In May 2009 the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) signed into law the New Jersey Site Remediation Act (SRRA). This Act significantly changed the Site Remediation Program by establishing a Licensed Site Remediation Professional- LSRP Program. The NJDEP initially issued Temporary LSRP Licenses based on education and experience. Permanent LSRP licenses began to be issued after the NJDEP established a written exam for temporary license holders and future applicants, the first exam having been held on May 14, 2012.

Under SRRA, the NJDEP no longer oversees sight remediation. Most important, responses from the NJDEP are no longer pediments to the project moving forward, eliminating extensive delays in finishing a project. Instead, LSRP’s are responsible for managing the day to day operations of remediation sites while maintaining a strict code of ethics and complying with a multitude of guidance manuals. The LSRP’s professional judgment is used in accordance with the applicable environmental regulations and guidance manuals for remedial decisions at the property. The LSRP and property owner take on the obligation to restore and maintain conditions to the protective of public health and safety and the environment under the law.

Regulations are in full effect on May 7, 1012 and requires all owners or operators of contaminated site (Responsible Parties) to hire a private LSRP by that date to conduct the remediation and ultimately issue a RESPONSE ACTION OUTCOME (RAO) i.e., upon completion of the remediation/project. RAO’s replace the NO FURTHER ACTION LETTERS (NFA’s) which were formerly issued. Letters from the NJDEP have been going out reminding or directing Responsible Parties of the need to hire an LSRP. Failure to hire an LSRP and proceed with studies will result in NJDEP issuing steep fines to the RP.

As of May 7, 2014, the remediation investigation must be completed for all contaminated sites where either an incident was reported to the NJDEP Hotline or remediation should have been initiated on or before May 7, 1999. Otherwise, the site will become subject to direct oversight by NJDEP, a situation where the remediation action is not under control of the Responsible Party or the LSRP, direct oversight costs will be incurred and fines may be imposed.

With the promulgation of regulations under the New Jersey’s Environmental Conservation and Recovery Act (ECRA) Program, subsequent replacement Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) Program and Site Remediation Act Program, PEA began conducting:

  • PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS (PA’s)
  • SITE INVESTIGATIONS (sampling and analysis)
  • REMEDIATION ACTIONS

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS

Professional Environmental Associates, LLC has conducted a multitude of Preliminary Assessments (PA’s) which were submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) in order to obtain “No Further Action” letters from the Department under the original Site Remediation Act and Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) Programs for residential, commercial and industrial sites and/or operations.

In 2004, New Jersey promulgated regulations requiring environmental evaluation of Child Care Centers/Facilities. Since early 2007, PEA has conducted about two hundred (200) Preliminary Assessments and obtained “No Further Action” letters from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for Child Care Centers.

With the promulgation of the Administrative Requirements for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites (ARRCS) and Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) and modification of the existing regulations, these PA’s have been used by David L. Poling, LSRP as the initial step in the remediation process as well under ISRA.

During completion of the many of these PA’s, PEA identified Areas of Concern (AOC’s) or Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC’s). These are “potential problems” or possible contamination.

SITE INVESTIGATIONS

The identified Areas of Concern (AOC’s)/Recognized Environmental Conditions (REC’s) needed to be subsequently addressed in order to determine if contamination does exist. PEA accomplished this through site investigations concerning:

  • Soil contamination from current and past site usage
  • Contaminant spills or releases
  • Groundwater contamination
  • Underground storage tank (UST) releases
  • Air Quality Problems
  • Vapor Intrusion into the buildings

PEA has extensive experience in sampling, having samples analyzed by a licensed laboratory.

SITE REMEDIATION

The site remediation process begins with determining the character and extent of the contamination, i.e. remediation investigations. Professional Environmental Associates, LLC has conducted and/or supervised a multitude of such investigations through a variety of methods:

  • Pit excavation
  • Borings
  • Temporary Well Points & Permanent Well Installation & Sampling

Once the character and extent of contamination of buildings and sites, PEA conducted Remediation Actions including:

  • Soil Excavation/Removal
  • Groundwater Pumping and Disposal or Treatment
  • Bioremediation
  • Solidification/Stabilization
  • Engineering Controls – Ventilation, coating/encapsulation, capping, enclosure, etc.
  • Institutional Controls
  • Other site remediation methods

These projects have involved such contaminants/chemicals as Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Benzene, Trichloroethene, Trichoroethane, Tretrachloroethene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Methylene Chloride, Acetone, Freons, Chlordane, Radon, Asbestos, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Pyrene, Benzopyrene, lead and arsenic.

RESPONSE ACTION OUTCOMES

Mr. David Poling, President of Professional Environmental Associates, LLC was previously issued a Temporary LSRP License but has been recently issued a Permanent LSRP license, having passed the required test.

Since becoming a Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP), David L. Poling, President of Professional Environmental Associates, LLC, has become the LSRP on record for a multitude of projects and has or will subsequently issue RAO’s for:

  • Child Care Centers
  • Gasoline Service Station
  • Industrial and Commercial Sites
  • Auto Repair Facilities
  • Drycleaners
  • Nursery Operations
  • Underground Storage Tanks
  • Automobile Junk Yards
  • Recycling Facilities

Though David L. Poling, the company president and owner, is an LSRP, he and PEA have subcontracted from other LSRP’s for specialty work including:

  • Vapor Intrusion, Indoor Air Monitoring and Indoor Environmental Health Assessments (Child Care Centers) because of David L. Poling’s and PEA’s specialized and extensive training and experience and being a Licensed Indoor Environmental Consultant by the N.J. Department of Health & Senior Services.
  • Baseline Ecological Evaluations/Ecological Evaluations, Ecological Risk Assessments, Habitat Restoration including wetlands, streams and ponds and supervision of construction or remediation in sensitive habitats because of David L. Poling’s and PEA’s specialized and extensive training and experience in the field of ecology, environmental impact assessment and development.
  • NJDEP Land Use Permitting