achieving your brownfields site end-state vision ... · achieving your brownfields site end-state...

Achieving Your Brownfields Site End-State Vision: Strategies, Tools & Case Studies

Ian A. Webster, Sc.D. and Melissa Nelson, M.A.

Association for Environmental Health and Sciences (AEHS) Conference18th Annual Meeting & West Coast Conference on Soils, Sediments, and Water San Diego, CaliforniaMarch 12, 2008

Project Navigator, Ltd.One Pointe Drive, Suite 320Brea, CA 92821 www.projectnavigator.com

Offices Coast to Coast

Some graphical content is shown with the prior permission of Project Navigator, Ltd. clients:

Chevron Corporation, WDIG and New Cure Inc.

Project Navigator, Ltd. – Impacted Sites to Brownfields

www.projectnavigator.com• Houston, TX

(713) 468-5004• Pleasant Hill, CA

(925) 969-9574• Brea, CA

(714) 388-1800Project Navigator has five main offices. • Malvern, PA

(610)251-6851• Raleigh, NC

(919)-539-1928

Outline of Presentation

• Introduction:• PNL manages complex sites, many with long-term value• (Value = Redevelopment and/or Renewables Use)

• Strategies1. Have a Strategy2. Think Integration of Remedy and Development from Day-13. Assess your Site’s Location Vs Renewables

• Tools• Economic tools• Visualization• Web Enablement

• Case Studies• Operating Industries, Inc. (OII) Landfill • Tex Tin Superfund Site

• Conclusions

Strategy 1: Have a Strategy…Front Load and Invest the Time

• Insure that the Environmentally Protective Remedy has Sufficient Flexibility to Match the “Vision of End Use”

• Manage Remediation Risk• i.e. scope creep and cost growth

• Timely, Early Introduction of End-Use Planning

• Proactive Regulatory Negotiations driving for “Agreements Flexibility”

• Timely Community Outreach• i.e. not too early, not too late• under promise / over deliver

• Right-Sized Remediation

WM

P Va

lue

Cre

atio

nImpacted Land

Waste Disposal Inc.Superfund Site Remedy,Santa Fe Springs, CA

Exceedances of :Methane (1.25 %)Benzene (10 ppb)Vinyl Chloride (1 ppb)(Reservoir is not included)

WDI Superfund Site Forecasted Remedy

Gas Impacted Zones

Waste Outline

Vapor Wells

Proposed Brothers New Location

RCRA Equivalent Cap

Monofill (soil cap)

Soil Gas Control System

Material Excavated and Consolidated in Reservoir

Reservoir Leachate Collection Points

Engineered Pavement

Early Integration of Remedy with Development Strategy 2: Integrate

Strategy 3: Consider the Long-term Beneficial Reuse of the Former Impacted Site’s “Location” and “Assets” Vs Renewables Opportunities

CHARACTERISTICS:

• Sites that are long-term hold• Significant acreage• Major remedial activities are

completed and site is in compliant OM&M

Reference: “Cleaning Up”, The Economist, 5/31/07

BENEFICIAL REUSE OPPORTUNITIES:

• Solar field • Wind farms • Biogas > Power • Tidal Power

Site maybe optimally located for solar power

Renewables Energy Applications

Beneficial Reuse

Conventional• Develop over impacted land

or non-impacted land

Non Conventional• Application of a “sustainable

solution” strategy

“Carved out,” non impacted areas

Co-gen

SolarWind power Vapor

barrier and cap

Bioswales

Wetlands eco-habitat Greenhouse gas emissions eliminated

CH4

Power

Gas turbine

WiFi tower

Subsurface impacts and wastes (contained and non-mobile)

GW Reuse, e.g.:

• Irrigation• Nurseries• Golf course

Cell phone tower

Waste zone

Groundwater

Landfill gas

Surface water flow

Bio-degradation

Recreation Field

With a mind set change, former perceived liabilities become assets,which can be managed to drive remedy cost savings and improve corporate reputation…

1. Landfill gas is converted to powerwhich is used in the new surface developments

2. WiFi and Cell Phone Towers3. Solar Power4. More…see Fig

Strategy 3 (Continued): Your Long-term Hold Site as a Renewables Platform

Green Remediation Techniques for Contained Waste SystemsGreen technologies and systems which use renewable energy and reduced the carbon footprint of conventional site remediation approaches


• Introduction:




• Conclusions

Financial Tools: Single Site or Portfolio of Sites

For a pure remediate/develop scenario, use cost forecasting tools to assess if the site is “right way up.”

