BergerWorld: 2nd Quarter 2006

Berger was selected by the town of Dover, NJ, and a private real estate development company to conduct a Baseline Ecological Evaluation, provide closure services, and assist in the redevelopment of the town's former municipal landfill. The 75-acre property was used to dispose solid and vegetative waste until the 1970s. Berger examined the site for potential contaminant migration-as evidenced by dead vegetation, discolored soil or water, absence of biota, or presence of a seep or discharge-and submitted the results to the NJDEP. Berger engineers and geologists also collected and analyzed soil, ground and surface water, and sediment samples to assess the current environmental conditions, and assisted in permitting. Berger provided the landfill closure services, creating valuable space for redevelopment that will bring an important ratable and hundreds of new jobs to the area. A FedEx Ground Distribution Facility is now being built on an excavated portion of landfill, including an underground passive gas collection system, and an office building and hotel are planned for the balance of the site.

America's largest housing builder, Pulte Homes, selected Berger to develop a health risk assessment for the proposed redevelopment of the ENCAP Landfill site-composed of five closed landfills in Lyndhurst and Rutherford, NJ-for residential housing and recreational use such as golf courses. Following an initial survey of environmental and geotechnical data, Berger experts collected gas samples from the landfill and analyzed them for trace amounts of hazardous compounds that might create a health risk for future residents. The results showed that the risks were within acceptable limits.

The NJDEP Site Remediation Program is funding the closure of the 94-acre Kearny Municipal Sanitary Landfill Authority (MSLA) site. Under the program,

Berger is proceeding with the landfill closure, including the evaluation of geotechnical conditions, slope and trench stability; groundwater modeling; analysis of leachate discharge and gas emissions; design of a slurry wall, cap, gas venting and storm water management systems; permitting; and preparation of bid documents.

The NJDEP Site Remediation Program is also providing funding to close the 90-acre Winslow Landfill to reduce the potential for subsurface contaminant migration. Through a Statewide Term Contract with NJDEP, Berger is conducting investigations to characterize possible contamination of soil, groundwater and leachate; design a subsurface barrier; and evaluate remediation alternatives. Specific tasks include installing monitoring wells to determine groundwater depth and flow direction; analyzing groundwater, leachate and soil; and identifying underground utilities. Berger will also excavate shallow test pits throughout the perimeter to characterize surface and subsurface materials, measure any hazardous emissions that may impact worker health and safety, conduct a wetlands and floodplain delineation to identify sensitive ecologic areas, survey property boundaries to develop a comprehensive site map, and prepare remedial designs for the landfill closure.

Since the 1940s, the 65-acre Combe Fill South Landfill, in Chester and Washington Townships, accepted household and industrial wastes, dead animals, sewage sludge, septic tank wastes, chemicals and waste oils. Following the cessation of operations in 1981, the EPA added the site to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Remedial investigations conducted by NJDEP found that contamination of groundwater from the landfill had occurred in nearby residential wells, and EPA issued a Record of Decision in 1986 that included the provision of an alternate water supply for affected residences, capping the landfill, collecting gases, pumping and treating groundwater and leachate, controlling surface water runoff, fencing and monitoring the site, and evaluating the need to remediate the aquifer. Berger was chosen by the NJDEP under its statewide Landfill Closure Program to provide maintenance for the Combe Fill and investigate impacts on local aquifers. Berger experts inspected the existing passive gas collection systems; relocated waste to minimize off-site gas migration; assessed the contamination level of aquifers, surface water, sediments and private potable wells; and conducted a study to determine the best method to upgrade the gas venting system. Since groundwater monitoring showed impact to only a limited number of private wells, a Point-of-Entry-Treatment water filtration system was selected as the most cost-effective and least environmentally disruptive alternative to a public water line. Now completed, the landfill cap and groundwater treatment system are in successful operation.

The NJDEP Site Remediation Program selected Berger to provide engineering and consulting services for the closure of the James Landfill. Berger experts took samples from wells to determine possible groundwater contamination and the presence of gases; tested soil, groundwater and leachate for contamination; and evaluated remediation alternatives. The proposed landfill closure will include a new cap, regrading and compaction of landfill waste; repair and expansion of the existing landfill gas extraction system; new monitoring wells to evaluate groundwater quality and off-site migration of potential contaminants; and upgrading the surface drainage structures.

The Berger/CH2M HILL Team is providing construction management and quality assurance services to the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) for landfill cap construction and closure of the154-acre Central Landfill in Johnston, RI. Owned and operated by RIRRC, the 121-acre site-historically used for hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal-and a 33-acre expansion area, was added to EPA's National Priorities List in June 1986. Before completing cap construction-covering 89 acres of the unlined sections required under the EPA Superfund Program-Berger oversaw the testing and manufacture of cap materials, and is currently preparing a Final Remedial Action Report for submission to EPA.