Intermodal Transportation Center at Former Brownfield Sites
Attleboro, MA
Multiple Attleboro Sites – Brownfield Assessment, Remediation and Redevelopment
Challenges:
The City of Attleboro and the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority (ARA) are in the process of revitalizing industrial land in their downtown area near the MBTA commuter rail station. This transportation-oriented redevelopment project is based around a new Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) and is a key component of the City’s urban renewal plan. The parcels comprising this project include several industrial sites, the former DPW facility, a former Time-Critical Removal Action site, and industrial properties containing municipal and commercial landfills. The project envisions mixed residential and commercial uses on key parcels near the ITC, a new access road to improve traffic flow, and a bike path/greenway along the Ten Mile River. The primary challenges of the project have been in securing adequate funding to assess and cleanup the target parcels, and developing cleanup plans that are consistent with a variety of future activities and uses.
Solutions:
ES&M has provided a variety of services to the ARA and the City on this challenging and exciting project. We have assisted with a variety of grant applications to bring much needed funding for assessment and remediation work. Since there are over a dozen Release Tracking Numbers for the various sites, we secured a Special Project permit with MassDEP to consolidate MCP requirements. As a member of the Brownfield Support Team (BST), we regularly participate in team meetings that are designed to keep all aspects of this complex project moving forward.
We completed comprehensive site assessment and remediation work (in-situ chemical oxidation and soil vapor extraction) at the former Automatic Machine Products site, and this property has been redeveloped with a six-story, multi-use building. The adjacent parcel, also formerly part of the Automatic Machines site, will be the focus of another multi-story, mixed-use project. We also completed response actions at the former Apco-Mossberg site, which has been redeveloped as the new DPW facility. The successful redevelopment of the Automatic Machines sites and the relocation of the DPW facility to the former Apco-Mossberg site are fueling tremendous interest in the remaining aspects of the ITC project.
The City of Attleboro and the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority (ARA) are in the process of revitalizing industrial land in their downtown area near the MBTA commuter rail station. This transportation-oriented redevelopment project is based around a new Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) and is a key component of the City’s urban renewal plan. The parcels comprising this project include several industrial sites, the former DPW facility, a former Time-Critical Removal Action site, and industrial properties containing municipal and commercial landfills. The project envisions mixed residential and commercial uses on key parcels near the ITC, a new access road to improve traffic flow, and a bike path/greenway along the Ten Mile River. The primary challenges of the project have been in securing adequate funding to assess and cleanup the target parcels, and developing cleanup plans that are consistent with a variety of future activities and uses.
Solutions:
ES&M has provided a variety of services to the ARA and the City on this challenging and exciting project. We have assisted with a variety of grant applications to bring much needed funding for assessment and remediation work. Since there are over a dozen Release Tracking Numbers for the various sites, we secured a Special Project permit with MassDEP to consolidate MCP requirements. As a member of the Brownfield Support Team (BST), we regularly participate in team meetings that are designed to keep all aspects of this complex project moving forward.
We completed comprehensive site assessment and remediation work (in-situ chemical oxidation and soil vapor extraction) at the former Automatic Machine Products site, and this property has been redeveloped with a six-story, multi-use building. The adjacent parcel, also formerly part of the Automatic Machines site, will be the focus of another multi-story, mixed-use project. We also completed response actions at the former Apco-Mossberg site, which has been redeveloped as the new DPW facility. The successful redevelopment of the Automatic Machines sites and the relocation of the DPW facility to the former Apco-Mossberg site are fueling tremendous interest in the remaining aspects of the ITC project.
Automatic Machine Products – Project Highlights
The Automatic Machines properties were the first properties within the project area to be redeveloped. Both properties had significant environmental issues which required innovative thinking, quick response time and careful attention to detail. The successful cleanup and redevelopment of the first property has spurred redevelopment plans for the second property.
- The former Automatic Machines Products (AMP) sites were used for industrial purposes for many years. After the ARA acquired the properties in 2010, hazardous materials such as asbestos, residual oil, lead paint, mercury-containing lighting equipment, etc., were removed from the buildings which were then demolished.
- Comprehensive site assessment work completed in 2010 and 2012 identified and defined three release areas of concern where remedial actions were needed. One release area (Area 1 on AMP North) contained a release of petroleum from a historic gasoline station. Area 2 on AMP North was impacted by a release of trichloroethylene from a degreasing machine, and Area 3 on AMP South was impacted by a release of kerosene.
