2012 presentation booklet

Transcription

2012 Railroad Environmental Conference
October 16-17, 2012
Spoken and Poster
Presentation Summaries
Supporters 2012
We wish to recognize and thank our Railroad Environmental Conference - 2012 Supporters.
Their financial support is an essential component in making this event a success.
10+ Year Supporters:
ONE COMPANY Many Solutions
Distinguished Supporter:
SM
5+ Year Supporters:
Plenary
Environmental Issues Affecting the North American Railroads............................................................................................................��9
Alternative Fuels Update..................................................................................................................................................................................��9
All of Your Storm Drain Maps Are Wrong...................................................................................................................................................��9
Sustainability Approach at BNSF Railway..................................................................................................................................................��10
Natural Gas Pipeline Projects And How They Are Affecting The Railroads......................................................................................��10
Environmental Planning of Passenger and Freight Rail Projects
Overview of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies For Rail.................................................................................................................��10
Principled Environmental Messaging...........................................................................................................................................................��11
Managing the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority: Prioritization and Implementation of Cleanup of a MassTransit Network
��11
Noise and Vibration
Noise Abatement at Hump Yards....................................................................................................................................................................��11
Effects of train noise on soundscapes and animals in natural areas west of Chicago........................................................................�� 12
Tuned mass dampers applications..................................................................................................................................................................�� 12
Risk and Liability Management
Implementing a Rails-to-Trails Program - Supporting Beneficial Reuse of Underutilized Properties.........................................�� 12
Supporting Railroad Claims for Environmental Cost Recovery.............................................................................................................�� 13
Pollution Prevention
Greening a Railroad Operation.......................................................................................................................................................................�� 13
Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Storage and Dispensing Systems......................................................................................................................��14
Shreveport Drive-to-Zero.................................................................................................................................................................................��14
Environmental Information Management Systems
Three Dimensional Visualization Improves Site Conceptual Models..................................................................................................��14
Thinking Beyond Spreadsheets for Railroad Environmental Compliance..........................................................................................�� 15
Environmental, Energy, Emissions, and Compliance Management in the Cloud...............................................................................�� 15
Amtrak’s GHG Inventory Management Process: Software Development............................................................................................��16
“There’s Still an Issue with Asbestos?” Perceptions and Realities about Asbestos and Associated Regulatory Liability......��17
Risk Based and Process Focused Environmental Audits..........................................................................................................................��18
The Use of “Faulty” Science in Eco Risk and Natural Resource Damage Assessments....................................................................��18
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Auditing of Remediation Project Sites, a Proactive Approach.................................................................................................................��18
Compliance and Permitting
Environmental Permitting for Siding Construction: Challenges, Obstacles, and Success...............................................................��19
Iowa Interstate Railroad, Homestead, Iowa - From Cornfield to Locomotive Shop............................................................................��19
I have all my permits…what do you mean that I am out of compliance?..............................................................................................�� 20
Streamlining Federal Historic Preservation Laws for Rail Related Properties...................................................................................�� 20
Railroad Stormwater Permits: All 46 Industrial Stormwater Permits are NOT Created Equal.......................................................��21
Natural Resource Management
Enviornmental Compliance during Derailment and Natural Disaster Response...............................................................................��21
Assessing vulnerability of nesting songbirds along the Elgin Joliet and Eastern Rail Corridor....................................................��21
Finding mitigation opportunities for emergency bank repairs performed on the Yellowstone River..........................................�� 22
Monitoring Effects of Train Traffic on Wildlife and Plants......................................................................................................................�� 22
Sustainability
Sustainability and Environmental Operations: An “In-Practice” Case Study....................................................................................�� 23
Growing a Sustainability Program at Amtrak............................................................................................................................................�� 23
“Green Plan” for Residual Project Construction Materials......................................................................................................................�� 24
Sustainable Rail in Scotland............................................................................................................................................................................�� 24
Environmental Response
A Blueprint for Coordinated Emergency Response and Expedited Site Closure - CSXT Westville Indiana Derailment.........�� 24
Proactive Incident Response at Niagara Lubricants Facility in Buffalo, NY Results in Reduced Adverse Environmental Impact and
Cleanup Costs......................................................................................................................................................................................................�� 25
Enhanced Aerobic Bioremediation - A Streamlined Approach to Achieving Closure for a Lysine Release Incident................�� 25
Demystifying Air Monitoring Strategies for Railroad Environmental Projects.................................................................................�� 26
Environmental Response and Restoration of the CSXT Morristown Derailment Site......................................................................�� 26
Energy, Emissions, and Air Quality
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Dosing Solutions for Large Engines.......................................................................................................................��27
Air Quality Modelling for Railway Projects................................................................................................................................................��27
Diesel Particulate Matter Regulation and Health Impacts.......................................................................................................................�� 28
Developing a Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory for Inclusion in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Submittal............�� 28
Stormwater and Wastewater
Union Pacific Railroad, Cheyenne Railyard Industrial Wastewater and Stormwater System Improvements – Part 1...............�� 29
End of the Pipe: Managing Regulatory Perception of Stormwater Outfall..........................................................................................�� 29
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Low Impact Development Stormwater BMPs at Framingham Yard.......................................................................................................�� 30
Minimizing Spill and Contaminant Release from Storm Water Infrastructure through a Comprehensive Investigation Approach
�� 30
Stormwater Source Control Implementation...............................................................................................................................................�� 30
