New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) Long Branch Plant Site
Update
Long Branch, Monmouth County
October 2005
This report is provided in response to a request by the Concerned
Citizens Coalition of Long Branch (CCC) for monthly updates on work
conducted and planned at four areas associated with the former Long
Branch Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP).* These areas are:
- the former MGP (including the former Conrail properties, the
eastern off-site property, and the former Jerry Morgan Park)
- the off-site portion of Troutmans Creek that flows north of
the MGP
- residential areas where the community has expressed concern
about potential soil contamination (Long Branch Avenue, Seaview
Avenue, Grant Court and Ellis Avenue)
- the former Seaview Manor housing complex
All work is consistent with NJDEP's Technical Requirements for
Site Remediation, which were developed to ensure remedial actions
protect human health and the environment.
* For historical information about activities that NJDEP
and NJNG have conducted at these areas, please refer to the monthly
updates NJDEP has provided to CCC since January 2005. |
1) Long Branch Plant
Red Brick Building
In October 2005 NJNG began field activities to delineate the extent of
trichloroethene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) contamination in the
soil beneath the concrete pad where the red brick building was located,
and ground water sampling to evaluate potential ground water impacts.
NJNG is currently under schedule to submit a Remedial Action Work Plan
(RAWP) to address the subsurface soils in November 2005. However, NJNG
did not begin the field activities for this area of the site until October,
therefore NJDEP anticipates that NJNG will request an extension for submission
of the RAWP. The remedy would essentially consist of removing the remaining
concrete slabs, any underground storage tanks (if they exist), and contaminated
soil, followed by capping the area consistent with the rest of the site.
If ground water impacts are found, they will be addressed as part of the
site-wide ground water remedial action.
Soil Gas Investigation
In August 2005 NJNG submitted a Sub-Slab Sampling Remedial Investigation
Work Plan (RIWP), which detailed proposals to investigate potential vapor
intrusion at the Talco and Atlantic Plumbing Supply Company (APSC) buildings.
NJDEP issued a letter conditionally approving the RIWP on September 20,
2005. Due to problems getting access to the APSC property, as October
2005, NJNG had not started field activities for this phase of the site
investigation. NJDEP has received verbal notice that NJNG recently reached
a settlement agreement with APSC. NJNG plans to begin the soil gas investigation
in November. The Talco building will be addressed at a minimum and the
APSC building may also be included given the recent settlement. NJDEP
expects to receive a Remedial Investigation Report (RIR) summarizing the
findings of the soil gas investigation in early 2006.
Ground Water Investigation
In September 2005 NJDEP conditionally approved NJNG’s Remedial Investigation
Work Plan/Ground Water Pilot Test Work Plan, which contained proposals
to delineate the dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) and conduct ground
water treatment studies. NJDEP issued a letter on October 27, 2005 informing
NJNG that they were not in compliance with the Administrative Consent
Order when field activities did not proceed in accordance with the approved
schedule. However, NJNG has informed NJDEP they will begin field activities
in November and still expect to meet their deadline of March 6, 2005 for
submission of a combined Remedial Investigation Report/Remedial Action
Work Plan to address site-wide ground water issues.
On-Site Portion of Troutmans Creek
Remediation of the southern on-site portion of the Troutmans Creek is
pending, as this work could not be implemented until NJNG obtained access
from the owner of Atlantic Plumbing Supply Company property. NJDEP received
verbal notice from NJNG that a settlement was recently reached so the
scheduling of the start of this work may now be pursued.
2) Troutmans Creek
On August 8, 2005 NJNG submitted an RIR summarizing the results of the
creek sampling it conducted since March 2004. NJDEP is reviewing the report
and expects to issue comments in late December 2005.
3) Off-Site Residential Areas
NJDEP collected soil samples from the right-of-ways along Long Branch
Avenue, Seaview Avenue and Ellis Avenue and from Grant Court in May 2005.
These samples were analyzed for volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile
organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons and metals. NJDEP expects
to issue an RIR detailing its findings in late December 2005.
4) Seaview Manor
NJNG finished removing the contaminated soil from areas where buildings
are to be re-built, and a minimum of two feet of contaminated soil from
the other areas. These areas were re-graded and re-seeded in late August/early
September. NJNG submitted the Remedial Action Report (RAR) for Block 400,
Lot 7 in September 2005. The RAR describes the restricted and unrestricted
use remedial actions that were completed at this parcel. NJDEP expects
to finish reviewing this RAR in late December 2005. A separate RAR for
the remainder of the parcels will be submitted in January 2006, with the
exception of the culvert (see below).
Culvert Status
NJNG removed two feet of soil from the culvert area and capped it during
the remedial action for Block 400, Lots 6 and 7. The removal of the culvert
and any underlying contamination will occur in the spring and summer of
2006.
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