Blog – Page 2 – Project Navigator, Ltd.

First Quarter, 2019 News Update for Some Representative Projects Being Managed by Project Navigator, Ltd. (PNL)

March 28, 2019

PNL continues to be especially active managing $10MM’s of our clients’ site remediation liabilities, especially in the West and along the Gulf Coast.

Our work focus is especially on complex CERCLA and RCRA sites, where multiple PRP stakeholders help drive the work under the regulatory oversight of either U.S. EPA or the respective State Agency(-cies).

In addition, in partnership with sister solar power developer, PVNavigator, LLC, which focuses on solar projects on closed landfills and brownfield sites, PNL is also providing solar power consulting services to a home developer and a university.

View PDF to read more.

Ascon Landfill Site Final Remedy Construction to Begin January 2019

November 26, 2018

Project Navigator’s Ascon Landfill Site team has secured the proper approvals to move ahead on the final remedy for this 38-acre former oil waste landfill. These approvals included DTSC approval of the Remedial Action Plan, DTSC certification of the Environmental Impact Report, and City of Huntington Beach Planning Commission approvals of the required Coastal Development Permit and Conditional Use Permit. Project Navigator, Ltd. will be participating in a community meeting during December to educate neighbors and other stakeholders about the remedy and the safeguards that will be taken to minimize any impacts to the community. Construction is scheduled to begin in early January, 2019.

Project Navigator, Ltd. Participates in “Brightfields” Panel at California Land Recycling Conference, Carson, CA, October 24 & 25, 2018

October 25, 2018

PNL’s Dr. Ian Webster presented and participated in a panel discussion about the development of solar power installations on Brownfield sites at this major event hosted by CCLR, U.S. EPA and DTSC. Panel participants included representatives from U.S. EPA Region 9, and Southern California’s new local community choice power provider in the Clean Power Alliance (www.cleanpoweralliance.org). The panel’s discussion deck is here. Ian described a site-reuse vision, where in contrast to large acreage, remotely located, multi-megawatt solar projects; smaller, single-MW capacity solar developments on urban brownfield sites and landfills would feed a distributed urban microgrid. Ian can be contacted at iwebster@projectnavigator.com or 714-863-0483.

Project Navigator, Ltd.’s Houston Staff Describe a New Management Approach for the Stewardship and Operations, Monitoring & Maintenance (OM&M) of Long-Closed, Superfund (CERCLA) Sites

October 18, 2018

PNL has worked for PRPs managing environmental response actions at Gulf Coast CERCLA sites since the company’s founding 21 years ago. Major, complex CERCLA remediation programs under PNL’s direction, such as Malone, Tex Tin and PAB Oil & Chemical have run from their early RI/FS stages, to RODs, to RD/RAs and now into their respective long-term OM&M phases. However, with recognition that PRPs (1) still require an entity cost-effectively to “steward compliance” where major investments have been made, while (2) simultaneously seeking opportunities to develop a “consent decree-walk away-end game” solution, PNL has been interacting with PRPs and U.S. EPA Region 6 in the planning of a Long-term Site Management Entity. This month PNL hosted webinars on the topic with over 30 major companies participating. During 2019, PNL will continue to refine this new mature CERCLA site management system, further involving PRPs and EPA, while especially recognizing how many of the recommendations from EPA’s Superfund Task Force can be put into action via the proposed entity. Many of the “entity’s key factors” such as site title transfer, liability management, legal and regulatory compliance, and OM&M reporting, which could be managed via PNL’s Land Navigator, LLC. For more information on this topic please contact Marc Ferries in Houston at mferries@projectnavigator.com or 713-468-5995.

Project Navigator, Ltd. Contributes to the Development and Operations of Pipeline LandWatch, LLC

July 25, 2018

Project Navigator, Ltd., has worked in partnership with Terradex, Inc. (Palo Alto, CA) to conceive of, and develop a web-enabled, pipeline integrity monitoring system called Pipeline LandWatch, LLC. The service is in the process of being rolled out to pipeline owners and operators.

An explanatory article has been published, and is online in the trade journal, North American Oil & Gas Pipelines, July 25th, 2018, edition.

As Superfund Sites become ready for re-development and reuse, the Tex Tin CERCLA site in Texas City, TX, long-managed by PNL, re-enters life as an oil storage terminal

July 3, 2018

In this article, Genesis Energy, L.P.’s Kristi Unzicker and Project Navigator, Ltd.’s Bob Piniewski describe how, via collaborative effort of many stakeholders, and U.S. EPA certifying the site as “ready for reuse”, the former Tex Tin CERCLA site is presently functioning as a crude oil terminal.

Bob Piniewski can be reached at bobp@projectnavigator.com.

Project Navigator, Ltd. Presents at AEHS Annual Conference in San Diego

March 22, 2018

Project Navigator, Ltd.’s Robert Fritz presented a poster on solar facilities on landfills, brownfields and Superfund sites at the March 2018 AEHS Winter Meeting in San Diego, CA.

PNL works with our sister company TerraNavigator, LLC on the conception, planning and development of utility scale solar power projects on landfill sites. For example, see here, for a 3 MW, 15-acre, solar power project which PNL and TN planned, designed, permitted and constructed on the County of San Bernardino’s Milliken Landfill in Ontario, CA.

Our poster at the AEHS meeting highlighted the combination of skill sets (environmental, civil, and electrical engineering) which are required, and exist within PNL, to bring such projects to fruition.

Malone 2017 Summary Update

January 1, 2018

PNL provided Project Coordination, Remedial Action Construction Management and Health and Safety oversight through the entire RA at the Malone Service Company Superfund Site.
A large portion of the 3+ year Remedial Action was completed throughout 2017, including construction of a 30 acre RCRA “C” equivalent Cell, solidification of over 300K cubic yards of hydrocarbon sludge and placement within the Cell followed by construction of a RCRA “C” equivalent cap.
Over 60,tons of riprap was delivered and placed along the banks of Swan Lake in Lower Galveston by as shoreline protection for the Cell.
During the entire Remedial Action over 40 million gallons of contact storm water was managed and disposed of through the two on-site permitted injection wells.
PNL held the Final Remedial Action Site Inspection with EPA and TCEQ in December 2017.
PNL continues to manage O&M activities at the Site such as Cell maintenance/monitoring, leachate management/disposal, groundwater monitoring and stormwater monitoring.

Ascon 2017 Summary Update

January 1, 2018

DTSC approved the remedial design in May 2017 for the final remedy
Completed Lagoon 5 solidification in November 2017 – solidification of drilling mud in Lagoon 5 to enable abandonment of two oil wells
Currently in abandonment phase for the abandonment of two oil wells dating back to the 1920s
Final remedy will begin after oil well abandonment is completed and after securing needed permits

Brine Superfund Site 2017 Update

December 15, 2017

Project Navigator, Ltd.’s Houston office staff have been managing interim action activities at the Brine Superfund Site in Corpus Christi, Texas. The work has involved installing a cap by the site’s East Ditch. The interim cap was then covered with a concrete erosion protection mat. For more information, please contact Marc Ferries at mferries@projectnavigator.com.