CSX Transportation Corbin, KY – Industrial Wastewater Recycling Facility......................................................................................��31
Remediation
Electrical Resistivity Imaging: Lessons for Effective Rail Yard Site Characterization......................................................................��32
Data Management Tools to Support Rapid Site Characterization..........................................................................................................��32
Vapor Intrusion at Railroad Properties: Investigation, Evaluation and Recent Regulatory Developments.................................�� 33
Novel Educational Outreach Program on the Emerging Issue of Ethanol-based Biofuels................................................................�� 33
Application of Natural Attenuation Data and Ternary Diagrams for Site Closure............................................................................�� 34
Legacy Property Environmental Closures are No Day at the Circus......................................................................................................�� 34
Passive Adsorptive Barrier Remedy Selection and Design to Replace Active Surface Water Treatment at a Groundwater Seepage
Area........................................................................................................................................................................................................................�� 35
Combining Focused Soil Excavation with BOS 200® application to Expedite Site Closure at an Indiana Rail Yard................�� 35
Innovative & Sustainable Approach to Barrier Wall Installation at an Active Rail Yard.................................................................�� 35
Chlorinated Solvent Remediation Via Emulsified Vegetable Oil (EVO): How Much and How Often?........................................�� 36
DNAPL Source Zone Characterization - Maximizing Return-on-Investigation.................................................................................�� 36
Carbon Dioxide Traps Used to Measure LNAPL Loss...............................................................................................................................��37
Using Principals of Environmental Sequence Stratigraphy (ESS) to Develop Detailed NAPL Conceptual Models for Calculating
LNAPL Transmissivity......................................................................................................................................................................................��37
Changing the paradigm of legacy rail yards with residual LNAPL.......................................................................................................�� 38
A CSI Approach to NFA: NAPL Forensics & Historic Data Provides Multiple Lines of Evidence for NFA.................................�� 38
Suspending Periodic LNAPL Recovery to Improve Conceptual Model Understanding...................................................................��39
Poster Presentations
Environmental Impact Avoidance and Permit Compliance for...............................................................................................................�� 40
A Collaborated Effort to Obtain USACE Permits in Challenging Permitting Environment............................................................�� 40
What Do You Mean It’s Historic? Permitting Challenges to Fast Track a Historic Bridge Replacement......................................��41
The Hojack Swing Bridge: Navigating the Removal and Understanding the Costs of the Trip......................................................��41
The New Jersey Site Remediation Reform Act and the Licensed Site Remediation Professional Program: Expedited Site Closure?
�� 42
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Increasing of Rolling Stock Ecological Compatibility on Basis of Engines Work Process Improvement.....................................�� 42
How Accurate and Precise Are Your Analytical Results?.........................................................................................................................�� 43
A Practical Approach to the Investigation of Subsurface Conditions Following a Diesel Release on a High Traffic Rail Corridor
�� 43
Remediation Without Devastation.................................................................................................................................................................�� 43
Fate and Transport of Eethanol in the Environment..................................................................................................................................�� 44
Achieving Quick Klozur: A Case Study........................................................................................................................................................�� 44
Forever Sustainable: Enhancing the Forever Wild Protection of the Adirondack Park.....................................................................�� 44
High Performance Biodegradable Hydraulic Fluids in Railroad MOW Equipment..........................................................................�� 45
Cathodic Protection for DFO storage tanks and buried piping...............................................................................................................�� 45
Remediation
LNAPL Volume Estimation and Recovery Modeling - Proceed with Caution!....................................................................................�� 45
Overcoming Site Challenges to Optimize an Inactive LNAPL recover System on an Active Commuter Rail.............................�� 45
Free Product and Ballast Sheen Spawns a New Assessment Approach.................................................................................................�� 46
Multidiscipline Approach and Best Practices for Third Party Pipeline Construction through Environmental Impacts at a Rail
Yard in New Jersey.............................................................................................................................................................................................�� 46
Water Well Management and Groundwater Sustainability.....................................................................................................................��47
Responsible Management of Environmentally Benign, High Hazard Railroad Legacy Sites.........................................................��47
Value of Non-Technical Forensic Evaluation to Avoid Field Investigation Activities in Rochester, NY.......................................�� 48
Management of Coal Fines Emphasizing Site Realities............................................................................................................................�� 48
If it smells like sewage and looks like sewage, it must be sewage, right?............................................................................................�� 49
GoldSET – An Innovative Wastewater Treatment Decision Support Tool............................................................................................�� 49
Stormwater Survival Guide: Preparation Strategies for Stormwater Regulations in Flux................................................................�� 50
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Culvert Replacement: Using an Old Method with Planning, Design and Permitting Techniques to Keep Trains Safe and Moving
��51
Sustainability
Impacts of Oil Price on Freight Transportation Modal Choice and Emissions....................................................................................��51
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Plenary
Environmental Issues Affecting the North American Railroads
Robert Fronczak - Association of American Railroads
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) represents the freight railroads in North America. AAR members include the
railroads that operate 76 percent of the line-haul mileage, employ 93 percent of the workers, and account for 96 percent of
the freight revenue of all railroads in the United States; and passenger railroads that operate intercity passenger trains and
provide commuter rail service. AAR also represents the Canadian railroads through the Railway Association of Canada, and
two Mexican railroads including Ferromex, and KCS DeMexico. This presentation will discuss current regulatory, legislative,
environmental awareness, and pollution prevention initiatives at AAR. Some of the regulatory activities include the current
status of the Construction and Development Effluent Limitation Guidelines and associated Construction General Permit, the
status of the definition of solid waste and the impact on the railroads handling of used crossties, the status of EPA’s electronic
hazardous waste manifest, the status of EPA restrictions on sulfometuron methyl (a key railroad weed control ingredient), an
update on the Pesticide General Permit and its impact on railroad herbicide application, the SmartWay Program, the USCanada Regulatory Cooperation Council on Locomotive Emissions, as well as a brief summary of other environmental issues
important to the railroad industry.
Alternative Fuels Update
Michael Kraeski - Environmental Resources Management
At the 2010 RR Environmental Conference, the Kansas City Southern Railroad presented an overview of alternative diesel
fuel feedstocks, production processes, and potential environmental benefits or concerns. During the past two years, the
alternative fuels industry has witnessed an almost frantic pace of activity. Potential fuel production vendors are entering
the industry in large numbers, each claiming various environmental, regulatory, or cost benefits to utilizing their products.
