SKA Consulting was retained by a national chemical corporation to conduct environmental site investigations on a 20-acre vacant tract of land associated with a former pesticides manufacturing plant. The objectives of the investigations were to evaluate the site for possible future commercial/industrial development.

The results of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) conducted by SKA revealed three apparent earthen surface impoundments on the vacant tract of land in the 1960s. Further research iindicated that the surface impoundments were once an integral part of pesticide manufacturing operations from the adjacent manufacturing plant. SKA installed soil borings utilizing direct-push technology within and adjacent to the boundaries of the three former surface impoundments. SKA also completed soil borings outside the limits of any possible historical site activities in an effort to evaluate background environmental characteristics of the site. Additionally, several permanent groundwater monitoring wells were installed within and adjacent to the three former surface impoundments in order to monitor the shallow groundwater. Soil and groundwater samples were collected and evaluated for various organic constituents such as organo-chlorine and organo-phosphorous pesticides and inorganics.

SKA, on the behalf of the property owner, entered the property into the TCEQ VCP for regulatory closure evaluation. Site investigations were evaluated utilizing the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) for commercial/industrial sites. As a result, SKA coordinated closely with state regulatory personnel in an effort to quantify the impacts identified in soil and groundwater, determine appropriate sampling plans, and ultimately determine the magnitude and extent of the impacts. Once the comprehensive site investigations had been completed, SKA prepared an Affected Property Assessment Report (APAR) required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP).