Penn E&R President William J. Ponticello, PG and Senior Project Manager Peter R. Lamont, PG, CHMM presented innovative in-situ bioremediation solutions at the 2020 Pennsylvania Brownfields Conference on March 9-11 held in State College.
Mr. Ponticello and Mr. Lamont presented as part of Session 6C: Green Remediation for the 21st Century. The presentation detailed the science behind in-situ bioremediation technology, including which sites are best for this type of remedial action and what leads it to be so effective at targeting contaminants. Mr. Ponticello and Mr. Lamont highlighted one project example, currently ongoing, where in-situ bioremediation has exhibited particular success. The confidential site, used for decades as a stainless steel tubing manufacturing site, exhibited soil and ground water impacts caused by chlorinated solvents used in the degreasing process. Penn E&R excavated two large volumes of soil impacted by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 2015 and initiated an in-situ bioremediation pilot program to target VOC-impacted ground water in mid-2016. Immediately following the injection, Penn E&R saw a significant decrease in total VOC concentrations. Now, less than four years later, most of the levels have since been reduced to non-detect.
The biennial conference, organized by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, was held at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center. Nearly 400 people, including regulatory personnel, consultants, lawyers, developers, etc., attended the conference, and more than 55 vendors chose to exhibit, the most in the conference’s history. Attendees could choose from more than 20 different presentations and three general sessions, which included information on state and federal regulatory updates and forecast analysis for brownfields. Two workshops on grant applications, presented by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, were also offered for attendees.
For more information on the additional environmental assessment and remediation services we provide, contact a Penn E&R professional at 215-997-9000.