Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way
  Search
new jersey department of environmental protection
NJ Home Page Services A to Z NJ FAQs NJ Departments/Agencies departments
site remediation program

SRP Home | DEP Home

Community Relations Community Relations Site List Dover Gas

 

Dover Gas (aka Clinton Street Service Station aka A1 Gas)

13 W. Clinton St.
Dover Town, Morris County
PI #: 025975

Site Update
As of October 25, 2005

Background

Prior to the current action, the most recent NJDEP case at this location began in December 1997. That case involved stained soils around a 1,000-gallon waste oil UST closure. Based on the soil sampling results, no additional soil investigation was required for the former waste oil UST excavation. In order to satisfy ground water investigation requirements, a monitor well was installed near a pump island on the A-1 site on October 22, 2002. Based on monitoring well data, on June 12, 2003 DEP required a full ground water investigation to delineate ground water contamination and submittal of a Remedial Action Workplan within 120 days. No workplan was submitted.

NJDEP files indicated that there were three registered tanks on the property; one 8,000-gallon tank containing regular gasoline, one 6,000-gallon tank containing regular gasoline, and one 2,000 gallon tank containing super gasoline.

Recent Actions

On August 30, 2005 the NJDEP hotline was notified of gasoline vapors in the Bank of New York (BNY) building at 1 East Clinton Street. NJDEP's Bureau of Emergency Response responded to the location that day. Gasoline vapors were noted in the BNY building and in the sanitary sewers along East Clinton St. between Pequannock St. and Sussex Street. Gasoline was found floating on top of the ground water in wells on the A-1 property, behind the Dart Tavern and across Clinton Street, on the former Rich’s Offset Printing site, southeast of the A-1 site. Emergency Response shut down the gas station for business. According to most estimates there was a loss of 1,000-1,400 gallons that day; thought to be from the 8,000-gallon tank.

On September 1, 2005 NJDEP issued a field directive to the station owner and insurer requiring performance of numerous immediate and long-term actions to investigate and mitigate the discharge. On September 2, 2005, the owner removed the 8,000-gallon tank. A hole approximately 6 inches in diameter was found in the tank. Due to the fact that the excavation was then left open and the area unsecured, with strong gasoline vapors present, NJDEP authorized $15,000 to stabilize the situation. A NJDEP contractor was brought in to vacuum out the product from the excavation and wells, place soil back into the excavation to the extent necessary to reduce vapors, and to secure the excavation with snow fencing.

As work progressed, it became apparent to the NJDEP that the responsible party's consultant would not be able to complete the necessary work in a timely manner. On September 8, 2005 NJDEP's Bureau of Design and Construction (BDC) was asked to take over the remediation work at the Bank and issued an Emergency Work Authorization to Handex of New Jersey, Inc.

Handex began working at the site on September 9, 2005 to remediate the vapor problem at BNY. They immediate began investigation work at the site to determine the extent of the contamination and the pathways through which the vapors are entering the bank. Originally high levels of gasoline vapors were found within the sump in the basement; further investigation has found that vapors exist within the block walls in the basement and under the basement floor. Additionally, it was discovered that the return air on the air conditioning system is drawing vapors from beneath the slab into the system and circulating them throughout the building when in operation.

In an effort to prevent the vapors from entering the BNY building Handex began operating a temporary vapor recovery system at the Bank on September 15, 2005. This system will be utilized until a permanent system can be installed and maintained.

Additional Indoor Air Investigations

While field air sampling had been conducted several times prior, on September 6, 2005 NJDEP Emergency Response conducted air sampling using more sensitive equipment. They drew two samples in the BNY building, two samples in the Regency Grande Nursing Center, one in the Dart Tavern and one in the apartment building behind the A-1 Gas station located on Pequannock Street. Gasoline constituents were detected in samples from the 1st floor vent in the bank and the exterior end of the ventilation hose that was connected to the basement sump inside the bank

Twenty four-hour air sampling conducted by NJDEP on September 19-20, 2005 found gasoline constituents present in the bank as well as within the Regency Grande Nursing Center, the Dart Inn Tavern and a residence located behind the gas station. Handex has therefore expanded their work to include the design and installation of a vapor recovery system adjacent to these structures.

The NJ Department of Health (NJDOH) reviewed the results of the September 19 sampling and determined that the vapors in the BNY building were elevated above relevant risk levels and advised BNY to continue to restrict access to their building.

On September 26, 2005 Handex began installing monitoring wells beside the nursing home along Clinton Avenue to help delineate the extent of the contamination and for use as vapor recovery wells. Wells were then installed adjacent to the Dart Inn. Handex is conducting vapor extraction from this area of the site.

Plans

  • Continued extraction of gasoline vapors using existing equipment.
  • Connection of a larger vapor extraction and thermal desorption unit.
  • Obtaining access to A-1 site to facilitate siting of treatment equipment.
  • Continued evaluation of the need for additional indoor air sampling.
  • $1,050,000 in public funding has been authorized for work related to this site.

Contact for further assistance
Mark Herzberg, NJDEP Office of Community Relations
(609) 633-1369
mark.herzberg@dep.nj.gov

 

Inactive OCR Site

Please be advised that these cases labeled by OCR as inactive may still be undergoing remedial activities but OCR has no involvement. Documents that are available on this page associated with the inactive list may not reflect the current status of a case.

Related Links