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Penn Environmental & Remediation, Inc

Penn E&R, Partners Present at 2018 Pennsylvania Brownfields Conference

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Penn E&R President William Ponticello, P.G. presented at the 2018 Pennsylvania Brownfields Conference held in the Lehigh Valley.

The presentation, entitled Environmental Sustainability: Planning for Smart Growth, discussed the redevelopment of a 19-acre industrial property on Righters Ferry Road in Bala Cynwyd.  The site, situated along the scenic Schuylkill River and within walking distance of downtown Manayunk, served as an ironworks factory and manufacturing site for over two centuries.  MLP Ventures, LLC purchased the site in 2005 with the goal of transforming it into a network of market-rate housing and walking trails, parks, and open leisure areas.

In 2014, MLP Ventures contracted Penn E&R to characterize the soil and ground water on the site.  Based on results of Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments, which identified more than a half dozen areas of concern including a fuel oil release area, multiple underground storage tanks (USTs), and historic use and storage, Penn E&R was retained to implement a site characterization investigation in accordance with Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2).  During site redevelopment activities, crews discovered five unknown USTs which were each promptly cleaned and removed.  More than 4,300 tons of impacted soil were excavated and transported off-site for disposal, and the site was capped through the installation of multiple engineering controls.  Ground water in the east-central portion of the site, where the aforementioned fuel oil release occurred, was discovered to be impacted and required the operation of a free product recovery system.  Attainment sampling events and a fate and transport analysis were completed to demonstrate attainment.  Post-remediation care plans were also issued to the property owner. The mixed-use development opened to the public in 2016.

Mr. Ponticello was joined by site developer Kevin Kyle of MLP Ventures and environmental law attorney Jonathan Spergel, Esq. of Manko, Gold Katcher & Fox LLP for the presentation.

  • Mr. Kyle describes his company’s mixed-use redevelopment goals for the site.
  • Mr. Ponticello details the soil and ground water investigation and remediation processes implemented by Penn E&R in accordance with Act 2 standards.
  • Mr. Spergel explains the release of cleanup liability for soil and ground water at the site.