Urban Renewal

SCOPE OF WORK: Site assessment, LSP services, permitting, and environmental consulting 

Omni Environmental Group was retained by a property acquisition firm to provide environmental due diligence, consulting, and Licensed Site Professional (LSP) services for multiple underutilized and partially vacant commercial parcels totaling approximately 5 acres in an emerging area of South Boston.

Initial investigations identified various oil and hazardous materials (OHM) in soil and/or groundwater at concentrations exceeding applicable thresholds under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP – 310 CMR 40.0000). Services provided included Limited Site Investigations; Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments; underground storage tank removals, periodic media monitoring/sampling; and the preparation of various MCP Phase Reports, Substantial Hazard Evaluation, Temporary Solution Statement, Release Abatement Measure, and Immediate Response Action documents.

Omni Environmental Group assisted the Client with presentations and at meetings with stakeholders, the public, and local officials, providing expertise regarding existing environmental conditions and anticipated remedial actions to support a beneficial mixed-use redevelopment. Through concerted team effort, the Client's vision and redevelopment plans were approved by public officials, the redevelopment authority, and local residents.

Following Site-wide abatement and demolition activities, Omni Environmental Group designed and implemented a Supplemental Characterization Program (SCP) consisting of a 220-plus alpha-numerical grid pattern of soil borings and monitoring wells across the 5-acre parcel. The SCP further defined the extent of OHM; provided meaningful media pre-characterization data and environmental-related budget considerations supporting redevelopment; and will be used to support a forthcoming Remedy Implementation Plan.

The SCP additionally revealed the presence of a prior unknown chlorinated solvent release. Through due diligence evaluation of historical documents and interpretation of analytical data, the release was attributed to historical dry-cleaning operations conducted on a portion of the property in the 1950’s. These efforts were instrumental in obtaining environmental insurance coverage for necessary response actions to address the newly discovered chlorinated release and maintain the overall viability of the redevelopment vision.

Omni Environmental Group provided valued support during the Client's site marketing campaign to suitable redevelopment firms. During this process, we clearly and concisely presented environmental findings under the Conceptual Site Model, enabling prospective redevelopment firms to translate the extensive data set into redevelopment-related cost projections and the Client to communicate more effectively with prospective buyers. This ultimately led to the Client's successful sale of the project Site to a highly recognized redevelopment firm.