazo, Deanna Lee, Angela Li-Mueller, Darcy Longpre, Marie-Josee Poulin, Lindsay Smith-Munoz and Louise White Health Canada
As an expert support department under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, Health Canada is responsible for providing guidance on assessing human health risks posed by federal contaminated sites in Canada. Currently there is no universal approach within Canada for assessing risks to people exposed to contaminated sediments, and the available CCME sediment quality guidelines are based on ecological protection goals only. Sites with contaminated sediments have traditionally been managed using tools developed for sites with contaminated soil. However, sediment differs from soil in a variety of ways and the application of tools developed for soils may not be appropriate for evaluating exposure to sediment.
Health Canada frequently receives requests from federal custodians and contaminated sites practitioners for advice regarding evaluation of human health risks associated with exposure to contaminants in sediments, particulary for aquatic sites. In response, Health Canada has developed the following draft guidance documents:
• Technical Advisory Bulletin on Evaluating Human Exposure to Contaminated Sediments via Direct Contact; and, • Technical Advisory Bulletin on Assessing Potential Human Health Risks from the Consumption of Seafood at Sediment Contaminated Sites.
The guidance documents were developed for custodians of federal contaminated sites in Canada, as well as contaminated sites practitioners who conduct human health risk assessments on behalf of federal custodians. They are intended to provide a concise summary of Health Canada’s guidance regarding key aspects of evaluating human health risks associated with exposure to contaminants in sediments. The objective of the documents is to provide guidance on aspects of human health risk assessment of contaminated sediments not covered by other Health Canada contaminated site guidance. The first document provides guidance on evaluating human exposure to contaminants in sediments via direct contact pathways, such as incidental ingestion of and dermal contact with sediments. The second document provides guidance on evaluating human health risks from consumption of seafood that has potentially accumulated contaminants from sediment.
The presentation will provide an overview of the key contents of the two draft guidance documents.
45 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM E1 - CONTAMINATED SITES GUIDANCE
10:30 am - 11:00 am Defining Background Conditions and Using Background Concentrations in Ecological Risk Assessment (FCSAP Guidance) Amy Sparks1 and Ulysses Klee2 1Environment Canada 2Stantec Consulting Ltd.
The comprehensive FCSAP Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance document and several appended technical modules have been developed to provide custodians of federal contaminated sites with nationally consistent technical guidance regarding ecological risk assessment (ERA) and risk management. Module 5: Defining Background Conditions and Using Background Concentrations is the first guidance of its kind identifying how to appropriately define the background conditions at a site and how to use those background contaminant concentrations in an ERA. The goal of this guidance is to assist custodians and their consultants in regards to this topic and improve national consistency in the management of federal contaminated sites.
Background concentrations of contaminants are used in ERAs to provide a baseline of what natually exists on site and must be considered when determining risk to receptors on site. This presentation will outline the guidance surrounding sampling for representative background concentrations on contaminated sites in soil, sediment and surface water. It will provide details on how to screen contaminants of potential concern (COPCs) for use in ERA when there are high background concentrations at a contaminated site. On sites with high background concentrations, the COPCs need to be compared with background concentrations if they are above environmental standards, and only in this manner can they be screened in or out of the ecological risk assessment.
This presentation will also outline how to use background concentrations when completing an ERA. At sites where there are naturally occurring concentrations of substances that are deemed to be contaminants of potential concern, these COPCs should be retained for consideration during the risk assessment. There is currently no guidance available on how to proceed with adjusting the hazard quotient (HQ) inputs to compensate for high background concentrations of what would otherwise be considered contaminants, and because of this there is high variability in the HQ calculations.
At sites where COPCs are deemed to be higher than background, hazard quotients fail to represent the potential effects to receptors. Resident populations function ‘normally’ at the high background contaminant concentrations due to adaptation and/or acclimation of the organism to the site conditions. However, this can be problematic when ERA assessors make adjustments to take into consideration the population’s ability to function at the higher than typical concentrations. Limitations of the hazard quotient method are apparent at sites with naturally high levels and therefore, the utility of hazard quotients to demonstrate the potential affect to receptors must be questioned. If hazard quotients are unable to properly represent the affects of contaminants, they still can be incorporated into the weight of evidence procedure but should not be relied on as the main source of evidence.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Guidance for Aquatic Contaminated Site Management of Federal Active Harbour Sites Tamsin Laing1, Viviane Paquin1, Murray Smith2, Stuart Dean2 and Jeremy Anglesey3 1Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada 3Environment Canada
The federal government owns and manages large shipping harbours as well as a national system of small craft harbours across Canada which are critical to the commercial shipping, fishing and recreational industries. Many of these harbours are suspected of or known to be impacted by historical contamination. The remediation of legacy contaminants at these sites poses unique challenges given the potential ongoing input of contaminants from current harbour activities and surrounding land uses. There is a need for a scientifically defensible and consistent federal approach to determining when to address contamination at an active harbour site, and to developing remediation goals and associated sediment quality objectives for small and large active harbours consistent with FCSAP management goals for the protection of human and ecological health.
The first phase of this project involved a literature review of approaches used in different jurisdictions to identify remedial goals and sediment quality objectives (SeQOs) for active harbours. The review provided insight on contamination thresholds that trigger the remediation process for different waterlot uses, how remedial goals and associated SeQOs are developed, the protection level provided by the site specific SeQOs, when are institutional controls integrated, what existing guidance was used and how are stakeholders involved throughout the assessment and remediation planning process. Some of the main findings from the study were that identifying and managing sources of contamination is key for effective harbour management, and that the decision to remediate is generally triggered by ecological/beneficial use impairments, with remediation objectives based on risk to higher trophic levels. Most sites used a balanced approach between risks, costs and technical feasibility to guide their remediation programs.
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The current phase of the project involves developing a strategy and guidance for the management of active harbours that takes into account the above issues. The guidance will be compatible with the ten-step Framework for Addressing and Managing Aquatic Contaminated Sites Under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) and will identify special considerations for managing active harbours at each step. This presentation will provide an overview of the literature review and draft guidance for harbour basin management.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Towards the Development of Additional Soil Quality Guidelines for Trace Metals Ian Mitchell Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd.
Several trace metals do not have current risk-based soil quality guidelines developed using the CCME soil guidelines protocol, and instead older 1991 interim guidelines are still used for assessing and remediating these substances. However, when these interim guidelines are used, there is no way to relate measured concentrations to actual human health or environmental risks.
New work towards the development of modern risk-based guidelines for some of these trace metals (molybdenum, cobalt and beryllium) has been undertaken under the Alberta Upstream Petroleum Remediation Fund and making use of new toxicity data generated in support of Europe’s REACH program. Sufficient data were identified to calculate risk-based soil quality guidelines for molybdenum and cobalt; additional data are currently being generated for ecological guidelines for beryllium.
47 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM E2 - SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Tuesday, April 15, 2014 STREAM E2 - SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
LOCATION: Quebec 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Site Assessment, Risk Management and Remediation Based on CSM Refinement Marc Bouchard Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Environmental site assessment and remediation projects typically progress on an incremental basis as new soil and groundwater data is acquired to refine the delineation of environmental impacts based on previously acquired information. Frequently, a conceptual site model (CSM), remedial design basis (RDB) and risk management and remediation options analysis (RMROA) are generated only once a mature dataset has been assembled, while some interim remedial measures may already have been implemented, in order to direct further remedial actions.
For this project, completed for PepsiCo Beverages Canada in 2011, 2012 and 2013, an alternate approach was adopted by Stantec Consulting Ltd., whereby a RMROA was completed as the first step in the process, following a limited site assessment completed by another consultant (that provided no delineation), prior to implementing any further intrusive investigations or remedial actions. The RMROA emphasized a preliminary CSM, and a RDB which quantified the contaminant mass and extent within the site media (soil and groundwater in soil and fractured bedrock), all the while tracking the uncertainty associated with these estimates. The RMROA formed the basis of a grid-based soil and groundwater sampling design and investigation, which cost-effectively delineated site impacts in a single step, and led to the refinement of the preliminary CSM and RDB. These allowed realistic and comprehensive estimates of total risk management and remediation costs to be developed, and the selected approach (soil and shallow bedrock excavation, and groundwater monitoring) was successfully initiated and completed in 2012 and 2013.
This project demonstrates an innovative and cost-effective approach to developing a risk management and remediation options analysis dynamically at the beginning of a site assessment with limited initial data sets in order to assist a client achieving site closure conditions cost-effectively and within a tight timeline.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Species At Risk and Contaminated Sites – Implications for Brownfield Site Assessment and Remediation Barbara Hard Franz Environmental Inc.
Brownfields have the potential to support a vast diversity of wildlife, often providing habitat in urban areas. Brownfields can include former industrial and commercial lands, quarries, disused railways lines, tailings, landfills and other vacant lands which over the years re-vegetated naturally and developed into habitat for wildlife. Abandoned man-made stormwater ponds can develop into wetlands and support large numbers of plant and animal species in a matter of a few years.
The federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), which became law in 2002, protects endangered or threatened organisms and their habitats. It also manages species which are not yet threatened, but whose existence or habitat is in jeopardy. Species on the SARA list include plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, fish and other aquatic species such as mussels. Under the Act it is prohibited to kill, harm, harass, capture or take an individual of a wildlife species that is listed as an extirpated species, an endangered species or a threatened species. Furthermore, it is prohibited to damage or destroy the residence of one or more individuals of a wildlife species that is listed as an endangered species or a threatened species, or that is listed as an extirpated species if a recovery strategy has recommended the reintroduction of the species into the wild in Canada.
SARA can affect a site assessment or remediation project if a Species at Risk is found at any time throughout the year on the site. The presence of one or more Species at Risk may result in project delays, additional work and higher costs.
The presentation will give some project examples that include Species at Risk and will discuss implications, options and mitigation measures.
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2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Pittsburgh Institution Claudia Simonato1, Heather Fenton2, Andrea Catley2, Don Plenderleith2 and Danielle Currie3 1Public Works and Government Services Canada 2Golder Associates Ltd. 3Correctional Services Canada
A Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) and an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) were conducted on behalf of Correctional Services Canada (CSC) to address contamination near a farm equipment repair building at the Pittsburgh Institution in Kingston, Ontario. Based on the HHRA and ERA results, a Remedial Options Evaluation (ROE) and Remedial/Risk Management Action Plan (RAP) were also completed.
Based on the results of previous Phase I, II and III Environmental Site Assessments, contamination in the area of the building consisted of metals, petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil, and metals, PHCs, PAHs, and ethylbenzene in groundwater. Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL) has been observed in three monitoring wells near the building. Various potential sources of these contaminants have been identified, including former above and underground storage tanks, discharges from floor drains and catch basins, buried debris, scrap metal storage, agricultural use of cobalt, leaks and spills from farming equipment, and historical spraying for dust control. These potential sources of contamination have either been removed from the site or controlled to prevent future release of contaminants into soil or groundwater.
The HHRA and ERA identified exposure pathways, associated receptors and contaminants of potential concern (COPCs). Based on this information, the following unacceptable receptor-pathway-contaminant risks were identified:
• The outdoor worker associated with exposure to benzo(a)pyrene toxic potency equivalents (B(a)P TPE); • The construction worker associated with exposure to lead; and, • Receptors associated with inhalation of vapours within buildings to be constructed on-site in the future with slab-on-grade foundations associated with exposure to naphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene.
A ROE was completed to evaluate options for remediation of soil to address the above-listed risks. Remedial objectives were recommended for the COPCs and based on these remedial objectives, a volume of contaminated soil to be remediated was determined.
Three remediation/risk management options were evaluated: excavation of contaminated soil and off-site disposal; placement of a shallow soil cap barrier; and, placement of a hard barrier cap. Based on the results of the ROE, excavation and off-site disposal with risk management measures were recommended as the preferred remedial option. Numerous risk management measures were proposed to reduce the volume of soil requiring remediation. The remediation and risk management measures are currently being implemented at the site.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm MIP/LIF Technology: To Use or Not to Use? Christi Groves1, Ian Mendes1, Jennifer Shearn2 and Bryan Pellerin3 1Golder Associates Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Defence Construction Canada
When considering the use of the membrane interface probe (MIP) and/or laser induced fluorescence (LIF) technology for site assessment, it is important to understand the potential benefits as well as challenges and limitations. The MIP and LIF are screening tools that provide real time, semi-quantitative information regarding volatile organic compound (VOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) impacts. The MIP uses heat to volatilize VOCs adjacent to the probes’ semi-permeable membrane and the gases generated are then transported to detectors at ground surface. The LIF emits pulses of a monochromatic light which are absorbed by electrons within polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) containing compounds in the subsurface causing them to fluoresce (e.g., emit light of a different wavelength). The fluorescence emitted is transported back to detectors at ground surface. The detectors at ground surface provide information on the relative concentrations and compounds present.
As part of the work program for completing a gap analysis and detailed testing program of three sites located at Canadian Forces Base (CFB Borden) in Angus, Ontario, the MIP and LIF were used in conjunction with traditional soil borings and monitoring well installations to assess subsurface conditions at each site and to delineate the extent of contamination, where present. The three sites consisted of a former vehicle refueling facility, a former wheeled vehicle hangar area, and a former bulk fuel storage area and contaminants of concern included benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, petroleum hydrocarbons fractions F1 to F4, and PAHs.
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A total of 146 MIP locations and 26 LIF locations were advanced along several transects at each site. During probe advancement an experienced technician reviewed the data and provided a preliminary interpretation of the results at each probe location thus allowing us to make in field adjustments to the work program. The MIP/LIF investigation results were used to optimize the placement for boreholes and monitoring wells to confirm soil conditions and verify soil and groundwater quality. The MIP and LIF data was combined with the information gathered during drilling operations to develop a 3-D conceptual site model that provided a visual image of subsurface conditions and any identified contaminant plumes.
The MIP and LIF data proved to be a beneficial screening tool to assess the presence and distribution of contaminants and possible preferential pathways for contaminant migration and impacts to off-site receptors at two of the sites. The use of this technology at these sites while adding to the cost of the overall investigation provided some definitive answers to long-standing uncertainties over the presence and extent of contamination. With respect to the third site assessed, the results were mixed.
On this project on the two sites where contamination had previously been identified, the technology provided several benefits including providing a quick and effective way to define the presence or absence of contamination, enabling us to make better decisions about where to locate boreholes, screen monitoring wells and collect soil and groundwater samples thus reducing the potential number of samples and laboratory costs. However the third site provided more challenges with soil conditions encountered posing one problem and false positive MIP readings that may have led to additional drilling and an increase in costs. This presentation discusses our learnings in applying this technology as part of the site assessment approach for the three different sites.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Design of a Long-term Monitoring Program Based on Past Performance and Future Risk Maeve Moriarty1, Shari Reed1, Daniela Loock1, Roland Merkosky2 and David Eagles3 1Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada 2AECOM 3Department of National Defence
The remediation is over, close out reports done, now we can close the file – right? Not if your remedial action plan included risk mitigation! The liability, though greatly reduced, still exists so monitoring is required. The Department of National Defence has completed the remediation of 21 former Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line Sites and is moving fully into the long term monitoring phase of the project. A total of 99 landfills in Nunavut, 18 landfills in the Northwest Territories, and five landfills in the Yukon are part of the monitoring program. In this presentation, the results of the monitoring data of a representative subset of 20 remediated landfills for a period of up to 13 years are reviewed to assess the performance of remediated landfills to date as a stepping-stone to developing a long-term monitoring plan.
The current landfill-monitoring program has been implemented since 1998 for all the DEW Line landfills and is conducted in three phases with decreasing frequency; Phase I (years 1-5), Phase II (years 6-25) and Phase III for an as yet undetermined length of time and procedure. Depending on the landfill type and design, the current monitoring program includes a combination of groundwater analysis, soil analyses, visual monitoring and thermal monitoring. The Phase III monitoring plan is being developed and a qualitative monitored landfill risk evaluation matrix has been produced as a framework for assessing the likelihood of landfill failure and the potential environmental and human health risk posed by loss of containment of remediated landfills. The monitoring data review coupled with a failure risk analysis provides insight for the design of a long-term monitoring program for remediated and constructed landfills at remote sites.
50 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F1 - LNAPL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM F1 - LNAPL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
LOCATION: Provinces / Confederation I 8:30 am - 9:00 am FCSAP Management Framework for LNAPL Sites Brian Drover1 and Craig Wells2 1Environment Canada 2Department of National Defence
In 2010, largely driven by requests for advice on specific Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) projects like the Goose Bay Remediation Project (GBRP) in Labrador, FCSAP recognized the need to provide consistent advice on the management of federal LNAPL sites based on the latest science. In March 2010, Environment Canada, in its role as FCSAP Expert Support, hosted a workshop where federal stakeholders exchanged ideas on the latest science in the field of the LNAPL site management with representatives from the US Interstate Technical Regulatory Committee (ITRC) and representatives from the consulting and petrochemical industries. Shortly after this, FCSAP finalized an internal guidance document; Technical Guidance for the Assessment of the Mobility of Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL)/Free Product and Associated Dissolved Phase Plumes – Technical Support Document. The overall objective was to describe what is required to demonstrate that the LNAPL body and associated dissolved phase plume are stable and do not pose a risk to downgradient receptors through a multiple lines of evidence assessment. In addition, FCSAP is working towards finalizing monitored natural attenuation guidance for federal contaminated sites. FCSAP staff has also participated in site-specific workshops and meetings which have sought to define solutions for the management of specific LNAPL sites in Canada. Based on knowledge gained from previous workshops and guidance development as well as experience gained in seeking solutions at specific sites such as Goose Bay, FCSAP has created a simplified LNAPL management framework document.
The FCSAP LNAPL site management framework will provide a tiered approach where the level of assessment expected on a particular federal LNAPL site is appropriate to the size of the site and the risk associated with it. The level of protection will be the same at all tiers. It will focus on LNAPL contamination only for federal legacy sites eligible for funding under the FCSAP funding in Canada (contaminated prior to 1998). It will provide consistent advice to owners of LNAPL sites funded by FCSAP and will assist with managing and “closing” these sites in accordance with the regulatory framework and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat policy.
Individual site characteristics can make complete recovery of LNAPL nearly impossible, so the challenge is finding a way to demonstrate regulatory and policy compliance with continued presence of fuel in the subsurface. Many jurisdictions have requirements to remediate LNAPL to the “extent practicable”, which can be very subjective and doesn’t provide specific targets, so custodians run the risk of continually working towards an unattainable goal. There is no such explicit requirement for federal sites in Canada. Canadian federal environmental legislation is largely focused on protection of receiving environments. The framework will therefore emphasize requirements to ensure receiving environments are protected.
Demonstrating plume stability is a key step in ensuring the protection of receiving environments, but is not the only consideration. To have a consistent, clear, defensible methodology FCSAP Expert Support representatives collaborated with custodial departments and professionals in the environmental industry to develop a framework that can be applied to LNAPL sites to achieve project goals, reduce liability, and to obtain site closure. The resultant framework describes howsite closure will be achieved through validation of the guidance.
This presentation will establish the rationale and the regulatory and policy basis for a Risk-Based Management Framework for LNAPL Sites in the context of FCSAP. It will introduce the framework, with subsequent presentations in the stream demonstrating how the framework is applied at an LNAPL site, drawing specific examples from sites within the Goose Bay Remediation Project.
9:00 am - 9:30 am It’s All About the LNAPL Conceptual Site Model Matthew C. Rousseau Conestoga-Rovers & Associates Ltd.
The most recent LNAPL guidance from entities such as ASTM International and the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) support the paradigm shift to a more sustainable risk-based approach to LNAPL site management that is currently taking place across North America. This new philosophy is anchored by the development of a complete and technically sound LNAPL Conceptual Site Model (LCSM) to be used as the basis for LNAPL management decision-making. This concept is fundamental in recent efforts to establish an LNAPL management decision-making framework for use at federal contaminated sites (most notably Goose Bay) by a diverse group of representatives from federal and provincial governments, consultants, and industry from across Canada. This effort built upon earlier work by Conestoga-Rovers &
51 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F1 - LNAPL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
Associates Ltd. on behalf of Environment Canada and Public Works and Government Services Canada that culminated in the 2010 technical guidance document entitled Technical Guidance for the Assessment of the Mobility of Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL) and Associated Dissolved Phase Plumes – Technical Support Document.
The LCSM requires a thorough description of key information and factors regarding: site geology/hydrogeology; LNAPL chemical and physical characteristics; LNAPL spatial distribution; LNAPL mobility, stability and recoverability; remedial drivers (risk-based and non-risk factors); and, associated regulatory, business and stakeholder considerations. The presentation will discuss the different types of LNAPL concerns (potential remedial drivers) that may be present at a given LNAPL site, as well as the lines of evidence that may be established in the development of an LCSM that will allow an assessment of their applicability. Particular focus will be given to more recent and more sophisticated science-based techniques and metrics that can be used to assess the mobility, stability and recoverability of an LNAPL body. Select fundamentals of LNAPL behaviour will also be discussed as appropriate.
9:30 am - 10:00 pm Ricker Method® for Plume Stability Analysis and LNAPL Removal Benefit Analysis Joe Ricker EarthCon Consultants, Inc.
Evaluating the relative stability of a dissolved groundwater contaminant plume is generating increasing attention as many state regulatory agencies, EPA and private stakeholders are realizing the applicability of plume stability as part of the environmental evaluation and/or remedial planning process of a site. Specifically, a plume stability evaluation will allow the stakeholder to assess whether a contaminant plume is stable, decreasing or increasing in size. Assessing the stability of a plume will allow the stakeholder to evaluate whether additional remedial action is necessary or whether risk-based closure of a site may be applicable or whether natural attenuation is occurring at a site. There are many other ancillary applications of plume stability evaluations as related to groundwater contamination. This session presents the Ricker Method® for plume stability analysis, which entails the use of innovative techniques to calculate and assess historical trends in contaminant plume area, average concentration, contaminant mass, and centre of mass.
It is generally recognized that a powerful indicator of LNAPL body stability is the stability of the dissolved plume associated with the LNAPL body. For example, if a dissolved constituent plume associated with an LNAPL body is stable, then by indirect evaluation, the LNAPL plume must also be stable. Therefore, the dissolved plume stability as determined using the Ricker Method® is the primary focus of this session, and serves as a base metric for other evaluations, as discussed below. Most long-term remediation sites have sufficient data to conduct a Ricker Method® evaluation such that a stability determination can be made with a high level of certainty. For sites that also include a recognized LNAPL body, and where sufficient LNAPL monitoring data exist, an ancillary evaluation of the LNAPL remediation system may also be conducted.
This session will also present certain aspects of a proprietary analytical tool called LNAPL Removal Benefit Analysis (LRBA). LRBA is useful for evaluating the relative benefit of removing LNAPL from a site that has LNAPL and a related dissolved phase groundwater plume. LRBA involves the evaluation of up to eight metrics listed below. It is noted that not all of the following metrics are required to conduct LRBA. The metrics that may be evaluated, assuming sufficient data exist, include: 1) evaluation of dissolved plume stability using the Ricker Method® plume stability analysis; 2) evaluation of potential asymptotic LNAPL recovery curve; 3) evaluation of relative cost trend; 4) evaluation of cost-benefit indicator of cost per unit volume of LNAPL removed; 5) evaluation of relative sustainability; 6) evaluation of LNAPL transmissivity; 7) evaluation of a comparison of the relative LNAPL center of mass movement compared to the dissolved plume center of mass movement; and, 8) evaluation of the estimate of LNAPL mass loss through natural source zone depletion (NSZD). The outcome of the LRBA will guide the stakeholder in making the decision as to whether it makes sense to remove LNAPL from a site that has LNAPL and a related dissolved phase groundwater plume.
The Ricker Method® for plume stability analysis was published in Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation (28, no. 4/ Fall 2008/pages 85–94) and has been used at numerous contaminated sites to effectively demonstrate the stability of contaminant plumes comprised of chlorinated solvents, carbon tetrachloride, pentachlorophenol (PCP), creosote, naphthalene, benzene, nickel and sodium, among others.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Practical and Innovative Approaches to Evaluate Sites with LNAPL David Fursevich SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water
A risk-based approach to remediating sites contaminated with light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) can be practical and cost‑effective. A LNAPL is a contaminant that has limited solubility and is lighter than water. Gasoline and diesel are two common examples of LNAPLs. Site cleanup to more stringent standards often results in the implementation of a more costly remedial solution with minimal additional environmental benefit. Applying these stringent standards is more common for sites with LNAPL as there remains a perception that if LNAPL is detected in a monitoring well it is indicative of a mobile separate phase in the subsurface requiring remedial action. This reaction toward active remediation is
52 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F1 - LNAPL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
typically more extreme relative to other contamination indicators such as hydrocarbon detections in soil and groundwater even in cases where neither indicates the presence of a migrating plume or unacceptable risk is posed.
The demonstration of plume stability is a critical component of a risk-based approach and requires a sufficient amount of monitoring and analytical data to allow for the inference of trends while accounting for natural fluctuations influenced by factors such as variable seasonal conditions. An adequately spaced sentry well network with a consistent absence of LNAPL detections can be the most reliable indicator of stability. Overall dissolved phase stability is also a key indicator of LNAPL plume stability where apparent thicknesses suggest there is mobility potential.
An important factor when considering a risk-based approach is the distance from the downgradient edge of the plume to the identified compliance point. A compliance point might be a property line or a specified distance from a drinking water well. Even if there is reasonable confidence in plume stability, a risk-based approach may not be viable if contaminants are present immediately adjacent to a compliance point. Generally speaking, the greater the distance the leading edge is from the compliance point, the less concern there is with regard to migration risk and more flexibility available in the response to potential migration issues.
Often overlooked is the level of confidence in the characterization of plume conditions. A conceptual site model is fundamental in describing plume evolution and should support the data collected and interpretations made. Adequate characterization of site stratigraphy is critical and in particular heterogeneity within stratigraphic units present in the vicinity of the smear zone. The smear zone is the zone across which LNAPL has contaminated soils at the water table. LNAPL released to the ground is not uniformly distributed within the soil profile, but will preferentially migrate through zones with higher permeability. The understanding of soil conditions should provide support to a monitoring well spacing that can be relied on for delineation purposes.
The Geoprobe Systems Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) was advanced in the Main Gate area at 5 Wing Goose Bay to improve the understanding of soil conditions and identify higher permeability areas across the smear zone. The HPT is a logging tool that measures the pressure required to inject water into the soil as it advanced through the ground which is directly related to soil permeability. The objective was to identify likely preferential LNAPL migration pathways which can be targeted for improved hydrocarbon recoverability using the existing remedial system. The use of an innovative in-situ technique such as the HPT can be a cost‑effective approach to obtain data when compared to conventional drilling methods.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Stakeholder Engagement and Risk Communication – Essential Aspects of Project Success: 5 Wing Goose Bay Remediation Project Lynn Pilgrim AMEC Infrastructure & Environment
The overall goal of the Goose Bay Remediation Project is to successfully reduce the risks posed by contamination to human health and the environment at 5 Wing Goose Bay.
To most environmental practitioners, this is a technical problem with technical solutions and overall success can be measured, usually with specific numerical targets in mind. However, to non-technical, and some technical, stakeholders, overall project success will be measured less precisely and include a sense of individual and overall community support. To achieve a level of support, stakeholders must be given opportunities to: 1) learn about and understand the project goals, objectives, and limitations and the means by which they will be achieved; and, 2) provide input/feedback to align their goals with those of the project.
Since 2004, the Goose Bay Remediation Project has engaged stakeholders in a multi-lateral discussion about the causes, effects, and remediation of the contamination at Goose Bay. Stakeholders that are engaged include: the local residents; local Aboriginal and Inuit groups; local environmental organizations; regional/national/international industry representatives and contractors; regional/national/international science and engineering experts; regional/national Federal government departments and representatives; the Provincial government; and the local Municipal government.
Communications vehicles have included public meetings and open houses; one-on-one meetings with interested parties; technical and laymen’s presentations; industry workshops and presentations; expert technical workshops; creating a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) comprised of FCSAP expert department representatives, and meetings with and presentations to all three levels of government.
This engagement has been an important component of the project’s planning and assessment stages and continues through the later implementation and closure stages. It has contributed to the project’s success by developing an open-door policy for discussing any aspect of the project and a sense of trust that issues will be considered, as necessary and appropriate. It has also improved general stakeholder awareness of the ongoing project activities, developed improved contracting strategies, and increased opportunities for local businesses.
53 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F1 - LNAPL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
The stakeholder engagement and risk communications program is an underlying feature of the proposed LNAPL management framework being developed for implementation at Goose Bay and is founded on the following principles:
• Understand and articulate the policy context – Treasury Board policy stipulates that Federal real property can only be remediated to its current or intended Federal land use. This recognizes that remediation to pristine conditions is unlikely. • Do the right thing – Public perception is not justification for action and uninformed actions can be wasteful and worsen environmental conditions. Due diligence actions to prevent worsening conditions are likely to result in reduced risk. • Communicate with stakeholders – Clearly articulate at regular milestones the expected outcomes and related implications. Collaboration is necessary and consensus is unlikely.
This presentation will summarize the proactive, meaningful, and transparent stakeholder engagement process and risk communications strategies used at 5 Wing Goose Bay to build community/stakeholder support, contributing to the overall project success.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm A LNAPL Management Framework for 5 Wing Goose Bay: Case Study Tom MacNeil AMEC Infrastructure & Environment
The Goose Bay Remediation Project (GBRP) has the overall goal of reducing or eliminating risks posed by contamination to human health and the environment at 5 Wing Goose Bay. Contamination is present at the Wing in various media, and in certain areas the project goal is easily achieved through traditional remediation methods such as biopiling, landfarming, or excavation and offsite treatment. However, the predominant source of environmental liability at the site is from free-phase and dissolved-phase hydrocarbons located at a significant depth.
At peak operation 5 Wing Goose Bay had a fuel storage capacity of 300 M litres in various bulk fuel storage facilities (tank farms) connected by 160 km of pipeline. Historical releases of fuel due to past handling practices and accidental releases have resulted in significant quantities of fuel in the subsurface. Site characteristics make complete recovery nearly impossible, so the challenge posed to the project team is finding a way to demonstrate that project goals are being met with continued presence of fuel in the subsurface. The Department of National Defence has developed a management framework for use at 5 Wing Goose Bay to assist in achieving site closure for impacted with LNAPL.
