NES SERVICES

Project Management

NES has acted as technical representative for industrial clients on PRP Steering, Allocation and Technical Committees for a number of NPL sites. Our ongoing responsibilities also include direct Project Management of field activities and operation and maintenance at NPL sites. NES has broad experience in project management as well as in the design and implementation of field analytical programs allowing NES to provide useful input to both design and implementation aspects of RI/FS programs as well as regulatory agency negotiations. NES has successfully integrated our experience at managing extensive, multi-faceted environmental programs, often requiring years of data gathering, into designing and operating intricate RI/FS programs while realizing significant cost savings for our clients. Cost consciousness, detailed experience within corporations such as ARCO and Ford and extensive field experience are the most valuable project management skills we offer our clients.

NES serves as the Technical Manager for the Hardage-Criner Superfund site near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. At this site, NES managed all aspects of remedial design for the court-ordered remedy. NES is currently conducting the Operations and Maintenance at the site. The major remedy components are a liquid extraction system to remove approximately 1.4 million gallons of aqueous and non-aqueous phase liquids for incineration; a 2,600-foot long, 60-foot deep gravel-filled ground water interceptor trench; a RCRA-compliant cap; a ground water pump-and-treat system; and extensive monitoring.

NES serves as the Technical Manager for the Acme Solvents Reclaiming Site near Rockford, Illinois. At this site, NES is responsible for managing all aspects of remedial design and remedy implementation and operation and maintenance of the remedy for the Acme Solvents RD/RA Group. Major remedy components include low temperature thermal stripping (LTTS) of VOC and PCB affected soils, a ground water pump-and-treat system, a RCRA-compliant cap, soil vapor extraction (SVE) pilot test and off-site disposal of 8,000 gallons of liquids and sludges.

Facility Operation & Maintenance

NES manages and provides on-site staffing to perform the operation and maintenance (O&M) activities required to meet on-going environmental operating requirements and long-term care provisions for production facilities.

NES provided staffing to coordinate and manage Total Waste Management (TWM) programs at several automobile manufacturing and manufacturing support facilities.  Management of the TWM programs at these facilities involved routine and event-based activities.

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Cost Allocation Strategies

Our staff have successfully developed defensive and proactive cost allocation positions for achieving interim and final site settlements. NES has been directly involved in review of site conditions, waste-in data, operational history and remedial components as they relate to possible:

  • Volume and Tiered Volume Allocation Options

  • Toxicity and Mobility Allocation Options

  • Cause/Effect Allocation Options

  • De Minimis Settlements

NES’ responsibilities have included "forensic chemistry" evaluations of waste streams to identify possible sources of otherwise "orphaned" chemicals in the ground water regime. NES has reviewed and provided input to several allocation models. Please also see the descriptions of some of our Cost Allocation projects.

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Expert Witness

Clients have benefited from NES’ expert witness experience in two significant areas:

  • The preparation and defense of response cost claims based upon past costs’ reasonableness, necessity and consistency with the NCP.

  • The establishment of site conditions and occurrences of releases based on deposition of waste materials, especially with respect to site operations. Our unique experience allows us to assist counsel in advancing claims that precipitate settlement and, in turn, the prompt generation of funds for site remediation.

Please also see the descriptions for some of our Litigation Support projects.

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Remedy Optimization and Cost Control

During the tenure of NES as Project Manager at several CERCLA sites, it has been in the PRP’s best interest to make major and minor changes to the original remedy concept.

In each case, NES successfully developed a revised remedial action by evaluating possible alternatives, working with the PRPs and their RI/FS or Remedial Design contractor to develop a consensus on the best remedial modifications, and obtaining regulatory agency agreement on the proposed remedy modifications. NES’ success at managing and implementing changes to the initial remedy is one aspect of our management experience that has proven to be highly beneficial to our clients.

Please also see the descriptions below of some of our Remedy Optimization projects.

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Technical Litigation Support

NES provides technical support services for litigation support and PRP groups. The range of services NES has provided for its clients include:

  • Expert testimony concerning the source and migration of contamination in ground water and soils.

  • Interviewing, retaining and managing multiple expert witnesses.

  • Coordinating all technical data analysis and preparing the necessary exhibits for trial.

  • Evaluating cost and feasibility aspects of remedial activities.

  • Evaluating allocation issues.

  • Providing technical oversight of all RI/FS activities as well as allocation support, including RI/FS contractor selection, definition of work scopes, project oversight, monitoring, and agency negotiation.

  • Evaluating various remedial alternatives that were available in accordance with the ROD.