- The redevelopment plans for the north property came first, and called for the removal of about 10,000 cubic yards of soil to accommodate a six-story building with below grade parking. ES&M developed a cleanup plan that addressed the contaminants of concern within the allowable timeframe (less than one year). The cleanup plan also included a soil management component to allow for the reuse of excavated soil at two City-owned facilities.
- A Phase IV Remedy Implementation Plan (RIP) was prepared to outline an in-situ chemical oxidation program in Area 1 to meet MCP Method 1 Standards. Sodium persulfate activated with sodium hydroxide was the selected remedial additive. The RIP also presented plans for the installation and operation of a soil vapor extraction system (SVE) to remediate TCE in unsaturated soil in Area 2 to less than 0.3 mg/kg. This stringent cleanup goal was required to avoid classification of the soil as a hazardous waste under RCRA. The SVE system included 13 soil vapor extraction wells that operated for about 9 months. Once field monitoring data indicated the cleanup goals had been met, a rigorous soil sampling program was completed to document that: 1) RCRA hazardous waste classification did not apply; and 2) concentrations of all contaminants were below levels for reuse at an unlined landfill and consistent with MassDEP policies. Our vision and strategy for Area 2 saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in soil management costs, which was critical to allowing this important project to move forward.
- ES&M worked with the development team to insure that all portions of the building that are in contact with the ground were constructed with engineering controls to eliminate any vapor intrusion potential.
Apco-Mossberg Site - Project Highlights
One of the key elements of the ITC project was to relocate the City’s DPW facility out of the downtown area to allow that property to be more appropriately used. About 10 years ago, the City acquired the former Apco Mossberg site, located at the southern end of the ITC project area, for back taxes. Although this property was severely impaired from decades of industrial use, the property is centrally located in the city and was an ideal spot for the relocated DPW facility.
- The Apco facility manufactured industrial tools from 1917 until the building burned to its foundation in 1987. A site assessment conducted on behalf of U.S. EPA indicated that releases of metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PCBs, and petroleum had occurred.
- EPA performed a Time Critical Removal Action (TCRA) in 2005, which reportedly removed 3,894 tons of metals-contaminated soil; 2,467 tons of non-hazardous soil; and 61 tons of PCB-contaminated soil. No further assessment actions were taken after completion of the TCRA to move the site towards closure under the MCP.
- After the TCRA, the ARA retained ES&M to review existing reports and other available information, and to develop a work plan for MCP compliance. The goal of the work plan was to evaluate current site conditions, and to implement assessment and remedial actions under the MCP (if needed) to allow for the redevelopment of the property as a DPW facility.
- One of the immediate issues that required action was the disposition of several large debris piles that were left on site after the TCRA. Since the debris contained residual asbestos, initial disposal estimates were very expensive. ES&M worked diligently with MassDEP (Waste Site Cleanup, Solid Waste, and Asbestos groups) and the City to find a creative and cost-efficient solution to reuse the asphalt, brick and concrete debris onsite. A Release Abatement Measure was conducted to reuse the material in a safe and environmentally compliant manner that would not hinder redevelopment of the property. ES&M’s approach resulted in significant cost-savings for our customer.
- ES&M’s post-TCRA site assessment focused on the contaminants of concern and release areas identified by EPA. We prepared an MCP Phase I and II report that included a detailed account of the historical activities, including the TCRA. The Phase II report included a Method 1 Risk Characterization and a Method 3 Stage I Environmental Screening which indicated that a condition of no significant risk existed with respect to soil and groundwater, but that potential risk of harm to public welfare remained due to the presence of light, non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL) above the upper concentration limit (UCL).
- An MCP Phase III and IV report was prepared to describe a soil removal program to address the LNAPL. During the summer of 2013, ES&M oversaw the removal of more than 1,000 tons of petroleum-saturated soil and 977 gallons of oil and oily water and from the site. Clean overburden soil from the site was reused to backfill the excavation.
- The new, state-of-the-art DPW facility is now complete. Since 2007, ES&M has been active in site development planning to ensure that the environmental issues are handled in a sensible and cost-effective manner that would not impede redevelopment.
City of Attleboro's New DPW at the Former Apco Mossburg site