There are six primary areas at Goose Bay which have deep LNAPL impacts, including Upper Tank Farm (UTF), Main Gate (MG), Area D, Heavy Bomber Hydrant Area (HBHA), Canadian Side Fire Fighter Training Area (CSFFTA) and Building 45. Each of these areas, except for B45, currently has active remediation underway. Consequently, each of these sites are currently at various stages in implementation of the framework.
The LNAPL Management Framework being established for Goose Bay is a five phase process:
Phase 1: Identify Goals; Phase 2: Data Collection; Phase 3: Data Analysis; Phase 4: Implementation; and, Phase 5: Reporting & Closure.
This presentation discusses many of the activities outlined in several of the previous presentations as it provides a case study on the implementation of the LNAPL framework at the HBHA. The project goals as identified in Phase 1 will be discussed, as well as the basis for these decisions. A summary of all field activities and data collection to date will be presented, which include recent technological advancement including Laser Induced Fluoresence (LIF) and Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) investigations. The lines of evidence that will be used in the data analysis will be identified along with the implementation strategy. Finally, the approach for closure will be outlined, with specific focus on the net benefit realized with this strategy.
54 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F2 - PORTFOLIO AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM F2 - PORTFOLIO AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
LOCATION: Provinces / Confederation I 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Canadian Army Range and Training Area Contaminant Management Program Stéphanie Munyal Department of National Defence
The Canadian Army (CA) relies heavily on the availability of its ranges and training areas (RTA) and the realism of live-fire munitions and contemporary operating environments to train its soldiers. As a result, its training activities have historically released contaminants into the environment and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Through the Director Army Environment (DAE), years of multidisciplinary research dedicated to the study of munitions constituents has revealed various levels of soil and water contamination at all major CA RTA. In an effort to best coordinate CA solutions to contaminant risks posed by live-fire training, DAE has developed the CA RTA Contaminant Management Program (CMP). Driven largely by the adoption of a risk-based approach to contamination issues, it brings a strategic focus to addressing substances of concern resulting from military training across Canada. Divided into five main work streams, the CA RTA CMP is meant to: i) coordinate solutions and guidance; ii) advocate sound science; iii) engage new technology through formal collaboration and outreach with stakeholders; iv) support research, development and implementation of evidence-based policies; and, v) create the necessary environmental capabilities on the ground. This presentation will provide an overview of Canadian Army training activities and their impacts on the environment. It will describe how the Army Environmental Program has responded to the management of risks posed by live-fire training; and highlight challenges still to be addressed by the CA RTA CMP.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Lessons Learned: CBDC Mine Site Closure Program Eric Parsons1 and Robert MacDonald2 1Public Works and Government Services Canada 2Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation
Cape Breton coal made Canadian history when the first commercial coal mines in the country opened at Port Morien in 1720. Coal mining activities continued over the years under several owners. In 1928, a new holding and operating company was formed called Dominion Coal and Steel Company (DOSCO). DOSCO operated the mines for the next 30 years. By 1965, DOSCO estimated that the mines had 15 years of life remaining. It concluded that it would cost too much money to develop any new mines so it went to Ottawa indicating that it wanted out of the coal mining business in Cape Breton. A Royal Commission recommended setting up a crown corporation to acquire and manage DOSCO’s coal operations. On July 7, 1967 Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC) was established to phase out coal and find new employment opportunities. In 1968 coalmines owned by DOSCO were expropriated by CBDC. Coal mining did continue with the Oil Embargo of the mid 1970’s prompting further exploration of the coal resources in the Sydney Coal Field, however in later years a drop in coal prices made it difficult to be profitable. In 2001, the last mine closed operation.
The long history of coal mining in Cape Breton resulted in a large number of closed mines requiring rehabilitation. When many of these mines operated there were no environmental regulations and guidelines associated with the development and operation of these sites. The outcome of these activities was hundreds of hectares of environmentally impacted lands. In 2001, CBDC engaged the Canadian government common service provider, Public Works and Government Services Canada to aid in the planning and implementation of the CBDC Mine Site Closure Program, which involved over 700 properties in 35 communities. As of January 1, 2010 the assets and liabilities of the Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC) were transferred to Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) and CBDC dissolved as a corporation.
The former mine site closure program was completed on schedule and budget with over 140 million dollars spent on planning, design, construction and monitoring activities. With a project of this size there were a number of lessons learned (both positive and negative) generated during the program that could be applied to environmental projects of this nature. The presentation will focus on the lesson learned on this multi-faceted project.
55 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F2 - PORTFOLIO AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Innovative Solutions Using Risk Assessment Tools as a Map for Site Portfolio Management Janice Paslawski, David Tarnocai and Chi Hoang SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water
In the absence or variability of specific regulatory guidance, an interim management strategy was developed for the management of multiple contaminated site portfolios. An appropriate strategy is critical to the efficient management of residual or post remedial impacts and must appropriately facilitate the redevelopment and land management goals. Coordination of risk assessment principals and guidelines throughout Canada is critical to the success of cost-effective and practical risk management of contaminated site portfolios.
A creative approach to the overall management of environmental risks has been developed for successful management of large contaminated site portfolios with efficient use of resources. Specific to several prairie provinces, an adaptive risk management approach was developed with the support of regulators to appropriately assess environmental risks for impacted property transfer agreements within protective yet varying regulatory frameworks. The approach included the development of a multiple site corrective action plan and an environmental management “map” to include viable options for stream lining risk based approaches. These objectives were intended to meet stakeholder requirements for environmental due diligence. The map considered variations in risk assessment assumptions used within multiple jurisdictions.
The approach was successful by categorizing impacted sites according to land use scenarios. The approach implemented the management of critical exposure pathways and involved the development of screening tools for exposure pathway analyses. The approach provided tools for project managers to efficiently manage remedial options and minimize cost during implementation. One portfolio used a multiple corrective action plan approved by regulators as a trial approach within a changing regulatory framework.
Remedial options included: in-situ bio-remediation; targeted remedial excavations to land use endpoints with specific restrictions and administrative controls; and site-specific risk assessment. The options were grouped into a mapped plan as a management tool to meet stakeholder endpoints. Endpoints included: risk management; risk based regulatory closure; regulatory acceptance of risk assessment for lease returns; risk based property sales agreements; and, federal transfers back to provincial lands.
This presentation describes the tools developed and illustrates the overall success of utilizing risk assessment for brownfield site redevelopment management.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Achieving Durable and Cost Effective Remedies Using a Systematic Approach to Remedy Evaluation and Selection Ian P. G. Hutchinson and Thomas L. Patterson SLR International Corporation
Over the past twenty years the authors have established a systematic approach to evaluate and select remedies at environmentally impaired sites that provide for durable and cost effective solutions that have been implemented and which have remained effective over the long term.
The presentation introduces the systematic approach that includes establishing realistic site conceptual models, and establishing a realistic range of remedial alternatives. Formalized decision analyses tools are used to perform comparative evaluations of these alternatives and used to select the most appropriate and cost effective remedy. These tools can incorporate a particular company’s decision parameters, parameters established by regulatory agencies and also environmental sustainability considerations, as well as combinations of these.
The presentation also introduces statistically based cost estimating tools used by the authors to more reliably forecast future remedial costs, and to establish cost frequency curves. The cost-frequency information is also used to develop strategic plans for ranking cost risks and opportunities for cost savings, and for developing strategies and plans for minimizing one and maximizing the other.
The presentation describes how these methods were applied to a large upland harbour remediation and a large groundwater plume remediation project respectively; both of which have been successfully implemented. It also provides a brief description of how consideration of environmental sustainability decision parameters can alter the selection of a preferred remedy.
In the upland harbour case the decision analyses tools were used to select between a wide range of soil and groundwater cleanup approaches including excavation, in-situ treatment, containment, and selective removal of free oil, many of which were coupled with long term institutional controls. In the groundwater case, different degrees of groundwater remediation were considered, including use of existing water supply wells, coupled with water treatment, combinations of water supply and extraction wells specifically installed for remediation, and remediation wells only.
56 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM F2 - PORTFOLIO AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm An Integrated Approach to Reserve-Wide Contaminated Sites Remediation: Kitasoo/Xai’xais Environmental Improvement Project Tim Powers Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Klemtu is a remote coastal community of over 300 Kitasoo/Xai’xais (hay-hays) people 20 km north of Bella Bella, B.C. It is accessible only by boat or plane. Klemtu is subject to severe weather conditions, such as fog, high winds, and heavy rainfall throughout the year. Klemtu is predominantly residential with some commercial development and a rich past in fishing and fish processing.
In November 2008, a residential oil tank system failed, releasing fuel onto the ground and into surface water and the marine environment. Subsequent soil and groundwater investigations not only confirmed contamination from the tank failure but revealed extensive and historic Reserve-wide soil, sediment and groundwater contamination (i.e., hydrocarbons and metals e.g., lead, arsenic, zinc, etc.) throughout the community. Moreover, 22 residences were built using creosote piles, six of which had indoor air quality levels of naphthalene from the creosote that were so high that Health Canada and the project’s risk assessor recommended immediate home evacuation. Subsequent structural assessments of all the creosote affected homes led to the discovery of extensive and unparalleled mould problems throughout the community’s housing stock.
The causes of the contamination included:
• Historic on-shore marine vessels’ maintenance and repair, leaking and abandoned fuel oil distribution systems and residential fuel tank systems; • Major unreported fuel spills, improper fuelling operations and equipment; • Improper solid, liquid and hazardous waste management practices; • No community land use plan or zoning bylaws, no housing maintenance plan, no survey and land status records of the contaminated properties; • Improper building design and materials, and limited building maintenance; and, • Limited community environmental management and administrative capacity or support.
An Integrated Approach Immediate remedial action was needed to reduce the known human health and ecological risks posed to Klemtu residents and their environs by the extensive contamination, and proactively instil in the Klemtu community the pursuit of a more sustainable path forward for the community through land use planning, the implementation of best environmental management and protection practices supported and applied by the community leadership, the administration, operation and maintenance personnel and most importantly community members. To meet these goals, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) and Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation instituted an integrated environmental management response to remediate the community’s extensive contamination but also instil into the community, through the development and implementation of environmental management tools and building of administrative and community capacity, the drive to achieve, in the long-term, a sustainable Klemtu community. To date, AANDC, through its’ Contaminated Sites Management Program and the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Program, have invested over $25M in this project and it has evolved to be the largest and most comprehensive remediation project ever undertaken by AANDC south of 60o.
The presentation will demonstrate AANDC’s integrated contamination remediation model and its’ approaches to:
• Community engagement • Environmental site assessments, data review and risk assessment strategies • Emergency remediation and Phase II remediation plans • Residential and commercial fuelling improvements • Landfill closure and solid waste management • Community land use • Infrastructure replacement • Survey and property records • Housing replacement and improvement • Environmental management plan and standard operating procedures • Environmental education and skills training
57 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM G - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM G - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
LOCATION: Governor General I 8:30 am - 9:00 am Application of Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron for Contaminant Site Remediation: Results from Two Field Trials D. M. O’Carroll1, C. Kocur1, A. Chowdhury1, K.P. Weber2, H.K. Boparai1, M.M. Krol3, N. Sakulchaicharoen1, L.M. Austrins4, C. Peace4, B.E. Sleep3, E. Edwards5, L. Lomheim5 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario 2Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada 3Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, 4CH2M Hill 5Department Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto
Nanometals have received significant attention in recent years due to their ability to rapidly destroy numerous priority source zone contaminants in controlled laboratory studies. This has led to great optimism surrounding nanometal particle injection for in-situ remediation. However, rapid nanometal settling and poor mobility in the subsurface has been a problem, reportedly due to the ferromagnetic attractive forces between particles leading to agglomeration. A range of studies have proposed different methods to screen attractive forces between nanometal particles (e.g., utilizing surficial adsorbed polymers), thus protecting them from agglomeration and preventing rapid settling. Although laboratory characterization of these particles confirm that these methods yield particles that are stable and readily reactive for extended periods of time, several important questions remain. Limited work has been conducted to assess if these highly optimized methods for creating and stabilizing nanometal particles in the laboratory can be scaled up for field application. Furthermore, it is uncertain if these nanometal particles would be mobile in the field. In this study, these questions were addressed by scaling up existing synthesis techniques to produce nanometal particles on site and injecting them at two sites contaminated with various chlorinated solvents. Detailed characterization of the field site before, during and after the field trial suggests that the injected nanoparticles were quite mobile and therefore available for contaminant destruction. The detailed characterization of injected nanometals and those captured at the monitoring wells after subsurface transport will also be presented.
9:00 am - 9:30 am Concurrent Soil and Groundwater Phytoremediation: Case Study of a Former Oil Refinery in Ontario Impacted with Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Metals in Soil and Groundwater Jola Gurska, Tereza Dan and Gladys Stephenson Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Numerous contaminated sites across Canada contain high levels of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC); often other co-contaminants such as metals are present at these same sites in a variety of environmental media such as soil, groundwater or sediments. Phytoremediation is an environmentally-responsible strategy to address these contaminants in multiple media in a cost-effective manner.
The case study discussed will be an implementation of an innovative phytoremediation system at a former refinery landfarm that had been used to treat waste sludges generated as part of a crude oil refining process. Over many years, lighter hydrocarbons volatilized while the heavier hydrocarbons remained in the soil. Landfarms were also regularly fertilized to promote bioremediation. Groundwater was impacted with lighter PHC, which migrated through the soil profile. Both soil and groundwater were also impacted with metals. Phytoremediation was selected as a proactive site management method with least impact to existing operations. There are a total of four parcels with soil impacts and two of those parcels also have groundwater exceedances. Beginning in spring 2012, the remediation activities included a site-specific, two-pronged phytoremediation approach to address varying F1-F4 petroleum hydrocarbons, BTEX and metals impacts in both soil and groundwater.
Stantec Consulting Ltd. designed and installed an innovative multi-phase phytoremediation system for the four former landfarms. The first component of the phytoremediation system includes remediation of PHC and metal impacted groundwater through planting of hybrid willows to hydraulically control the groundwater, preventing migration of PHC and metals offsite, towards a residential area. Groundwater remediation will be discussed for the site as well as other relevant phytoremediation sites where similar impacts and conditions exist. Secondly, soil contamination is being addressed with a phytoremediation system utilizing deep rooting grasses with the use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria to stimulate degradation of PHC in soils and increase tolerance to the conditions on this site. A number of innovative approaches to phytoremediation resulted in improved site-specific application for PHC impacted site.
58 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM G - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
9:30 am - 10:00 pm The Use of Advanced Phytotechnologies in Remediating Metal- and Metalloid-Contaminated Soils and Waters James Higgins1 and Al Mattes2 1Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2University of Guelph
Metal- and metalloid-contaminated sites can result in the pollution of local surface waters and groundwaters over long periods unless remediated. Certain contaminants such as antimony, arsenic, chromium, mercury, molybdenum and selenium are particularly recalcitrant (difficult-to-treat) using conventional technologies. Remediation of sites contaminated with them can be carried out using either active or passive treatment methods, and the latter may involve the on-site stabilization or removal of the contaminants using innovative ecotechnologies such as the phytoremediation methods: phytostabilization and phytoextraction using hyperaccumulating plants; and/or by dealing with their surface runoffs and groundwaters using active, passive and semi-passive treatment methods. One common method of managing such contaminated waters is by active wastewater treatment methods such as mechanical wastewater treatment plants. However, such methods are costly, labour-intensive, often generate by-product sludges (which in turn must be managed), and their practicality for very long term treatment is questionable. Engineered Wetland (EW) Systems are ones incorporating advanced bioreactor systems which allow the very effective treatment of many sorts of otherwise recalcitrant wastewaters in more economic treatment systems; ones which require relatively little operator attention or maintenance; and, which can easily and consistently meet stringent discharge criteria over extended periods. Semi-passive EW Systems can involve in-ground aerobic and anaerobic bioreactors which may be insulated, buried or located under deep water to allow them to operate efficiently even under the severest winter conditions. In addition, since the concentrations of wastewater contaminants from contaminated sites often decline over longer periods, EW Systems offer the option of systems which can evolve over time into fully passive, ordinary constructed wetlands, and over very long time scales, into natural wetlands, allowing full walkway site closures.
This presentation will review the use of passive and semi-passive phytotechnologies such as EW Systems, phytoremediation and permeable reactive barriers for managing contaminated sites and the waters which run off and leach from them, and will include the results of bench-, pilot- and field-scale projects using them to remediate soils and waters contaminated with arsenic, chromium, copper, zinc, and other dissolved and suspended metals and metalloids, as well as chlorinated and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons. The session also will present the results of an ongoing test program to update the designs of semi-passive anaerobic bioreactors from their current empirical bases to those based on advanced reaction kinetics.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Pilot Project for the removal of RDX in a Tributary of the Aux Pins River at CFB Valcartier (Québec) François-David Cloutier1 and Jacynthe Baril2 1Department of National Defence 2Defence Construction Canada
RDX is an explosive found in most artillery munitions (ordnance) and is used in demolition procedures of unexploded ordnance. RDX is also an emergent environmental contaminant. RDX was measured in surface water draining an artillery firing range (Liri impact zone) of CFB Valcartier, in the Aux Pins River and also outside of the garrison boundary on lake St-Joseph where a municipal water intake is present. Mitigation measures were therefore put in place to prevent impacts on these receptors.
After an exhaustive review of treatment options for RDX (in literature and laboratory testing), the installation of a RDX passive treatment barrier in a tributary of the Aux Pins River has been selected. Passive barrier is to trap the natural flow of the water in order to allow adsorption of the RDX to the filter matrix of activated carbon. This design aims to minimize restrictions of water flow and adaptation to the natural topography. Because of sites constraints (access, demining) this work had to be optimized in terms of duration and resources in order to minimize the closure time of the firing range. In collaboration with various stakeholders, the work was completed in 12 days. To date, environmental performance follow-up of this technology and design has shown a removal efficiency from 65% to 75% of RDX in the tributary. Other measures and analysis must be performed to confirm the long-term effectiveness of this approach.
This pilot project represents a large-scale application of an innovative rehabilitation technology.
59 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM G - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
11:00 am - 11:30 am Update on the Assessment and Remediation of a Former Unofficial Dumpsite in the Columbia National Wildlife Area Lindsay Paterson1, Darryl Roberts2 and Bradley Klaver3 1SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. 2Environment Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., on behalf of Public Works and Government Services Canada and Environment Canada, has conducted phased environmental site assessments, human health and ecological risk assessments and debris removal programs at an unauthorized dumpsite located within the Wilmer Marsh Unit of the Columbia National Wildlife Area (NWA) in southeastern British Columbia. The Columbia NWA is a federally protected area for wildlife habitat conservation and is an important segment of the Pacific Flyway migratory corridor. Historical dumping of automobiles, building debris, scrap metal, batteries and other refuse at the site has resulted in soil contamination in the upland bench area as well as in soil, sediment and surface water contamination in the lower marsh area located approximately 60 m below the upland bench.
SLR’s presentation at the previous RPIC Federal Contaminated Sites National Workshop in May 2012 detailed the challenges associated with implementing a remediation project in a NWA (multiple stakeholder involvement, permitting constraints, logistical challenges in difficult terrain). This presentation will provide an update on the site activities since May 2012. Specifically, the presentation will review the results of the ecological risk assessment of the residual contamination in the marsh area (including supporting assessment results), the findings from additional electromagnetic surveys at the site (including results of a ground truthing program in 2013) and the on-going challenges of conducting assessments and remedial activities in a NWA.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Innovative Remediation of a Petro Chemical Plant Raminder Grewal Keystone Environmental Ltd.
Keystone Environmental Ltd. recently completed the remediation of a former petrochemical plant that operated from 1961 to 1992, manufacturing mainly benzoic acid and phenol on a 118-acre site in Delta, BC. The site exhibited toluene concentrations in soil greater than hazardous waste leachate quality standards and concentrations of BTEX, VPH, LEPH/HEPH, PAH, non-chlorinated phenols and metals in soil and groundwater at concentrations greater than the BC Contaminated Sites Regulation standards. The objective for the remediation plan was to obtain a remediation certificate within a two-year period with total remediation costs significantly less than off-site soil disposal. To achieve this, a comprehensive remediation plan was designed and implemented to remediate on and off site soil and groundwater contamination using a combination of technologies and existing features.
Some of the key features and components of the remediation plan included:
• Conducting a detailed site investigation to adequately characterize soils in-situ; • Arranging and scheduling works on site to not interfere with current tenants; • Tendering the works in detail to obtain competitive fixed costs; • Designing and constructing a 10,000 m2 biocell for hazardous waste soil and a 6,000 m2 biocell for waste quality soil on-site; • Excavating 6,400 tonnes of non-contaminated overburden soil material from the remediation area and stockpiled it on-site; • Excavating 35,000 tonnes of contaminated soil material from the remediation area and transferring it into the biocells. The biocells were constructed within the berms surrounding former ASTs; • Conducting air monitoring at regular intervals for the protection of the workers and neighbouring industrial operations; • Utilizing the former industrial wastewater treatment plant on site to treat water generated from excavation dewatering and for the treatment of collected contaminated groundwater. There were able to take advantage of the existing discharge permit; • Returning the stockpiled overburden to infill the excavation following stockpile sampling; and, • Completing injection of an oxidation chemical at the south end of the remediation area in the proximity of a water main and active rail line.
Treatment of contaminated soil within the biocells was able to achieve concentrations less than commercial soil standards within approximately six months. The short timeline to remediate hazardous waste quality soils was achieved with an aggressive maintenance program. Groundwater concentrations within the remedial excavation area achieved risk based standards within a similar time period.
The off-site chemical injection program included using a modified gravity feed injection program that was approved by the railway. Pressure, temperature, pH and ORP were monitored during the injection program to maintain a controlled reaction rate and for a period of time following
60 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP - ABSTRACTS STREAM G - REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES AND CASE STUDIES
the injection to verify that the oxidation by-products (CO2 gas) would not create soil pressures that could impact the track elevation. Toluene concentrations following two injection events were recorded to decrease by 70 to 80%.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Chemical Reduction Processes for In-situ Soluble Metals Remediation and Immobilization Kyle Dacey and Jean Paré Chemco Inc.
In-situ chemical reduction amendment products represent an effective method to immobilize soluble metals in the groundwater.
This presentation reviews a specially formulated metal remediation compound for in-situ immobilization of soluble metals via enhanced precipitation and adsorption. The controlled-release feature of the carbon provides for extended longevity and greatly assists in maintaining very low redox conditions through simultaneous microbial consumption of the carbon and electron acceptors. Arsenic, for example, is precipitated through the production of iron arsenic sulphide minerals that are practically insoluble in groundwater.
Full site application examples on various metals will be presented along with the technology principle.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm An Overview of the Department of National Defence, Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project Mike Bodman1, Dan Salvage1, Andrew Smith2, Scott Irwin3, Tom Wang4 and Derek Ormerod4 1Department of National Defence 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Defence Construction Canada 4Anchor QEA, LLC
Esquimalt Harbour, located at the south end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, is the primary Pacific homeport for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The majority of the aquatic lands in the harbour is owned and managed by the Department of National Defence (DND). Addressing environmental risks associated with contaminated sediments in Esquimalt Harbour is a high priority for the RCN and DND based on the levels of contamination present and the potential for these sediments to result in potential human health and environmental risks. Since much of the contamination present is the result of historical activities and sources, Esquimalt Harbour is eligible under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) program. The presence of these contaminants and associated risks has also resulted in Esquimalt Harbour being classified as a Class 1 site (requires action) under Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Aquatic Site Classification System. Managing these risks through remediation or other risk management measures supports DND’s environmental stewardship objectives as defined in the Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Safety and Environment Policy, Commander Royal Canadian Safety and Environmental Policy Statement, Defence Environmental Strategy, and Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 4003-0 Environmental Protection and Stewardship document.
This presentation will provide an overview of the Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project, DND objectives for the remediation project, and the overall strategy for identifying and addressing early action areas versus addressing the larger harbour-wide contamination in the longer-term. Due to potential FCSAP funding availability limitations, DND intends to prioritize remedial action for higher risk early action areas within the harbour while continuing to address the larger harbour-wide cleanup strategy using both risk management and potential remedial actions. The presentation will also discuss some of the challenges faced by DND in implementation of its harbour-wide strategy, including establishing early action remedial action levels, coordinating with on-going capital improvement projects within early action areas, addressing operational considerations during remedial action, and obtaining project approvals through both DND and FCSAP project authorization frameworks.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Implementation of a Thin Layer Cap on Lake Superior in Marathon, Ontario David G. Wilson1, Nicholas Rudolfo1, Bruce Noble1, John Lally2, Ronald Hewitt3, Kay Kim4, Barry Grover5 and Mark Seaman5 1AECOM 2Lally Consulting 3Public Work Government Services Canada 4Environment Canada 5Milestone Environmental Contracting
Background/Objectives Peninsula Harbour is a 12 km2 (approximately 3,000 acres) embayment off the far northeastern shore of Lake Superior that was identified as an area of concern in 1985 by the International Joint Commission due to elevated concentrations of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediment. Through an environment risk assessment, it was concluded that methylmercury was potentially impairing reproduction in
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sport fish and PCBs were impairing reproduction to the longnose sucker, potentially posing risk to foraging mink and posing risk to anglers and their families. Following detailed evaluation, the installation of a thin layer cap (TLC) was selected as the primary active remedy by Environment Canada (EC) and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), in consultation with local stakeholders.
Approach/Activities Under the oversight of Public Works Government Services Canada (PWGSC), representing EC, AECOM prepared final design plans and specifications for the TLC in 2011 as well as development of water quality monitoring plan during construction to assess placement and recolonization. Final design plans called for placement of approximately 15 – 20 cm of sand on top of previously delineated contaminated sediments with maximum and minimum thickness requirements to insure adequate coverage. The final TLC area incorporated into the tendered project covers approximately 230,000 m2 of the southern portion of Jellicoe Cove, where total mercury exceeds 3 mg/kg in surficial sediments. To accommodate differing bottom current conditions and vessel transport lanes, final design incorporated the use of both coarse-grained and medium-grained sand material at varying thicknesses to insure accurate placement and stability under anticipated conditions for the long-term. Final design plans and specifications were tendered in early 2012 for summer construction. The successful bidder was Milestone Environmental Contracting, Inc. (MECI) of Ottawa, Ontario.
Results/Lessons Learned Mobilization of the capping operation kicked off on May 25 and in-water capping operations commenced June 7. Capping operations were completed during August 2012. Completing this fast-tracked project in a relatively remote area where inclement weather conditions have the potential to impact operations during the construction season required careful planning and provided logistical challenges. Some examples include identification and transport of compliant materials (e.g., medium-grained sand was supplied from a local borrow pit and delivered via transfer truck while coarse-grained sand was supplied via transport barge from Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron); achieving placement rate to meet in-water working schedule constraints while meeting habitat-sensitive turbidity criteria; and use of a space-constrained staging set down area. The TLC placement operation was performed using a barge-mounted long-arm excavator and clamshell bucket and large deck barge with support vessels for material delivery and vessel positioning. Sediment cores were used as the basis for verifying cap thicknesses and basic contract compliance.
This presentation will provide an overview of the operations; the challenges and solutions the project met; quality assurance/quality control results on the TLC construction; and, baseline and long-term monitoring parameters collected.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Using In-situ Thermal Remediation to Improve the Sustainability of Source Removal Ralph S. Baker1, Steffen Griepke Nielsen1, Maiken Faurbye2, Niels Ploug2 and Jesper Holm2 1TerraTherm, Inc. 2Krüger A/S In-situ thermal remediation (ISTR) has been utilized approximately 200 sites contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), as well as other organic contaminants. ISTR practitioners employ thermal conduction heating (TCH), steam enhanced extraction (SEE), and/or electrical resistance based methods such as ElectroThermal Dynamic Stripping Process (ET-DSP) or electrical resistance heating (ERH). Because of the physical effects of subsurface heating, ISTR typically achieves contaminant removal efficiencies of >99% from targeted source zones after four to six months of heating, without excavation. The significant amount of energy required, however, often raises questions about the sustainability of ISTR, which are the focus of this presentation.
A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted by an independent third party for a DNAPL site in Reerslev, Denmark. The LCA compared soil vapor extraction (SVE) and in-situ thermal desorption (ISTD), which combines TCH and SVE, with excavation/off-site treatment. Several years of SVE operation at the site preceded rapid implementation of ISTD to protect one of the major municipal water supply well fields serving the city of Copenhagen. The LCA performed for the site-specific conditions concluded that SVE would consume more energy, produce more waste and generate more greenhouse gases (GHG) than ISTD, while requiring an indefinite period of time (>100 yr) to remove sufficient contaminant mass to achieve site closure. Whether or not excavation/off-site disposal or treatment compared well with ISTD depended primarily on the transport distance to a suitable disposal or treatment site. The LCA selected ISTD as the most preferable alternative, as it offered the reduced neighborhood (i.e., social) impacts of an in-situ remedy (no need to move families and demolish homes), combined with the least overall environmental and economic impacts.
Subsequent implementation of ISTD at the Reerslev site, completed in 2009 and treating 12,560 m3 of contaminated soil to attain the stringent treatment goals actually consumed less energy, produced less GHG, took less time and cost less than the LCA had assumed. The GHG associated with digging and hauling the soil approximately 140 km (85 mi) equates to the GHG associated with electrically heating the soil for the five and a half month remediation period, meaning that transport distances exceeding approximately 140 km would be expected to have larger GHG impacts than ISTD.
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The presentation will include discussion of mechanisms of thermal treatment and the applicability of different thermal methods in soils and fractured rock. Experience from several sites will be presented.
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Sustainability Of Using Reactive Zones To Remediate Chlorinated Hydrocarbons In Urban Environment Yvo Veenis Groundwater Technology
In this presentation, we will outline, compare and discuss results from six projects where chlorinated hydrocarbons were remediated in reactive zones created by injecting 4 different categories of active agents into the groundwater. In 3 cases, a mix of zero valent iron (ZVI) and substrates was used, in one case only substrates were applied, in one case activated persulphate was applied and in one case ozone was injected.
