BCI Engineers and Scientists

In 2001, BCI completed a site assessment and initial abatement activities to address the release of “free product” unleaded gasoline into the environment. Due to the initial emergency nature of this work, interaction with federal, state, and local units of government in response to the product release was essential.

BCI coordinated remedial activities designed to remove petroleum hydrocarbons from groundwater resulting from a release of unleaded gasoline from a former leaking underground storage tank (UST) site in Williamston, Michigan. A release from the former UST system was reported in August 1996 and subsequently investigated to delineate the extent of soil and groundwater contamination. Soil and groundwater contamination was limited to a small on-site area between the former USTs and dispensers.

Richfield Landfill, Inc. owns and operates a Type II sanitary landfill in Richfield Township, Michigan. This facility is licensed and operates under Act 451 and 40 CFR Parts 257 and 258 requirements. Initially, BCI was charged with the tasks of evaluating hydrogeologic data collected by others, the development and organization of a groundwater quality database and a reinterpretation of the site’s hydrogeologic setting.

BCI assisted a spill response contractor in performing corrective action to address a heating oil spill at a private residence in Climax, Michigan. Approximately 55 gallons of heating oil was released onto the ground surface after being transferred from an above ground storage tank to a leaking drum.

BCI responded to complete initial abatement activities for to a diesel fuel spill into Lake Erie. The release was the result of a leaking product distribution line associated with a diesel fuel underground storage tank system located at a gas station in Luna Pier, Michigan. The product entered the stormwater catch basins on the property and entered the municipal stormwater main and ultimately the wastewater treatment plant. Lake Erie is a navigable waterway of the United States and, as such, is under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

BCI was retained by Edw. C. Levy Company to assist with the closure in place of a 10,000 gallon diesel fuel underground storage tank (UST) as part of a system upgrade. Evidence of impacts was noted during the closure activities. BCI subsequently completed site assessment activities to delineate the vertical and horizontal extent of both soil and groundwater impacts. During the site assessment BCI discovered two additional releases from alternate sources. Waste oil free phase product was identified as a commingled release and an area of chlorinated hydrocarbons was also identified.

BCI was retained by Young’s Environmental Cleanup, Inc. to monitor and document the excavation of impacted soils that resulted from a ruptured semi-tractor saddle tank. The rupture was caused by a collision with a freeway guard rail which resulted in a reported release of approximately 150 gallons of diesel fuel. The release occurred in the median between the north and southbound lanes of Interstate I-69 at the Lansing Road exit, Exit #61, in Charlotte, Michigan.

BCI completed a remedial investigation, feasibility study, and remedial action plan of an abandoned dump site identified as the Bray Road Dump located within the Genesee County Recreation Area. This work has been performed for the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Department and the Genesee County Board of Commissioners. The objective of the remedial investigation was to provide Genesee County with information pertaining to the determination of whether hazardous substances were present on the site and, if present, whether concentrations exceed current Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment risk-based standards.

BCI completed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) that revealed former uses of this property included a store, restaurant, boat fueling station, automobile fueling station and small engine repair. An underground storage tank (UST) was formerly located on the property. The former UST contained leaded and unleaded gasoline. Records documenting clean closure of the UST are not available. Used oil drums were present on the property on the day of the Phase I site view.

BCI staff was retained to define and remediate a release from an underground storage tank (UST), which was discovered and reported in March 1994 when gasoline was observed on the water in a drainage ditch adjacent to the site property boundary. When examined, the on-site storm sewer catch basins also contained free product. The portion of the UST system believed to be the source of the release was the underground product piping. An Initial Assessment Report was submitted on behalf of Budget Rent-A-Car to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (MDNRE). The UST piping and pump dispenser were removed and a new UST system installed.

Palm Beach Aggregates, Inc. (PBA) operates a six-acre limestone aggregate mine in Loxahatchee, Florida. Approximately 1,218 acres of this property is referred to as the Lazy F Property, which is located north of State Road 80 and east of the South Florida Water Management District’s (SFWMD) Loxahatchee L-8 Canal. In 2005 and 2006, PBA placed approximately 8 to 10 feet of hydraulic fill on the Lazy F Property, intending to improve the site for planned residential development.

The tank cavity, which included approximately 1,200 cubic yards of peastone used as backfill following remediation activities on the site in response to a 1990 release, was excavated along with overconsolidated cohesive soils (clay). Samples of the peastone and sidewall samples of the clay soils were screened for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with a photoionization detector (PID). Samples were taken from the floor of the excavation at a depth of approximately 20 feet below grade consistent with the requirements of UST closure practices.

BCI was contracted by a private client to develop a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in compliance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP), State Petroleum Reimbursement Program. This program was initiated by the State of Florida in an effort to assist land owners with the remediation costs associated with leaking underground fuel storage tanks.

BCI's services were obtained by Givaudan Flavors Corporation to perform a water permit review and a regulatory and geologic assessment of their plant in Lakeland, Florida. The plant consisted of a product warehouse, a processing building, a maintenance storage building, two holding tank farms, and an office building situated on a nine-acre parcel.

BCI was hired by Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. to prepare a Remedial Site Assessment Report for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) concerning a potentially hazardous contamination site. The contamination occurred as a result of a fire within an on-site warehouse. The fire ruptured some containers that contained sodium hydroxide, which could have ultimately produced hazardous concentrations of soil and groundwater contamination.