Typically these startup firms are seeking investment capital and/or commitments from individual companies or industry
associations to purchase fuel once production facilities are operational. New production processes or focused activity on
particular feedstocks have also been advanced by vendors, academic research, and government research. These alternative
fuels may utilize biological feedstocks or still be fossil fuel-based, employing new production processes in order to increase
national energy security and develop cleaner burning fuels.
Since the prior overview presentation, KCS has been developing their alternative fuels sourcing strategy. With the current
focus on fuel costs, security of supply, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, KCS believes it is important that the railroad
industry have the understanding and tools available to them to be able to identify, evaluate, source, and integrate these fuels
into daily operation. KCS would like to brief those in attendance at this conference on their activities relative to these facets
of alternative fuel integration.
Alternative diesel fuels fall into two major categories; biodiesel and renewable (green) diesel. Biodiesel is also referred to
as FAME (fatty acid methyl ester). Feedstocks typically include animal fats/greases or vegetable oils. Biodiesel is produced
using a methanol “transesterification” process, which produces a fuel that is oxygenated and is chemically different from
conventional diesel. This creates additional performance, combustion emissions, and infrastructure concerns. Green diesel
(or Renewable diesel) can be made from a variety of feedstocks, including animal/vegetable fats/oils as well as any form
of biomass. This fuel is produced using several processes, including hydrotreating, pyrollysis, and Fischer Tropsch. The
resulting fuel is molecularly similar or identical to conventional diesel and meets the standards of ASTM D975. However, it
is more expensive and energy intensive to produce than biodiesel.
Given the chemical variability between the biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels resulting from the production process
and the type of feedstock used, the magnitude of environmental benefits is also variable. Whether that feedstock is a
plant oil (such as jatropha, camelina, soy, or palm), animal byproduct, or cellulosic biomass, the carbon footprint can vary
significantly. Other factors unique to each fuel product include: direct and indirect land use factors (commonly called “food
vs. fuel”), energy intensity, water intensity, combustion emissions, regional availability, volume availability, infrastructure
needs, and of course cost. KCS is developing a strategic framework incorporating these significant environmental life cycle,
regulatory, and business factors to systematically assess alternatives. This includes a sytematic ranking system in order to
highlight the fuels that should be considered when attempting to identify vendors for fuel supply.
KCS remains interested in engaging other Railroads in creating a working group to share knowledge, evaluate emerging
fuels and vendors, and perhaps cooperatively enter sourcing agreements with promising vendors.
All of Your Storm Drain Maps Are Wrong
Ross Dunning - Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
With the advent of changing stormwater regulations across the nation and tightening stormwater management requirements,
it is increasingly important to know whose stormwater mingles with whose and what drains where. Many railroad facilities
were first developed in the 1800’s as the railroads expanded from the East coast to West. Many of these facilities and their
supporting infrastructure have expanded and changed over the decades as technologies have progressed and cargoes and
markets have adapted to our changing needs. In the early days, sewer and stormwater systems were combined and the main
focus was getting stormwater away from buildings and track structures as quickly as possible. Stormwater drainage systems
were reconfigured as needed when buildings were built, modified, and demolished and facilities expanded with little
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attention paid to mapping drain lines to leave a utility roadmap for future generations. Sometimes the only maps to be found
are for things that never got built in the first place.
Nowadays, understanding what drains into your stormwater system and where it goes is of paramount importance. If
there’s a spill, will you know where it will end up? Stormwater regulations require investigating drainage systems for
cross connections between sewer and storm drain lines and, in some cases, collection and treatment of stormwater runoff
is required. Knowing whose stormwater drains where is also becoming an acute concern when it comes to the complicated
world of stormwater permits and receiving water discharge restrictions. For most railroad facilities, few as-built maps of
stormwater drainage systems have been maintained and updated over the years, and the old timers that remember all of the
historic projects are moving on into happy retirement.
The paper to be presented will describe the reasons that it’s important to know what drains where and what’s downstream.
Methods of investigation and potential costs will be discussed as well as the pitfalls and surprises that may come with
traditional approaches. Case studies of investigations performed at 100+ year old facilities will also be provided to
demonstrate the importance of visual documentation, some limitations to smoke and dye testing, innovative recycling
methods used to limit liquids generated that require disposal, and proper solids management.
The information provided will be of interest to operations folks as well as environmental managers responsible for what ends
up downstream.
Sustainability Approach at BNSF Railway
John Lovenburg - BNSF Railway
Mr. Lovenburg will provide an overview of BNSF’s approach to improving the sustainability of its freight rail business. The
presentation starts with a brief overview of BNSF’s business and environmental policy. The presentation then describes the
inherent advantages that make rail the most sustainable means of land freight transport. Finally the presentation describes
BNSF’s investments, key metrics, and research & development in more sustainable equipment, operations and alternative
fuels.
Natural Gas Pipeline Projects And How They Are Affecting The Railroads
John Gullace - Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP
Julia B. Herron CSX Transportation, Inc.
Large and small natural gas pipeline projects are popping up everywhere. Natural gas, the “energy of the future,” must be
transmitted from its source, whether in Canada, the Gulf Coast, new Marcellus Shale deposits, or some other location, in ever
increasing quantities. New pipelines are being built to deliver that natural gas, often in highly urbanized or industrialized
areas with historic contamination issues. To get projects done quickly, the pipeline companies are eyeing railroad property.
Railroad risk managers, as well as environmental compliance and remediation personnel will be under pressure from
pipeline companies, who may threaten to condemn railroad property for their projects, as well as business interests within
the railroad who would like to maximize the value and income derived from the railroad’s real property assets. But what
about the risk of unearthing environmental issues that need to be addressed – potentially on the railroad’s dime? This
program and case study will address the risk management, remediation, condemnation, and compliance issues facing the
railroads, when natural gas pipeline projects are proposed.
Among the issues to be covered by this program and case study are:
• Can the pipeline companies really condemn railroad property and, if so,
under what circumstances and what are the implications?