These technologies differ widely in approach, impact and carbon footprint. Some have a negative carbon footprint (that is: they actually fixate carbon in the soil) by using recycled and end-of-life materials to facilitate treatment of soil and groundwater.
Four cases are full-scale remediation projects, whilst two cases are field-scale pilot projects. All cases are located in densely built-up urban environments, open to public use. Each case therefore is representative of today’s challenges in urban redevelopment: how to address soil & groundwater contamination in Europe’s most densely populated towns. All cases produced sufficient data to analyse the remedial processes, the effects on the contamination and to draw conclusions on the respective technologies’ applicability, including a review of costs. Several cases are complete with regulatory approved closure; others are still on-going.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM H - SEDIMENT REMEDIATION
LOCATION: Governor General II 8:30 am - 9:00 am Innovations and Successes in Remediation Dredging the Harbor Island Superfund Site Thomas L. Patterson and Ian P. G. Hutchison SLR International Corporation
Remediation dredging typically requires dealing with a set of challenges that ranges from habitat restoration to disposal options for the dredge spoils.
The authors directed and managed a successful large-scale remediation dredging project at a former shipyard in the West Waterway near Harbor Island in Seattle, Washington.
Several unique, innovative approaches were developed to deal with these challenges. The challenges addressed included: restoration of habitat in an active industrial harbor; rail-haul of dredge spoils to a suitable disposal site; development of a detailed site conceptual model to allow for a cost effective, focused dredge design; pre-qualification of the area and depth of dredging to eliminate confirmatory sampling and potential re-mobilization; fast-track implementation with complex stakeholder/trustee issues; and, optimization of dredge design and equipment using then state-of-the-art sonar and GPS methods.
This presentation describes in detail the approaches used by the authors to gain acceptance by all stakeholders and complete the project in three years.
9:00 am - 9:30 am Advances in Remediation of Contaminated Sediments Using Amended Capping – North American Perspectives Mark Mahoney1, Roger Santiago2, William Hague3 and Clay Patmont1 1Anchor QEA, LLC 2Environment Canada 3Honeywell International
Sediment remediation using amended capping has garnered considerable attention in North America in recent years. Amended capping is particularly attractive for contaminants of concern (COC) that is challenging to effectively remediate through traditional capping media such as sands and run of bank materials. Use of amendments increases the effective sorbet capacity of the cap and/or induces changes in the contaminant geochemistry, thereby increasing the overall design life of the cap. Typical amendments include addition of total organic carbon (TOC) materials (such as top soil), introduction of sorbents (such as activated carbon, organoclay, etc., to alter sediment geochemistry, increase contaminant binding and decrease bioavailability), as well as addition of siderite (to alter pH content of sediment to enhance degradation processes). The net result of amendments is more effective caps that provide better in-situ isolation of contaminants, or reduction in overall cap thickness to achieve same end points, resulting in less net fill placed in sensitive aquatic environments.
Amended capping can be a permanent sediment clean up remedy that rapidly and sustainably address key exposures (e.g., bioaccumulation in fish), becoming more effective over time, particularly for chemicals with low mass transfer rates (e.g., PCBs and dioxins/ furans). Amended capping is generally more sustainable, less disruptive to the environment, and less expensive when compared to remedial dredging and disposal. This technology can also significantly reduce ecosystem exposure by binding contaminants to organic or inorganic sediment matrices.
Several methods are available to implement amended capping, including use of delivery systems such as mats, direct injection methods, as well as use of bulk media, either individually placed or blended. The effectiveness of these techniques has been well demonstrated through recent laboratory bench scale tests, field pilot tests, as well as small-scale project applications. Data available from over two dozen field-scale demonstration projects (from North America and Europe) spanning a range of environmental conditions will be summarized and discussed in this paper. In addition, advances in field placement methods undertaken by innovative contractors will be reviewed and their pros and cons discussed. Finally, the costs for undertaking such projects will be discussed.
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9:30 am - 10:00 pm Development of a Detailed Basemap and Model Surface to Support Sediment Remediation of Esquimalt Harbour – Challenges of Reconciling Datasets with Multiple Users Cameron Wallace SNC-Lavalin Inc., Environment & Water
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), and Defence Construction Canada (DCC), on behalf of the Department of National Defence (DND), are currently undertaking a remedial program to address historical contamination of the Esquimalt Harbour sediment. There are a number of consultants responsible for different aspects of the project, including; Anchor QEA LLC, Golder Associates Ltd., SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. and Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd., among others. As is typical with a large project with multiple parties, one of the largest challenges has proven to be maintaining a single consistent and accurate source of data for use by all parties including graphical mapping resources.
SNC-Lavalin Inc. has been tasked with developing and maintaining basemaps (a single source of commonly used drawings) of all graphical data related to Esquimalt Harbour and the proposed sediment remediation areas. The current basemap contains more than 65 CAD layers of relevant graphical datasets including base utilities, shoreline, survey data, all previous environmental investigation locations, upland topography elevations, and marine bathymetry elevations.
The needs for the basemap are constantly changing as the project proceeds and constant updates are required. One of the more complex aspects of the basemap is the development of a highly accurate and complete “model surface” of surface elevation for marine sediment to support volumetric calculations, and engineering design. To create the “model surface”, SNC-Lavalin Inc. has reviewed and pieced together all available bathymetry surface data according to the date, accuracy, elevation datum, and resolution. To address data gaps, PWGSC has completed a highly detailed multi-beam side scan sonar survey of key areas of the harbour which has been included in the basemap. The end result includes a polygon layer with attributes describing the various datasets, and the extent of those various datasets, and clipped versions of the various datasets with the “best” data extending over areas with multiple dataset coverage. This resulting set of elevation data can be used to create a working “surface” in either AutoCAD or ArcGIS, the two main pieces of software being used by the project team.
The next challenge to address remaining data gaps in reliable elevation data is to obtain elevate surfaces for the inter-tidal region that can’t be captured by multi-beam sonar or upland elevation survey. SNC-Lavalin Inc. is preparing to complete a Lasar Imaging, Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey to obtain elevation date for the inter-tidal area and support better upland data.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project, Importance of Integrated Remedial Investigation Derek Ormerod1, Andrew Smith2, Michael Bodman3, Scott Irwin4 and Ben Howard1 1Anchor QEA, LLC 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Department of National Defence 4Defence Construction Canada
The Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project (EHRP) is located on federal crown-owned property in Esquimalt Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and is managed by the Department of National Defence (DND). Esquimalt Harbour is the Pacific homeport for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the location of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt). The majority of the sediment areas in the harbour are owned and managed by DND. Esquimalt Harbour has a long history of naval and industrial activity, both within the harbour and in the uplands along the shoreline. Industrial activities have existed since the 1850s and include sawmills, log storage, shipbuilding, and ship repair. Historical contamination includes a broad range of chemicals, such as metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Addressing environmental risks associated with contaminated sediments in Esquimalt Harbour is a high priority for the RCN and DND based on the levels of contamination present and the potential for these sediments to result in potential human health and ecological risks. Since much of the contamination present is the result of historical activities and sources, the EHRP is eligible under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) program. Because of potential funding availability restrictions associated with FCSAP, DND has prioritized conducting remediation of high-risk early action areas within the harbour while continuing to work toward determining a harbour-wide cleanup strategy. High-risk areas are those areas that have been previously identified as having high levels of contaminants and are under the direct control of DND.
This presentation will discuss how using an integrated approach to conducting remedial investigations can streamline the overall project timeframe, improve project efficiency and cost effectiveness, and help with data quality. The typical remedial investigation approach is a phased approach that first focuses on developing the nature and extent of contamination and collecting data to support risk assessment work.
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Subsequent investigations then focus on collecting data to support remedial design work. This approach typically requires long timeframes to complete the full cycle of investigations and subsequent remedial design work, and can often either duplicate work, or repeat investigations if data collected to address scientific needs do not also address engineering design needs. Using an integrated remedial investigation approach takes into consideration risk assessment needs, nature and extent, remedial design, and operational and construction realities to identify comprehensive data gaps and develop appropriate investigations methods to address all project needs. This presentation will use the EHRP as a case study.
The EHRP has a compressed timeframe to complete remedial investigations, remedial design, and subsequent construction of remedial actions. The expedited timeframe necessitates using an integrated remedial investigation approach to address comprehensive data gaps. In order to develop a comprehensive remedial investigation program, the project team was required to first identify and screen remedial alternatives to select a preferred alternative for each of the early action areas in the absence of certainty surrounding contamination nature and extent. This presentation will provide an overview of the comprehensive remedial investigation program and its components.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation (Phase 1B) Environmental Management Plan Implementation David McKeown1, Rae-Ann Sharp2 and Andrew Mylly2 1SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (SLR), on behalf of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), prepared an implementation plan for intensive environmental monitoring activities associated with remedial dredging at the Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) in Victoria, BC. The Environmental Monitoring Implementation Plan (EMIP) was carried out during in-water activities to ensure environmental protection goals were met during this large-scale remediation project. Remedial activities were conducted to remove historically impacted sediments resulting from decades of shipbuilding and maintenance activities. Contaminants of concern included metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), tributyl-tin (TBT), dioxins and furans, and select pesticides.
The EMIP’s primary focus was to monitor water quality to verify that dredge performance criteria were met and that environmental protection goals and compliance with regulatory approvals were achieved. Acceptable limits for various parameters including metals, PAH, PCB, and total suspended solids (TSS) were established through modelling of predicted water quality to determine anticipated levels of contaminants based on existing sediment concentrations and predicted dispersion to the environment through disturbance during dredging and dewatering activities. Corresponding threshold levels of turbidity were back-calculated from TSS and associated contaminant concentrations in the water column to provide real time in-situ management limits.
Full-time compliance monitoring for water quality during dredging operations was conducted by SLR over the ten-month dredging program. Re-calibration of in-situ turbidity management criteria versus laboratory TSS data relationships was also conducted to validate modeling predictions.
Environmental monitoring was also conducted for an array of environmental components including fish spawn and aggregation monitoring, marine mammal monitoring, underwater pressure from pile installations, air quality, ambient noise, as well as waste and hazardous materials management.
Project staffing, training, equipment requirements and maintenance, and changing conditions posed considerable challenges during the ten-month dredging project. Throughout the project, frequent changes to schedules were required based on contractor progress as well as working within a fully operational industrial facility. Coordination of laboratory submissions and reporting timelines, planning aspects, and changes to field components required frequent revision and time commitment.
Due to the volume of monitoring data generated during the project, data management and coordination of laboratory services also created significant challenges. Data management staff were dedicated to the project and a web-based environmental management tool (EMT) was built to provide an accessible and up to date repository that could be monitored remotely by project personnel. Laboratory results were also automatically streamed to the EMT where they were screened against project limits.
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11:30 am - 12:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation (Phase 1B) Confirmatory Sampling Analysis and Evaluation Plan Implementation and Dredging Residuals Management David McKeown1, Jeff Nyman1, Tom Wang2, Andrew Mylly3, Rae-Ann Sharp3 and Dan Berlin2 1SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. 2Anchor QEA LLC 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (SLR), on behalf of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), prepared and implemented a Confirmatory Sampling Analysis and Evaluation Plan (CSAEP) for post-dredge sediment assessment associated with remedial dredging at the Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) in Victoria, BC. Engineering design for the sediment remediation program was conducted by Anchor QEA LLC (Anchor). Remedial activities were conducted to remove historically impacted sediments resulting from decades of shipbuilding and maintenance activities. Contaminants of concern included metals, PAH, PCB, TBT, dioxins and furans, and select pesticides.
The EGD Waterlot was divided into 11 dredge zones based on pre-dredge contaminant profiles determined through in-situ characterization. Following the required dredging activities, individual dredge zones were sampled on a 25 m x 25 m grid basis. Sampling involved collection of sediment cores and concurrent grab samples to assist with delineation of areas of the EGD Waterlot where additional dredging (contingency re-dredging) or placement of residuals management cover (RMC) material would be required. Each sample location was representative of its sample grid. Grab samples were collected from the upper 0.1 m and results were assessed to determine residual contaminant concentrations resulting from re-suspension and settlement of sediments during and following completion of the dredging process. Core samples were generally collected from the 0-0.50 m and 0.50-1.0 m depth intervals and were corrected for core compaction. Core sample results were assessed to determine whether contamination was present in deeper sediment layers that were not previously identified through the in-situ characterization and remediation design efforts.
Requirements for additional dredge passes and/or placement of RMC material were determined by screening the surface and subsurface sediment analytical results with numeric remedial action objectives (NRAOs).
Sediment quality was assessed using two methods: 1) overall dredge zone compliance with NRAOs based on a statistical approach; and, 2) single point compliance assessment. An evaluation framework was generated to determine whether contingency re-dredging and/or placement of RMC material within select portions of each dredge zone was required based on individual sample grid results as well as the entire dredge zone.
Contingency re-dredge depths were determined based on whether the remaining contamination consisted of residual or missed inventory contamination and the depth to which elevated contaminant concentrations were observed in the confirmatory sediment samples. Following re-dredging, where required, additional grab samples were collected to reassess for residual contamination and to inform RMC placement requirements.
In areas where surface sediment contamination was identified following completion of the initial or contingency re-dredging activities, the surface sediment concentrations were evaluated to determine if placement of RMC material (0.15 m to 0.30 m in thickness) would provide for sufficient mixing and attenuation of the contamination which would result in a clean sediment surface.
Challenges associated with the CSAEP implementation included frequent changes to tight project schedules, working within a fully operational industrial facility, data management, coordination of laboratory services and reacting to unanticipated environmental conditions. Achieving appropriate laboratory turn-around-times and ensuring adequate analytical detection limits for specific parameters also posed significant challenges.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Coastal Zone Marine Environmental Effects Monitoring: The Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Remediation Project John Appleby Public Works and Government Services Canada
Over a century of coke and steel making left a large tract of land (99 hectares) in the heart of Sydney, Nova Scotia, contaminated with the by-products of heavy industrial activity. The North and South Tar Ponds and the Coke Ovens sites contained over one million tonnes of contaminated soils and sediments.
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On May 12, 2004, the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia signed a cost share agreement of up to $400 million to clean up the contaminated sites. As part of the project an environmental assessment was conducted, including a full review by an independent panel. In 2007, the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia accepted all 55 of the panels’ recommendations, and announced that the project would proceed accordingly. In response to those panel recommendations pertaining to the protection of coastal zone environs, a rigorous and comprehensive marine environmental effects monitoring program was designed and implemented.
The presentation will focus on the importance of scoping environmental effects monitoring to appropriately suit project needs and legislative requirements. It will provide a detailed account of marine environmental impact monitoring for the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Remediation Project, with emphasis on influencing factors, program design and results. The presentation will conclude with a lessons-learned narrative, followed by a brief question and answer segment.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Lessons Learned, Innovations, and Successes from U.S. Great Lakes Area of Concern Sediment Cleanups Gina Bayer CH2M HILL
The United States (U.S.) Great Lakes Legacy Act is often cited as a model program to accelerate the remediation of contaminated sediment in the areas of concern (AOC) in the Great Lakes. From characterization through remedy implementation, this presentation shares lessons learned, innovations realized, shareholder engagement techniques, and realized social and economic benefits from case studies at seven U.S. AOCs: Ashtabula River, Fox River, Milwaukee Estuary, River Raisin, Sheboygan River, Waukegan Harbor, and Buffalo River. Additionally, source identification and characterization techniques employed on the Detroit River Binational AOC will be shared, as well as drain investigations at St. Clair Shores, in the near vicinity of the St. Clair River Binational AOC.
Highlights include management of low-level radionuclides at Ashtabula; adapting to the discovery of DNAPL while dredging; shoreline and critical infrastructure stability management; award-winning dredging and material handling execution at the Kinnickinnic River (Milwaukee Estuary), and Sheboygan Rivers; use of an air bubble curtain rather than a traditional silt curtain for turbidity control during dredging; common post-dredge residual management approaches; and, which urban waterway contained the most bowling balls.
This presentation will help inform similar sediment characterization and remediation of AOCs in Canada by sharing the lessons learned in undertaking such work at these U.S. sites.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation Mega-Site (Phase 1B): Design, Contracting and Construction Challenges Tom Wang1, Derek Ormerod1, Andrew Mylly2, Rae-Ann Sharp2, Matt Woltman1, Dan Berlin1, Scott Tomlinson2, Chris Major2, Kristen Richot2 and Liz Vonckx1 1Anchor QEA, LLC 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) is located on federal Crown-owned property in Esquimalt Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and is managed by the federal custodian Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). The EGD facility and Esquimalt Harbour have a long history of naval and industrial activity both within the Harbour and in the uplands along the shoreline. Industrial activities have existed since the 1850’s and include sawmills, log storage, shipbuilding, and ship repair. The EGD facility has been operating for the repair and maintenance of military and civilian vessels since 1927, and is the largest solid-bottom commercial drydock on the West Coast of the Americas. Historic contamination includes a broad range of chemicals, such as metals, PCBs, TBT, and PAHs.
In support of objectives of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP), as well as a potential governance change of the EGD facility, PWGSC developed a multi-phase remedial action plan and engineering design for cleaning up contaminated sediments within the Waterlot, and in adjacent areas (buffer zones) administered by the Department of National Defence (DND). Phase 1B was the primary phase and consisted of remedial dredging and off-site upland disposal of approximately 150,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment, placement of approximately 24,000 cubic metres of in-water slope armour, and placement of residuals management cover over approximately 7.5 hectares. Phase 1B construction started in June 2013 and is to be completed in March 2014.
This presentation will discuss some of the key challenges that were addressed by PWGSC and the consultant design team during Phase 1B remedial design, construction tendering, and construction implementation. Key design challenges that will be discussed include developing the remedial dredge prism using a statistical confidence level approach, identifying implementable water quality criteria and best management practices, integrating geotechnical and site infrastructure restrictions, developing the residuals management approach, accommodating highly variable operational needs into the remedial design and construction sequencing, and determining the best use of performance-based and prescriptive specification requirements to account for local contractor experience.
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Contracting challenges included identifying which components should be tendered together, or separately, identifying the contracting method, developing the technical evaluation criteria to identify compliant bids, and determining the appropriate tender submittals to ensure that the contractor’s transload facility(ies) and upland disposal facility(ies) had proper approvals and authorizations in place to accept the contaminated sediment.
Key construction challenges encountered were unanticipated subsurface conditions, the need to frequently modify construction sequencing and timing to accommodate the facility operations, complying with water quality criteria, and adapting or responding to changes in the contractor’s schedule and delivery of submittals. An intensive full-time construction inspection and environmental compliance monitoring regime was implemented to provide real-time monitoring and review of construction operations, expedited response to contractor requests for information (RFIs), expedited development of PWGSC advisories issued to the contractor, and in-field adaptive management decisions to minimize delays while still accommodating facility operations and meeting the remedial design objectives.
The presentation will conclude by discussing how some of the key assumptions and decisions made during remedial design were actually implemented during construction, how unanticipated conditions encountered were addressed using adaptive management, and summarize important lessons learned.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation Project: Implementing a Sediment Remediation Mega-project at the Largest Deep-sea Shipbuilding and Repair Facility on Canada’s Pacific Coast – Challenges of Operational Coordination Matt Woltman1, Kristen Ritchot2, Rae-Ann Sharp2, Dave Osguthorpe2, Tom Wang1, Dan Berlin1, Andrew Mylly2, Scott Tomlinson2, Chris Major2 and Liz Vonckx1 1Anchor QEA, LLC 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) is located on federal Crown-owned property in Esquimalt Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and is managed by the federal custodian Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). It has been operating since 1927, and is the largest deep-sea shipbuilding and repair facility on Canada’s Pacific Coast. The EGD is an “open access” facility that provides common services (on a fee-for-service basis) and multi-user access to dry dock infrastructure for a variety of private sector companies that provide shipbuilding, refit, repair and maintenance services to various stakeholders such as the Department of National Defence (Navy), the Canadian Coast Guard, BC Ferries, as well as other foreign and private vessel owners (including cruise ship lines). The EGD facility and Esquimalt Harbour have a long history of naval and industrial activity both within the Harbour and in the uplands along the shoreline. The EGD Waterlot was recently remediated to remove historic contamination including a broad range of chemicals, such as metals, PCBs, TBT, and PAHs.
PWGSC Environmental Services, in coordination with the EGD facility operations staff, designed and implemented a multi-phase sediment remediation mega-project that was conducted without significant disruption to the EGD facility operations, capital construction projects, or Department of National Defence (DND) naval operations. Incorporation of strategic elements in the design and project plans, extensive stakeholder communications and coordination, and adaptive management and intensive construction management were some of the key tools used to minimize disruptions and ensure remedial objectives were achieved. This presentation will discuss some of the key aspects and challenges involved.
Key aspects during design and project planning included development of a construction sequencing plan that identified discrete remediation “Zones” within the Waterlot that acknowledged operational needs (i.e., berthing space and access), development of a dredge residuals management strategy, and production of a detailed project risk management plan that identified potential risk events and associated contingencies and responses.
Stakeholder coordination was a critical component, including assignment of dedicated staff for coordination, development of a booking conflict resolution procedure, involvement of senior management, and instituting on-site and Harbour controls (through the Queen’s Harbour Master) to minimize conflicts and potential recontamination during remediation. Coordination also included the multiple phases of the project, adjacent properties, as well as the multiple PWGSC contractors and consultants on site, i.e., for construction, environmental monitoring, archaeological, quality assurance surveying, geotechnical and structural monitoring.
Extensive adaptive management and flexibility was required during implementation of the zone-by-zone remediation sequence. PWGSC utilized full-time on-site construction management staff to track day-to-day construction activity progress to identify potential conflicts, and these were resolved proactively on a daily basis through close coordination between the remediation contractor, monitoring consultants, EGD operations and EGD tenants.
The presentation will conclude with discussion of specific activities that were implemented during completion of the remediation project at the
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EGD Waterlot where disruptions to EGD operations and the remediation project were mitigated through adaptive management of the remediation design, and a summary of key lessons learned.
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation Mega-site (Phase 1A): South Jetty Sheetpile Wall Containment Design and Construction Challenges Geoff Cooper1, Andrew Mylly2, Tom Wang3, Dan Berlin3, Matt Woltman3, Rae-Ann Sharp2 and Kristen Ritchot2 1Klohn Crippen Berger, Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Anchor QEA, LLC
The Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) is located on Crown property in Esquimalt Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and is managed by the federal custodian Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). The EGD facility has been operating for the repair and maintenance of military and civilian ships since 1927, and is the largest deep-sea shipbuilding and repair facility on Canada’s Pacific Coast. Historical contamination in sediments includes a broad range of chemicals, such as metals, PCBs, TBT and PAHs.
PWGSC is currently completing a multi-phase remediation for the EGD Waterlot. The first phase of work, completed between November 2012 and April 2013, is referred to as Phase 1A, and included the installation of an underpier erosion protection system (sheetpile wall) around the existing South Jetty structure to isolate the sediment contamination beneath it, an area of 12,000 m2. Phase 1B remediation addresses contaminated sediment in open-water areas around the South Jetty, which is planned to be complete in spring 2014. The sheetpile wall was designed to prevent recontamination of the Phase 1B area from South Jetty underpier contaminated sediment for up to the next ten years; remediation of the South Jetty underpier contaminated sediments, which is considered Phase 2 of the Waterlot remediation, will be conducted as part of jetty demolition and reconstruction that is anticipated within the next ten years.
This presentation will provide an overview of the engineering design and construction implementation of the $6.4 million phase of remediation. Key engineering design elements included modelling of vessel propeller wash forces on the proposed sheetpile wall during berthing at the jetty using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model as well as evaluating effects on underpier sediment stability from tidal exchange. The geotechnical and structural design considered options for supporting the wall, including a free-standing combi-pile wall and a propped cantilever wall based on embedment requirements, presence of bedrock, sheet strength, and stability of the jetty structure to support the top of the sheetpile.
The design also considered atypical factors such as security, based on eliminating underpier visibility in a harbour managed by the Department of National Defence (DND); health and safety considerations for underpier maintenance, including confined space, air quality, lighting, and visibility; fire safety considerations; underpier access for maintenance; and compatibility with Phase 2 remediation of underpier sediment in the future.
During construction, adaptive management was required to coordinate construction sequencing with EGD Operations for active portions of the graving dock and South Jetty, material delivery delays, unexpected conditions during sheetpile installation and jetty modification, schedule modifications, and other high risk areas of the design.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM I1 - NORTHERN PROJECTS
LOCATION: Governor General III 8:30 am - 9:00 am Contaminant Mass Balance and Flux Estimates as Conceptual Tools to Improve Remediation Plans at Complex Contaminated Sites: Silver Bear Terra Minesite Doug Bright1, Alison Helsep2, Jessica Mace2, Michael Bernardin3 and Heather Jamieson4 1Hemmera 2Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada 4Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queens University
Many of the contaminated sites being addressed under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan are complex: These sites have the potential for contaminant transport via multiple environmental pathways from primary and secondary source areas. As such, there are often numerous possible remedial actions for reducing risks to humans and the environment. Given that many of the contaminant issues at complex sites cannot be completely eliminated, risk management approaches are often applied.
For most large, complex orphaned sites, reactive transport and hydrogeochemistry both before and after remediation typically have a strong influence on the potential for environmental impacts. The identification of areas and contaminants of potential concern, followed by contaminant delineation for each, is a necessary but not sufficient approach for the development and implementation of remediation plans at complex sites. Rather, site-specific risk management solutions at complex sites often require both a more in-depth analysis of the contaminant pathways and sources, and innovative remedial solutions.
We highlight the role of key decision analysis tools in the selection of remediation needs and approaches, based on recent experience in the refinement of remedial plans at the Silver Bear, Terra Minesite, NWT. In particular, a land-scape/watershed level evaluation of contaminant mass balance and flux was completed to assist with refinements to mine remediation plans, based especially on current and anticipated future flux of arsenic via HoHum Lake and a downstream wetland into the Camsell River. Additional studies completed in 2011 through 2013 were instrumental in reducing uncertainty about (i) the relative magnitude of arsenic fluxes from the sub-aqueous tailings deposit in HoHum Lake versus other sources to the lower watershed, and (ii) expectations for sorptive capacity of the natural (or re-engineered) wetland that HoHum Lake outflow water passes through before entering the Camsell River. Overall, this case study shows how relatively simple mass balance and relative flux estimates can be used to refine remediation plans relative to a set of desired outcomes.
9:00 am - 9:30 am Remediation of the Abandoned Giant Mine, Northwest Territories, Canada Michael Nahir Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
In 1999, the federal department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada was designated as the federal authority responsible for overseeing the remediation of the Giant Mine Site. Located within the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, the Giant Mine is a former gold mine that covers 872 hectares. During its operation from 1948 to 2004, the Giant Mine produced 7.6 million ounces of gold and approximately 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide as a result of its gold processing activities. The Giant Mine Remediation Plan is currently undergoing an environmental assessment by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. Full remediation is scheduled to begin 2018. This session presents an overview of the Government of Canada’s innovative approach to the remediation of the Giant Mine Site. The focus will be on the assessment, decision making and selected option to manage the arsenic trioxide waste at the site. Other aspects of the remediation project, such as contaminated buildings, underground instability, open pits and tailings, will be described. An update on the key milestones of the project schedule will be presented.
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9:30 am - 10:00 pm Concentrations of Contaminants in Fish from Yellowknife Bay After 50 Years of Mining: Establishing a Pre-remediation Dataset for Giant Mine Carey Sibbald1, Brad Overton2, Mike Johns1 and Vince Palace1 1Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Giant Mine operated from 1948 to 1999 and is one of the highest priority contaminated sites within the federal property inventory; it is recognized as urgently requiring remediation to protect human and environmental health. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) is currently pursuing remediation of the Giant Mine in Yellowknife, NT. As part of the Giant Mine Remediation Project, various surface remediation activities will take place, as well as the in-situ freezing of approximately 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide dust that is currently stored underground in mined-out stopes. Following remediation, the site will require perpetual care, including continuous collection and treatment of underground minewater. A new water treatment plant is proposed and effluent will be discharged directly to Yellowknife Bay, near its western shore.
Yellowknife Bay is heavily utilized as a fishery resource by tourists, local recreationists and local Aboriginal communities, and also supports some commercial fishing. Sediments and water chemistry along the western shore of the bay have been impacted by historic discharge of effluent over the operating life of the mine. Tailings were also deposited at one location on the bay’s western shore in the mine’s early years. However, despite the historical mining activity, few fish tissue studies have occurred for Yellowknife Bay and the need for a pre-remediation dataset of fish tissue contaminant concentrations was identified. Stantec Consulting Ltd. undertook the fish collections in two phases, conducting the fish capture and tissue sampling in October 2012 and June 2013. Muscle and liver samples were submitted for analysis of total metals; arsenic speciation was determined in a sub-set of muscle samples.
The presentation will discuss fish morphometrics and tissue metal concentrations in three sentinel species (Northern Pike, Lake Whitefish, and Slimy Sculpin) captured from four sampling areas within Yellowknife Bay, as well as one lake upstream of the mine. A standard weight equation was developed for Slimy Sculpin and standard weight comparisons were used for all three species to examine fish health. Arsenic speciation in muscle tissue of Northern Pike and Lake Whitefish will also be discussed. Results of recently collected water, sediment, and benthos tissue data will be presented for a holistic understanding of contaminant concentrations in the bay. Integration of the fish tissue data set into the future site environmental monitoring program will be covered, as well as necessary “next steps”.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Grouping Northern Contaminated Sites to Promote Sustainability Initiatives – A Holistic Approach Based on Recent Projects Completed for PWGSC North of 60º Francois Lauzon1, David Wilson1, Edward Domijan2, Michael Bernardin2 and Mark Yetman3 1Stantec Consulting Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
The Merriam-Webster dictionary (Merriam-webster.com) defines holistic as: “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts…”. Although the term is mostly used in the context of medical practice, where one looks at the health of an individual in a complete picture rather than isolating parts, the same concept can easily be used to consider the “health” of federal contaminated sites management where sustainability initiatives could be directly linked to indicators of “health”. The potential health benefits can become substantial if we consider the management of multiple sites in a general geography in the north as opposed to looking at sites individually, thus a holistic view of contaminated sites management through a sustainability lens.
