Site Characterization and Remediation:

GCI provides comprehensive services for the investigation and remediation of contaminant releases. We can advise you on available options and how each affects your regulatory obligations and your plans for the property.

Site characterization is one of the most important steps in the corrective action process. Characterization identifies the extent of contaminant spread of s in both the soil and groundwater. The collection of site characterization data is needed by both the property owner and the regulators to make informed decisions about any additional work that is needed. If site remediation is necessary, proper characterization allows for the selection of appropriate, cost-effective remedial techniques based on the local geology and distribution of the contamination and may shorten the duration of the remediation.

A site investigation or site characterization may be conducted using various tools, including:

soil gas surveys
soil borings or pits (auger, Geoprobe or backhoe)
geophysical surveys
monitoring well installation
sampling- soil, groundwater or surface water
human health risk assessment
ecological risk assessment
groundwater modeling

Once characterization has been completed, we can inform you of the available options. If a release is from a regulated underground tank, future steps and time frames are mandated by the Corrective Action regulations



Different regulations and procedures apply to other types of releases. In order to obtain a regulatory release, it is necessary to do so within the framework of the Voluntary Cleanup Program, better known as Act 2. As the name implies, this is a voluntary program, even though a site cleanup is still required by law. The generalized process required by the Act 2 process includes:

-

The Act 2 process provides flexibility in deciding how a problem will be approached. Under this program it is possible to obtain a regulatory release without removal of contamination, if it can be demonstrated that there is no threat to health or safety by the remaining contaminants.

Services include regulatory contacts and permitting, site characterization to define the extent of spread of the contamination, preparation of remedial action plans, design, installation and operation of a remedial system or plan, and long-term site monitoring.

GCI provides remedial services including design, installation, operation and maintenance of systems. Our services include any necessary regulatory permitting and paperwork. At times, several approaches are combined to provide the most cost effective approach. Types of remedial services offered include:

excavation of contaminated soils
soil vapor extraction
dual phase (high vacuum) extraction system
pumping and treating contaminated water
groundwater sparging
bioremediation

All GCI field personnel have completed health and safety training as required by OSHA regulations.