Environmental Investigation and Remediation Services at a Former Rail Freight Terminal

EKI is currently assisting the developers of a 100+ acre site, located within two municipalities in New Haven County, with environmental investigation and remedial planning.  This Brownfield, now abandoned and under Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Consent Orders (multi-organization collaboration project), was once part of an approximately 700-acre regional rail freight terminal. Grant provided by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) assisted with the identification and investigation of 19 potential release mechanisms at over 75 Areas of Environmental Concern (AOCs). Identified environmental hazards on the property included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbon impacts, asbestos, significant filling of lowlands to support the former rail terminal, vehicle dismantling, solid waste disposal activities, drum disposal, equipment service areas, and shipping transfer areas. Outstanding environmental regulatory orders exist, which in the late 1980’s required the fencing of a portion of the property to be protective of human health and the environment.

Our staff have worked on the project since 2017 and have completed the following:

• Environmental Data Gap Evaluation and Analysis with follow up funding from DECD and the Client,
• Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Update,
• Additional Phase III Site Investigation,
• Connecticut Liability Relief Program Application,
• Remedial Action Plans (RAPs), and
• Cost to Closure Evaluation.

Outcome

EKI continues to support our client towards future development plans by completing a landfill disruption authorization and landfill cap design, developing a Soil Management Plan that is anticipated to include importation of over 700,000 plus cubic yards of environmentally impacted fill, and finalizing a RAP.