• Can the railroad negotiate on an even footing with the pipeline companies?
• How can the railroad manage the environmental risks associated with
pipeline projects, both during the initial investigation of a pipeline route and
during construction ?
• How does a pipeline affect your remedial options?
• How is the environmental regulatory landscape changing as result of these
projects? For example, in New Jersey, the NJDEP recently issued Linear
Construction Guidance and is proposing changes to their regulations for
such projects.
Environmental Planning of Passenger and Freight Rail Projects
Overview of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies For Rail
Steven Eget - Dewberry
Risks associated with climate change pose a unique challenge to public transportation professionals requiring existing
operations, maintenance, and capital programs to adapt to potential impacts. Recent events, such as Hurricane Irene, give
transportation agencies in the Northeast experience in the types of events predicted by global modeling to become more
common and potentially more damaging in the future. This presentation will provide an overview of climate change impact
assessment methodologies and adaptation techniques with a particular focus on rail and other transportation infrastructure
in the Northeast. Lessons learned from the presenter’s experience with NYC metropolitan transit agencies, as well as FHWA
& FTA’s pilot programs, will be utilized to highlight the current state of the practice.
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Principled Environmental Messaging
Roy Deitchman - Amtrak
Railroad organizations need to review promotion of environmental attributes and claims especially in public advertising and
messaging. Voluntary guidance has been developed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) -under Section 5 of the FTC
Act and found at Part 260 “Guide for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims”. The FTC can institute corrective action if
it has reason to believe that an entity’s behavior (e.g. claim) falls within the scope of conduct declared unlawful by the statute.
To operate transparently and recognize concerns in a marketing message, the Amtrak EHS department is often asked to
review marketing materials with environmental messages. A set of operating principles have been developed that include
avoiding phrases such as “environmentally friendly”, “earth friendly” or “planet friendly” travel in advertising materials.
Concepts such as energy efficient travel or other such descriptors that can be properly documented are used instead.
To provide substance to comparative travel mode claims, Amtrak uses technical and published references. For
example, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Transportation Energy Yearbook is published annually and provides data on
various travel modes including personal automobile travel, bus, airplane and rail travel. Data used in advertising usually
has a footnote that refers back to the appropriate reference (e.g. USDOE, 2011 for the DOE reference book). On the Amtrak
website (www.amtrak.com), additional information is provided on comparative travel mode claims as well as links to
obtain additional environmental information. Occasionally, materials that use environmental information are reviewed
in partnership with other organizations such as the U.S. Park Service. The goal is to remain consistent in the approach to
comparative travel claims in all messaging and advertising.
This presentation will review issues related to Amtrak public environmental messaging and advertisements.
Managing the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority: Prioritization and Implementation of Cleanup of a MassTransit Network
George Naslas - Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc.
The history of Boston is closely linked with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) and the history of mass
transit in the United States. Boasting some of the nation’s earliest mass transit systems, the MBTA today is responsible for
the subway system, bus network, commuter boat and the regions Commuter Rail system. Like most state agencies, the
MBTA has to balance Capital Improvements, and infrastructure upgrades and maintenance with implementation of new
technology and environmental compliance. In addition the MBTA, as one of the largest land owners in the Commonwealth,
owns a number of legacy sites including current and former rail yards. A number of these sites are in densely populated
neighborhoods with very active and vocal neighborhood groups.
The challenge therefore for the MBTA, includes the implementation of a culture change at the operational level in order
to change operation and maintenance practices, prioritization of funding to tackle the myriad of environmental issues,
incorporate public outreach to gain trust and sequence work with other capital improvement projects. Another major
challenge is that these sites are in urban cores that all have their own environmental issues. Finally, for a number of
Commuter Rail projects, coordination and delineation of responsibility between the MBTA and other users and owners of
track such as AmTrak, CSX, PanAm (Guilford Rail) and B&M Railroad as well as coordination with other federal and state
agencies.
To bring the MBTA system into environmental compliance required over 250 task orders, ranging from simple environmental
assessments through complex remediation including PCBs, LNAPL, petroleum and RCRA metals. Many of these sites were
regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) requiring oversight by a Massachusetts
Licensed Site Professional. Weston & Sampson worked with the MBTA to develop a task order tracking system, as part of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Interagency Clean State’s Initiative, to ensure deadlines and regulatory compliance
schedules were met. The program manager worked with the MBTA to identify critical scheduling issues and identify where
specific skills may be required, such as visioning at a public outreach session.
By prioritizing the funds and through a judicious use of schedule management, the MBTA was able to close over 50
individual sites regulated by MADEP. Additionally, the MBTA remediated a number of railyards as well as paved the way
to reuse a railyard that was under scrutiny by the surrounding neighborhood. Finally, the MBTA successfully remediated
LNAPL releases at a number of Commuter Rail facilities, which reduced future liability for both the MBTA as well as the host
railroad owner company.
Noise Abatement at Hump Yards
Donald Seward, Jr. - AECOM
Noise and Vibration
Extreme ambient noise conditions around classification, or “hump” yards is common throughout railroad systems. The
noise created by retarders slowing rolling freight at these yards can exceed 120 decibels (dB), which is above the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible level for continuous exposure. For several decades, it has been
recognized that high noise levels can cause varying degrees of hearing loss in people exposed for long periods of time.
Protecting workers’ hearing environment, particularly at outdoor activity areas in Hump Yards, is important and helps
maintain a safe work environment.
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AECOM conducted noise abatement studies, performed turnkey noise barrier designs, and provided project management to
oversee noise barrier installation at CSXT hump yards in Hamlet, NC; Avon, IN; and Nashville, TN. Post-construction noise
measurements at the Avon Yard proved a 15% decibel reduction at target locations as predicted by the initial noise model.