In order to demonstrate a sample of sustainability initiatives or indicators of sustainability (outcomes based on a chosen approach), Stantec Consulting Ltd. (Stantec) proposes to present two case studies. The first case study involves the integration of the logistical planning and delivery of personnel and material to multiple contaminated sites north of Resolute Bay as part of two different Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) task assignments (projects) under the Northern Contaminated Sites Master Service Agreement in support of two different custodial departments (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and Environment Canada). Stantec, in consultation with PWGSC project managers, created a coordination hub from Resolute Bay using a senior projects coordinator to provide an integrated logistical support function to both projects using shared third party suppliers (mostly aircrafts) for the movement of materials and personnel. The cost savings and associated reduced carbon footprint were resulting sustainability benefits from treating the cluster of northern contaminated sites holistically.
The second case study involves the review of a remedial action plan targeting the remediation of seven abandoned mine sites in the NWT and the potential for considering the establishment of a sustainable northern Federal waste management facility in proximity to Yellowknife to holistically deal with different waste classes as opposed to establishing decentralized landfills across the north.
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11:00 am - 11:30 am Faro Mine Remediation Project – Electronic Data Capture and Field-accessible Project Data Alan Campbell CH2M HILL Canada Limited
The continued proliferation and innovation of portable digital devices has produced a dramatic change in the way people collect and share data. User-friendly platforms with cloud connectivity and GPS functionality allow data to be collected and shared conveniently and instantaneously, while providing real-time geographical context for data collection and viewing. This technology can be readily applied to supporting field activities in various industries, including environmental remediation. This presentation will provide an overview of how tablet devices were utilized to support CH2M HILL Canada Limited’s (CH2M HILL) 2013 field investigation activities for the Faro Mine Remediation Project (FMRP).
The Faro Mine Complex (FMC), located in the Yukon, was operated between 1969 and 1998. At its peak production, the Anvil Range mine produced 15% of the world’s zinc and lead output, and at one point was the largest open-pit lead and zinc mine in the world. This mining resulted in a legacy of more than 70 million tonnes of tailings and 376 million tonnes of waste rock deposited within the valleys and on the hillslopes surrounding the mined areas. These materials generate acid rock drainage (ARD) and have the potential to release toxic metals into the aquatic environment. Site monitoring and analyses demonstrate that the amount of metals released in ARD will continue to increase for hundreds of years.
CH2M HILL was retained as the Project Design Team for the Faro Mine Remediation Project by the Government of Yukon, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources Assessment and Abandoned Mines Branch, and the Contaminated Sites Program of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. CH2M HILL is contracted to advance the final remediation (closure) plan for the FMC and prepare a regulatory submission (Project Proposal) to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB).
A variety of fieldwork is required to address data gaps that remain in various elements of the current closure plan before that plan can be addressed for the purposes of the environmental and socio-economic assessment. This diversity of field activities, combined with the size, complexity and remoteness of the mine site, present challenges for fieldwork execution. Throughout the 2013 field season, tablets were relied on heavily to help streamline the fieldwork execution. The tablets provided a list of support functions historically requiring the use of multiple tools and additional levels of data handling. Some of the key tools included: a moving-map GPS navigation application used for navigating the large, complex site, and mapping of proposed sampling locations and hundreds of historical sampling locations; project files were housed on the tablets for convenient access in the field, including technical work plans, health and safety documents and historical data from over 50 years of project records (borehole logs, test pits, etc.); a mobile form application was used for collection and sharing of field data; and, a camera application with GPS capability allowed for consistent documentation of field conditions and observations. These applications will be presented, along with some of the challenges encountered and a summary of the benefits realized.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm Finding What You Can’t See: Integrating Site Investigation Approaches Kalinovich, I.1,2, Bell, D.1, Wilcox, M.3, Hoffensetz, B.3, Lee, J.4 Solski, E.5 1Dillon Consulting Limited 2Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba 3KGS Group 4Public Works and Government Services 5Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
The potential human health and ecological risk associated with buried transformers containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), leaking barrels, and unexploded ordinances requires more comprehensive screening methods to quantify and inventory potentially hazardous materials. In 2013, a multi-disciplinary team combined geophysical and traditional assessment techniques with local knowledge to assess potential site impacts.
FOX-D was an Intermediate Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line Site constructed in 1957 and operated until October 1963. The site is located on the Davis Strait, 50 km north from the community of Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut and adjacent to the former community, Kivitoo, relocated in the 1950s. Previous assessments from 1994-2011 indicated that hydrocarbon, PCBs and metal contamination existed on the former DEW Line Site above applicable federal and territorial criteria. An ambitious field campaign was conducted in 2013, including geotechnical, geophysical, Phase III ESA, archaeological and ecological site investigations, all completed within ten days. Site access was limited to boat and helicopter.
The aboveground fuel tanks and building foundations were the only remaining site structures from previous site activities. Oral history recounts scavenging activities at the site, accounting for the apparent ‘clean’ site appearance. Using electromagnetic induction and ground penetrating radar assessment technologies, the extent of the known buried dumps were located and found to exceed previous estimates. Combining local knowledge with geophysical technologies and traditional site investigation techniques, previously unknown barrel dump sites were located and delineated.
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A representative site evaluation at historic sites (such as the DEW Line) relies upon the integration between different site assessment techniques. At FOX-D, local and historic site knowledge was required to know where to target investigations. Impact confirmation and delineation was achieved using geophysical and traditional site investigation methods. Site assessment results are being used to evaluate potential risks and develop sustainable, practical remedial options, including landfarming and landfilling, for a remote northern site.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Risk Assessment of the Canol Pipeline: A Complex Linear Corridor Harriet Phillips1, Melissa Tokarek2 and Jessie Hoyt3 1ARCADIS SENES Canada Inc. 2Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Canol Project was a cooperative effort between the United States and Canada to ensure a continuous supply of oil to American forces stationed in the Pacific during World War II. The project covered a total distance of approximately 800 km from Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories (NWT) to Whitehorse in the Yukon. The construction of the Canol Project was a massive undertaking in a harsh and remote mountainous environment. Less than a year after the first oil reached Whitehorse, the entire project was abandoned. More than 65 years since its construction, physical infrastructure and debris from the pipeline remains distributed throughout the corridor. Environmental liabilities include the residual impacts of numerous large-scale oil spills with a cumulative volume exceeding five million litres. The Canol Project was constructed on traditional First Nation (Sahtu) lands that continue to be used by residents for hunting, trapping and recreation. The Government of the Northwest Territories intends to establish a remote wilderness recreational park within the corridor.
Environmental site assessments were carried out at locations along the corridor where infrastructure was constructed to support the pipeline (e.g., pump houses, maintenance yards, etc.). Focused investigations were also conducted of spill sites to evaluate the fate, transport and residual impacts of crude oil spills at a series of case study sites. To support future remedial decision-making, environmental quality data collected from these studies was incorporated into a human health and ecological risk assessment of the long linear corridor. An innovative approach to characterizing the site for the risk assessment was developed using a Monte Carlo approach. The risk assessment considered petroleum hydrocarbon and metal contaminants in the terrestrial and aquatic environments. Small mammals were evaluated on the individual sites as they would potentially be the most exposed and a methodology was developed to evaluate large animals such as moose. As part of the process there was extensive consultation with local First Nations and regulators.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Long-term Monitoring Showing Ecosystem Recovery Following Source Removal of PCBs Megan Lord-Hoyle, Tanya Brown, Carol Luttmer and Dr. Kenneth J. Reimer Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada
The operation and abandonment of the LAB-2 radar station in Saglek, Labrador led to the release of approximately 5,360 kg of pure polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into both the terrestrial and marine environments. The Saglek site is unique because PCBs are the only contaminant of concern present, in contrast with other Canadian radar sites. The cleanup of Saglek was completed between 1997 and 2004 and a long-term monitoring program was established to evaluate the recovery of the ecosystem. Both human health and ecological risk assessments incorporating biomarker studies were completed before and after remediation.
Prior to the cleanup of PCBs, harvesting advisories were issued by the Nunatsiavut Government advising that country foods within a 5 km radius of the site should not be collected. The ecological risk assessment showed that the survival and reproduction of both black guillemots and shorthorn sculpins were potentially at risk from contaminated sediments. Aerial redistribution was assessed using vegetation, while deer mice were used to monitor PCB concentrations in primary consumer levels of the terrestrial food chain. An extensive marine and terrestrial sampling program was completed for use in the human health risk assessment.
The development and implementation of the long-term monitoring program, between 2005 and 2012, included the definition of remedial objectives established on the basis of the effects observed in the terrestrial and marine receptors studied. An ecological risk zone was established for the marine environment, with a target concentration of 77 ppb (dw) in sediments.
Updated ecological risk assessments in 2012 showed a decrease in reproductive and survival effects in shorthorn sculpin and black guillemots since the remediation of the site, as well as a decrease in hazard quotients calculated for deer mice, from 3.2 in 1997 to 0.4 in 2011.
An updated human health risk assessment has shown that PCB concentrations in both the terrestrial and marine environment, while still elevated in comparison to background areas, have decreased to a level where harvesting advisories are no longer warranted. Although exposure to PCBs
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from the consumption of country foods at current frequencies is slightly higher than that expected in other areas in Labrador, this increased exposure is minimal. Comparative risk assessments are of critical importance when considering exposures for Northern populations where exposure to many contaminants is higher than that for Southern populations.
The objectives of the remediation and long-term monitoring programs were guided by a stakeholder group consisting of scientists and Indigenous, Federal and Provincial governments. Local Inuit were consulted throughout the project and guided many of the decisions. In 2013, the Nunatsiavut Government confirmed that all remedial targets and acceptable human health exposures levels have been met.
This project represents one of the first examples of ecosystem recovery after source removal and has significant implications for remediation at other federal contaminated sites, such as the cleanup of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line radar sites. The human health risk assessment of PCBs at Saglek demonstrates the importance of re-evaluating the way risk assessment is done in the North.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM I2 - EMERGING CONTAMINANTS: PFOS
LOCATION: Governor General III 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm PFOS, PFOA and Other Fluorinated Compounds in Environmental Samples – Overcoming Sampling and Analytical Challenges Terry Obal, Adam Robinson and Sin Chii Chia Maxxam Analytics
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and related perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have received a substantial amount of attention, not only because they are recognized as ubiquitous environmental contaminants, but also because these compounds persist, bioaccumulate and cause toxicity in some animal studies. PFCs are of particular interest recently because of their emergence as compounds of environmental concern at airport sites across Canada. It is important that we investigate and develop a greater understanding of their behaviour to ensure representative sample collection, reliable analytical measurement and ultimately effective treatment of compounds.
Because of the physical and chemical behaviour of PFCs in aqueous sample matrices, they pose unique analytical challenges. These same physical and chemical characteristics extend these challenges to field sampling protocols and, if not taken into consideration, lead to unreliable sample integrity and data variability. Ultimately, analytical data will not be representative of the true site condition.
This presentation will review historic information about the use and distribution of these compounds in the environment, highlighting practical considerations for soil and water sampling, and demonstrating best analytical practices to produce results that are both reliable and representative.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Fate and Transport Modelling of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Thomas Franz1 and Christine Levicki2 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Health Canada
Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) is an emerging contaminant that has had widespread industrial and commercial use in a multitude of applications including as a water-repellent coating, friction reducer, and fire fighting foam. PFOS is a contaminant that is specifically relevant to federal contaminated sites such as fire fighter training areas. While PFOS has been recognized as a contaminant in many jurisdictions, only limited regulatory guidelines exist to-date. Under contract with Health Canada, Franz Environmental Inc. implemented the CCME (2006) model to assist with the derivation of a soil quality guideline for the protection of potable water for PFOS.
The work included a critical review of scientific publications on the physical and chemical properties of PFOS as they relate to the fate and transport within the subsurface, a review and modification of the CCME (2006) modeling framework for the simulation of subsurface fate and transport from a soil source to a receptor who is exposed to PFOS in the aqueous phase. The resulting model was used to calculate a draft PFOS Soil Quality Guideline for the Protection of Potable Water (SQGPW).
The study conclusion was that the only appreciable chemical-specific attenuation mechanism available for PFOS in soil and groundwater is sorption. PFOS does not attenuation due to volatilization or biodegradation, and hydrogeological, hydrological and other site conditions result in limited attenuation due to dispersion and dilution. Little scientific data exists for the sorption of PFOS at environmentally relevant (i.e. very low) concentrations. The existing literature indicates that PFOS sorption is dominated by hydrophobic sorption to organic carbon in the soil. Surprisingly, sorption isotherms published in the literature are approximately linear over the range of aqueous PFOS concentrations up to
approximately 1 mg/L, and therefore sorption can be described by the organic carbon to water partitioning coefficient, Koc. A comprehensive
review of sorption studies revealed that the log Koc ranges from 2.36 to 3.8, with a median of 3.16 L/kg. It was also found that the sorption of PFOS is affected by pH. For lower pH, greater sorption has been observed. Other environmental conditions that may affect sorption include inorganic solution chemistry and co-occurrence of PFOS and hydrocarbons or oil, but are not yet well understood.
The CCME 2006 model was modified for PFOS-specific behaviour. In order to facilitate the simulation of pH-dependent partitioning, a pseudo-function was implemented in the model to allow for an increasing sorption for decreasing pH with maximum adsorption occurring at approximately pH 5.
Additional research is required to better define the fate and transport of PFOS. For example, sorption experiments with aquifer material are needed;
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column experiments with PFOS solutions and conservative tracers are needed to better observe the adsorption-desorption behaviour of PFOS and to directly determine retardation factors for the modelling of PFOS (rather than relying on batch tests); PFOS desorption mechanisms are not well understood and the assumption that adsorption is reversible may be incorrect; and finally, the effect of co-occurrence of PFOS and oil or hydrocarbon contaminated soil on the partitioning of PFOS is not well defined. Additional research into these issues is warranted and currently planned.
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Bench Scale Trials of Promising Remedial Technologies for PFOS Extraction/Destruction James West Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and related polyfluorinated compounds are persistent, toxic, bioaccumulating environmental contaminants, detected in human and animal tissue around the world. Although much of the use and production of these compounds is being eliminated, large quantities of these chemicals still exist at contaminated sites across Canada. Traditional remediation approaches have proven expensive and, in some cases, impractical.
As an initial step in the development of cost-effective, practical remediation options, two research streams were supported by Stantec Consulting Ltd. with academic partners at the University of Victoria using Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) support.
The first examined technologies for the destruction of PFCs using PFOS as an example; the second examined the extraction or concentration of aqueous phase PFOS for disposal or destruction.
In-situ treatment of PFOS at contaminated sites would be desirable for reasons of cost and disruption; promises of such treatment have circulated in the media. However, experiments showed that several traditional in-situ treatments for recalcitrant contaminants are ineffective in destroying PFOS, even with favourable conditions (such as high treatment chemical concentration and raised temperature). Thermally and chemically activated persulfate, as well as iron reduction, showed no traces of breakdown product formation. The results suggest that PFOS must be extracted from contaminated sites and treated with more aggressive ex-situ methods (such as vacuum UV photolysis, sonolysis, or pyrolysis).
With respect to concentration of PFOS for treatment, traditional sorbents, such as granular activated carbon (GAC) and powdered activated carbon (PAC), have previously been shown to be effective where the source contains relatively high levels of PFOS, but the efficiency of recovery falls as the source concentration decreases. Multiple use of ion-exchange resin is complicated by the strength of PFOS-resin binding and the mixed solvent/salt washes required for elution. Other sorbent and exchange media – soils, minerals, sludge, ash, coagulants – have varying efficacies, and offer no practical advantages over carbon-based sorbents.
PFOS is effectively retained by reverse osmosis membranes, but flux declines due to sorption onto the membrane active surface. The combined effect of PFOS and other foulants (humic substances, natural organic matter) results in further flux reduction, although the quality of the product water remains high. A novel pressure-driven electrodialysis-like process has been noted in the literature as effectively removing PFOS from spiked ground water on the lab scale. This type of process is potentially low fouling, but the scale-up potential of the novel process is not known.
Following literature review, two additional extraction technologies were evaluated for the recovery and concentration of PFOS from dilute aqueous solution. The first method, foam fractionation, achieved concentration factors of up to seventyfold rapidly (within minutes). The second method, direct electrodialysis, demonstrated similarly rapid uptake of PFOS into anion exchange membranes with a current efficiency of about 50%. It is anticipated that both technologies, which have been applied in other industries for other compounds of interest, can be scaled up using commercially available materials and equipment.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM J1 - RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT
LOCATION: Quebec 8:30 am - 9:00 am What’s in a Hazard Quotient? Validating Ecological Risk Estimates at DFO Light Stations David Rae1, Heather McCleave2, Tony Rodolaki1 and Jody Berry1 1AMEC Environment & Infrastructure 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) own approximately 1,500 properties in Maritimes and Gulf Region and over 8,000 properties nationally. In Maritimes and Gulf Region, DFO initiated an environmental site assessment (ESA) program in Fall of 2000 to respond to the need to quantify their potential environmental liabilities. The most ubiquitous concern present at the light stations is lead-based paint resulting in trace metals, primarily lead, accumulating in soils. DFO completed several hundred Phased ESAs and developed human health risk assessment tools to aid in remediation decision-making but, until recently, potential ecological risks had not been directly addressed in Maritimes and Gulf Region.
In Fall 2010, an ecological risk assessment (ERA) program was initiated at Maritimes and Gulf Region properties using a template and approach developed by a team of four consultants working with Public Works and Government Services Canada. The ERAs adopted a standard approach of benchmark comparisons and food chain models to calculate ecological hazard quotients (EHQs). Elevated EHQs (>1) have been routinely predicted at sites ranging from larger light stations to small range lights. These EHQs are interpreted in light of field observations and assumed conservatisms and uncertainties in the food chain models and remedial action has yet to be recommended based on the ERA results.
To test the validity of the ERAs being completed and to verify that the conclusions being reached are protective, a field validation study has been undertaken at the Point Lepreau light station and a reference site in New Brunswick. Risk drivers in the ERAs are bird and mammal species that rely upon soil invertebrates, particularly earthworms, as a key component of their diet. Hence the field validation study is designed to assess these Receptors of Concern and the soil to invertebrate uptake pathway. Key components of the study include:
• Mist netting of passerine birds and collection of blood and feather samples for laboratory analysis of lead; • Trapping and dissection of shrews for laboratory analysis of liver, kidney, and femur; • Collection of soil invertebrates including earthworms, slugs, and grasshoppers for laboratory analysis of metals; • Grid-based soil sampling to determine representative exposure point concentrations (EPCs); and, • Habitat surveys and field observations on foraging preferences.
The field and laboratory results are used to validate three key uncertainties or sources of conservatism in the ERA model: (1) bias in the soil EPC due to sampling design; (2) diet of small mammals and birds, which is assumed in the ERA models to consist entirely of earthworms, whereas in reality a mixed diet of invertebrates is consumed; and, (3) comparison of measured blood lead and tissue lead to critical blood and tissue concentrations and to reference site concentrations, as an independent measure of potential for effects. The field results are used to verify the level of conservatism and the validity of the conclusions reached in previous ERAs with respect to the need for remedial action.
9:00 am - 9:30 am Vapour Intrusion in Northern Canada: Considerations for Assessment Andrew Henderson and Chris Ludwig Franz Environmental Inc.
One major driver of risk assessment and remediation at federal contaminated sites is the risk of vapour intrusion from petroleum hydrocarbon impacts in soil and groundwater. The specific conditions encountered at northern sites mean that the risk from vapour intrusion is often overestimated. We will share our experience in designing field programs to accurately assess the potential for vapour intrusion at northern sites.
Federal guidelines for petroleum hydrocarbons and related compounds in soil are partially based on the risk of vapour intrusion as estimated by the Johnson and Ettinger model. For northern sites, the assumptions in the Johnson-Ettinger model are often inappropriate for several reasons:
• Buildings are not constructed on concrete slabs or with basements, but instead are built on piles to minimize frost heave; • Petroleum hydrocarbon impacts are often found very close to the surface as the result of spills from aboveground storage tanks in areas where permafrost forms a confining layer at shallow depths; and, • The annual average ground temperatures are relatively low.
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We will present a revised understanding of the potential for vapour intrusion based on our experience collecting and analyzing soil, soil vapour and indoor air samples across northern Canada. Through the use of simple models and empirical data, we will illustrate the tendency to overestimate the potential for vapour intrusion when using standard site investigation techniques.
9:30 am - 10:00 pm Developing Unique Risk Assessment Scenarios Krista Trounce Geofirma Engineering Ltd.
For the completion of a site-specific human health and ecological risk assessment, identification of appropriate site receptors and associated exposure scenarios is key. Often at federal contaminated sites, risk assessors are faced with the challenge of designing exposure scenarios and determining exposure characteristics for receptors that do not fall into the pre-determined categories. Health Canada guidance provides the basis for assessment of risk to generic receptors under residential and commercial scenarios, accounting for the general public, and considerations for the unique exposures for aboriginal communities. However, it is the responsibility of the risk assessor to develop and justify site-specific receptors and exposure scenarios, to ensure the risk assessment provides an appropriate assessment of risk that neither underestimates nor overestimates risk to unique exposure scenarios and receptors.
As parkland falls into the same category as residential land use, the generic guidelines are often overly conservative. In the National Capital Region, for example, land use along the shoreline of the Ottawa and Rideau rivers was often industrial in the past, but was converted to parkland in the 1960s, resulting in former industrial and commercial sites which are now urban parks or greenspace. Generally, one turns to the Health Canada recreational land use receptor characteristics in the site-specific risk assessment for an urban park. However, sometimes that urban park is the location of an off-leash dog park, or is the venue for multiple summer festivals, or is occupied in the summer by the homeless. Determining appropriate exposure scenarios and receptor characteristics under these unique conditions can be a challenge, especially in the absence of data for things such as soil ingestion, or appropriate toxicity values for domestic pets. Other factors must also be considered, such as the responsibility of the federal custodians to assess risk or implement risk management measures for un-authorized use at a contaminated property.
10:30 am - 11:00 am Goose Bay Stillwaters: Ecological Risk Assessment as a Remediation Decision Tool Jody Berry AMEC Infrastructure & Environment
5 Wing Goose Bay is a military base, located in central Labrador. The Base was founded in 1941 and has been used by the United States and Canadian military for more than 60 years. The Goose Bay Remediation Project (GBRP) commenced in 2004 to remediate or risk manage legacy contamination to the extent that it does not pose an immediate or ongoing risk to human health or the environment. The South Escarpment Stillwaters (SES) are a series of water bodies that lie south of the South Escarpment (southern limit of the Main Base plateau) and within the Churchill River floodplain. There are several former dumpsites located along the South Escarpment as a result of its use as a general dumping ground for Wing derived waste for almost 40 years. Wastes, from a variety of sources, including solid municipal waste, drums containing petroleum related products, metal debris, and heavy equipment were discarded at the South Escarpment dumpsites. Contaminants including petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides have been identified in soil and groundwater from the escarpment, and in surface water, sediment, and fish tissue within the SES.
A detailed quantitative ecological risk assessment (DQERA) has been undertaken for the SES to provide sufficient characterization in support of Department of National Defence (DND) remediation and/or risk management decision-making. Phase 1 included a site reconnaissance in 2012 to conduct a qualitative habitat survey to confirm candidate references areas, characterize dominant aquatic habitats, fish communities, and benthic communities for the SES and candidate reference areas, and identify any potential contaminant sources not identified in historical reports for the SES. The findings of the reconnaissance were used to finalize elements of the Phase 2 Sampling Program completed in 2013.
The results of the Phase 2 Sampling Program are used in a weight of evidence (WOE) assessment that describes the methods and lines of evidence (LOE) used to evaluate exposure including: benchmark comparisons and risk calculations (HQs) for surface water, sediment, porewater, and fish tissue; sediment toxicity tests (Hyalella azteca (14-day survival and growth) and Chironomus spp. (ten-day survival and growth)); benthic macroinvertebrate community survey using a variety of standard health indices; fish community surveys using a variety of comparisons such as age, size, and body weight; and, benthic invertebrate and fish tissue analysis and food chain models to estimate total doses and assess exposure to piscivores at higher trophic level. The effects assessment analyzes all LOE for existing and or potential adverse effects on the assessment endpoints. The outcomes for each of the methods/LOE are presented by assessment and measurement endpoint for each SES. Risk characterization integrates the output of exposure assessment and effects assessment for each LOE using a weight of evidence approach to provide risk results that can be used to make informed remediation decisions for each SES. The WOE assessment will be used to identify areas which will require remediation or risk management. The LOE will be used as inputs to a remedial options assessment, which will examine remediation technologies and costs for the SES.
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11:00 am - 11:30 am Considerations for Human Health Risk Assessment of Consumption of Aquatic Biota Ross Wilson Wilson Scientific Consulting Inc.
At sites where chemicals enter the aquatic environment, elevated concentrations of chemicals may be found in aquatic foods consumed by people. Evaluation of the safety of consumption of aquatic biota is not always straightforward particularly since there is an absence of federal tissue guidelines for most chemicals but also that most of the formal risk assessment guidance is specific to media other than food. This presentation provides an overview of various key issues and strategies available to complete scientifically-defensible human health risk assessment of consumption of aquatic biota. Common chemicals driving health risks from aquatic biota consumption may include: methylmercury (particularly in top predatory fish); arsenic (all biota); polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins/furans (PCB/PCDD/Fs) (particularly in crabs and fish); and, cadmium (certain shellfish). For methylmercury, which can be found in essentially all Canadian fish, there is an ongoing debate regarding the nutritional benefits of fish versus need to advise people to limit consumption. In addition, there is contrasting epidemiological information on the health effects observed in whale- versus fish-eating people and the possible interactions with selenium. In the case of arsenic, the relatively recent World Health Organization margin of exposure calculation and the need for speciation of arsenic in tissue analyses can be important considerations in a human health risk assessment. The distinction between hepatopancreas and muscle concentrations in crab is often necessary for the human health risk evaluation of PCB/PCDD/Fs while the use of exposure amortization approaches can be an important consideration for the evaluation of both cadmium and PCB/PCDD/Fs. Site-specific estimates of dietary intake should be used when available; however, it is not always possible to collect such information and the application of the recommended maximum intake estimates can be considered. The role of knowing background or reference location concentrations can play an important role in risk interpretation and affect risk management decisions. Finally, the importance of balancing continued fish consumption with the risks posed by elevated concentrations of certain substances is briefly discussed.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm The Value Added by Human Health Risk Assessment to the FCSAP G. Mark Richardson Stantec Consulting Ltd.
When FCSAP was initiated in 2003, Expert Support was an integral component of program design. The science-based Expert Support Departments (ESDs) are Environment Canada, Health Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. They contribute to the development of a scientifically-credible framework for addressing federal contaminated sites, including tools, guidance and training for managing priority sites in a consistent manner across government. Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), the fourth ESD under FCSAP, is responsible for improvements to the procurement process by developing project management tools, best practice documents and guidance to support custodians.
Although the general concept of site specific risk assessment (SSRA) is well recognized and practiced within FCSAP, there has been little measure of the dollar value (or savings) a SSRA can provide in the management of contaminated sites. Contaminated sites progress through FCSAP from early assessment and preliminary estimates of environmental liabilities (usually based on minimal data and exceedence of generic guidelines), through various program steps that refine estimates of risk. Throughout the 10 Step process for managing FCSAP contaminated sites, liability estimates are also refined with increasing accuracy, reflecting those refined risk estimates. The risk assessment process ultimately leads to site-specific remedial criteria that offer the same level of health protection envisaged within generic guidelines, but incorporating site-specific data on the frequency, duration and intensity of contaminant exposures, among other factors. These latter factors are all typically lower than assumed for generic guidelines. Final remedial criteria (typically a concentration in soil and/or groundwater), are routinely greater in numerical value than generic guidelines, and the final estimate of environmental liabilities (remedial cost) is typically lower than the cost of cleaning up to generic guidelines.
Stantec Consulting Ltd. has examined available data on a small number of sites and demonstrates the net cost saving potential through the utilization of site specific risk assessment. In essence, the net final post-SSRA clean-up costs are compared to preliminary estimates of environmental liabilities based on exceedences of generic CCME guidelines. Contract costs for preliminary and detailed risk assessments, as well as costs for collection of additional data to feed the SSRA process are also considered. The analysis is based on a limited number of sites; however, the cost savings to FCSAP are readily apparent, and will be discussed.
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2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Consideration of Bioaccumulation of Inorganics by Produce at Contaminated Sites Ian Mitchell Millennium EMS Solutions Ltd.
Uptake of contaminants into produce and subsequent consumption by humans is an exposure pathway for soil quality guidelines identified in the CCME protocol. However, in practice this pathway has not been used in the derivation of published CCME soil guidelines due to technical challenges. When conservative assumptions are used, frequently calculated guidelines are indistinguishable from background concentrations. Since this pathway may be a critical exposure pathway for the protection of human health, the absence of workable guidelines based on produce ingestion is an important concern for human health at contaminated sites, particularly in agricultural areas or residential properties where backyard gardens are present.
This presentation will use cadmium, an inorganic substance known to bioaccumulate in produce, as a case study to demonstrate some of the challenges in developing generic soil quality guidelines for this pathway. A three-tier approach for evaluating this pathway at sites where produce is grown in contaminated soils is proposed, with more detailed site-specific information collected at each successive tier.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Modelled Ecological No-effect Soil Concentrations for Cattle, Sheep and Deer Receptors: Safe for Humans? Shannon M. Bard and Jennifer Trowell Keystone Environmental Ltd.
