PNL was invited to discuss “viz” and its application in the site assessment and remediation business space. Our talk described the tools PNL uses, a case study of their application at PG&E’s Cr6 Groundwater remediation program in Hinkley, CA, and speculated what future technologies (e.g., augmented reality) might have application in our remediation world.
Category: News
USGS issues Hinkley Chromium-6 Background Study
On April 25, 2023 the United State Geological Survey (USGS) issued the long awaited Hinkley Cr(VI) Background Study (Study) to the public. The completion of the Study is a major milestone for PG&E’s Cr(VI) Groundwater Remediation Program.
The USGS lead scientist in charge of the effort was Dr. John Izbicki and well respected in the Hinkley Community. Dr. Izbicki is a renowned expert in the fields of geology and hydrogeology of the Mojave Desert. The purpose of the Study was to identified natural occurring and man-made Cr(VI) in the Hinkley Valley. The process to complete the Study took ten years to complete and involved a comprehensive Scope of Work that involved stakeholders’ input. A Technical Work Group (TWG) was created to ensure the technical integrity and transparency of the Study. The TWG consisted of the USGS, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) Staff, IRP Manager (PNL), PG&E, and Hinkley Community Members. Dr. Izbicki presented an overview of his results in front of the Water Board during the Board’s Annual Meeting on April 26 at Barstow Community College in Barstow California. Dr. Izbicki presented an extent of the man-made plume based on a Summative Scale Analysis approach that was agreed upon with the TWG. The new Cr(VI) background concentration Dr. Izbicki presented is 2.8 part per billion (ppb), previous concentration was 3.1 ppb. Dr. Izbicki presentation can be viewed on the link below:
https://cal-span.org/meeting/rwqcb-laho_20230426/
The next phase of the PG&E Cr(VI) Groundwater Remediation Program will be to incorporate the results of the Study into an updated Cleanup and Abatement Order (CAO) from the Water Board. The result of the Study will determine the final remedial target, monitoring and sampling program.
Project Navigator, Ltd. staffs Project Coordinator role for Norfolk Southern’s Derailment Response Actions, East Palestine, Ohio
Since the February 2023 derailment, PNL personnel have been performing Project Coordination duties for NS Corporation to comply with U.S. EPA’s Unilateral Order for Removal Actions. Activities include work plan review and coordination logistics, track area assessment and work oversight, and scope and costs controls. More on Norfolk Southern’s activities is at https://nsmakingitright.com/

Project Navigator, Ltd. retained as Project Coordinator for the East Palestine derailment matter
Norfolk Southern has retained Project Navigator, Ltd. (PNL) to staff the Project Coordinator position for the East Palestine, OH derailment matter, and the ongoing groundwater and land environmental assessment activities. PNL mobilized to East Palestine in February 2023, and has been interacting with U.S. EPA R-5, Ohio EPA and Pennsylvania Dept of Environmental Protection helping to ensure compliance with U.S. EPA’s Unilateral Order for removal actions.
BHP has retained Project Navigator PV solar expertise to assess PV development alternatives at a former Arizona mine site
BHP has retained Project Navigator, Ltd., and the solar expertise housed in the company’s subsidiary, PVNavigator, LLC, to evaluate PV solar development alternatives at a former mine site in Arizona. Work includes MW capacity calculations, concept designs, racking locations and alternatives, and the framing of design & construction developer RFPs.
PNL staff discuss the development of PV solar installations to the 30 member companies in the Surplus Property Roundtable
Project Navigator, Ltd. (PNL) staff discussed the company’s work in PV solar development initiatives with PVNavigator, LLC, and the BREG Group (Belgium), at the Spring 2023 meeting of the Surplus Property Roundtable. The presentation covered the two parallel broad tracks of PV solar development initiatives, namely (a) environmental permitting activities, running in parallel with (b) interconnection feasibility and power purchase agreement sourcing. The presentation can be viewed here.
Completion of residential lead impacted soils program in Kansas
Project Navigator personnel, in a Project Coordination and Oversight role, have managed and completed a removal action of lead impacted soils and slag from 691 homes in Cherryvale, Kansas. More than 100K cu yds of impacted soils and sediments were excavated and disposed of in a specially constructed local landfill cell. The work took place from 2019 to 2022. Excellent relations were maintained throughout with Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment, the local Community and City Hall. The construction contractor was ENTACT.
PNL continues CERCLA site project coordination duties at two Houston-area sites
Project Navigator is coordinating the implementation of an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) at the Patrick Bayou Superfund Site in Deer Park, TX. The EE/CA is expected to involve capping (ACBM and/or aggregate) over impacted sediments at this 2.5-mile bayou. At the Tex Tin CERCLA site in Texas City, PNL continues to coordinate the Focused Feasibility Study (FFS) for the PRP Group. The FFS is evaluating alternatives for management of groundwater impacted by radionuclides.
Project Coordinator for a thermal treatment remedy
Project Navigator has been retained by the PRPs as the Project Coordinator at the Philip Services Corporation Site in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The proposed remedy involves in situ thermal treatment.
Erin Brockovich revisits Hinkley and interviews IRP Manager
Project Navigator, Ltd. (PNL), as the Independent Review Panel (IRP) Manager for PG&E’s Hinkley Groundwater Remediation Project, was interviewed by Erin Brockovich and featured on ABC News 20/20. Raudel Sanchez, Ph.D., of PNL summarized to Ms. Brockovich on the progress of the groundwater remediation activities undertaken by PG&E to date and the community outreach efforts involved to educate the community on the technical aspects of the project.
Read more about the interview on ABC News.
More information on PNL’s role as the Hinkley Site IRP Manager is here.
Greater details available at https://HinkleyGroundwater.com.