Noise measurements were conducted using Bruel & Kjaer Investigator 2260H and Quest 1900 meters. A mathematical
noise model to predict ambient Lmax noise levels resulting from operations of the master retarder and group retarders
was developed using an advanced stationary source noise model (SoundPLAN). The SoundPLAN model was further used
to simulate various barrier options to determine feasible barrier configurations that would provide maximum hearing
protection for workers near the hump. AECOM performed noise sensitivity analyses on numerous barrier material types
with various Sound Transmission Class (STC) codes. The barrier surface absorption requirement was also tested with
various Noise Reduction Coefficients (NRC).
AECOM performed noise barrier design services; including foundations, structural steel, noise panel material specification,
anchor bolts, base plates, removable panels, drainage systems, and erosion and sediment control. The foundations with
embedded piles and vertical steel connections were designed to be removable to accommodate the 10-year maintenance
change-out of the retarders. Foundation designs for the Radnor Yard included a hybrid approach of traditional soil-bearing
footings and foundations keyed into bedrock.
AECOM monitored construction of the noise barriers and delivered the complete project - from noise study finished
construction – within one calendar year.
An additional soundwall is in the planning stages for the Hamlet, NC hump yard and should be complete by November 2012.
Effects of train noise on soundscapes and animals in natural areas west of Chicago
David Enstrom - Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois
We examined the potential effects of passing trains on soundscapes in natural areas adjacent to a Canadian National
Railroad line west of Chicago, IL (the former EJ&E). We assessed the relative contribution of traffic on this line to overall
traffic noise, air and automobile traffic in selected natural areas. We also looked for any direct effects of train traffic on the
vocal behavior of the animals in the area (i.e. birds, amphibians and insects). This is part of a larger study of the potential
impacts of increased train traffic on this line for natural communities conducted by the Illinois Natural History Survey. The
data presented here were collected prior to any traffic increase.
We found that the relative contribution of trains to overall traffic noise (dBm) varied greatly with time of day and date. On
days when air traffic (mostly from O’Hare International Airport) patterns brought planes near a recording site the composite
noise from planes was often far greater than the composite train noise. In areas near busy streets, street traffic dominated
over the course of the day. Trains were clearly the loudest traffic events within our recording radius (specifically engine
passing), however the frequency of train events is often far lower than both auto and airplane events.
Our examination of the effects of train noise on animal vocalizations suggests that: 1) beyond ~ 70 m trains have no
immediate effect on animal vocalization, 2) some, but not all species within 40-70 m alter their behavior during a train
passing, and 3) approaches other than remote recording are needed to investigate behavioral changes in response to trains
closer than 30-40 meters from tracks. We are planning to use several approaches to accomplish this last objective.
Tuned mass dampers applications
Paul Kampfraath - KamPa BV
Helmuth Venghaus S&V GmbH
There are several ways to reduce railway noise, defined as rolling and squealing noise.
Noise barriers and top friction modifiers are common methods which are already globally applied.
However, there is a new solution for fighting against noise at its source. Mass dampers can be tuned to various frequency
ranges to reduce radiating noise of rolling stock and the affected infrastructure, i.e. rails, wheels or steel bridges.
Implementing a Rails-to-Trails Program - Supporting Beneficial Reuse of Underutilized Properties
Andrew Montgomery - Geosyntec Consultants
Tom Wurzinger, P.E. Geosyntec Consultants
Raghu Chatrathi, P.E. CSX Transportation, Inc.
Sam Ross, P.E. CSX Real Property, Inc.
Background/Objectives. When a rail line is no longer in use, the owner files for formal abandonment with the Surface
Transportation Board. In many cases, the abandoned rail line is located within municipalities that have a desire for a railsto-trails (RTT) conversion of the abandoned rail line into multi-use trails. A consistent approach to evaluate and manage
environmental concerns and risk is required prior to property transfer and redevelopment. CSX Transportation (CSXT) has
developed a policy and procedure for review of surplus real estate that must be implemented prior to a RTT conversion of
CSXT property.
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Results/Lessons Learned. This presentation will provide a summary of CSXT’s RTT policy including sampling approach and
minimum sampling requirements, soil management plan, and capping requirements. Select case studies will be presented
that demonstrate how the RTT policy has been successfully implemented in conjunction with prospective purchasers
and other stakeholders. Additional case studies will also highlight non-standard program elements such as the use of
brownfield/voluntary programs, site-specific risk assessment, and cost-effective field screening techniques that have been
implemented to augment the policy and procedure when unique site conditions, regulatory environments and/or Buyer
requirements call for more innovative tools to make the RTT program success. Benefits of the RTT program to CSXT include:
reducing the portfolio of properties to manage, reducing environmental liabilities while managing environmental risk,
generating sales revenue from otherwise unprofitable real estate, and developing positive public relations.
Supporting Railroad Claims for Environmental Cost Recovery
David Cranston - Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP
In investigating contaminated railroad properties, environmental consultants are focused on satisfying the requirements
of regulators in order to properly characterize the site and address health and environmental risks. Frequently, however,
railroad properties are contaminated by other parties, including lessees and former lessees, and remedial investigations that
fail to recognize the potential for cost recovery may result in lost opportunities to develop necessary evidence against those
responsible or otherwise impair the ability of the railroad to recover from such third parties. We propose to discuss (1) how
railroads and their consultants can identify and evaluate potential third parties who may be responsible for contamination
(2) how the railroad may be able to determine whether such third parties have the financial resources to justify the pursuit of
cost recovery claims; (3) how the remedial investigation can also be conducted for forensic purposes; (4) what environmental
data is helpful in developing sufficient evidence to support a cost recovery claim and how to get it; (5) how to avoid claims
that vital evidence has been destroyed or “spoliated;” (6) the importance of documenting the work and costs; (7) issues
relating to working with the attorneys who are building and prosecuting the cost recovery case; (8) at what point should the
railroad consider implementing an investigation or remediation that is consistent with the National Contingency Plan; and (9)
issues relating to the development of future costs and risks so that a resolution can be achieved.