Remediated soils from mining wastes and biosolids processing can be used to ameliorate deficient soils for the creation of new pastures or grasslands. However, there is concern about the concentrations of contaminants (such as hydrocarbons and metals) remaining in the remediated soil, specifically whether these concentrations pose a risk (1) to grazing ungulates such as deer, cattle and sheep, and (2) for human consumption of beef or lamb raised on these pastures or wild venison that have grazed on these new grasslands. Ungulates can be exposed to soil contaminants both directly, through incidental ingestion of soil, and indirectly through ingestion of grass that has accumulated contaminants from the soil. In order to derive de novo guidelines for soil concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons that presented no risk to ungulates, modelling was conducted to calculate the concentration in the soil that would not cause an adverse effect (the ecological no effect concentration, EcoNECsoil), by taking the ratio of the no-observed adverse effect level toxicity reference value (NOAEL TRV derived independently from databases and scientific literature) over the proportionate ingested dose from grass ingestion and incidental soil ingestion. Assuming that cattle and sheep are confined to the pasture, while deer eat grass as only 9% of their diet, both cattle and sheep are more vulnerable to risks due to elevated soil concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons. The resulting calculated EcoNECsoils (metals and hydrocarbons) for cattle and sheep indicates that both are similar in their exposure to contaminants in the soil, depending on the metal or hydrocarbon under consideration. In order to determine if consumption of beef and lamb raised in pastures or deer grazing on grasslands ameliorated with this remediated soil posed human health risks, dietary consumption of accumulated concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons via meat consumption were compared to toxicity reference values. The results showed that concentrations of some metals and hydrocarbons that did not pose a risk to ungulates could accumulate in the meat to concentrations that potentially pose health risks to humans.
A second set of soil guidelines were derived de novo that would be protective of humans in the “soil – vegetation – grazing ungulate – consumption of meat” pathway and then compared to EcoNECsoil. The selection of which set of guidelines to apply to the assessment of soils depends on the management and protection goals of the site; the first set of guidelines is protective of the health of the grazing ungulates only, while the second set of guidelines is protective of human consumers of ungulate meat products.
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014 STREAM J2 - STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
LOCATION: Quebec 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm Great Slave Lake Project – Community Engagement and Capacity Building Strategy Ron Breadmore, Joel Gowman and George Lafferty Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
The Great Slave Lake Project consists of three (3) abandoned mine sites within the East Arm basin of Great Slave Lake, NT. Gold, copper, and tungsten were mined at the Outpost Island Mine site (1941-42 and 1951-52); cobalt and nickel at the Blanchet Island Mine site (1950s and 1970s); and, nickel at the Copper Pass site (late 1960s). The sites were actioned in the 1990s under the Arctic Environmental Strategy program, with a focus on surface cleanup and site stabilization. Residual hazards include: impacted sediments, tailings, waste rock/ore, mine openings/ trenches, impacted soils and hazardous/non-hazardous wastes. Environmental site assessments were completed between 2005 and 2012.
With the sites moving into the remediation planning phase in 2012-13, and the transition to a new Project Management Team (PMT), there was a need to develop a rigorous community engagement strategy. Stakeholders were identified through consideration of site proximity and existing Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements and Interim Measures Agreements (assumptions validated through Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada’s Aboriginal and Territorial Affairs Directorate) and included: Yellowknives Dene First Nation (N’Dilo and Dettah), Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation, Deninu Kue First Nation and Fort Resolution Metis Council. With Copper Pass falling within the Mowhi Gogha De Niitlee boundary (Tlicho Final Agreement), the Tlicho were also consulted.
The Great Slave Lake Project Community Engagement Plan was developed in late 2012-13 and the stakeholder groups were invited to project update meetings intended to provide an introduction to the new PMT; an update on work completed to date and a description of next steps for the project. The meetings also provided a forum for the communities to share their knowledge of the sites, express their concerns and inform the PMT how they would like to be engaged on the project. Through the meetings, it was determined that the communities possessed solid knowledge of the sites and had built some capacity through earlier cleanup efforts, or more recent community-based monitoring programs. Follow-up meetings were held with Executive Councils to respond to questions raised during the public sessions, discuss socio-econom- ic opportunities and map out plans for: traditional knowledge study (mapping exercise, aerial site reconnaissance via helicopter and community-based questionnaire) in May; remedial options workout in June; site tour in July; and bidder’s tour in September of 2013. Coming out of these meetings, it was determined that the communities preferred that the workout be held in Fort Resolution to bring the communities together for a collaborative approach. The two-day workout included presentations by the Crown and their technical lead with community- selected Elders and Technical Advisors. Engineering and environmental science information was exchanged with traditional knowledge of the sites, surrounding areas and historic access routes. Preferred options were selected through round table consensus. The options were further examined during the site tour, which proved effective in “ground-truthing” the workout discussions. In advance of the bidders tour, the historic access road at Copper Pass was opened up by a community-based forestry crew to provide safe site access.
The Great Slave Lake Project Community Engagement and Capacity Building Strategy required considerable effort but has paid off with strong stakeholder buy in and enhanced community capacity. Beyond the remediation planning phase, the communities will be actively involved through the remediation, closure and monitoring phases.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm First Nation and Stakeholder Involvement: Lessons Learned through a Lake Superior Sediment Remediation Project Michelle McChristie1 and Kay Kim2 1Ontario Ministry of the Environment 2Environment Canada
The summer of 2012 marked a significant milestone in the restoration of the Great Lakes – the completion of the contaminated sediment remediation project in Peninsula Harbour, located in Marathon, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Superior. Environment Canada led the initiative with project management support from Public Works and Government Services Canada and funding from the governments of Canada and Ontario and private industry. Peninsula Harbour is one of 43 areas in the Great Lakes system where the environment has been harmed to the point that it affects use and enjoyment of that area of the lake or may affect the health of the lake. Canada and the United States agreed to develop remedial action plans to address the environmental problems in each area under the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In Peninsula Harbour, the sediment remediation project was the last remedial action required to create clean habitat for aquatic flora and fauna and
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to accelerate natural recovery. Discussions about remedial options between government representatives and community members began in the 1990s and culminated with an ecological risk evaluation and sediment management options analysis in 2008. Maintaining First Nation and stakeholder interest and involvement led to unique challenges for government representatives: community priorities changed with the closure of the local pulp mill; communicating the results of scientific studies, while important in terms of building capacity with the First Nation and other stakeholders, did not always indicate progress to those outside of government; at times, there was an underlying feeling of frustration and mistrust in the communities; and there was a risk of consultation fatigue. With support from a non-government facilitator, a community liaison committee was formed as a mechanism for governments to provide meaningful updates about timelines, funding and the potential impacts and benefits of the project on future development of the town’s waterfront. The committee also shared information with members of their communities and encouraged broader participation in meetings. As a result, the committee’s input improved the design and implementation of the project. Valuable lessons were learned about First Nation and stakeholder consultation and involvement which will be applied as long-term monitoring of Peninsula Harbour continues.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Community Engagement: The Process Can Be Very Rewarding – If You Want To Do What It Takes Mark Calette Saskatchewan Research Council
Introduction/Background The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has been involved with Project CLEANS (Cleanup of Abandoned Northern Sites) since 2007. This involves the remediation of abandoned uranium mine and mill sites across northern Saskatchewan. The project includes the remediation of the Gunnar Uranium Mine and Mill site, Lorado Uranium Mill site and 36 satellite mine sites. Community consultations have been undertaken since 2007 to provide information and gain feedback from the communities in the Athabasca region.
Objectives SRC wants to achieve positive relationships with the communities in the Athabasca region. These positive relationships allow SRC to gain valuable advice and feedback from the communities on what their interests in the project are and what outcomes they expect. Building trust with the communities is vitally important and provides a social license for SRC to operate in the region.
Approach The approach SRC has taken is to reach out regularly to the communities and the leadership of those communities. SRC has met with northern community members 86 times since 2007. This was a significant effort and shows our commitment. SRC uses a variety of methods to reach people in the Athabasca region. The methods include open community meetings, field season kick off meetings, mine site tours, attending and presenting at regional industry meetings/conferences, meetings with leadership and other communications as required.
Challenges There are a few unique challenges. It is difficult to maintain relationships and social license on short term projects where the hiring of local workforce is minimal compared to large mining operations that have over 20 year operations in the region. Another challenge is communicating regularly with the residents of the Athabasca region who are over 800 km away from the SRC offices. The geographical distances between the communities and the remote access increases the cost of meeting with communities and is also a limiting factor.
Results SRC maintains positive relationships for the most part with the Athabasca communities and their leadership. The determined and ongoing efforts of engaging the community provides many rewards. It is a journey of ups and downs along with many gratifying moments. Community engagement for companies and organizations working in the extraction or remediation industries should be something that is embraced. When the mindset changes from a “have to do” to a “want to do” that is where the real success can start.
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Tuesday, April 15 – Wednesday, April 16, 2014 POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Soil Vapour Intrusion at Contaminated Sites – The Use of Soil Vapour, Indoor Air Quality and Background Air Measurements in Human Health Risk Assessments John Goodin Pinchin Environmental Ltd.
This presentation focuses on the soil vapour intrusion pathway at contaminated sites and speaks to our increasing use of soil vapour concentrations, indoor air quality assessments and background air quality in human health risk assessments. Risk management strategies for soil vapour intrusion are also discussed with respect to existing and new buildings.
Phased Assessments and Risk Assessment in a Busy Railway Corridor, British Columbia James Mair1 and Tim Sackmann2 1Hemmera 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Fraser River Bridge and Trestle and the New Westminster Rail Bridge (NWRB) South Approach site in Surrey, British Columbia (BC) have withstood increasingly extensive industrial and public use for more than a century. Constructed in 1904, this busy bridge and transportation system has recently undergone a comprehensive environmental and risk assessment process. The multi-stage assessments included a unique opportunity to explore the long-term effects of a major transportation corridor on the changing biophysical, social and economic environment. This poster will present various assessment results while highlighting the unique challenges associated with analyzing contaminant sources in multiple media.
The Fraser River Bridge and Trestle became the property of the Government of Canada in 1939. The NWRB South Approach site, located along the south shore of the Fraser River, was licensed to the Canadian National Railway (CN Rail) in April 1987, and fully entrusted to CN Rail in March 1992. This major transportation corridor supports up to 46 trains per day, carrying both cargo and passengers and some 30 million tonnes of cargo per year through Burrard Inlet. Longer-term plans include a total replacement of the Fraser River Bridge. The site is located near two identified and significant archeological sites (DhRr-2 and DhRr-74, and the Fraser River).
Several stages of investigations have occurred at the site in recent years, including staged Phase 1, 2 and 3 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), Preliminary Quantitative Risk Assessments, Supplemental Site Investigations, Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments (HHERAs), and Aquatics Assessments. A Remedial Action/Risk Management Plan was also developed, along with HHERA updates following the identification of encroaching properties. In addition to summarizing the assessment findings, this poster presentation will describe the stakeholder management and coordination activities, including consultation with federal and municipal governments private land owners located adjacent to the bridge and transportation corridor.
This poster presentation will identify the health, safety and logistical considerations, such as site access, training, rock ballast and soil leachability testing of the fill used to construct the railway. The poster will also summarize the federal and provincial regulatory regimes in place to evaluate site data, and describes applicable archeological and First Nation considerations, and work undertaken with multiple stakeholders. In addition, the poster will highlight other challenging aspects of the project, including the assessment of encroaching properties that operated on portions of the site for over 50 years. On going adjacent industrial activities will also be presented, such as CN Rail Bridge upgrades and the works of a major metals recycler and several concrete batch plants. The poster will summarize the activities of major transportation construction projects, such as the South Fraser Perimeter Road, and will identify other environmental considerations, including ecological receptors, contaminant risks to Fraser River aquatic life, saltwater interactions near the site, and issues pertaining to human exposure.
Port Hope Campaign 1, Small Scale Site Survey Program David A. Raymond1, Steven Gable1, Mitra Saidi2 and John Benson3 1AMEC Environment & Infrastructure 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Atomic Energy Canada Limited
AMEC Environment & Infrastructure (AMEC) was retained by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) as a consultant to coordinate and provide oversight on Campaign 1 of the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office (PHAI MO) Small Scale Site (SSS) Survey program. The PHAI MO is a tri-partite entity combining the resources of PWGSC, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Natural
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Resources Canada. PWGSC also retained one survey consultant/contractor to complete the surveys. AMEC’s role was to coordinate and oversee the work completed by the survey consultant to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures and ensure the work was completed in accordance with PHAI MO objectives, using the best available techniques and equipment.
The purpose of Campaign 1 of the SSS Survey was to complete a full radiological survey of approximately 450 SSS within the town of Port Hope. This is the first of several campaigns intended to survey all of the approximately 4,800 properties in Port Hope. The radiological surveys included exterior gamma surveys, borehole drilling with soil sampling and analysis for contaminants of concern, radon monitoring, interior gamma surveys, and object and surface contamination surveys.
Results from the site surveys were then used to develop delineation workplans, if and where required, and to develop class D cost estimates for the remediation of those properties that require remediation. AMEC assisted with and co-ordinated the review of the workplans and verified the assumptions and accuracy of the cost estimates generated.
Challenges encountered during the project included issues related primarily to scheduling and co-ordination. As expected when dealing with the public, scheduling intrusive investigations and interior gamma surveys within individual homes was periodically difficult to co-ordinate. This challenge was generally mitigated through co-ordination with PWGSC and AECL and with clear communication regarding the nature and purpose of the planned investigations. Additional challenges included weather related delays (i.e., during periods following heavy snowfall) which hampered drilling operations and prevented the completion of exterior gamma surveys during these periods.
Furthermore, due primarily to the large quantity of data generated, analysis, interpretation and reporting of this data presented a challenge for both the survey contractor and the review team. While many locations were similar, and reporting was as uniform as practical, most sites were unique in some manner and therefore required special consideration during reporting and data analysis.
Port Hope Historical File Review: Developing Process, Characterizing Sites Steven Gable1, David A. Raymond1, Mitra Saidi2 and John Benson3 1AMEC Environment & Infrastructure 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Atomic Energy Canada Limited
AMEC Environment & Infrastructure (AMEC) was retained by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to coordinate the completion of the historic file reviews (HFR) of the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office’s (PHAI MO) Small Scale Sites (SSS) project. The PHAI MO is a tri-partite entity combining the resources of PWGSC, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Natural Resources Canada. PWGSC also retained five (5) file review consultants (FRCs), who were responsible for the actual review of each of the SSS historical files. AMEC’s role was to coordinate and supervise the work completed by the FRCs.
The purpose of the HFR project was to review each of the historical files from each of approximately 4,800 SSS, which included residential properties, parks and ravine lots in Port Hope, and to characterize each of the sites in terms of the historic presence of radon gas, interior gamma radiation measurements, and exterior gamma radiation measurements.
Prior to the commencement of the SSS file reviews, AMEC prepared tools and a guidance document for use by the FRCs in the completion of their work. The primary tool prepared was the decision matrix. This matrix considered each of the three characterization types: radon gas, interior gamma radiation measurements, and exterior gamma radiation measurements. The guidance document prepared provided a process to the FRCs for the completion of the historic file reviews, the completion of the historical file management template contained within the PHAI Collaborative Portal, and the preparation of the site specific work plans required for each property. Upon completion of the development of the tools and process documents, training was then provided to the FRCs that ensured that each of the FRCs understood the project processes and the requirements of the HFR project.
Project work product tracking was critical in ensuring that project schedules were met, and that the FRCs had appropriate resources allocated to the project. The AMEC project manager generated weekly reports throughout the project to provide PWGSC and AECL information related to review rates and to assist the project team in managing resource allocation.
The challenges associated with the management and oversight of the FRCs during the completion of the HFR project were varied, and in some cases complicated. In order to ensure that the project was completed effectively and correctly, project processes were critically important to ensure that the expected project deliverables met both PWGSC’s and AECL’s expectations. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that each of the FRCs followed the processes throughout the project and did not vary from those processes as a means of expediency as they became more familiar with the project.
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Integrated Characterization of a Granular Aquifer to Assess the Natural Attenuation of a Landfill Leachate Plume Laurie Tremblay1, René Lefebvre1, Vincent Cloutier2 and John Molson3 1INRS, Centre Eau Terre Environnement 2IRME, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue 3Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Laval University
Numerical models encompassing source zones, pathways and receptors, based on a representative conceptual model and accounting for aquifer heterogeneity, are needed to understand contaminant migration and fate. However, standard aquifer characterization approaches seldom provide the data needed to develop such models. The objective of the study was to develop a workflow for field characterization and data integration which could be 1) adapted to the definition of subwatershed-scale aquifer heterogeneity (over 10 km2) and 2) applied to support development of a mass transport model. The study involved the field investigation of a shallow granular aquifer in a 12 km2 sub-watershed in which a decommissioned landfill is emitting a leachate plume undergoing natural attenuation. Using proven field methods, the characterization sequence was designed to optimize each method in terms of location, scale of acquisition, density and quality. The emphasis was on the acquisition of detailed indirect geophysical data that were integrated with direct hydraulic and geochemical data. Geological, geophysical (surface and direct push), hydraulic and geochemical methods were used to: 1) define aquifer properties; 2) identify the leachate plume; and, 3) evaluate the potential for natural attenuation. The statistical integration of multiple data sources allowed the representation of aquifer heterogeneity in 3D and the delineation of the leachate plumes. Statistical and graphical interpretations of the geochemical data provided insight on the natural environment of the semi-confined aquifer in the sub-watershed and into the geochemistry which controls plume evolution. The integration of the multiple data sources revealed: 1) the aquifer structure (aquifer boundaries, stratigraphy and hydrofacies); 2) the leachate plume extent; 3) the spatial distribution of hydrogeological contexts as well as groundwater flow patterns and leachate migration paths; and, 4) groundwater geochemical conditions throughout the aquifer. The geochemical data were crucial in refining the conceptual model of ground- water flow since they identified likely recharge and discharge areas, quantified the recharge inferred by 3H/3He age profiles, and provided evidence of points of exchange across the aquitard separating the shallow granular aquifer and the underlying bedrock aquifer. Geochemical data were most useful in refining the conceptual model of groundwater flow and in understanding geochemical processes along flow paths. The data were also integrated to develop a representative groundwater flow and mass transport numerical model. The geochemical data in combination with 2D numerical modeling has provided a better understanding of groundwater flow and natural attenuation mechanisms of the leachate plume at the former landfill. This characterization approach was found to be time and cost efficient and could be adapted to other types of hydrogeological environments and spatial scales. This improved knowledge of the site conditions will lead to a better assessment of the environmental risk to groundwater receptors with respect to the leachate plume.
Challenges and Triumphs – High Elevation Remediation in an Active Compound, Rogers Pass Glacier National Park Danielle Backman Mt. Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks, Parks Canada
The Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) forged a path through the impenetrable peaks of the Selkirk Mountains in the later part of the 19th century, leaving behind a legacy of harrowing stories, rugged mountaineers and the industrial footprints of rail travel. Rogers Pass (RP) site is located within Glacier National Park established in 1886. RP has undergone over 110 years of development leaving behind an environmental legacy resulting from historical practices. By 1916, frequent avalanches forced the railway underground, changing the future of Glacier National Park by keeping this mountain gem relatively unknown until the highway was constructed in the late 1950’s. The summit of RP was revived into a small community complete with a Parks Canada highway operations facility and interpretative centre, hotel and service station.
In 2002, a Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessment was completed for numerous areas of potential environmental concern (APEC) in RP where significant levels of hydrocarbon, toluene and naphthalene contamination were discovered. In 2006, four APECs were remediated and a groundwater monitoring program has been on going ever since. By 2010, remediation activities were extended across the highway to Rogers Pass West, an area also impacted by historic CP Rail activities. The soil and groundwater at this site have shallow hydrocarbon contamination associated with the former gas station, and deeper (up to 11 m) contamination of high-viscosity petroleum thought to be linked to heavy oil releases from the former rail days.
This site is challenging because it is an active highway operational compound, staging grounds for highway avalanche control and associated artillery fire lead by the Canadian Army, a place for visitors and home to a former hotel and service station. The site sits at 1330 m elevation and is often subject to inclement weather in the summer and early onset of winter, making for a short field season and additional challenges for planning. Parks Canada has explored different options for remediation at RP, including soil removal and backfill, in-ground injection of oxygen-release compounds to enhance biodegradation and monitoring natural attenuation. Parks Canada has completed numerous rounds of groundwater monitoring and now proposes to conduct a comprehensive peer review and analysis of the last ten years of data collected to identify the most effective method of dealing with the contamination.
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RP is an evolving national historic site. The pioneering engineering techniques used in building the railway line and highway continue to benefit today’s travellers. The 1916 Connaught Tunnel and the 1988 Macdonald Tunnel remain major operating feats of the railway main line. Snowsheds still defend both the highway and the railway, and avalanche control using howitzer fire has been conducted since 1960. Enhancing ecological integrity through environmental remediation without negatively impacting cultural integrity is a daily challenge at Parks Canada and more specifically at RP. Properly managing the contaminants at RP will further enhance visitors’ experiences at Glacier National Park.
Otolith Microchemistry Provides Time Resolved Contaminant Exposure and Retrospective Analysis of Fish Residency, Foraging Patterns and Baseline Geology Vince P. Palace1, Lisa A. Friedrich2 and Norman Halden3 1Stantec Consultants Ltd. 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada 3Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba
Assessing potential impacts of contaminants on fish is hampered by uncertainty regarding their residence and exposure. Typically, environmental monitoring programs measure concentrations of contaminants in soft tissues (e.g., muscle and liver). While these are useful indicators of the most immediate exposure period, soft tissues are continually accumulating and depurating contaminants. Therefore, contaminant measurements in soft tissues are only equivalent to a snapshot in the fishes’ lifetime exposure history. In contrast, otoliths (tiny inner ear bones) are continually accumulating biominerals that accumulate trace inorganic contaminants permanently into their structure. In manner analogous to visualizing growth rings in a tree, otoliths have been used for decades as the most reliable means for determining the age of a fish. Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) concentrations of a growing number of elements can be determined in annual growth zones of the otolith. The resultant time resolved data can be used to reconstruct annual exposure histories in a wild fish and allows trend analysis to be performed for populations. Divalent cations, which substitute for calcium in the otolith bone structure (e.g., Zn, Mn, Mg and Sr), are most commonly determined but other elements that act as anions in the aquatic environment, may also be incorporated in the mineral and protein matrix of the otolith. Among these are several elements of environmental concern (e.g., As, Se and S). Resolution is typically in the parts per million, or even parts per billion range. Specific projects in which LA-ICP-MS analysis of otoliths has been applied to examine exposure trends and to provide risk assessment information to the power, mining and site remediation sectors will be presented.
Risk-based Guidelines for Dioxin-like Compounds in Fertilizers and Soil Amendments Alexis Fast and G. Mark Richardson Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Dioxin-like compounds (DLC) include dioxins, furans, dioxin-like PCBs and HCB. DLC are toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative and have been linked to developmental, respiratory, reproductive, cardiovascular and other disorders and human health effects.
Stantec Consulting Ltd. was engaged by the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC), a tri-national organization (Canada, Mexico, United States) – created to address regional environmental concerns – to develop a methodology that could be applied to establish risk-based guidelines for DLC in fertilizers and soil amendments that would protect human health and the environment. Various soil amendments, such as municipal biosolids and pulp and paper sludges, may contain trace amounts of DLC and the potential for exposure through the agricultural food chain was a particular concern. DLC in fertilizers applied to agricultural fields can result in direct human exposure to DLC-contaminated soils by farmers, family members and farm workers. Indirect human exposure may result from the consumption of agricultural produce (animal and vegetation) into which DLC has accumulated by uptake from agricultural soils, forage and fodder. Similarly, ecological receptors may be directly exposed (predominantly via soil ingestion) to soil-bound DLC following fertilizer application to farmland, or indirectly by consuming vegetation or prey species into which DLC has accumulated from the soil.
The poster will review the various data, pathways and other factors considered towards developing a method for derivation of risk-based guidelines for DLC in fertilizers and soil amendments. The presentation will also discuss the derived risk-based concentrations of DLC in fertilizers and assess and discuss the concentrations of DLC that might accumulate in agricultural soil as a result of repeated applications of soil amendments and fertilizers on agricultural land. Concentrations predicted to accumulate in soil over time will be compared to existing risk-based guidelines for DLC in soil.
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Management of a Large Storage Tank Database (or Using Your Data to Manage Potential Risks) Mike Grinnell1, Bettina Carius-Sales1, Kim Krug1 and Steve Crossman2 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Nexacor Realty Management Inc.
Franz Environmental Inc. has been assisting one of our private clients to develop a five year management strategy for fuel storage tanks situated on 1,300 + properties located across Canada and in the northern United States. The objective of the program was to assess the potential risks posed by individual storage tank systems on a given site and develop a priority ranking to address such risks.
The various storage tanks and/or fuel storage systems located on these properties are inspected annually by maintenance contractors and a field inspection form completed per site. The data generated from these field inspections is summarized and entered into a series of tank inspection spreadsheets. The spreadsheets are then evaluated/sorted to generate a risk ranking score sorted both by tank and by site and to develop strategic risk mitigation/management measures to be implemented over a five-year period beginning in 2014.
The lessons learned in managing the data generated from numerous storage tanks or storage tank systems located on various properties: • Verify completeness and relevance of the tank inspection data (generated at the site); • Review tank inspection data (for a given site) to ascertain that storage tank systems comply with applicable municipal, federal, and provincial regulations; • Develop a list of deficiencies to focus on priority items (i.e., what to check now to avoid bigger problems later); • Review information from submitted tank inspection reports to ascertain the accurate description of potential deficiencies at each site; • Cross reference the inspection report with ongoing construction projects completed in the current calendar year to verify that these projects were properly completed; • Cross reference the list of sites and tank permits/licenses to verify record keeping remains current and up to date; • Develop a five year risk management program for the 1,300+ fuel storage tanks/storage tank systems located on client owned/ leased properties across Canada and the northern United States to be implemented beginning in 2014; and, • Upgrade the plan annually.
Environmental Site Investigation of a Former Sludge Lagoon at a Federal Corrections Institution Nick Dayal1, Amanda Salway1, Michael Shum1, Tim Sackmann2 and Mark Slacke3 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Correctional Service Canada
It is usual practice to remove sludge from a sludge lagoon of a wastewater treatment system upon decommissioning. At Mountain Institute, the former sludge lagoon (FSL) was left in-place, with redevelopment on top. The environmental site assessment work described in this poster was completed to evaluate the potential impacts of leaving the sludge in-place on nearby receptors through soil and water.
The FSL is immediately to the west of Mountain Institution in the District of Kent, approximately 100 km west of downtown Vancouver. The Mountain Institution covers an area of approximately 25 ha, which is shared with the Kent Institution.
The FSL was associated with the facility wastewater treatment plant constructed in 1978. Until 1992, following preliminary treatment, excess biomass was wasted to the FSL. In 1996, the FSL was filled and paved in order to accommodate a new parking area for the institution.The area west and south of the FSL consists of a habitat mitigation area which was built in support of the relocation of a portion of the local creek. A baseline study identified Coho, Threespine Stickleback, Bullfrogs, and Neotenic Northwestern Salamanders in the mitigation area. The potential impacts of the FSL were a concern for the mitigation area.
Soil, groundwater and surface water samples were collected during several intrusive investigations. PAHs and metals were identified as the primary issues in soil, however, mobilization into groundwater was generally limited. Because of the high organic typical of sewage sludge, retention of PAHs and metals was expected. Elevated metals in groundwater did not manifest into unacceptable risks in the mitigation area. An analysis of all the data indicated site conditions had reached steady state, which would be expected given the age of the FSL. Monitoring at this site was completed in Spring 2013.
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Environmental Site Assessment Surprise! A Lesson in the Importance of a Thorough Phase I Jason Dobbie1, Randy Sinukoff1, Kerri Hurley2 and Jennifer Sifton3 1Neegan Naynowan Stantec Ltd. 2Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada 3Public Works and Government Services Canada
In November 2007, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), in partnership with Couchiching First Nation, began the detailed environmental site assessment (ESA) of a 55 ha parcel of land which was the location of a former sawmill site (circa 1904-1970’s/1980’s). The investigation was originally scoped based on information from previously completed ESA work at the property. During a project meeting in Couchiching in February 2008, an Elder informed the project team of an area where wood treatment may have taken place, which was not identified in previous studies. This area was located within a residential area near the shore of Rainy Lake. The area was investigated and results revealed concentrations of dioxins and furans in soil exceeding CCME guidelines.
It soon became clear to the project team that the history of the site was much more complex than previously documented. Given the uncertainty, a decision was made to relocate the six families living in the area. This gave the project team the ability to refocus the work from rapid data collection in the residential area, to a more holistic and strategic approach involving public communications, risk management and historical research.
This poster will present a practical “lessons learned” scenario to federal custodians and consultants on the importance of a thorough and complete Phase I ESA, especially when dealing with historic industrial properties. Phase I ESAs are the foundation upon which all future ESA, remediation, and risk management strategies are built. A strong foundation is key to ensuring that the project proceeds smoothly and all areas of potential environmental concern (APECs) are identified.
We will give an overview of the process used to uncover the details of the historical operations dating back to 1904, and how this information was used to develop the ESA plan moving forward. The Phase I ESA process included acquiring historical information through non-traditional sources such as movie footage and photos of original site operations, and interviewing Elders and former workers at the site.
The detailed ESA resumed in the summer of 2012 with focused efforts on specific APECs identified during the 2010/2011 Phase I ESA undertaken at the site. AANDC is continuing to work with Couchiching First Nation to complete this assessment and determine the degree and extent of the contamination at the property. It is expected that the detailed ESA will take upwards of two more field seasons of work and upon completion will enable the development of a comprehensive remediation/risk management plan.
