The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and National Grid (formerly KeySpan) have continued to make substantial progress on the major phase of remedial work at the sector of the former manufactured gas plant site on which the gas holder and supporting facilities were located (the OU-1, 40 Willow Avenue parcel).  The remediation of OU-1 resumed on February 2, 2009.  National Grid and its consultants and contractors have continued the jet grout barrier wall installation. To date, approximately 1/3 of the barrier has been installed; primarily, on the southern boundary adjoining the residential properties.  Because of the additional time needed to refine the optimum jet grout column installation parameters, the jet grout barrier schedule has shifted to a new projected completion date of October 2009.  National Grid is currently working with the consultants and contractors to minimize the impacts of the longer schedule to the community and expedite remediation of the site.

Site personnel are collecting measurements from wells and sampling points around the work zone as part of the Soil Vapor Monitoring Plan (SVMP) and air quality measurements that are elements of the site’s Health and Safety Plan (HASP) and Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) to ensure worker and community safety.  From the start of field work to the present, concentrations of vapors and dust associated with intrusive site activities have been measured below action levels in the NYSDEC and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)-approved plans.

On April 20, grout and water from the jet grouting operation was observed in the buffer zone of the residential backyards during the jet grout column installation activities.  National Grid and contractors responded immediately to remove the materials.  No odors or vapors were detected above the HASP and CAMP response levels.  National Grid notified the NYSDEC of the condition and continued to monitor the area.
Ongoing activities:

• Completing  jet grout columns on the southern wall boundary of the barrier in accordance with the contractor specifications and Site Management Plan.   
• Managing jet grout wastes in the waste management facility and stabilizing the wastes for off site treatment and disposal in accordance with the approved work plans and state and federal regulations. 
• Continuing CAMP, SVMP and real time air monitoring to protect workers and the community. 
• Continuing quality assurance coring and testing to determine the effectiveness of the installed jet grout columns.   Quality assurance core testing and hydrogeologic testing on the southern wall boundary confirms the columns have achieved project requirements.

Future (two week look-ahead) activities:

• Complete jet grout column installations on the corners of the southern barrier wall and continue installations on the western and eastern portions of the barrier wall.    
• Continue waste management facility operations and off site transportation and disposal of generated wastes.

Completed Activities:

• A trench drain has been installed along the property line at the backyards of the Lynhurst Avenue properties to mitigate flow of surface water from the cap area to the Lynhurst Avenue properties;
• Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) units are in place on the 40 Willow Avenue parcel and within the buffer zone on the Lynhurst residential properties to monitor for potential vapor and dust releases, if any, that might occur during construction activities at the site and to assist in determining when additional mitigation measures need to be taken. The CAMP units and Z-nose portable unit are calibrated to provide notice well before the NYSDEC and NYSDOH response levels are reached so mitigation can take place proactively -- long before CAMP action levels are reached.
• Soil vapor probes and groundwater piezometers have been installed within the buffer zone on the Lynhurst residential properties and around the former gas holder footprint to assess soil vapor and groundwater quality conditions for the on-going jet grout barrier installation.
• The vibration wire piezometers (VWP) have been installed within the sheetpile barrier and are operational. The 3 VWPs will be used to measure temperature and pressure variations during the jet grouting and provide useful data for optimizing the jet grout injection.
• The waste management facility retrofitting is complete and is operational 
• The reinforced concrete working surface has been installed at 40 Willow Avenue.  Jet grout collars have been cored into the concrete working surface to allow for an air tight seal between the drilling operations and the return lines to the waste management facility.
• Four jet grout columns using modified parameters were installed and quality assurance coring and testing was performed.
• A large capacity pump to support the drilling operations is setup on 25 Willow Avenue and offers increased productivity. 
• Revised Site Management Plan for Jet Grout Vertical Barrier Wall Construction (OU-1) dated April 9, 2009 has been approved and submitted to the repositories.

Operable Unit 2 (25 Willow Avenue)

OU-2 is the former manufactured gas plant that previously operated at 25 Willow Avenue.  There are two off-site areas that are located adjacent to OU-2 at 89 Willow Avenue and 1 Edgewater Street.  The remedial activities at OU-2 have progressed with the recent submittal to and approval of the final remedial design work plan by NYSDEC and NYSDOH.  The preliminary remedial design activities have been placed on hold to allow for completion of the OU-1 remedy which uses the 25 Willow Avenue property as a staging area.  Remedial design activities at OU-2 will commence once the OU-1 remedy has been completed.

• A remedial action has been completed on the 89 Willow Avenue parcel adjacent to the 25 Willow Avenue National Grid parking lot. Impacted shallow soils have been removed and the site has been backfilled and graded at the request of the property owner. Field work was performed under the observation of NYSDEC. 
• The plan to investigate an additional parcel acquired by the owner of 89 Willow and perform the additional limited excavation has been approved by NYSDEC and NYSDOH.
• Investigative borings have been installed at the 89 Willow Avenue property and samples shipped to the laboratory for analysis to further evaluate soil conditions.  Results will be used to refine the additional limited excavation plan.  
• After the excavation work is completed, a plan for future soil and groundwater management at the property will be developed for the 89 Willow Avenue.
• The final remedial investigation report for 1 Edgewater Street has recently been submitted to and approved by NYSDEC and NYSDOH and a plan is being developed for soil and groundwater management at the property. 

Community Air Monitoring Plan Summary
A Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) and Soil Vapor Monitoring Plan (SVMP) has been implemented in support of remedial activities at 40 Willow Avenue Operable Unit 1 (OU-1) of the Clifton Former MGP Site.   The CAMP consists of an automated network of fixed air monitoring stations that is supplemented with measurements collected daily during intrusive work activities. 

CAMP monitoring summary from April 3, 2009 through April 29, 2009

CAMP monitoring confirmed that concentrations of vapors and dust associated with intrusive site activities were below levels requiring action in the NYSDEC and NYSDOH- approved plan. Copies of weekly CAMP and SVMP reports and other site documents are being provided to the two public document repositories for the project.  The repositories are located at:  

Community Board 1 One Edgewater Plaza Room 311 Staten Island, NY 10305 Phone #: (718) 981-6900

Borough President’s Office Borough Hall Staten Island, New York 10301 Phone #: (718) 816-2057

If you have any questions or comments about the work on the site, please use the site's Telephone Hotline at 718-982-7349.