Develop the intended transaction scenario

– Sell as-is (w/ or w/o environmental liabilities)– Remediate and sell– Remediate and lease– Others

• e.g. Donate

Property Analysis Tools and Techniques: Screen Objectively with Data

Site: Sample Site

Area: 1100 acres

Zoning:

Wholly owned: Yes

DEQ relationship:

Remedy status:

Location:

Contaminants of Concern: Phosphates,other:

Property Sale Value:

Nearby Sensitive Receptors (e.g. school, residences, etc.):

Proximity to Major Power Transmission Lines:

Preliminary Option(s):

1.Wind turbine installation: Excellent wind power potential if distance to the power grid does not become a hindrance.

Economic evaluation of properties to gauge sale or redevelopment value

Innovative property disposition alternatives such as installation of wind turbines

Site Location

Sample

Modern Brownfields: Analyzing Long-term Hold Sites for Renewable Energy Opportunities

Starting Site Bucket

Renewable Energy Applications / “Site Platforms

100’s of Sites

10’s of Sites Final

candidates

Mapbased

analysis

Screen map based data

past SOLAR + WIND

resource use data

1.Solar V’sSite Locations

2.Wind V’s Site Locations

3.Transmissionlines V’sSite Locations

In preparation

Where is the Power in Project Communication?

Reference: Vital Places, http://www.vitalplaces.com.au/WorkshopFacilitation.html

Visual55%

Vocal38%

Verbal7%

• The Visual Delivery of Project Content is Critical on Brownfields Projects

• Especially True When We Are Required to Convey InformationAcross Professions from Engineering, Economics, Law, and Public Policy

HowProfessionalsCommunicate

Visu

aliz

atio

n In

vest

men

t

Project Complexity

Storyboards / Storybooks

Aerial Photography

Maya 3D

Video Movies

Project Webcams

Explanation Figures

Digital Illustrations

GIS/EVS

AnimationWebsite Design

Small Scale Models

Large Scale Models

Project Navigator’s Toolbox of Techniques for Brownfields Project Facilitation

3D Data Visuals

Low Altitude Visual Imagery

Canoma 3D

Project Web-Enablement

Business -Stakeholder Facilitation

BrownfieldsNavigator.com

Defining and Maintaining a Project’s Vision: Digital 3D Models

2007 Rendition, Operating Industries Landfill, Monterey Park, California

Scale Models

OII Landfill, Monterey Park, CA

Waste Disposal Inc. (WDI) Superfund Site, Santa Fe Springs, CA

Interact with clients in visually enabled environment

PNL’s Pixel-Based System

Web Enabled Digital Techniques for Brownfields Projects

GIS Systems

www.PNL-A.com

Evaluate Site Portfolios GeospatiallyDeliver Project Content(Documents/Audio/Video)

via PRPblog.com


• Introduction




• Conclusions

OII LandfillMonterey Park, CA

The West’s Most Costly, Privately Funded CERCLA Remedy

190 Acre Municipal Landfill (1948-84)

2 Distinct Parcels Intersected by a Freeway

145 acre S - Parcel

45 acre N - Parcel, poised for an Integrated Remedy/Development Solution

The Sequence Has Been:Vision & Leadership

Negotiate Agreements

Integrated Design/Build/Realize Mutual Benefits

1948 1984 1997 2000 2006 2009 2050

Landfill Construction EPA, SC, CD3, SCM-LMS

CD3 RA Compliance, OM&M, NP Remedy Planning

NP Remedy, RD/RA

Attain and Manage the End State Vision

OII Landfill: Work is Underway to Cap and Redevelop OII’s 45-acre North Parcel

North Parcel

1. Perimeter Land Reuse• Iguala Park Reopened2. Top Deck Use

Options• Solar Panel Field• Radio Tower• Cell Phone Tower(s)3. North Parcel• “Cascades” Shopping