Matrix for Calculating Human Health Risk from Berry Consumption of Soil Contaminated with PAHs and PCBs Using Reference Values of Hydrophobicity Cher LaCoste Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The consumption of berries grown on contaminated soils is continually identified in conceptual exposure models as a potential exposure route for human and ecological receptors. Berries can be challenging to sample due to time constraints of growing seasons, accessibility of sufficient sample size and cost. Organic pollutants such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) can present significant human health risks, but there is a paucity of guidance relating to their uptake into berries. This poster reviews the literature on bioavailability and translocation of PAHs and PCBs from the soil into plant tissues, including chemical properties and physiological processes, and mechanisms of contaminant control in the rhizosphere and within the plant. The literature indicates that there are multiple barriers to PAH and PCB entry into plants, as well as several mechanisms of breakdown, sequestration and expulsion. Several studies have found an absence of correlation between soil and berry contamination levels, and others have concluded that PCBs and PAHs remain primarily in the soil and that contamination of plants is likely from airborne exposure. There are large knowledge gaps on uptake mechanisms, routes of exposure, and between-species variability in organic pollutant uptake into berries. Presented in the poster is a matrix for calculating human health risk from berry consumption due to the uptake of PAHs and PCBs from the soil based on reference values of hydrophobicity, bioconcentration factors, human consumption rates, and toxicological reference values. The weight of evidence suggests that the soil-to-root pathway for PAH and PCB uptake in berries should not be a significant pathway for human health risk assessments unless soil concentrations are very high, consumption of berries is high, or the chance of aerial soil particles is high.
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A Review of Acid Rock Drainage Treatment Options and Impacts on Local Habitats Daniel Merrill and Michelle Gray Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick
Acid rock drainage (ARD) or more commonly known as acid mine drainage (AMD) is a complex biogeochemical process that has long-term effects on soil and water quality. A thorough and ongoing site assessment is required during pre-construction, construction, operations and decommissioning to fully understand the effects of various mining activities such as tailings containment, waste rock stockpiling, road-building and water treatment and what they have on the surrounding and downstream environment. There are numerous assessment tools and remedial options to choose from. This poster will review the advantages and disadvantages of various remedial tech- nologies and illustrate the effects of ARD on various habitats. A case study will be provided that utilized publically available Geographical Information System (GIS) databases to determine water drainage pathways within an active ARD treatment site. This information was used to drive soil and water sampling for pH, carbon, sulphur and nitrogen content. These measurements were then used to make comparisons between vegetated and non-vegetated buried rock piles and sludge disposal sites as well as up-stream and down-stream water seepage areas. Assessment and monitoring methods for site-specific applications will be summarized.
Marine Intertidal Biodiversity and Habitat Restoration Along Contamination Gradients in Howe Sound, B.C. and its Potential Application to the Management of Aquatic Contaminated Sites Marlatt, V.L.1,2, De Las Heras, A.1, Walker, J.1, Chiang, E4., Bard, S.2,3 1University of the Fraser Valley 2Simon Fraser University 3Keystone Environmental Ltd. 4Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Studies conducted in 1990-1993, 2004, 2012, and 2013 have shown that biodiversity of intertidal species in the mid- to low tide zone decreased significantly as exposure to pulp mill and mine effluent increased along pollution gradients in Howe Sound. During the earliest Howe Sound surveys two pulp mills (Woodfibre and Port Mellon) were operational, and since the 1990’s successful pollution abatement was undertaken to decrease the toxicity of marine effluent. This research describes the recovery of intertidal biodiversity at the most highly impacted sites, Darrell Bay (proximal to the decommissioned Woodfibre pulp mill), Port Mellon (proximal to the operational Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Mill) and Britannia Beach (drainage site for decommissioned Britannia Mine). At Darrell Bay, intertidal biodiversity increased from six species in 1990s to 12 species in 2004 post-pollution abatement, to 16 species in 2013 post-mill closure. Experiments investigated whether recolonization and recovery are accelerated at the Darrell Bay site by providing additional rocky intertidal habitat through rock transplantation to the mid-low tide zone. Recruitment of five species to native rock was observed by six weeks, and by 12 months ten species were present. However, by 14 months a reduction in species richness was observed (seven species remaining), and this was likely a result of the physical disruption of this site by an influx of wood fibres onto the beach that formed a mat on two of the four replicate rock transplants. Although both Britannia Beach and Port Mellon rocky intertidal sites exhibit significantly lower biodiversity compared to reference sites, the species richness at both of these impacted sites has increased since the earliest 1990-1993 surveys with a ≥ 2-fold increase between the 2004 and 2013 surveys.
These studies indicate increases in species diversity following pollution reduction; however they also implicate potential effects of physical habitat and hydrological alteration on ecosystem recovery. Future project plan includes further investigation on the effectiveness of recolonization and the physical, biological and chemical stressor parameters surrounding the recovery. At the conclusion of the project we hope to provide another tool for effective management and remediation of aquatic contaminated sites in multi-stressor environment with a tangible indicator to ecosystem productivity recovery. As well, the application of such tool could provide an operative link to the strategic management of aquatic contaminated sites under a basin-wide context.
Thunder Bay North Harbour Risk Assessment Susan Winch1, Adam Dawe1 and Kay Kim2 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Environment Canada
On behalf of Environment Canada, Franz Environmental Inc. (Franz) completed a site-specific human health and ecological risk assessment to determine areas requiring sediment management based on risks for Thunder Bay North Harbour in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The sediments in the Thunder Bay North Harbour are contaminated with mercury and are organically enriched with pulp waste from over 85 years of effluent released from a paper mill and require sediment management. In the area near the mill effluent discharge point, sediments contain elevated mercury and consist of wood fibres and wood wastes with a thickness of up to 4 m. The area of impacted sediment adjacent to the former paper mill was the focus of the study.
The main objective of the risk assessment was to evaluate potential risks to human and ecological receptors from exposure to contaminants in sediment and to develop risk-based, site-specific target levels and recommend a sediment management area. The primary contaminants of
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concern for both human health and ecological receptors were total mercury, methylmercury, fatty acids and resin acids. The risk assessment was completed using multiple lines of evidence including sediment chemistry, toxicity test results, benthic taxonomy and mercury biomagnification potential.
The ecological risk assessment involved a quantitative assessment of risks to primary producers, benthic invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals. The human health risk assessment evaluated risks for local site users (recreational visitors/subsistence fishers, hypothetical future residents and construction workers). Risk to all receptors were evaluated using a hazard quotient or risk quotient approach. Potentially unacceptable risks to ecological receptors were identified for ecological VECs (Valued Ecosystem Components) including belted kingfisher, mink, loon, bald eagle, forage fish, piscivorous fish and sediment dwelling biota. Potentially unacceptable risks to human receptors were estimated for residents, construction workers and recreational users/subsistence fishers for both total mercury and methylmercury from sediment ingestion, dermal contact and fish ingestion.
The management goal was to determine areas that require sediment management based on risks. A spatially weighted average concentration (SWAC) approach was used to calculate Thiessen Polygons defining a risk based sediment management area. The area was subdivided into an active management area for the most contaminated sediments (i.e., dredging and disposal), and a passive management area for lesser-contaminated sediments (i.e., thin layer cap, monitored and/or enhanced natural recovery). The net result was to reduce contaminant concentrations to industrial background levels, or lower. It was initially assumed that both active and passive management options would achieve 100% of the target reduction in concentrations. Scenarios with active management with passive management providing various level of effectiveness (95%, 90% and 85%) were also evaluated. Residual risk estimates in the exposure area were at a maximum 1.1x the corresponding risk levels in the industrial background area (with the passive management area at 85% effectiveness).
The recommended management area generally corresponds to the extent of sediment toxicity and the enriched organic sediments (pulp fibre deposits).
EGD Waterlot Remediation Project: Implementing a Sediment Remediation Mega-Project at the Largest Deep-sea Shipbuilding and Repair Facility on Canada’s Pacific Coast – Dredging Challenges Kristien Seabloom1, Gary Fontaine1, Craig Longmuir1, Rae-Ann Sharp2, Warren Penner1, Raveen Kang1, Kristen Ritchot2, Chris Major2 and Andrew Mylly2 1Fraser River Pile and Dredge (GP) Inc. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) is located in Esquimalt Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and is Crown-owned and operated by the federal custodian Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). The EGD has been in operation since 1927, and is the largest deep-sea shipbuilding and repair facility on Canada’s Pacific Coast. The EGD facility and Esquimalt Harbour have a long history of naval and industrial activity, and historic sediment contamination included a broad range of chemicals, such as metals, PCBs, TBT, and PAHs. A remedial action plan and remedial design was developed by PWGSC to remove the contaminated sediments from open-water areas by dredging (EGD Waterlot Remediation Phase 1B). Tervita Corporation, with Fraser River Pile and Dredging as the main sub-contractor, was awarded a $38.6 million contract for this work in January 2013, and dredging commenced in June 2013. This poster will highlight some of the key aspects and challenges of the dredging.
A primary challenge was to implement a large-scale sediment remediation dredging project in a manner that allowed for ongoing EGD operations. It was necessary to follow a prescribed dredging sequence in defined “dredging zones”, while continually adapting to operational requirements. Dredging activities had to be coordinated with the EGD vessel bookings schedule, and often occurred in close proximity to active ship repair operations, and moored vessels.
Other challenges included the implementation and operation of real-time kinetic (RTK) marine derrick positioning systems, acquisition and use of environmental level-cut dredge buckets, mechanical and hydraulic dredging adjacent to sensitive structures, unanticipated subsurface conditions, compliance with water quality criteria, compliance with noise by-laws, restrictions on passive dewatering from material barges, barge transport logistics, slope armour placement methods, and residuals management cover placement methods.
The poster will outline specific methods that were implemented during remediation dredging at the EGD Waterlot, and a summary of key lessons learned.
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Effectively Communicating with the Public and Fostering Stewardship for the St. Marys River Area of Concern Through Bipartisan Collaboration C.H. Barett and M.G. Scott Algoma University
Since the early 1900s, the St. Marys River (the connecting channel between Lakes Superior and Huron) and surrounding area have been impacted by industrial and municipal operations. As a result of the adverse environmental effects caused by industrialization, the St. Marys River was designated as an Area of Concern under Annex 2 of the 1987 Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The subsequent development of a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) and environmental impact assessment, found nine of the 14 Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) categories to be ‘impaired.’ Public participatory action and multi-stakeholder engagement has played a critical role in implementing the RAP for the St. Marys River. Since its inception in 1988, local government agencies, non-government organizations, and private citizens have helped guide the initial assessment of BUIs. Currently, government organizations are presented with the challenge of sharing scientific information with the local community in a way that makes this technical information both accessible and actionable. Effectively communicating with the local community and soliciting relevant stakeholder feedback is key to ensuring the continued success of remedial actions currently underway within the ecosystem. Bipartisan (US-Canada) collaboration is fostering a sense of ownership and long-term stewardship among local river users that will persist beyond the life of the RAP program.
Naturally-occurring Arsenic in Southern Alberta Soils Alicja Wierzbicka, G. Mark Richardson, Ryan Dennis and David Alberti Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Stantec Consulting Ltd. is now familiar with a variety of sites in southern Alberta where arsenic levels in soil are ‘problematic’ yet wholly natural in origin. It is becoming increasingly common to encounter elevated concentrations of arsenic in the soil of lands around Calgary, AB. A large area of southern Alberta, including Calgary and areas south to the US border, were subjected to volcanic ash deposition from the eruption of Mount Mazama in Oregon circa 5700 BC. That ash included elevated concentrations of arsenic and other inorganic elements.
Procedures for guidelines derivation, including for site-specific applications, published by the CCME recognize that it is common for naturally-occurring background soil concentrations of inorganics to exceed generic guidelines. In those cases, CCME recommends that generic guidelines be adjusted (upward) to reflect local elevated background levels, under the philosophy that individuals, corporations, governments or other parties should not be held financially liable for the remediation of contamination that is natural in origin.
Based on a review of data available in the Environmental Site Assessment Repository, a website created by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD), arsenic levels in soil with no known anthropogenic source were statistically evaluated. Based on data from two large rural properties, it is evident that arsenic levels in soils from southern Alberta exceed the background concentration of 10 mg/kg as assumed by the CCME and by Alberta ESRD when deriving generic risk-based soil quality guidelines to protect human and ecological health. Based on that data, a reasonable upper limit of normal background arsenic concentration in southern Alberta soils can be defined as 40 mg/kg. This concentration is the approximate 95th percentile concentration from available data. Following CCME and Alberta ESRD procedures yields a regional soil quality criterion of between 50 and 60 mg/kg. This regional criterion would achieve the same incremental risk (1 in 100,000 incremental risk of cancer) above background as do the generic guidelines from these agencies, while also reflecting the naturally-elevated levels of arsenic in the region, levels not attributable to any industrial or other anthropogenic source.
In 2013, Stantec assessed a site located in Evanston, AB that was found to have elevated arsenic levels in soil. An analysis and comparison of the data with background arsenic concentrations in surrounding areas was conducted to demonstrate and confirm that this was naturally occurring arsenic. This analysis will be presented as a case study.
Species at Risk on Contaminated Sites: Help or Hindrance? Barbara Slezak and Mohammad Murtaza Public Works and Government Services Canada
Species at risk (SAR) are becoming an integral component on federal contaminated sites. Under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) there is an increasing number of species being listed under Schedule 1 as Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern; critical habitat is being identified for the endangered and threatened species; and SARA permits are required for the endangered and threatened species depending on what activity is taking place. As the numbers grow and more critical habitat is identified, it becomes inevitable that a species at risk will be encountered on federal land and ultimately on a contaminated site. The question is what impact will it have and how do we deal with SAR on contaminated sites?
Each site or project will already have its own complexities and considerations including: location, access, administrative and contractual timelines, budget limitations, provincial and federal requirements to remediate the site and type of contamination. If a SAR is found or suspected
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to be on site then we can now add its complex biology, life cycle and SARA requirements/limitations and the impacts they may have on the project to this list. On a project where there are already a long list of considerations, species at risk can add a level of unknown challenge and increased project management.
In the Ontario Region, SAR are considered early in the remediation process during Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments all the way through to the risk management stage. In many cases this has avoided any complications during remediation through determination of non issues related to SAR or through the development of mitigation measures. However, there have been instances where SAR issues have arisen during the tendering process or immediately prior to remediation activities commencing on site, even if SAR surveys or documentation was done early in the project. For example a SAR may be found that wasn’t originally identified for the site, the work may impact its hibernation or basking habitat because of fall work, or the work now needs to take place during the breeding bird window. In these situations the project could have been delayed an entire year which could have put funding availability in question and whether or not a project could commence on time if a SARA permit was required. When many of these remediation projects begin in the fall due to funding availability and the tendering process, waiting 2-3 months for a SARA permit would have stopped the project for the fiscal year. Here we will look at projects where SAR have become an integral component at the remediation/implementation stage, and how Public Works and Government Services Canada Ontario Region has dealt with these situations. We will discuss how we worked with Environment Canada, the types of mitigation measures we implemented, how this impacted the project and some of the challenges to consider in the future.
Case Study: Goodfish Lake Former Dry-cleaner In-situ Remediation – Soil Mixing with Zero Valent Iron/Clay Sarah Cicchini1 and Michelle Gray2 1Golder Associates Ltd. 2Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
The former Goodfish Lake Dry-Cleaning Plant operated from the late 1970s until 2006. The solvent used in dry-cleaning, Perchloroethylene (PCE) (a dense non-aqueous phase liquid) was stored in a 20,000L above ground storage tank on site. In the early 1980s a valve failure on the storage tank caused a significant spill of PCE. Following the spill there was some initial recovery from the adjacent wastewater lagoon but much of the PCE had seeped into the soils. Several environmental investigations relating to historical dry-cleaning activities were completed between 1987 and 2010 and it was determined that the area immediately surrounding dry-cleaning plant and the adjacent wastewater lagoon required remediation. In 2001, a limited excavation was completed. Following demolition of the dry-cleaning plant in 2008, soil excavation underlying and immediately surrounding the building was excavated.
The adjacent wastewater lagoon was considered a secondary source for contamination and its location in the community triggered an evaluation of remedial/risk management options. A few of the key site characteristics that were considered in this evaluation included: the depth of soil contamination, which was estimated at nine meters; the shallow depth to groundwater; the fine-grained conditions (hydraulic conductivity ranging from 10-7 to 10-9 m/s) and the magnitude of the concentrations, which would classify the soil as hazardous for landfill disposal. Following several discussions with the key stakeholders, the selected remedial approach included a two-phase process where first, water and sludge would be removed from the lagoon, followed by soil mixing with a zero valent iron (ZVI) and clay mixture. Soil mixing as a means of ground improvement for geotechnical applications has been around for several years. However, the documented use of this technology in Canada for environmental applications is not extensive. Prior to proceeding with design of the program, laboratory treatability tests were completed by the University of Colorado to evaluate the effectiveness of the ZVI clay to degrade PCE and to collect data to assist in design of the field application.
Based on the results of the laboratory testing, the full-scale soil mixing program was implemented in 2012 and included mixing over an area of approximately 7,450 m3 of soil. A QA/QC program was implemented during the implementation stage to verify mixing effectiveness. The post-mixing monitoring program was initiated in 2013 and is currently ongoing. Results to date indicate significant reduction of PCE in soil samples collected within the mix zone with a downward trend. Concentrations of degradation products including trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene isomers and vinyl chloride are either stable or decreasing.
Regulatory Off Ramp for Small Craft Harbours Michael Geraghty1 and Scott Moseley2 1Keystone Environmental Ltd. 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Keystone Environmental Ltd. (Keystone Environmental) completed Phase 2 and Phase 3 Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) at the Canadian Coast Guard Small Craft Harbour (SCH) at Lyall Harbour on Saturna Island, in the Southern Gulf Islands, BC. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were present in sediments in and around the SCH infrastructure, which consisted of an approach, a wharf and floats, at concentrations that exceeded the BC Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR) sediment criteria for typical sites, which were used by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for this site. The suspected sources of PAHs were creosote treated timber piles and dolphins, a historical fire which destroyed the wharf (now rebuilt), and upland fueling facilities.
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Delineation of PAH contamination during the Phase 3 ESA determined that the PAH contamination was mainly limited to sediments under and adjacent to the wharf and floats. Analysis of PAH constituent ratios and the PAH constituent concentration distribution suggested that the PAHs signature observed in the sediments strongly resembled that of creosote and not fuel or combustion based sources. The Sooke Basin Study (Goyette and Brooks 1998, 2001) demonstrated that a halo of PAH contamination, consisting of droplets and micro-sheens, is commonly found up to 7.5 m from creosote treated timber piles as a result of abrasion and wave action, which is consistent with the observed PAH concentrations at the site. Based on the PAH signature data, Keystone Environmental determined that the PAH concentrations observed in the sediments at the SCH was sourced from the creosote treated timber piles associated with the wharf and the dolphins at the SCH and not the historical fire or the fueling facilities.
The British Columbia Ministry of the Environment has a policy that concentrations of constituents of concern exceeding regulatory standards that are associated directly with a structure that has a beneficial use are not considered to be contamination so long as that beneficial use contin- ues. Given the ongoing beneficial use of the creosote treated timber piles and dolphins at the active SCH, Keystone Environmental concluded that the PAH concentrations in the sediment under and adjacent to the SCH wharf and floats was not considered to be contamination and, therefore, no further action with respect to the elevated PAHs concentrations was required so long as the facility remained in operation. Upon decommissioning of the SCH, the beneficial use exemption would be lifted and PAH contamination associated with the facility would need to be addressed.
Characterization of Temporal Exposure to Metals in Mammals: Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry Marie Noel, Jody Spence, Charlie Robbins, Jennifer Fortin, Peter Ross and Jennie Christensen Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Metals obtained through the diet are readily incorporated into hair, and once bound, remain relatively unchanged. We enhanced an existing technique, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP/MS), to function as a non-lethal tool in the characterization of temporal changes in metal exposure in the hair of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). While conventional ICP/MS obtained only one concentration per metal from >10 hairs due to analytical limitations, LA-ICP/MS provided over 1,600 concentrations per metal from only one hair. We will present three major aspects to the development of this method.
1) Quality Assurance / Quality Control Inter-laboratory variability, replication, laser direction and washing. Specifically, hair samples were run using both LA-ICP/MS and standard ICP/ MS, which showed high correlations for all metals (e.g., mercury: r2=0.96; p=0.008). In addition, the reproducibility of the technique was assessed by analyzing several hairs from the same bear and by running the laser both forward and backward. In all cases, the maximum in the cross-correlation functions of metal concentration patterns amongst hairs from the same bear suggested a high degree of similarity in pattern and concentration.
2) Metal Uptake Model Development LA-ICP/MS analyses were performed on the hair of five captive grizzly bears fed various amount of cutthroat trout for a period of 33 days. For mercury, patterns along the hair revealed a strong increase coinciding with the cutthroat trout consumption period and a correlation between mercury accumulation in the hair and mercury intake was significant. Using this data we were able to develop a model predicting metal exposure and uptake rates (e.g., mercury accumulation in hair (µg/g/day) = 0.030 x mercury intake (µg/kg bear/day) + 0.0049; r2=0.97; p< 0.001). As mercury was removed from the captive bear diet with subsequent decreases in mercury along the length of the hair, we were also able to estimate mercury depuration rates.
3) Validation in Wild Grizzly Bears The metal uptake model was then applied to six grizzly bears from Knight Inlet, British Columbia. For mercury, all six bears showed a decreasing trend in concentrations (in their hair) towards the summer illustrating the dilution of body concentrations as bears consume low-mercury laden foods following emergence from hibernation. However, once salmon entered the river to spawn in late July/early August the six bears then all simultaneously began to show increasing concentrations in mercury along the length of their hair. Using our new tool, we were able to estimate timing and duration of exposures, metal uptake rates by the bears during these periods of exposure, and the amount of salmon (g wet weight) consumed daily during the fall.
Challenges of Assessing Indoor Air Impacts at a Federal Facility Paul Hurst Golder Associates Ltd.
It is common practice to assess sites from a soil and groundwater perspective, however assessing soil vapour and indoor air vapour related to contaminated sites is still relatively new in some jurisdictions. As such, the challenges faced when assessing air may not be widely known or understood.
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A comprehensive groundwater and air sampling campaign (indoor and sub-slab) to monitor groundwater, indoor air and sub-slab vapour for potential or actual contamination at a federal facility was conducted. The project included two rounds of groundwater sampling and three rounds of indoor air sampling and sub-slab vapour sampling. Work was conducted to investigate the potential source of select volatile organic compound (VOCs) identified in indoor air and to provide recommendation for next steps towards site closure. In addition to providing recommendations an important goal of the study was to attempt to identify links (if any) between the identified impacts in groundwater and indoor air.
Groundwater monitoring events consisted of monitoring over twenty five locations for one or more of VOCs, petroleum hydrocarbons fractions 1-4 (PHC F1-F4) and/or polychlorinated byphenyls (PCBs). Air monitoring events consisted of indoor air and sub-slab vapour sampling at five locations. Easy to install vapour ports allowed for cost effective vapour sampling at a large number of locations. Flow rate / vacuum measurements and leak testing (using ultra-pure helium as a tracer gas) were conducted at all sub-slab sample locations. Air samples were analyzed for VOCs and in some cases PHCs. Based on the results, chloroform and naphthalene were detected at all indoor sampling locations above Health Canada Guidelines at one or more sampling events. Additional parameters detected above guidelines at select locations included methylene chloride, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene.
Significant challenges encountered in the interpretation of the data included: i) being able to identify potential contaminant sources given the historical nature of the site (including its history of varied solvent use and energy source changes over time); ii) difficulty in being able to directly link identified groundwater exceedences to indoor air exceedances; and, iii) potential indoor air sampling interferences. Specifically related to indoor air sampling interferences, a significant challenge was differentiating between background concentrations of VOCs and VOCs present due to migration of subsurface vapours.
This case study presents an overview of the results, focusing on the efforts to identify the sources of VOCs in indoor air, difficulties in providing definitive answers despite comprehensive investigations and challenges associated with having uncertainties when managing sites with potential air issues.
Using Technology to Streamline and Improve the Environmental Field Data Collection Efforts: Use of GeoCollectTM GIS/GPS Based Field Data Collection System on the Transport Canada/PWGSC Detroit River International Crossing Plaza Project Don Parkinson SNC-Lavalin Inc. Environment & Water
SNC-Lavalin Inc. has recently begun implementing and developing its innovative new GeoCollectTM field data collection module for use on a wide range of assignments, including contract oversight of a remediation contractor. The GeoCollectTM module allows a wide range of staff, including environmental field inspectors, construction staff and biologists to map features and digitally collect a wide range of information, including environmental compliance, project progress and other data in the field through custom-developed forms loaded on GPS-equipped field computers running on a Windows operating system. Users can map relevant features, take georeferenced photographs, record relevant details on the custom-designed digital forms and subsequently communicate these data to relevant project staff in real or near-real time. GeoCollectTM was used to collect field data on the Transport Canada/Public Works and Government Services Canada-sponsored Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Plaza Site Pre-Construction Species at Risk, Tree and Invasive Species Survey Project located in Windsor, Ontario. The DRIC Plaza site will serve as the location of the border inspections plaza associated with the new bridge crossing. This initial component of the broader DRIC Plaza Site Project involves undertaking a detailed vegetation inventory on the site as part of the overall wildlife and species at risk survey.
A georeferenced field database was designed for the project and custom field data collection forms developed to inventory all on-site trees and map invasive plant species. With the touch of a button, GPS coordinates are recorded in the field database together with GPS signal quality information. Separate data forms were created for area characterization (invasive species mapping), or discrete data points (tree survey). The Invasive Species page of the form collects the date and time, habitat type, dominant tree, shrub and herb species, as well as the percent coverage associated with each mapped unit, which is generated by walking the perimeter of the characterized area. The Tree Survey page of the form collects the tree tag number, diameter at breast height (DBH), species, height range, as well as a description of general tree health. Virtually all of this information was recorded using simple drop-down menus, eliminating “free form” manual data entry.
The use of the GeoCollectTM tool on this project has significantly streamlined field data collection efforts. Over 3,000 trees have been inventoried and almost 100 areas of invasive species have been mapped. The completely paperless process uses only a field computer to record data and includes built-in data validation rules to significantly reduce QA/QC efforts post data collection. A week of field data was typically downloaded to the field database in approximately 20 seconds. Significant time savings in data collected, estimated at 51% compared to manual methods, have been achieved through the use of this tool. These savings, in tandem with a reduced need for QA/QC review due to ongoing quality controls applied as data were collected, have allowed project biologists more time to focus on analyzing and synthesizing data. The range of applications for this tool is rapidly expanding, as it is currently being developed to assist with the contract oversight of a remediation contractor on a large site remediation project in northern Ontario. This innovative contract administration field data collection application will
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allow the on-site engineer supervising the remediation contractor to collect project progress data and photographs associated with contracted site remediation activities, health and safety monitoring/sampling, and site inspections/audits. The collected field data, stored in a geographically referenced database, can then be used to automatically generate standardized daily and weekly summary reports that incorporate text, maps and site photographs.
Inter-laboratory Comparison of Groundwater Samples Collected from Three Former Firefighting Training Areas Nick Battye, Dr. Ken Reimer, Dr. Iris Koch and Kim House Environmental Sciences Group, Royal Military College of Canada
Analysis of Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFASs) from aqueous film forming foam-contaminated groundwater samples from former firefighting training areas (FFTAs) in Canada have suffered from poor intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility. This has limited the assessment of such sites as well as estimates of the liability that such sites may pose to federal government custodians. Previous studies by the Environmental Sciences Group (ESG) led to the hypothesis that the reproducibility challenges were being caused by stratification within sample containers and that different sized sample containers, and the respective laboratory sub-sampling procedures, were compounding the problem. To test this hypothesis, samples were collected in 50 ml vials and laboratories were asked to consume the whole sample during analysis, thereby precluding potential subsampling/stratification effects. Sampling was carried out at three separate FFTAs.
Several laboratories participated in this study. One of the laboratories had been using nylon filters, but discovered significant adsorption, most notably with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, which caused level reduction of a factor or two; consequently, they replaced the nylon filters with a glass fiber variety for this study.
The primary condition of the experiment (whole sample analysis) could only be followed at two of the three sites. “High-level” PFAS concentrations in samples from one of the sites required subsampling and dilution in order to be processed. For the two sites with manageable concentrations, the inter-laboratory results showed excellent agreement. Comparison of this data to another, independent, inter-laboratory comparison at one of the same sites, but using laboratory-requested sample containers and following their respective subsampling procedures, resulted in slightly more variability. Finally, results from the “high-level” site showed significant and unacceptable variability and it may only be possible to report exceedances of certain upper limit concentrations (which would likely exceed guidelines in any event).
It was concluded that although intra- and inter-laboratory comparison data is better than it has been in prior years, further optimization can be achieved if certain factors are made consistent – namely, sample container size, subsampling practices and/or analytical methods. Subsequent studies have examined stratification in the actual wells, field sampling practices etc. The results of all of this work will form the basis of this presentation. It is believed that it is now possible to fully understand the extent, and potential liability, of sites contaminated with these substances.
What’s in My Water? Assessing and Managing Drinking Water Risks at Remote Federal Facilities Ryan Peterson and Austin Sweezey SNC-Lavalin Inc. Environment & Water
Ensuring the availability of safe drinking water on federal lands and in federal facilities, specifically in remote locations and those not serviced by a municipal supply, is a crucial component of maintaining employee and public health at those locations. Identifying priority sites and developing/implementing assessment programs is necessary to assess potential risks to water users, and corrective actions to mitigate the risks. The Environment and Water division of SNC Lavalin Inc. has completed water quality monitoring programs and assessment of potable water systems at federal facilities considered to be ‘very small’ or ‘micro-systems’, located in northern and/or remote locations and supplied from an on-site source such as a well or surface water intake. In some locations, historical and ongoing water quality issues limited use of the on-site source and bottled water was relied on for consumption. Continued use and reliance on bottled water is not desirable from a sustainability standpoint. However, at many locations it is difficult to ensure a safe supply using the on-site source due to a number of factors ranging from costs for treatment devices to difficulties in executing an effective monitoring and maintenance program consistent with Health Canada guidance for federal facilities. Assessments were required to evaluate the condition of the systems and provide recommendations and cost estimates for corrective actions and the routine monitoring and maintenance required to provide safe drinking water from an on-site source. The assessments also form the basis for developing site-specific potable water management plans, to serve as a management tool for those responsible for the potable water system, as well as serve as a user’s manual for those responsible for the day-today operations of a system.