Greening a Railroad Operation
Morgan O’Connor - Xanterra Parks & Resorts at the Grand Canyon Railway
Rail travel is one of the most efficient methods of travel, typically consuming up to 50 percent less energy than motor vehicles
traveling the same distance. Every year the Grand Canyon Railway (GCR) transports 125,000 visitors to the Grand Canyon
National Park, offering an alternate mode of transportation. However, operating and maintaining a historic tourist train and
resort can still generate large amounts of pollution as well as deplete precious resources. Over the last four years, a dedicated
team of Xanterra employees cleared up the legacy environmental impact of our train operations. Change is difficult. New
ideas don’t always work. Our first step was to incorporate an Environmental Management System. By implementing a
number of Standard Operating Procedures like a Chemical Management Control Program and removing and banning
F-listed solvents used for cleaning, the GCR successfully reduced hazardous waste generation by 98 percent.
Additionally, locomotive steam engine 4960 was retrofitted to run on 100% waste vegetable oil generated in the kitchens at
Xanterra Parks & Resorts operations located throughout Arizona, eliminating a fossil fuel, diesel. By doing so, GCR reduced
diesel fuel consumption by 51 percent. By incorporating a number of water conservation measures, GCR reduced water
consumption by 61 percent. GCR has successfully closed the loop on the kitchen grease waste stream and with an odd aroma
of french fries in the air - instead of black smoke - engine number 4960 chugged away from the GCR depot toward a world of
new possibilities as it entered the Grand Canyon National Park.
For Xanterra, this train is a living example of what sustainability looks like in the real world: unexpected partnerships,
a new aesthetic paradigm, and technological advances with a nod to the past. It is among our proudest accomplishments
as a business - one that operates in the most beautiful places on earth: our national and state parks. It symbolizes our
acknowledgement that we must take responsibility for finding cleaner ways of operating our resorts and that our
contribution to climate change must be addressed. It reveals a business strategy that sees clean energy in the tourism
industry as smart and profitable.
In 2011, GCR received three national awards for our efforts to reduce the impacts associated with our tourist train and resort
operation (National Park Service Environmental Achievement Award, Department of Interior Environmental Achievement
Award, and the GreenGov Presidential Award).
Thank you for the opportunity to share these accomplishments at the 2012 Railroad Environmental Conference.
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Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Storage and Dispensing Systems
Glen Smith - Agus Consulting
James P. Grady AVP Technical Services
Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Storage and Dispensing Systems –
What the Railroad Industry Needs to Know About Corrosion
EPA mandated use of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) has taken effect for non-road diesel fuel, including locomotives.
Many railroads have already been utilizing ULSD due to its availability. This EPA standard has already been in use for
several years for highway ULSD. Information has surfaced regarding a possible connection between ULSD and equipment
issues in storage and dispensing systems. These issues appeared as accelerated and excessive corrosion and equipment
failures.
In early 2010, a group of interested parties distributed a survey to investigate the issues. While the survey did not reveal
any obvious patterns, it identified many issues, and resulted in 42% of respondents experiencing ULSD related equipment
corrosion. To determine the scope and nature of the issues, the Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance (CDFA) created a committee, which
also includes the Association of American Railroads. A consultant was hired to conduct sampling and further research.
Results of this study should become available early in 2012.
The implications to the railroad industry are great. Some railroads have already seen problems possibly connected to ULSD.
Corrosion can affect any piece of equipment associated with storing, conveying and dispensing diesel fuel. This includes the
fuel tank and diesel engine on the locomotive itself. It is critical for the railroad industry to know and understand the issues,
and have access to up-to-date information. This presentation will address the history, specific issues, possible mechanisms of
corrosion, items to watch for, solutions and new information.
Shreveport Drive-to-Zero
Michael Kraeski - Environmental Resources Management
KCS is working to have one of the first Yard facilities amongst Class 1 Railroads which does not send any industrial waste
to landfills. The goal of this “Drive to Zero” initiative at the KCS Shreveport Yard is to identify management practices that
allow every industrial waste stream to be recycled, reclaimed, re-used, or otherwise eliminated. In recent years, zero waste
initiatives have been enacted throughout a wide variety of businesses, universities, and communities across America in an
effort to lead to a more sustainable future as well as improved profitability and competitiveness through the reduction and
elimination of waste and emissions. A few of the many factors leading to the need for zero waste initiatives are that available
landfills are reaching capacity, regulation of industrial carbon dioxide emissions are raising costs, and the manufacturing
of post-consumer products are becoming more cost effective than manufacturing from virgin materials. Achieving a “zero
waste” operation in Shreveport meets KCS’s aim of continuous improvement for environmental, health, and safety per
Responsible Care and the KCS Environmental Management System.
A comprehensive waste inventory has been completed at the Shreveport Yard and supporting operations in order to
understand the routine and special wastes that originate at Shreveport. Under the direction of Chet Culley, KCS General
Director for Environmental Health and Safety, this inventory documents all materials that may be generated as a waste at
Shreveport. This includes all ongoing and one-time waste streams from all departments: Purchasing, Administration, Diesel
Shop, Car Shop, Transportation, Signal, MOW-engineering, and Environmental. Although the focus is on waste streams
currently being sent to landfill disposal, all wastes were inventoried in order to allow an evaluation of current practice
against possible improved management practices. This even includes some materials that were already being recycled or
reused, such as railroad ties, scrap metal, batteries, used oil, and plastics.
Following the completion of the comprehensive waste inventory, the wastes were “mapped” to show the various sources of
like waste materials, and document potential practices that could be implemented to eliminate landfilling. For each waste
stream, the map includes a discussion of applicable options for recycling, re-use, or reclamation, as well as other potential
options for reducing the volume of each waste stream to zero. This map was also used to document the vendors, brokers, or
contractors that could be utilized to implement each recycling or reclamation option. It is planned that this initial evaluation
of management practices and vendors will be an “evergreen” document, with additional options added as they are identified
and found to be of merit for various types of waste originating from various KCS facilities. Wastes that will continue to
require innovative thinking include packaging materials, off-spec and out of date chemicals, building demolition/renovation
wastes, and used spill response supplies. If it appears that a particular waste simply cannot be recycled, reclaimed, or
reused, then a replacement product that is not considered a waste after its use will be identified.
