UST Removal
SME has been providing UST removal services for over 20 years. Our team prepares all project documentation, site-specific health and safety plans, and bid plans and specifications for tank cleaning and removal then provides contractor management, release assessment, and project management services. In the event a UST removal is not a practical solution due to its location under or near a building foundation or other structure, SME will design an in-place closure option in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Release Investigation
If a UST release is discovered, SME’s site investigation and remediation teams spring into action. From the beginning, we work with the responsible party to define assessment and closure goals and then develop strategies that achieve those goals, whether the priority is a quick resolution, limited resource availability, or engaging a formal regulatory process. From site screening to detailed delineation of contamination, our team of site experts is skilled in the selection and use of the latest site investigation strategies and tools for evaluating groundwater, soil, soil gas and vapors, and free product. We specialize in using hydrogeological studies; soil gas investigations; free product/non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) evaluations; groundwater fate and transport modeling and statistics; and chemical forensics to identify the optimum path to site closure. Our chemists can also use forensic analyses to help date and identify sources of releases.
Corrective Actions and Site Closure
When it’s time to identify and implement the appropriate response to a release, the SME environmental remediation team goes to work. The first step is to develop a site conceptual site model that will support identification and justification of the optimum Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA) approach. From a cost perspective, the preferable approach is monitored natural attenuation (MNA). But if site conditions are not favorable for MNA, we will again work with our client to define priorities, such as time, cost, cash flow and/or regulatory agency buy-in, for the corrective action, then identify and apply the optimum methods and technologies. Our staff has successfully implemented corrective actions and achieved site closure using a wide variety of remediation techniques.
Funding
As with our Brownfield Redevelopment Services, we proactively help our clients identify and acquire available funding for UST response activities. Many states have programs that help pay for the cleanup of UST sites. SME can guide clients through the application process and manage the funds once received.