The large number of facilities that are not connected to a municipal water supply poses significant challenges for those responsible, and fiscal constraints unavoidably limit the level of assessment many facility managers may desire. To prioritize locations for detailed assessment and corrective actions, a preliminary risk evaluation using a limited number of important risk factors can help identify locations that may warrant action. SNC-Lavalin developed a risk evaluation tool to determine relative risk scores using information that can be readily obtained without requiring extensive training in potable water systems. The tool is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application that computes numerical scores for
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individual water system components based on survey checkbox selections. The components include water source(s), potential contamination sources, water treatment, water distribution, and monitoring. A feature of the checklist is the ability to input expert opinion in the form of a risk rating score for each answer. The risk ratings are used to determine numerical scores for individual system components, and risk scores for the overall system, which can be compared with results from other sites to prioritize sites for further detailed assessment or action. As improvements are made and new information is obtained, users can update the risk scores and focus improvement efforts on higher priority sites.
Environmental Monitoring to Support Salvage of Fuel from a Sunken WWII Ship Barbara Wernick1, Shawn Seguin1 and Robert Price2 1Golder Associates Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
The Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski sank in 1946 in Grenville Channel near Prince Rupert, BC. Since that time, periodic releases of fuel oil are suspected to have occurred and diver surveys suggested that further deterioration of the ship was increasing the risk of additional releases. The Canadian Coast Guard is undertaking a salvage operation to remove residual oil and other pollutants from the vessel to prevent further potential for environmental impacts. As part of the environmental management planning for the project, a sampling program was designed and implemented to provide information that could be used to help assess impacts in the event that releases of oil or other potential contaminants of concern are released during salvage operations.
Grenville Channel and adjacent areas have significant environmental and cultural values and the development of the environmental sampling program needed to take into consideration multiple objectives and stakeholders. For example, the Channel has been exposed to multiple sources of hydrocarbons – it is a significant marine transportation corridor and experienced a diesel spill following the sinking of the ferry Queen of the North in 2006. Thus an objective was to be able to distinguish between pre-existing hydrocarbon contamination and hydrocarbons that may be released during the salvage operation. As well, selection of ‘representative’ sampling locations was a challenge, particularly when it was unknown where released product may intersect the shoreline. According to habitat sensitivity mapping undertaken by the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program, a significant proportion of the shoreline consists of rock cliffs and platforms, or rock with cobble and gravel, and is ‘moderately’ sensitive to a fuel oil spill. Habitat types more sensitive to the potential effects of spilled fuel occur in relatively low density, but are considered more valued habitat types. Moreover, several First Nations rely on marine resources in the area and would understandably be concerned about the potential for their food sources to be affected.
In addition to outlining the technical aspects of the sampling program, this poster will provide an overview of several learnings resulting from the development and implementation of the sampling program that may be useful for other similar types of salvage operations (for example, regarding availability and utility of existing information as planning tools and communications with interested parties to understand the broad spectrum of objectives that may need to be addressed).
Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation Project – Challenges in Dredgeate Dewatering, Handling, Transport and Disposal Myles Makortoff1, Tim Smiley1, Rae-Ann Sharp2, Kristen Ritchot2, Andrew Mylly2, Chris Major2 1Tervita Corporation 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
In January 2013 Tervita Corporation was awarded a $38.6 million contract for completion of the Esquimalt Graving Dock Waterlot Remediation, Phase 1B. Throughout the course of the project, approximately 254 barge loads were transported from the Esquimalt Harbour representing approximately 150,000m3 of in-situ material. This poster will highlight key technical and logistical challenges involved.
Planning by Tervita’s project team began in January 2013 immediately after project award. Challenges included dredgeate dewatering, dredgeate transportation to an approved offload location, dredgeate handling, solidification and loading from barge to highway trucks, highway transportation, community relations on truck routes and at the landfill, and final dredgeate disposal. Dredging began in June 2013 when the first clam shell bucket was brought to the surface and placed on a sealed material transport barge. Each material barge was filled to a safe maximum capacity, for transport and disposal to an approved facility. Dredgeate dewatering was initiated with a purpose-built high capacity multi-stage water treatment system set up on a dedicated barge. Material barges would be pulled up alongside the Water Treatment Barge (WTB) where free standing water would be pumped off. All water would then be treated to the discharge criteria set forth by the project before discharge to environment. Eventually as project experience with the dredgeate material developed the WTB was modified to deal with the thixotropic nature of the sediments as well as the excessive debris found within the sediment matrix.
Dredgeate handling involved transfer from the material barge to the highway trucks using a dedicated offload barge where two excavators loaded material from the movable material barge into trucks custom fit with sealed tail gates. Challenges associated with this operation included identifying an approved offload ramp facility in the community, addressing the thixotropic nature of the material as it was moved around and developing solidification techniques to offset the loss of shear strength due to material movement combined with water resulting from weather
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or further passive dewatering during transport. Trucking and material transportation added some challenges surrounding spill prevention and route planning to ensure efficient round trip timing and safe, spill free transportation of the material. Community relations and community concerns played a large part in truck planning and efficiencies.
Disposing of this material into the landfill presented many challenges as this project increased the daily landfill truck traffic by approximate- ly 100-150 trucks per day. Additional community traffic planning and interfacing with other landfill customers was required. The added mass loading on the facility and the unexpected thixotropic nature of the material required double and sometimes triple handling before it could be placed in its final resting place. Significant infrastructure upgrades were necessary to increase the landfill’s capacity, facilitate traffic management, minimize truck scale time, optimize wheel washing, and maximize safety.
Remediation of a War-Time Highway Construction Camp Erik von Krogh1, Tim Whalen1, Raman Birk2 and Megan Shannon Martin2 1Golder Associates Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
Between June and August, 2013, historical contamination attributed to the former Alaska Highway Maintenance Establishment in Fort Nelson was remediated by excavation.
Background The construction of a highway connecting to Alaska was initiated in 1942, precipitated by the entrance of the United States into World War II. In March, 1942, construction began northwards from Dawson Creek, BC and southwards from Delta Junction, Alaska, and by November 1942 the highway was officially opened.
The maintenance camp in Fort Nelson was one of the larger such camps along the highway, being variously operated by the US military (1942 to 1946), the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) (1946 to 1963/64), Public Works Canada (1963/64 to 1969), and finally the municipality (1969 to present). In taking over the camp, the municipality decommissioned the site buildings and has progressively developed the site with a community recreation centre which includes a curling rink, hockey arenas, visitor’s centre, and most recently, an aquatic centre. Since the 1970’s, this site has been a central community hub for the municipality of Fort Nelson.
In 2009/10, as part of a larger portfolio of historic Alaska Highway sites being investigated by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), the site underwent an initial environmental investigation. Around the same time, the municipality was redeveloping their Recreation Centre, and excavation of surficial soils identified hydrocarbon contamination. Progressive investigations, identified nine areas of contamination attributed to the historic Highway Camp scattered across the large eight hectare site. Between June and August 2013, the nine areas of contamination were remediated.
Challenges to Investigation and Remediation Over the course of the environmental activities undertaken at the site, three main challenges were encountered.
Limited historical information was available on the camp; detailed plans of the camp have not been located, and generally the available information was limited to selected historical photographs and aerial photographs. This made identification of detailed building uses, and their associated potential contaminants of concern, challenging. The lack of historical information resulted in limitations to the study design, however by coupling historic aerial photographs with other historical photographs and technological resources the locations of potential areas of potential concern were broadly identified.
Another challenge to the project was that the property has been owned by the municipality since 1970 and is an active community centre. Around the time PWGSC initiated the preliminary site investigations, the municipality was rebuilding a collapsed hockey arena as part of a larger recreational centre development. Over the course of construction, PWGSC was called upon to assess and manage contaminated soils generated during construction. The external pressures prompted PWGSC to undertake opportunistic, limited investigations on compressed timelines.
Finally, several construction-related challenges were experienced. These included identifying suitable backfill materials in a northern area with limited options; working around numerous utilities including natural gas, fibre optic cable, and municipal utilities; and remediating soils in the footprint of a multi-million dollar building at the risk of future differential settlement.
Conclusion In spite of numerous challenges, PWGSC successfully remediated the site. Numerous stakeholders were engaged to stage the work to minimize delays to municipal projects. Ultimately, most of the identified contamination was remediated. Residual contamination will be risk managed with respect to human and ecological receptors, but special consideration was given to minimize potential future liability to PWGSC should the municipality undertake construction in areas where residual contamination was left in place.
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Establishing an Ambient Air Monitoring Program During the Giant Mine Remediation Brad Overton Public Works and Government Services Canada
Giant Mine is an abandoned gold mine located just outside the city of Yellowknife that operated for over fifty years. The production process required gold to be extracted from arsenopyrite ore which left behind approximately 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide dust on-site when the mine stopped production. A remediation program of the the Giant Mine was initiated in the summer of 2013 that involves the deconstruction of all on-site buildings and structures and the underground storage of the arsenic trioxide dust. As a part of the remediation program, an ambient air quality monitoring plan involving monitoring at the mine site fenceline and within the community of Yellowknife was established to provide data that will be used to help prevent potential adverse effects to the local airshed during remediation activities.
The ambient air monitoring program required the establishment of two separate monitoring networks in order to monitor short-term site-specific air quality and potential long term impacts within the community of Yellowknife. The networks established were an on-site fenceline network and a community network that involves continuous and integrated monitoring of particulate matter, trace metals, and asbestos.
Many challenges with the start up and operation of the ambient air monitoring network were faced. In order to operate an effective ambient air monitoring program that would meet the established risk based action level criteria, selection of the appropriate monitoring equipment was required. Following the selection of the equipment, mobilizing the equipment in a timely manner to the northern location was needed. Upon the equipment arrival on-site, field testing of new equipment was necessary to ensure accurate monitoring results. Site-specific obstacles were encountered during the deployment and operation of the monitoring network including battling the rugged terrain of the Northwest Territories, supply of power to each monitoring location, and establishing remote communications to each monitoring site. The establishment of the ambient network required the input and cooperation of many participants and the approval from interested stakeholders. This poster will discuss further the specifics of the ambient air monitoring program, challenges faced, and solutions presented in this cooperative effort.
Document and Data Management to Support Victoria Harbour Administration and Control Cameron Wallace1, Erin Shankie2, Gary Watson3, Matthew Pratap4 and David Kettlewell1 1SNC-Lavalin Inc. Environment & Water 2Public Works and Government Services Canada 3Transport Canada 4Franz Environmental Inc.
Transport Canada is responsible for the Administration and Control of approximately 210 hectares of Victoria Harbour floor. Since 2005, a human health and ecological risk assessment (HHERA) of the sediment within the Harbour has been undertaken. Some of this work has relied on various data sources collected over the last 20 years. Numerous relevant historical documents had previously been managed through FTP folders, and field and analytical data had been maintained in a Microsoft Access Database. As the HHERA phases of work continued, issues became apparent related to document version control, data quality verification, and difficulties arising from multiple parties contributing to a common data-set. SNC-Lavalin Inc. identified a solution by implementing the environmental site management (ESM) system for the project. Franz Environmental Inc. had previously developed the ESM for Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to support another project, and designed the ESM to provide an interactive and collaborative set of tools for document and data management between multiple parties for large scale projects. The ESM consists of an online ArcGIS Server and Java based system that includes the ability to host various types of project data, including site locations, sample points, field notes, analytical results, documents, photos, and survey/GIS data. Access to the project data can be easily controlled by the ESM administrators.
SNC-Lavalin Inc. and Franz Environmental Inc. worked with the project team to incorporate new functionality into the ESM to create a single, up-to-date, documented data-set for the Victoria Harbour HHERA team to use and rely on during the risk assessment. New functionality included a bulk download/upload tool which allowed project team members to easily download existing data and add newly collected data. Data from the ESM can be downloaded as a single Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with multiple related tabs, or viewed through an interactive web based interface (with a web-mapping component). New data is uploaded to the ESM in a consistent format, with data version and duplication control through server transaction tracking. A similar download/upload structure has also been provided for specific GIS data-sets. SNC-Lavalin Inc. also worked on combining historical data into a single data set, and assessed levels of quality assurance and control to the data.
By using the ESM and its associated tools, the Victoria Harbour HHERA project team was much more easily and efficiently able to address the questions of: “Do we have the right data? Is this data we can or should use? Where is this data referenced from?” The ESM has also allowed the project team to visualize the Victoria Harbour data using the mapping tools built into the system.
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Soil Sampling for Exposure – Does Depth Matter? Geological Considerations of Background Metal Concentrations in Nova Scotia Soils Louise White1, Megan Little2 and Terry Goodwin3 1Health Canada 2Megan Little Consulting 3Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources
Background concentrations of trace elements are essential to determine whether a site is contaminated and for calculating site-specific risk-based remedial objectives. However, naturally occurring metals can exceed CCME soil quality guidelines (SQG) without representing anthropogenic contamination. Our primary goal was to provide federal custodial departments with tables listing background concentrations of 24 elements found at 0-5 cm soil depth from areas not associated anthropogenic contamination. This Public Health (PH) depth in soil is that which most human receptors are most likely exposed to via direct contact provided that the soils are not subject to gardening, tilling, excavation, etc. (Health Canada, 2010). All samples were collected using standard protocols developed by the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project (NASGLP), a tri-national initiative between Canada, the United States, and Mexico, undertaken to establish a continental-scale soil geochemical database. The location of samples was randomly chosen within a 40 x 40 km grid with sufficient distance from roads and agricultural fields.
Statistical analysis indicated that the 98th percentile of most elements in the PH interval is below CCME Human Health SQGs and provincial guidelines, except for Al, Fe and V. The highest concentrations of some elements, such as arsenic and cadmium, were associated with specific geological lithozones. A preliminary analysis of elemental concentrations throughout the soil horizon indicated the highest concentrations of some elements (e.g., Cd, Pb, Hg, U) were found in the PH interval or A horizon and are generally known for their affinity with organic matter. If only deeper depths are sampled for those elements, human exposure to surface soils would be underestimated. Conversely, the concentrations of some elements (e.g., As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn) were greater in the deeper C and B horizons indicating the greater influence of bedrock geology. Exposure to surface soils would be overestimated if concentrations of those elements were only measured at depth because their concentrations tend to be lower naturally at the surface. Human exposure to surface soil is best estimated by sampling the PH interval (0-5 cm).
Rapid Assessment of 600+ Fisheries and Oceans Canada Managed Minor Shore Light Sites in British Columbia Meredith Guest1, Cher LaCoste2 and Janet Jeffery1 1SNC-Lavalin Inc. Environment & Water 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is responsible for the environmental assessment and management of many coastal properties in the Pacific Region, including over 600 major/minor shore lights (MSLs) sites. In general, MSL sites are remote with limited site access similar to many other DFO properties. However, what makes these sites unique is their relatively small footprint with limited environmental issues typically classifying them as “simple sites”. With hundreds of these sites in British Columbia alone, the cost associated with evaluating all of these remote sites in traditional ways would be very expensive. DFO developed a system for conducting and documenting the environmental assessments for simple sites specifically called a “Modified Stage 1 ESA”. This approach, when combined with a strategic risk management plan (RMP) developed for MSL sites, allowed for a rapid and inexpensive method to assess the risk associated with potential contamination at these sites. This approach offers an alternative for custodians to consider when assessing a sizable volume of “simple sites” coupled with locations being fairly remote.
SNC-Lavalin Inc. implemented screening tools developed as part of the strategic RMP to rapidly assess over 600 navigation aid sites across BC from 2008 to 2012. These assessments identified the potential for contamination at individual sites associated with present and/or historical on and off-site activities (i.e., fuel storage, use of lead based paints and battery usage and disposal). This facilitated a recommendation and prioritization for future assessment work if necessary within a risk based framework. Considerations included remoteness of site, ease of accessibility by the general public and presence of rare and endangered species.
Following this assessment stage, the number of sites warranting more thorough investigations was reduced to below 150. These sites were flagged for potential additional investigation largely due to the potential for risks associated with waste batteries debris and exposure to rare and endangered terrestrial and aquatic ecological receptors. In order to further refine these potential risks, SNC-Lavalin Inc. and DFO conducted site visits to obtain key information including evidence of battery debris and habitat assessment information to identify evidence of rare or endangered species and/or critical habitat. In addition, a thorough site and surrounding area evaluation was completed to confirm any previous assumptions.
SNC-Lavalin Inc. has completed over 30 of these thorough investigations with the majority of sites being re-classified as no longer presenting potential risks and thus warranting no further investigation. A handful of the sites remained to pose potential risk allowing them to be appropriately flagged for follow up remediation.
This process has successfully managed a large daunting number of sites to a more manageable number, allowing for efficient use of funds and resources to address and minimize potential risk at these sites.
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A Proposed Soil Quality Guideline for Fecal Coliform to Aid in the Excavation and Remediation of Septic Tanks and Septic Fields Mary Edalat and G. Mark Richardson Stantec Consulting Ltd.
As Canada’s urban areas grow and expand, rural and agricultural lands are routinely redeveloped for residential and commercial uses. The urban/suburban development of these lands often involves connecting to municipal sewer services, resulting in the abandonment and excavation of existing septic systems. To date, there have been no specific guidelines or regulations regarding the adequate clean-up of septic fields prior to or during redevelopment. As a result, contractors may simply excavate the septic field, and continue to expand the excavation until tests of biological soil quality fail to detect E. coli or fecal coliform bacteria. Such an approach may appear conservative with respect to human health. However, soil is a medium and reservoir for vast consortia of micro-organisms, including fecal coliforms. Municipal biosolids are applied to agricultural land as a soil amendment; those biosolids contain viable coliform bacteria and other micro-organisms. Finally, the cost of septic field excavations can prove expensive, depending on the size and condition of the septic system, while at the same time requiring soil importation to replace the excavated material.
In order to help guide excavation efforts of septic fields by Stantec on behalf of clients involved in land redevelopment, the risk assessment team was tasked with researching and recommending guidelines for fecal coliform levels in former septic fields, to help reduce unnecessary soil excavation and export. The poster will present the information and data compiled towards developing a guideline for fecal coliforms in soil.
Integrated Planning Tools: Adding Value, Increasing Efficiency, Strengthening, Reinforcing and Streamlining Business Processes, Increasing Quality Rigor and Saving Time and Money Jerel G. Nelson, Nick Kruskall, Carlos Castillo and Lee Morton WorleyParsons
Faced with mounting risks, issues, and commitments, combined with tough economic times, high expectations of efficiency and performance, maintaining and sustaining safe, compliant, and cost-effective facility operations and/or project delivery had become a significant challenge for National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) management and operations (M&O) contractors and many Department of Energy (DOE) sites, and for most companies and project managers. Selected organization at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) turned to small, custom tools to improve key aspects asset and project management, based on analysis and trends to aid in decision-making on priorities, spending, and sequencing, and improve reporting and efficiency.
These small custom database tools were designed to: 1) change, reinforce, or improve efficiency, productivity, and quality, of current core business processes and project management; 2) conduct immediate analysis and reporting of reliable and accurate information; and, 3) enable key personnel to prioritize and make solid, informed, risk-based decisions. These smaller tools were relatively inexpensive and quick (four to ten weeks) to develop with very little maintenance and ongoing administration costs, the were customized to the site/organizations core business processes and protocols, performed time-consuming data entry, analysis and trending quickly and accurately, they didn’t create a significant burden or necessary replacement of site enterprise systems, and could separate the technical input from the program-level analysis. This poster chronicles three tools that were developed and implemented, and their resulting benefits.
First, faced with impending budget cuts in the millions, the Chief Financial Office had to determine what scope and associated budget could be cut without significantly and adversely impacting the corporation’s and organization’s ability to perform their scope and/or accepting significant risk. A Budget Risk and Prioritization Analysis tool (BRPAtool) was created and used to assist in determining the technical, management, and operational risks for each activity and make technically-objective recommendations on where to cut the budgets that had the least negative impact and ensure that risk could be mitigated our accepted.
Second, an existing, legacy site issues management system had been in use for years had become cumbersome, inefficiency, with limited effectiveness; however, it was engrained in the business system and procedures. Facing costly upgrades and enhancements and Issues Management Tool (IMtool) was developed specifically from the need to do all the things that the current system could not perform in order to enhance the legacy system. It improved reporting, added action/commitment tracking, and most-importantly to provide instantaneous trending and meaningful performance graphs so that decision-makers could clearly see how the issues were impacting their organization and facility so that attention could be paid in the appropriate areas.
Lastly, the Risk Assessment and Management Tool (RAMtool) was developed to analyze and manage facility/project, program/portfolio, and site/ corporate risk at multiple levels. It improved risk management, risk visibility and accountability, and helped to focus program-level risk priorities, efforts, and funding in concert with the existing site risk management procedure.
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Taking Risk Assessment and Management to the Next Level: Program-level Risk Analysis to Enable Solid Decision-making on Priorities and Funding Jerel G. Nelson1, Jim T. McSwain2, R. Lee Morton1, Natalie Johnson1, Carlos Castillo1 and George Dyer1 1WorleyParsons 2TerraGraphics Environmental Engineering, Inc.
A multi-level (facility/project-level and program-level) risk assessment was conducted for the facilities in the Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities (RTBF) Program at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and results were included in a new Risk Management Plan (RMP), which was incorporated into the annual fiscal year (FY) integrated facility and program execution plans. Risks, risk events, probability, consequence(s), and mitigation strategies were identified and captured, for scope areas (i.e., risk categories) during the facilitated risk workshops. Risk mitigations (i.e., efforts in addition to existing controls) were identified during the facilitated risk workshops when the risk event was identified. Improvement projects were identified and linked to specific risks they mitigate, making the connection of risk reduction through investments for the annual site execution plan. Once facility/project risks were identified a second, program-level risk assessment was conducted for each project risk. The likelihoods or probabilities remained the same at the program level; however, the impacts (i.e., consequences) at the program level were different in many cases. Some risks with a low ranking at the project level had a higher risk ranking at the program level and some cases the reverse was true. This provided the program manager the opportunity to re-evaluate where efforts and funding was being spent and allocate it to address medium and high-level program-level risks that were not being addressed.
Due to the amount of that was collected, analysis to be performed, and reports to be generated, a risk assessment/management tool (RAMtool) database was developed to analyze the risks in real-time, at multiple levels (facility/project, portfolio/program, and site/corporate [subsequently added]). The RAMtool was specifically designed and customized to reinforce and improve the site-level risk management process and procedures; it was also based on ensuring that it met the international risk management standards – ISO 3100. The RAMtool database was developed and designed to assist in the capturing and analysis of the key elements of risk: probability, consequence, and impact, facilitation and automatic reminders of monthly risk reviews by risk owners, and allowing instantaneous visibility of risk reduction performance over time and over a standard acceptable risk index. The RAMtool enable side-by-side comparisons of facility/project and program risks.
The multi-level risk assessment and management effort resulted in: 1) more active risk management process was developed where risks and opportunities are actively managed, monitored, and controlled by each facility more aggressively and frequently; 2) improved individual accountability by risk owners; 3) improved regular reviews of risks; 4) understanding of risks at the program level; and, 5) improving the ability of program managers to make solid, informed decisions on priorities and funding to maximize risk reduction.
Using a Nuclear Reactor as a Remediation Tool Brenda Stanek and Monique Wismer Saskatchewan Research Council
There are currently four SLOWPOKE-2 nuclear research reactors in use in Canada and one of them is located at the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) Environmental Analytical Laboratories (EAL) facility in Saskatoon.
Too small to be used as a source of power generation, the SLOWPOKE is used as a neutron source for an analytical technique known as Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). NAA is a non-destructive technique that is independent of the chemical form of the element and allows for elimination of some sample preparation steps. The sample is bombarded with neutrons to produce radioactive isotopes of the elements of interest which are then quantified by measurement of their gamma emissions.
At EAL, NAA is used as a screening method to determine the presence or absence of halogenated organic compounds in soils, organic and aqueous liquids and wastes. Organic compounds are isolated and tested by NAA for bromine, chlorine and iodine. While this test is not compound-specific, it is very useful as a screening tool to determine the presence or absence of halogenated organic compounds (TOX).
This poster will discuss the use of the SLOWPOKE-2 as an analytical tool for NAA. It will focus on testing for TOX analysis as a screening tool for disposal of contaminated waste and for contaminated site remediation. Following the presentation, you will have a better understanding of why this technique is the preferred method for the oil industry.
Phase III Remediation North Side Lower Zeke Brook 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia Mark Flinn Stantec Consulting Ltd.
CFB Greenwood is a Canadian Air Force Base located within the Annapolis Valley adjacent to the Village of Greenwood, Nova Scotia. North Side Lower Zeke Brook (NSLZB) is a 16.7 hectare assembly of contaminated sites within the Base. The NSLZB area is upgradient of a sensitive brook
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(Zeke Brook) and its associated wetland. Zeke Brook is a tributary of the Annapolis River system, which is a protected watershed with numerous non-government organization stakeholders. Historically, underground diesel and gasoline tanks were located at the site which caused petroleum impacts in deep soil and groundwater horizons. Because of the significant extent of impacts and their potential effects on adjacent wetlands and watercourses it was necessary to remediate the site. However, the significant depth, extent of impacts and proximity of active base buildings required a complicated remediation strategy involving extensive groundwater dewatering, building sheet-pile structural support, on-site treatment and soil management and sourcing and use of clean soil for backfill. This poster outlines the strategies and technical challenges associated with this complicated remediation project.
A detailed assessment of potential remedial technologies that could be effectively implemented were evaluated to meet site constraints. It was necessary to complete deep subsurface remediation to allow for future unrestricted development in the remediated areas and leave treated soils onsite. Ultimately, the most viable remediation method was determined to be ex-situ chemical oxidation treatment of soils. An underutilized area of the Base was targeted for long-term management/containment of treated soil. To protect sensitive ecological receptors in Zeke Brook, detailed groundwater flow modeling was used in conjunction with a quantitative risk assessment to establish site specific remediation targets for the primary (groundwater) pathway to Zeke’s Brook. Having established clean-up objectives, the preferred remediation technology (ex-situ chemical oxidation) was selected to provide to treat soil within specified time frames and budget.
Several technical challenges faced this project, including dewatering the aquifer to allow full access to deep impacted soil, and establishing chem-ox mix designs and methods that would meet remediation objectives. Dewatering was completed by the installation of several hundred deep vertical well points around the excavation to temporarily draw the groundwater well below impact zones thereby allowing the use of common excavation equipment. Prior to the construction phase, laboratory bench scale testing was conducted to assess the effectiveness of various chemical oxidants (and dosing concentrations) to address hydrocarbon contamination in soil. This bench scale information was used by the Contractor and scaled up during the construction phase. During construction, it was necessary to establish a consistent repeatable sampling protocol to verify remedial objectives were achieved, and continually monitor contractor dewatering and treatment performance to ensure soils met the remedial objectives.
This poster presents technical requirements that needed to be considered for full scale remediation, including fate and transport modeling, the establishment of site-specific risk based targets for impacted soil, bench scale testing and treatment optimization. In addition, the poster presents how pre-design aspects noted above were incorporated into design and construction monitoring (e.g. well point extraction systems, confirmatory sampling of post-treated bulk soil stockpiles, etc). Lessons learned from construction phase work are also presented.
Use of Contaminant Dispersion Modeling, Cost Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement to Guide Sustainable Use of Resources for Closeout of the Former Beaverlodge Lake Mine Site, Canada Bruce E. Halbert1, Caroline E. Hamer1 and Michael Webster2 1ARCADIS SENES Canada Inc. 2Cameco Corporation
Although mining activities ceased in the early 1980s, dissolved radium-226, selenium and uranium levels remain above background in the area surrounding the former Beaverlodge Mine and Mill (Canada). In recent years work has been undertaken to develop a final site clean-up strategy which would allow for ultimate close-out of the area. An assessment of the benefits and costs of a wide range of remedial strategies was undertaken to determine how to best use available resources. The evaluation process involved consultation with a number of stakeholder groups during a two-day remedial options workshop to better determine what each involved party viewed as a sustainable use of limited local materials and taxpayer money. Supporting information provided at the workshop included results of contaminant dispersion modeling and evaluation of associated risks (with and without implementation of remedial activities) as well as screening level costs for each option. Overall the process highlighted remedial activities which were generally felt to be a good use of resources and identified those which stakeholders felt were unjustified. The final remedial plan for the site is based on this feedback.
Large-scale Closure Planning and Implementation: Rehabilitation and Redevelopment of Canada’s East Coast Coal Mines in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Gerd Wiatzka1, Robert MacDonald2 and Edwin Chart1 1ARCADIS SENES Canada Inc. 2Enterprise Cape Breton Development Corporation
Intensive mining of high sulphur coal and related industrial development took place in the southeastern part of Cape Breton Island for more than 200 years. Following coal seams, the sub-surface and surface mining activity occurred over thousands of hectares. The mining operations resulted in widely dispersed environmental impacts to hundreds of properties. Many of these impacts occurred in close proximity to the villages and towns that clustered around the historic mining operations.
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Assessing and mitigating the environmental liabilities associated with Cape Breton mining became the custodial responsibility of Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC, now Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation). Remediating a large portfolio of properties in a coherent and transparent fashion represented a major challenge to CBDC. An added challenge was the fixed timeline under which the program needed to be implemented. Last, but importantly, it was critical that remediation be consistent with the long-term sustainable use of local communities. Given the extent of the surface and underground workings, their interwoven nature and close proximity to homes, closure plans were developed that considered long-term sustainable re-use of the lands associated with these sites. In total, CBDC developed a sustainable closure program that was implemented for more than 700 land parcels exceeding 11,000 acres. The CBDC Closure Program assessed and remediated these properties and provides for care and monitoring as appropriate while reducing the financial liabilities associated with remediation and long-term care and monitoring.
This poster will provide an overview of the closure program and examples of remedial works carried out at several of the sites which have been remediated to industrial and residential parkland criteria for ongoing use of the various communities. A key objective of the presentation is to highlight the unique, systematic approaches required when developing remedial strategies for large assemblages of contaminated sites. Successes and lessons learned by the CBDC program will be highlighted due to their relevance to other multi-site, large-scale remediation programs.