KCS believes that not generating any waste at Shreveport is an attainable goal, and once successful at that location this plan
will be adopted at the remaining KCS yards, and ultimately at the yards in Mexico as well.
Three Dimensional Visualization Improves Site Conceptual Models
Marc Sanford - ARCADIS
William Parry CSXT
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Everyone knows that a picture states a thousand words. If this is the case, then a model surely speaks one million. A scaled
representation of a site allows viewers to quickly grasp the spatial data relationships. Further, dynamic views of data from
all angles can allow for enhanced scientific interpretation of site conditions. 3-D site models also allow users and viewers
to see patterns and relationships that would normally be obscured in the 2-D map. These models simplify complex site
information and allow for intuitive presentation of knowledge to both technical and non-technical audiences.
A dynamic conceptual site model was developed to evaluate the distribution of environmental media and characterize site
conditions at the former CSXT Salamanca railyard located in East Salamanca, New York. The former railyard is located on
approximately 75 acres and was operated from the early 1900s to the 1980s. Site operations included engine and rail car
repair and maintenance; fuel storage and refueling; and rail car storage and switching. All site structures and tracks have
been demolished and removed except for concrete building foundations. Numerous investigations have been conducted
at the site and results indicate that diesel fuel related impacts are present in soil and groundwater above NYSDEC cleanup
criteria. Petroleum hydrocarbon staining is present in soil and sheen is present in several monitoring wells.
A cost efficient three dimensional conceptual site model visualization was developed illustrated the spatial relationship of
a valley that runs through the site, hydrogeology, former rail yard operations, and nearby residential areas and potential
receptors. The model was created using ArcGIS and 3D Analyst Extension (ESRI). The project team used geologic
data generated during through soil bore and Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT) logging completed as part of a remedial
investigation of the former operational areas of the railyard.
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Former Paint Track and Cripple Track ;
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Former Lube Oil Area;
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Former Clean-out Track Area;
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Former Central Yard Area and Turntable;
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Out of Service Stormwater/Wastewater Lagoon, and
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Former Fueling Facility
The Project Team created a multi-purpose GIS database used in report figure preparation and generation of the conceptual
site model without duplicating data, thus avoiding the need to maintain multiple data in different formats. ArcScene was
used to provide stakeholders with an overall geographic setting, thereby eliminating the need for physical trips to the site to
obtain a general feel for the site. Topography and hydrology were accurately expressed in three dimensions, and site features
were added in the appropriate locations, allowing the project team to assemble a complete picture of the setting. Existing
well gauging and groundwater quality data were used to illustrate the extent and transport characteristics of the dissolvedphase petroleum impacts in groundwater.
Overall, Three-dimensional visualization allows for quick and enhanced examination of a site. Whether if the models are
shown live or as a recorded animation, they effectively transport the minds of the audience to the site, and allow for better
dissemination of knowledge than traditional 2D maps and figures. The tool allows for analysis and visualization for both
technical and non-technical. Therefore, all stakeholders are armed with the best information available to understand and
interpret site conditions.
Thinking Beyond Spreadsheets for Railroad Environmental Compliance
Kevin Koning - AECOM
The spreadsheet has been the de facto standard document for tracking data of all types, including environmental monitoring
data and calculations. The format is convenient because of its flexibility and ubiquity. Spreadsheets, however, scale poorly
and are often problematic in a large enterprise.
Spreadsheets that start out with a consistent template approach develop inconsistencies that are extremely difficult to
discover and correct. They are not typically date or version controlled, often creating conflicting versions of the truth.
Finally, information from multiple spreadsheets (from many offices or projects) is not easily aggregated into a single
document, which may be a labor intensive and error prone process.
Large organizations increasingly utilize the consistency and convenience that centralized applications offer. For new
initiatives, government agencies such as the U.S. EPA are increasingly relying on centralized, web based systems for
tracking compliance and supplying environmental data to the public. This presentation will demonstrate the advantages
and disadvantages of one of these centralized applications and compare various environmental management information
system (EMIS) products, by focusing on compliance with air quality regulations and the U.S. EPA’s Mandatory Reporting of
Greenhouse Gases. The conclusions are applicable to a wide range of software solutions and industry applications.
Environmental, Energy, Emissions, and Compliance Management in the Cloud
Neno Duplan - Locus technologies
As they go about the lengthy, tedious, expensive and very often dirty job of decontaminating polluted industrial sites,
environmental consultants bill their clients by the hour, capturing…and then completely controlling…the superabundance
of project-related environmental data that underlies remediation strategies. As a result of this process, a “consultant-centric
model” has dominated the field of corporate environmental data management. This is primarily because environmental data
is not integral to the daily functioning of a company, and because the quantities and complexities of the data produced are
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enormous. So company managers are generally quite comfortable with letting their consultants do all the querying, analysis,
reporting…and then storing the data.
And since the consultants derive increased billing hours from controlling their clients’ data, the ultimate incentive for them
is a renewed or extended contract, an outcome which, though certainly not guaranteed, is optimized by their control of the
data.
But change is coming. The environmental data management practices of corporations and their consultants are undergoing a
profound transformation as new Web-based software provides a low-cost means of making available the critical information
that organizational decision makers need not only to better understand and manage their overall environmental liabilities
but also to improve their operations by analyzing the valuable data. While environmental data is collected primarily for
compliance reporting, when mined with the right tools it can also be used to point to weaknesses in data gathering and
processing operations and provide valuable information on how to eliminate or reduce these.
A new “company-centric” environmental data management model now offers a remote data repository situated in the
Internet “Cloud” and equally accessible in real time to all, including both the client and its consultants.