Center Redevelopment4. Enhanced Power

Generation Systems5. Good Neighbor Site• Improved City and

Community Relations6. Treated Water Reuse

33

1

25 4

6

6

OII Superfund Site, Monterey Park, CA: Conceptual End State Vision for 2010

The Redeveloped North Parcel will be Integrated Into a Protective Remedy, and Beneficially Reuse the “Assets” of the Former Landfill

Brownfields Innovation: Low Cost, Unobtrusive Maintenance and MonitoringOperating Industries, Inc. (OII) Site: Pilot Wi-Fi Network

OII North Parcel: Integrate the Remedy into the Planned Development

A-A’ B-B’

C-C’ D-D’

Cross-SectionsSection A-A’, B-B’, C-C’ are north-to-south and appear

from left to right, D-D’ is the west-to-east section

Limits of Refuse

Cross-Sections(see right)

Gas Monitoring Probe Location Plan

Conceptual Draft Development

Tex Tin Site Location: Texas City, TX

Tex Tin Superfund SiteTexas City, TexasDescription:• 140-acre former WW-II tin smelter

(largest in the world at the time)

Regulatory Jurisdiction:• EPA Region 6

Problem:• In 1999, was a technically complex ‘poster child’ Superfund

site• Acid ponds, As impacts, wastewater pools, NORM piles,

dilapidated buildings

The Solution, Managed by Project Navigator, Ltd:• Visual Engineering Tools were used to facilitate

the project• Developed a fast-track, stream-lined design/build

approach• In 2003, EPA awarded the Tex Tin site the 1st

Superfund “Ready for Reuse Determination” in the nation.

The Future:• The projected use of the property is an intermodal facility

for the Texas City Mega Port. • For additional information please see www.tcphx.com.

2006 aerial

1998 aerial

Full Service Truck Stop

Multi Use Area

• Warehouse Distribution• Freight Forwarder• LCL Repackaging• Bonded Customs Warehouse• Non-Vessel Operating

Common Carrier• Truck/Trailer/Container/Refer

Repair & Wash

Intermodal Truck to Rail Transfer Yard

Container Storage Yard

Disposal CellNo Construction

Wah Chang Ditch

Tex Tin Reborn as the Phoenix International TerminalConceptual Redevelopment Plan

Tex Tin Site Redevelopment Metrics

• Best and highest use of the former Tex Tin Superfund Site

• Maximizes new employment opportunities in the region; creates 100’s of new jobs

• Generates over $4 million in new sales taxes annually

• Attracts public and private sector investment opportunities

• Upgrades Port of TC capabilities

General Conclusions

• Formulate a strategy which integrates the remedy and development

• Brownfield portfolio economic tools permit “right-side up?” economic analyses

• Use the “assets” from the remediation (if they are available)

• Web-enable the project for information communication

• Leverage the use of modern visualization tools for end state vision projection and stakeholder alignment

• Complex site, case studies illustrate the above

Acknowledgements

• Chevron Corporation for pushing the envelop on long-term site management planning via their E-Team• Team Leader: Jane Anderson, Chevron EMC, San Ramon, CA

• New Cure Inc.

• Mary Esper: President, NCI, Monterey Park, CA

• Waste Disposal Inc. Group

• Michael Skinner: Chair, Haddonfield, NJ

• Texas City Phoenix Team

• Kris Wachter and Bret Braden, Newport Beach, CA

• Fellow Project Navigator, Ltd. co-workers: Elizabeth Fontana, Michelle Russell, Martin Vu, Slay Mirzad & Mark Landress