Environmental Site Assessment, Natural Attenuation Monitoring and Conceptual Site Model of Remote Telecommunication Sites on Haida Gwaii, BC Ingo Lambrecht1 and Scott Moseley2 1Franz Environmental Inc. 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada Franz Environmental Inc. (Franz) was retained by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to complete environmental site assessments at six remote telecommunication sites on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), BC.
The sites consist of Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) communications sites operated by the Canadian Coast Guard that are designed to facilitate radio communication between the off-shore marine traffic for safety communication, coordination of rescue resources, vessel traffic and waterway management. The sites are located in isolated areas and rely on helicopter access for all maintenance activities and refuelling of power generation equipment.
The program was triggered in part due to a tank system failure at one of the sites that was caused by an earthquake and resulted in a disruption of marine radio communication. Therefore, the project consisted of a combined Phase I and II ESA, a DGPS and air photo survey to collect special data, as well as a structural assessment of the building and fuel systems.
The assessment required careful planning and coordination in order to facilitate the assessment of all sites due to several factors consisting of: 1) the remote nature of the sites, requiring air transportation; 2) the sensitive environment within a national park reserve; 3) the unpredictable weather conditions, potentially limiting site access; and, 4) logistics for sample collection and shipment.
Historical operational and soil analytical data was available for some of the sites and was used in the planning stage to design the limited soil sampling program. The current site observations and analytical results as well the historical observations and analytical results were used to identify trends in contaminant concentrations and distribution; and were subsequently incorporated into a conceptual site model (CSM). The CSM integrated monitored natural attenuation (MNA) in the interpretation of contaminant sources, pathways and receptors. The CSM and identified MNA trends are expected to form an important tool in the ongoing management of the assessed and similar sites. Expedited Soil Bioremediation Strategy Michael Geraghty Keystone Environmental Ltd.
Keystone Environmental Ltd. (Keystone Environmental) was retained by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) on behalf of Transport Canada to complete soil chemistry monitoring at the Fort Nelson Airport Soil Treatment Facility (STF) in Fort Nelson, BC. The soil was contaminated primarily with volatile petroleum hydrocarbons and light and heavy extractable petroleum hydrocarbons with lesser amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). The STF was approximately 180 m x 60 m in area and contained approximately 24,000 m3 of soil to be treated. The soil was treated using tractor towed tilling discs.
In previous years, soils in half the STF were tilled with tractor towed tilling discs, while confirmatory samples were collected on a 10 m x 10 m grid in the other half of the STF to confirm the soil met the treatment targets, which were the BC Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR) commercial (CL) land use standards. Once the lab results confirmed the soil was clean, it was stripped off and stockpiled on site. This methodology was inefficient as only half the STF could be treated at a given time. A mobile lab was also required on site to speed analysis and eliminate the time lost to ship samples.
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Keystone Environmental along with PWGSC and Transport Canada developed a more streamlined approach to speed treatment and reduce analytical costs. Soils were tilled as before and headspace soil vapour samples were collected during tilling to evaluate the level of treatment. Once headspace soil vapour concentrations less that 130 ppm were measured a 20 cm lift of soil was stripped from the landfill and stockpiled in a 30 cm lift on one of three landfarms established adjacent to the STF. Confirmatory soil samples were collected from the soils in the landfarm based on the CSR Technical Guidance 1 for stockpile sampling. This resulted in a reduction in analytical samples required by a factor of more than 50%.
By stripping the soil lift from the STF prior to confirmatory sampling contractor the entire STF could be tilled. With three landfarm areas available to receive soil, laboratory analyses could be shipped to the lab on a regular turn around time eliminating the cost of a mobile lab. Soils that exceeded at the landfarm were excavated and replaced in the STF for treatment.
Keystone Environmental was able to treat 10,000 m3 of soil in year one and 14,000 m3 of soil in year two. This was more than double the soil treatment rate of previous years with analytical costs reduced by more than half.
Applications of LDPE Passive Samplers for Environmental Monitoring of PAH Impacts Heather Lord, Marianne Cojocar, Lusine Khachatryan, Bryan Chubb and Terry Obal Maxxam Analytics
Introduction The use of passive samplers to monitor environmental pollutants in aqueous systems has gained attention recently. Numerous device configurations have been proposed. Passive sampling may be beneficial where concentrations are variable, monitoring sites are difficult to get to, or impractical to sample frequently. It may also be advantageous where pollutants preferentially adhere to sediment particles but the concentration freely available in the water is of primary concern. In addition, the data obtained may be interpreted in terms of a time-weighted average concentration, which is typically a more reliable measure of environmental impact.
Low Density Polyethylene film (LDPE) was shown to be valuable as a component of the high capacity semi permeable membrane devices (SPMD), and subsequently as a lower capacity passive sampler on its own. The uptake processes identified for SPMD proved to be equivalent for LDPE, aiding the fairly rapid development of this more novel technology. There is current interest in developing acceptable protocols for passive sampler deployment and analysis for regulatory acceptance of compliance checking of pollutant concentrations in water. In this presentation we outline our recent experiences in LDPE passive sampler design, deployment and analysis and review the findings in light of recent recommendations for standardization of protocols for study design and data analysis.
Experimental Design and Findings LDPE films were deployed in groundwater monitoring wells at a site known to be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). At the same time laboratory evaluations of water: LDPE partition coefficients (KPE) were conducted. After a one-month deployment the films were extracted and the partition coefficients were used to estimate groundwater concentrations. Spot water samples were also taken at the beginning
and the end of the sampling period. It was found this approach was appropriate for PAH up to log Kow 4.5 (anthracene). At log Kow 5.0 small deviations from expected performance were seen (pyrene, fluoranthene), likely due to higher inaccuracies in the KPE determinations in this range
of log Kow. At higher log Kow the data became unreliable, likely due to equilibration not having been attained. Subsequently the deployment strate- gy was refined and applied to field monitoring of a surface water site expected to be contaminated with PAH. Performance reference compounds were used to estimate uptake kinetics and provide better calibration for pre-equilibrium uptake. Finally water concentration calculation strategies were refined to provide optimal estimates of integrated water concentrations during deployment.
Summary An understanding of the sources and magnitudes of inaccuracies in passive sampling data is valuable both for providing reasonable bounds of measurement uncertainty for clients, and in the rational design of passive sampling deployments. This poster will explore these issues in relation to our recent findings and make practical recommendations for implementation. In particular, pre-equilibrium calibration is required for
high KOW chemicals, but is problematic in the uptake region transitioning from linear uptake to equilibration. An appropriate regime of quality assurance monitoring will aid to mitigate the issue of uncertainty in the estimated water concentrations. Strategies for addressing these issues will be described.
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Waste: A Source of Site Contamination in First Nation Communities Nicole L. MacDonald1 and Angela Bidinosti2 1CLAW Environmental Services Inc. 2Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Many communities across Canada struggle with issues of environmental contamination. Sources may include abandoned industry, flooding events and improperly designed waste disposal sites. Contaminants may include petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, metals and inorganics. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) works with Indigenous communities on environmental issues, including those related to solid waste management, and consults with other organizations (Health Canada, Environment Canada, Tribal Councils, etc.) when making decisions with communities.
In terms of solid waste management planning and practices, many Indigenous communities face challenges due to lack of funds, limited capacity and resources, inadequate training, and other more urgent priorities in communities. The rural locations of many communities and limited land availability for waste disposal sites also pose challenges. Such challenges can contribute to a lack of diversion programs, poorly maintained waste disposal sites, environmental contamination, and both ecological and human health risks.
AANDC provides Indigenous communities with yearly operation and maintenance funds and can provide funding to assist with planning, designing, construction, operation, and decommissioning of solid waste disposal sites. However, dedicated programs for solid waste management do not exist, both at the departmental and community levels, and funding is not always available. Tribal Councils can assist Indigenous communities in planning and executing solid waste management projects but are not a direct source of funding.
In efforts to improve the state of solid waste management and prevent further environmental contamination, CLAW Environmental Services Inc. (CLAW) was retained by AANDC to assess waste management practices and disposal sites in First Nation communities in Manitoba. The objectives of the assessments were to assist in cleaning up the sites, to collect groundwater, surface water and soil samples for contamination analysis, and to estimate the remaining capacity of the sites. Additionally, CLAW performed waste composition and cost-benefit analyses, for identification of waste diversion opportunities and costs, and conducted community surveys for feedback and ideas on waste management.
This poster presentation will discuss environmental and waste management challenges faced by Indigenous communities and emphasize progress that is being made. The roles of communities, Tribal Councils, AANDC, and consultants all play an important part in creating sustainable solutions. Examples of environmental and waste management projects will also be demonstrated, with a focus on the challenges faced and lessons learned. Such projects demonstrate how Indigenous communities can collaborate with various groups to plan for the future of solid waste management in their respective communities and prevent further environmental contamination.
Dose-averaging and Consideration of Sensitive Life Stages, Implications to Risk Assessment Practice Mandeep Purewal SNC-Lavalin Inc.
Standard practice in human health risk assessment includes the selection of an adult as the critical receptor when evaluating risks for non-threshold substances. Although this approach is used in the majority of contaminated sites risk assessments across Canada, there is uncertainty in whether the approach is protective in evaluating risks to carcinogens. Specifically, there is concern that more sensitive life stages may be under-protected. Recently, Health Canada released interim guidance for the assessment of less-than-lifetime exposure to carcinogens at contaminated sites. The guidance recommends that for non-threshold substances, that sensitivity for different life stages be taken into account when assessing risks from mutagenic carcinogens. The implication for risk assessment of substances that act via a mutagenic mode of action is the evaluation of multiple life stages. The recommended approach includes using age-dependant adjustment factors to account for sensitivity across life stages, where appropriate. A comparison of the standard approach of evaluating adults as critical receptors to the recommended approach of evaluating all life stages, with consideration to life stage sensitivity, has been conducted. The implications of the application of each of these approaches to human health risk assessment at contaminated sites in Canada are examined.
Overview of the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network Protocols for Assessing Health of Freshwater Streams and Wetlands Michelle Gray Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick
The Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) is an aquatic biological monitoring program for assessing the health of freshwater ecosystems in Canada. Biomonitoring is complementary to traditional physical and chemical monitoring, measuring changes in biological communities (for example, fish, benthic invertebrates, and algae) in order to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems. Biomonitoring can measure impacts of cumulative stressors including impacts from chemical interactions, contaminant pulses, or unknown contaminants that are
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difficult to capture with routine chemical sampling. Other stressors that may be captured by biological monitoring include the presence of exotic species, habitat degradation in the water body or surrounding land, climate change, and fluctuations in water quantity. CABIN uses aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) to evaluate aquatic conditions. BMIs can be advantageous in biomonitoring as they reflect site-specific impacts, reflect cumulative impacts, respond to a wide range of stressors, can be collected everywhere, are a key part of the aquatic food web, and protocols are well developed. CABIN protocols for field collection, laboratory work, and analysis of biological monitoring data exist for wadable streams, and regional protocols are under development for wetland environments. CABIN is based on the network of networks approach that promotes inter-agency collaboration and data-sharing to achieve consistent and comparable reporting on freshwater quality and aquatic ecosystem conditions across Canada. The program is maintained by Environment Canada to support the collection, assessment, reporting and distribution of biological monitoring information. CABIN allows partners to take their observations and make a formalized scientific assessment using nationally comparable standards. CABIN employs the ‘Reference Condition Approach’ as the principal method for site assessments. RCA study design begins with the identification of a priority area or region of concern. Reference sites are then selected where anthropogenic effects are minimal. Potentially impaired (or test) sites are assessed against reference sites using a bioassessment model. The divergence between the benthic invertebrate communities at reference sites and a test site indicate the extent of impairment. CABIN data reporting will tell users whether their test site is: similar to reference, mildly divergent from reference, divergent from reference, or highly divergent from reference. Applicability of the CABIN approach will be presented as it relates to federally contaminated sites in Canada.
Risk Analysis Applied to Three Contaminated Sites at the National Historic Site of Canal Lachine Mylène Salvas Parks Canada
Since 1821, more than 600 industrial businesses have occupied the land surrounding the Lachine Canal in Montreal. All manufacturing groups were represented, including milling, spinning cotton, sugar refinery, silks, smelting, chemical and petrochemical industries and the production of iron and steel. These historical activities have left a legacy of sites mainly contaminated with heavy metals, PAHs and petroleum hydrocar- bons which Parks Canada inherited the management in 1978. The Lachine canal began essentially for commercial and industrial usesis now mainly used for recreational purposes although some sites along the canal kept their industrial, commercial or even residential use. In this urban context, the risk analysis approach offers an effective framework for the management and revitalization of these sites. This approach applied to three contaminated sites has allowed Parks Canada to minimize costs compared to conventional remediation methods while meeting the criteria to protect human health and the environment.
A Review of the Possibilities and Challenges Surrounding Characterization and Remediation of 1,4-Dioxane Justin Kelley, Dave Woodward and Dora Chiang AECOM
1,4-Dioxane, a probable human carcinogen, has primarily been used as a stabilizer of chlorinated solvents such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA). Historical practices of production, storage, usage, and disposal have resulted in widespread soil and groundwater pollution by solvents and their stabilizers. The alternative uses between trichloroethylene (TCE) and TCA in the 1970’s, in response to a perceived lower toxicity for TCA or market availability and pricing, have resulted in 1,4-dioxane commingled with TCE, TCA and their breakdown products in groundwater aquifers. Furthermore, due to high solubility and a relatively low intrinsic biodegradation potential in groundwater, 1,4-dioxane plumes rapidly expand beyond source chlorinated solvent plumes increasing the challenges of 1,4-dioxane characterization and remediation. As an added challenge, the common remediation technologies for chlorinated solvents (e.g., reductive dechlorination, air stripping) are typically ineffective on treating 1,4-dioxane, resulting in 1,4-dioxane escaping untreated from existing treatment systems.
The poster will provide updates on site characterization and evaluate treatment effectiveness and challenges for technologies that have been applied for 1,4-dioxane with or without chlorinated solvents in laboratory and field tests. Technologies to be reviewed include chemical oxidation with various oxidants and activators, bioremediation and phytoremediation. Additionally, the poster will highlight recent research on bioremediation as a strategy for in-situ treatment of 1,4-dioxane as well as chlorinated solvents in groundwater, particularly studies on monooxygenase-expressing bacteria that catalyze degradation of 1,4-dioxane under aerobic conditions and using novel molecular tools to confirm the intrinsic 1,4-dioxane biodegradation potential at field scale.
Emergence of Perfluoroalkyl Organic Compounds as a Contaminant of Concern: An International Perspective Justin Kelley, Dave Woodward and Dora Chiang AECOM
Perfluoroakyl organic compounds (PFCs) are used in a wide range of products associated with the fire protection, mining, metal plating, and pesticide industries. They are: environmentally persistent; potentially cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems; may affect the immune system; and, bioaccumulate in the food chain. PFCs are emerging contaminants that have been detected at a variety of facilities and it is anticipated that they will be discovered routinely as more sites analyze these compounds. The two most environmentally persistent PFCs include perfluoroctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) because of: the widespread use and disposal of products containing PFCs; the transformation of other PFCs to PFOA/PFOS in the environment; and, the apparent limited ability of natural processes to degrade them.
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Although PFOS/PFOA were both identified by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2005, have been the subject of several European Union (EU) Directives, and the US EPA has hosted three “Perfluoroakyl Acid Days” (i.e., Conferences), the timing and degree to which these contaminants have “emerged” has varied geographically. This poster will present several case studies that discuss emerging and pending concerns and obstacles associated with PFCs including:
• Risk assessment; • Remedial technologies; • Waste disposal; • Water treatment and discharge; • Toxicity testing; and, • Impacts to personal protective equipment and other infrastructure.
As PFCs continue to emerge in the Canadian environment, international research can be utilized to advance our understanding of PFCs, and help focus our efforts when addressing these issues in the future.
Fate, Transport and Transformation of Three Chemical Clusters in Permafrost Affected Soils Asish Mohapatra1 and Thomas White2 1Health Canada 2Principal Permafrost Environmental Consulting
Health Canada Contaminated Sites Division funded a project to evaluate current understanding of the fate, transport and transformation of petroleum hydrocarbons (F2 Arctic diesel), chlorinated solvents (Tetrachloroethylene) and a metalloid (Arsenic) in three soil great groups (turbic, static and organic) found in continuous, discontinuous, and sporadic permafrost. Turbic Cryosol is the most common of the Cryosol types observed in the arctic, covering approximately 79% of the landmass that contains soil deposits, followed by static Cryosol, with 17% found primarily in coarsely-textured and gravelly materials. The remaining 3% of the soil coverage in the Arctic is characterized by organic Cryosol, found mainly in peat. The objective of this project was to critically evaluate issues and challenges related to permafrost-affected soil sampling, specifically spatial and temporal requirements of such sampling programs for turbic, static and organic Cryosols. Emphasis was given to chemical fate, transport and transformation in Cryosols in sporadic, discontinuous and continuous permafrost. To provide some illustrative examples of chemical transport in different permafrost-affected soils, transport modelling calculations were carried out for Arctic diesel fuel, tetrachloroethylene, and arsenic in regosolic Cryosol in continuous, discontinuous and sporadic permafrost-affected soils with point source release over 5, 10, 15, 25, 50 and 100 years. These types of analyses will help us understand critical aspects of fate and transport of chemical contaminants in various permafrost-affected soil as well as the spatial and temporal patterns of exposure to chemical contaminants to better inform problem formulation and exposure analysis. Based on the limited review of physical and chemical parameters of permafrost-impacted soils, further emphasis was given to degree of adsorption, solubility, volatility, viscosity, gravity, microstructures of permafrost-impacted soils, thermal regime and active layer depth, freeze and thaw cycles, clay and organic content, and mineralogy, etc.
In light of climate change issues in northern Canada, data gaps were identified related to climate forcing mechanisms and their impacts on fate, transport and transformation studies. A limited number of published critical climate change impact studies, related to toxicology and human health risk assessments, were reviewed for the purpose of the application in human health risk assessments of contaminated sites in sporadic, discontinuous and continuous permafrost zones.
Disclaimer: This poster abstract is based on a report that was prepared by Dr. Thomas White of Permafrost Environmental Consulting under contract to Health Canada’s Contaminated Sites Division; however, this report does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Health Canada nor is it Health Canada guidance.
Bioengineering Techniques for Revegetation of Riparian Areas at the Colomac Mine, NT M. Hewitt1, M. McPherson2 and M. Tokarek3 1Flat River Consulting 2Fisheries and Oceans Canada 3Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Factors such as nutrient poor soils, harsh climactic conditions, remote locations and high costs often make revegetating disturbed areas in northern environments a challenge. In Canada’s Northwest Territories, many abandoned mine sites are under federal responsibility and require remediation. In 2010, work at Colomac Mine, an abandoned gold mine 220 km northwest of Yellowknife, employed novel bioengineering and project planning techniques to re-vegetate impacted riparian areas. An expert in bioengineering techniques for land and riparian restoration was engaged to explore options and recommend revegetation methods. The revegetation plan focused on methods to establish pioneer species and facilitating natural recovery and succession. A “rough and loose” technique was used where a checkerboard of small holes and hills was created with an excavator to allow the soil to capture and retain moisture, trap windborne seed, promote easy root penetration and prevent erosion.
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Manual revegetation methods consisted of harvesting and planting local willow cuttings, alder seeds and sedge plugs to ensure that the new vegetation at these sites was adapted to local growing conditions and therefore compatible with surrounding undisturbed areas. Onsite training for capacity building was provided to ensure the project personnel understood how to implement the techniques. A multi-year monitoring plan including vegetation counts and photographic documentation was undertaken.
Initial results (2011, 2012 and 2013) have shown success rates of 60-100% plant survival on the majority of areas where bioengineering techniques were used. In contrast, poor re-vegetation success rates of 8-33% plant survival were experienced in areas where techniques were either used incorrectly or implemented too late in the season. Some lessons learned from this project include the importance of considering restoration requirements and revegetation techniques at the conceptual stage of remediation design and planning; the effectiveness of the “rough and loose” method and use of local pioneer species; and the need to support bioengineering training and capacity building for personnel undertaking the work. Success of the revegetation effort is measured by monitoring and is incorporated into the long-term monitoring program for the site. The bioengineering techniques implemented at Colomac Mine provided a successful, cost effective, and local approach to revegetation in a northern environment.
Applications of LDPE Passive Samplers for Environmental Monitoring of PAH Impacts Heather Lord, Marianne Cojocar, Lusine Khachatryan, Bryan Chubb and Terry Obal Maxxam Analytics
Introduction The use of passive samplers to monitor environmental pollutants in aqueous systems has gained attention recently. Numerous device config- urations have been proposed. Passive sampling may be beneficial where concentrations are variable, monitoring sites are difficult to get to, or impractical to sample frequently. It may also be advantageous where pollutants preferentially adhere to sediment particles but the concentration freely available in the water is of primary concern. In addition, the data obtained may be interpreted in terms of a time-weighted average con- centration, which is typically a more reliable measure of environmental impact.
Low Density Polyethylene film (LDPE) was shown to be valuable as a component of the high capacity semi permeable membrane devices (SPMD), and subsequently as a lower capacity passive sampler on its own. The uptake processes identified for SPMD proved to be equivalent for LDPE, aiding the fairly rapid development of this more novel technology. There is current interest in developing acceptable protocols for passive sampler deployment and analysis for regulatory acceptance of compliance checking of pollutant concentrations in water. In this presentation we outline our recent experiences in LDPE passive sampler design, deployment and analysis and review the findings in light of recent recommen- dations for standardization of protocols for study design and data analysis.
Experimental Design and Findings LDPE films were deployed in groundwater monitoring wells at a site known to be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). At the same time laboratory evaluations of water: LDPE partition coefficients (KPE) were conducted. After a one-month deployment the films were extracted and the partition coefficients were used to estimate groundwater concentrations. Spot water samples were also taken at the beginning and the end of the sampling period. It was found this approach was appropriate for PAH up to log Kow 4.5 (anthracene). At log KOW 5.0 small deviations from expected performance were seen (pyrene, fluoranthene), likely due to higher inaccuracies in the KPE determinations in this range of log KOW. At higher log Kow the data became unreliable, likely due to equilibration not having been attained. Subsequently the deployment strategy was refined and applied to field monitoring of a surface water site expected to be contaminated with PAH. Performance reference com- pounds were used to estimate uptake kinetics and provide better calibration for pre-equilibrium uptake. Finally water concentration calculation strategies were refined to provide optimal estimates of integrated water concentrations during deployment.
Summary An understanding of the sources and magnitudes of inaccuracies in passive sampling data is valuable both for providing reasonable bounds of measurement uncertainty for clients, and in the rational design of passive sampling deployments. This presentation will explore these issues in relation to our recent findings and make practical recommendations for implementation. In particular, pre-equilibrium calibration is required for high KOW chemicals, but is problematic in the uptake region transitioning from linear uptake to equilibration. An appropriate regime of quality assurance monitoring will aid to mitigate the issue of uncertainty in the estimated water concentrations. Strategies for addressing these issues will be described.
Effectively Communicating with the Public and Fostering Stewardship for the St. Marys River Area of Concern Through Bipartisan Collaboration Barrett, C.H. and Scott, M.G. Algoma University
Since the early 1900s, the St. Marys River (the connecting channel between Lakes Superior and Huron) and surrounding area have been impact- ed by industrial and municipal operations. As a result of the adverse environmental effects caused by industrialization, the St. Marys River was
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designated as an Area of Concern under Annex 2 of the 1987 Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The subsequent development of a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) and environmental impact assessment, found nine of the 14 Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) categories to be ‘impaired.’ Public participatory action and multi-stakeholder engagement has played a critical role in implementing the RAP for the St. Marys River. Since its inception in 1988, local government agencies, non-government organizations, and private citizens have helped guide the initial assessment of BUIs. Currently, government organizations are presented with the challenge of sharing scientific information with the local com- munity in a way that makes this technical information both accessible and actionable. Effectively communicating with the local community and soliciting relevant stakeholder feedback is key to ensuring the continued success of remedial actions currently underway within the ecosystem. Bipartisan (US – Canada) collaboration is fostering a sense of ownership and long-term stewardship among local river users that will persist beyond the life of the RAP program.
Habitat Compensation for Remedial Dredging: Design and Construction Considerations for Intertidal Marsh Habitat, Dunn’s Nook, Esquimalt Harbour, BC Rachael Jones1, Chris Major2, Dave Osguthorpe2, Rae-Ann Sharp2 and Andrew Mylly2 1Golder Associates Ltd. 2Public Works and Government Services Canada
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) has conducted remediation of contaminated sediment in the Esquimalt Graving Dock (EGD) Waterlot in Esquimalt, BC. Completion of this project, which included the construction of a temporary sheet pile wall around the perimeter of the South Jetty for erosion protection purposes during open-water dredging of the Waterlot, was anticipated to temporarily disrupt fish habitat, and removal of contaminated sediments in subtidal and intertidal shoreline areas also resulted in a temporary disruption to fish habitat. A Fisheries Act authorization was issued for the project, with a requirement for the construction of compensatory fish habitat to offset the temporary losses.
Following a review of several options, the construction of new intertidal marsh habitat at Dunn’s Nook on the west side of Esquimalt Harbour at the Department of National Defence Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Colwood Property was selected. Dunn’s Nook is a natural inlet which subsequent to the construction of a causeway in the mid-1900s underwent a change in tidal flow and sediment transport regime. The construction of new intertidal marsh, a valued habitat type that is limited in Esquimalt Harbour, was thus expected to provide both direct and indirect benefit to Dunn’s Nook and the adjacent Esquimalt Harbour, while also satisfying the requirements of the authorization for the EGD Waterlot Remediation Project.
Historic use and the physical configuration of Dunn’s Nook presented a number of design and construction challenges that needed to be taken into consideration. Project design, contracting and construction considerations and challenges included:
• Protection of archaeological deposits (such as shell midden) within the basin. • Historical sediment contamination, which necessitated completion of an ecological risk based assessment and identification of site-specific remedial objectives. • Variability in salinity resulting from freshwater inputs into the low energy environment, affecting the selection of marsh plant species. • Determining appropriate technical criteria for bid evaluation. • Site security requirements. • Managing tidal flow during construction, including sediment and erosion control. • Water treatment and management of discharged water quality during construction. • Staging of the construction activities due to limited physical access into the basin. • Challenges with handling, transport and disposal of saturated contaminated soils • Archaeological, construction, and environmental monitoring. • Pre-disturbance surveys and fish salvage. • Post-construction monitoring, including post-construction monitoring of EGD Waterlot sub-tidal sediments and kelp beds required under the Fisheries Act Authorization.
The poster will provide an overview of the design, procurement and construction considerations and challenges for the compensatory marsh habitat construction and will also provide an overview of the post-construction after-care monitoring program that will be implemented.
110 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Utilization of Zero-Valent Iron (ZVI) in a Passive Reactive Barrier Wall (PRB) in the Remediation of highly impacted arsenic contaminated groundwater Jeffrey Burke1, Nathan Richard2 and Brodie Richmond2 1Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc 2City of Kingston
The presentation will cover a number of topics relating to a completed arsenic contaminated groundwater project located adjacent to the Cataraqui River in Kingston, Ontario. The site was the location of historic tanning operations and lead smelting operations and is the current location of the Kingston Rowing/Canoe Club and Emma Martin Park. Initially, the cleanup approach was developed to utilize traditional excavation, transport, and disposal remedial methodology. However, the project team implemented innovative value-based engineering principles combined with bench scale testing to provide a more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution for the impacted water treatment. Through the design and installation of a ZVI PRB Wall and ZVI injection program, all project goals were achieved while resulting in schedule and cost savings to the client. The presentation will also discuss relevant pre-engineering, hydrological design, site soil chemistry characteristics, underlying ZVI chemistry, and constructability considerations as well as the long term monitoring results.
Contaminants in Permafrost-Affected Terrain Dr. Les White Permafrost Environmental Consulting
The fate, transport, and transformation of, a light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL), a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) chlorinated solvent and metalloids, all legacies of past resource development in the Arctic, is of much concern to agencies charged with safeguarding the health of northern residents. With increasing development in northern regions of the world, much of which is driven by petroleum and mining industry, there is an increasing level of interest in the behaviour of these contaminants in permafrost-affected soils “Cryosols”. The release of a twelve-volume Environmental Engineering Library titled “Contaminants in Permafrost Terrain” and an accompanying “Contaminated Arctic Soils Database Library” provides the petroleum and mining industry and government agencies with the necessary tools to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for transformation and transport of contaminants in Cryosols founded in sporadic, discontinuous and continuous permafrost. The engineering library and databases provides an in-depth review of the physical chemical, biological and hydrologic properties of Cryosols that are responsible for positive or negative impacts of contaminants in northern soils. The engineering library underscores critical aspects of transformation and transport of these contaminants that should now reported when undertaking environmental assessment protocol and will further assist in policy development of guidelines for health and safety in the future development of natural resources in northern regions of the world.
111 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP EXHIBITORS
EXHIBITORS Organization Booth
AGAT Laboratories ...... 22 ALLU Group, Inc...... 20 ALS Environmental ...... 17 AMEC ...... 13 ARCADIS SENES Canada Inc...... 8 Canada GeoPortal ...... 23 CH2M HILL Canada Limited ...... 3 Chemco Inc...... 27 CIMA Canada Inc...... 1 Clifton Associates Ltd...... 5 DST Consulting Engineers ...... 12 ESMI Companies ...... 21 Exova Canada Inc...... 10 Franz Environmental Inc...... 7 GroundTech Solutions ...... 18 newterra ltd...... 14 Paracel Laboratories Ltd...... 19 Quantum Murray LP ...... 16 Sanexen Environmental Services ...... 28 SCG Industries Limited ...... 9 Seneca College ...... 15 SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd...... 2 SNC-Lavalin Inc...... 6 Stantec Consulting Ltd...... 4 Tervita Corporation ...... 11 WorleyParsons ...... 24
TABLE-TOP EXHIBITORS
Organization Booth
Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan ...... B & C CCC Chemicals ...... E Geofirma Engineering Ltd...... A TerraTherm, Inc...... D
112 RPIC FCS NATIONAL WORKSHOP EXPO FLOORPLAN
EXPO FLOORPLAN
Confederation II Confederation III
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