  • Evaluating human health and environmental risks associated with performance of the selected remedy compared to other alternatives.

NES personnel have served as the technical representatives for industrial clients on PRP Steering, Allocation and Technical Committees for a number of NPL sites. Our broad experience in project management, as well as in the design and implementation of field and analytical programs, allows NES to provide useful input for both design and implementation aspects of RI/FS programs as well as regulatory agency negotiation. NES has successfully integrated our experience at managing extensive, multi-faceted environmental programs, often requiring years of data gathering, into designing and operating intricate RI/FS programs while realizing significant cost savings for our clients. Cost consciousness and detailed experience within corporations such as ARCO and Ford, combined with extensive field experience are the most valuable project management skills we offer our clients.

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Remedy Operation & Maintenance

NES is currently serving as the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contractor at two NPL sites: the Hardage-Criner site in Oklahoma and the Acme Solvents site in Illinois. At the Hardage-Criner site in Oklahoma, NES provides O&M staffing for the operation of the $20.7 million completed remedial action. The team consists of a Facility Manager, two technicians and an administrative assistant. Because much of the site is automated, they work 5 eight-hour shifts and rotate being on call for response to shutdowns or emergencies after hours. A local contractor that currently provides labor when work demands exceed NES’ on-site capabilities provides emergency back-up staffing if one of NES’ employees should be unavailable to work for an extended period.

For more information about the Hardage-Criner site, please see the description in "Projects.

At the Acme Solvents site near Rockford, Illinois, the remaining remedy components were built following completion of the off-site destruction of the PCB and VOC sludges and the on-site low temperature thermal stripping of contaminated soils. Once the alternate water supply, the ground water extraction well field, the water treatment plant, and the small SVE system were built, the PRPs began to look for an O&M contractor.

Because the ground water extraction system, the water treatment plant and the SVE system are almost fully automated, full-time site staffing was not required. NES was able to team with a local firm to successfully compete for the O&M contract.

Under our arrangement with our partner, NES provides the "brains" and is responsible for reporting, data interpretation, agency negotiations and overall remedy optimization. This is in addition to our regular project management responsibilities for the remaining RD/RA activities at the site. The local firm provides the "brawn" with part-time staffing of the water treatment plant (average throughput is 100,000 gallons per day), routine maintenance of the water treatment plant and SVE system, routine site inspections and maintenance of the roads and fencing on the 15-acre site, operation and maintenance of the alternate water supply, and monitoring and sample acquisition to monitor remedy performance. The local firm also provides all of the chemicals necessary to run the water treatment plant. NES’ Project Manager is on-site one to two days per month unless conditions warrant a more or less frequent presence.

For more information about the Acme Solvents Reclaiming site, please see the site description under "Projects".

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Data Needs

NES offers life-cycle data services specifically tailored to meet your needs.  A successful program, whether an initial site investigation or O&M of a remedy, requires litigation proof data.  A properly designed program also prevents the selection of incorrect analytical methods, avoids the collection of useless data, and  allows you to choose the database platform most familiar to you.  NES will guide you through the often tortuous path of acquiring data to managing and reviewing data.  From selecting a qualified  laboratory and the proper analytical methods to evaluating the data in the proper context, NES' life-cycle data services include:

  • Laboratory Services

    • selection

    • analytical methods

    • deliverables

  • Database Design & Management

    • Microsoft® Access

    • Microsoft® Excel

  • Data Validation

    • organics

    • inorganics

  • Data Evaluation

    • fit with Site Conceptual Model

    • historical context

    • regulatory triggers, e.g., MCLs, etc.

NES is frequently requested  to provide an independent data review for in-house reports and 3rd party reports, e.g., Phase I, Phase II, etc., to evaluate the data in context of what decisions are being contemplated. Our reviews help our clients to make informed decisions. Informed decisions save money and time!

 

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Environmental Assessments

NES conducts environmental site assessments (ESAs), Phase I & Phase II, in accordance with ASTM standards.  NES has performed ESAs of all sizes for a variety of clients, from a vacant lot in a real estate transaction to multiple industrial/commercial sites as part of a merger/buyout of a company.

NES also performs due diligence for clients that involve the review of third party ESAs. As part of our review, NES evaluates the recognized environmental conditions (RECs) in the ESAs, the data collected as part of a Phase II, if performed, and provides recommendations regarding the potential environmental concerns at each property. If necessary, the costs and timing to mitigate the RECs are also a part of our recommendations.

Call us for more information on our services related to ESAs.

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