Cloud computing is a software outsourcing model that offers great promise for managing environmental, energy, emissions,
and compliance information of any type. It is slowly making its way into companies that have to manage large quantities of
data and meet routine compliance requirements. The model fits the way environmental information needs to be managed
through mashups (applications that integrate data or functionality from multiple sources or technologies), and has the
potential to completely upend the way railroad industry organize, manage, and report their environmental and energy data
and information. Companies that have large portfolios of sites and facilities can use Cloud computing as a very low-cost
means to take control of their mission-critical environmental data and information, gain new functionality and capabilities,
and at the same time circumvent the involvement of their IT department if they so desire.
Cloud-based data management can completely replace existing stand-alone data systems and reporting tools to provide
a comprehensive integrated solution to the railroad industry’s one of the most vexing problems—the centralization and
management of complex data pertaining to contaminated water, groundwater, soil, and air.
At many contaminated transportation sites or at facilities and other sites contaminated with hydrocarbons, Cloud-based
information management systems already provide market-tested solutions that were rapidly deployed and provide a high
level of functionality and data security, an extensive set of QA/QC standards, and scalability.
The Cloud provides a platform for the complete electronic processing of analytical data, emissions data, compliance
activities, and sustainability data beginning with the upload of electronic data deliverables from labs, and terminating in
state-mandated or federal regulatory exports and reporting. When companies use such Software as a Service (SaaS) models,
they eliminate most of the difficulties associated with the management of complex data sets while offering the opportunity
for more rapid customization of data reporting to meet the changing needs of the industry.
Amtrak’s GHG Inventory Management Process: Software Development
Chad Cliburn - ENKON Information Systems
This presentation will discuss the requirements for and the challenges involved in developing software to support the
preparation of Amtrak’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory, as well as how the software was utilized during the 2011 GHG
Inventory. Amtrak is one of the first organizations in the U.S. railroad industry to prepare a GHG inventory using the
rigorous protocol required by The Climate Registry (TCR).
Amtrak is a member of TCR, a non-profit organization founded to set consistent and transparent standards for businesses
and governments to calculate, verify, and publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions. As a member, Amtrak has
committed to comprehensive reporting standards for recording and managing greenhouse gas emissions throughout its
system including those from diesel and electric locomotives, passenger rail cars, maintenance equipment, stations, offices
and other facilities. Amtrak’s first official GHG inventory was prepared for calendar year 2010 emissions and underwent a
rigorous verification process by a third party. Amtrak’s total emissions for the first official reporting year were 1.17 million
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). The operation of rolling stock contributed a significant portion of the
emissions (approximately 81%). Amtrak’s inventory structure underwent numerous iterations over the course of two years
and was ultimately developed using six different “facility groups” covering all operations. Once the official inventory was
completed, verified, and made publicly available, the next step was to develop a system to house annual GHG inventories,
allowing for enhanced reporting and trending capabilities.
Development and use of this software is a key part of streamlining and standardizing this process, as well as making the
data accessible for use in other applications. Valuable lessons learned as well as positive and negative experiences will be
included in the presentation.
Specifically, the presentation will cover:
- A brief history of Amtrak’s GHG Inventory
- Why software was needed to aid this process moving forward
- Overview of the software development process
- What contributed to success & what were the challenges
- Software overview focusing on how requirements and challenges were addressed
- How the software was utilized in the 2011 inventory
- Key Lessons
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Leveraging geospatial Web portals for emergency response, infrastructure protection, hazmat tracking, enterprise data
sharing, asset management, and situational awareness.
Robert Masters
GeoDecisions
There is a real need for uniform, effective information management tools to provide rail entities (private companies and
government agencies) with the ability to react quickly and effectively to any rail emergency. At the same time, a tool
is needed to help ensure both the safe transport of hazardous materials via rail and the security of the rail industry’s
infrastructure and assets. This presentation will focus on solutions that can provide both governmental and nongovernmental agencies with the ability to effectively coordinate an immediate response to a railway derailment or other
emergencies and help ensure smooth day-to-day operations of freight and passenger rail. Enterprise data integration/sharing
continues to be a challenge for most corporate entities and the role geospatial tools can play in this area will be discussed.
Geospatial tools can provide secure, Web-based technologies that integrate data into one interface to enable users to perform
a variety of functions, such as creating reports and charts to proactively manage and coordinate logistics and incident
response, visualizing critical infrastructure and natural resource data on intelligent maps, and tracking the movement
and status of goods and assets. This can include tracking of railroad field personnel involved in the hazardous areas of a
derailment.
Critical components of these technologies include:
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provide a common interface into a system for a “one stop shop” to all information needed in a crisis
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provide real-time information
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integrate all information (including EAM, CMMS, EAP, other legacy systems) into one common operating picture
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are flexible to handle the latest technological advancements
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are scalable to handle small local issues, as well as significant regional and national events
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can be accessed from any Internet-accessible location and through smartphones and tablets.
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Provide enhanced decision support
An example of these technologies is IRRIS, a mature web-based geospatial application originally developed for the U.S.
Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command Transportation Engineering Agency (SDDCTEA) to assist in
obtaining detailed, timely, and relevant information about rail and road infrastructure, conditions, incidents, and weather
that might interfere with the movement of cargo on rail, road, and sea. Today, portions of IRRIS have been DoD declassified,
and the application has grown to support many diverse clients, including the railway industry, with transportation security,
emergency response and mitigation, situational awareness, collaboration, and data sharing.
IRRIS was purposely designed to easily integrate data from many sources and connect to other systems and applications,
making it possible to customize IRRIS for a variety of uses and clients. IRRIS integrates this information into one interface
called a common operating picture (COP) so that different personnel from various locations, such as a remote command
post, can view and share information at the same time. This shared data may include statistics on population/demographics,
chemical databases, or the location of natural resources, medical facilities, and field personnel. The data can be displayed on
intelligent maps or through charts, graphs, and other reports. In addition, data can be input to IRRIS in real-time, such as air
monitoring data, enabling the system to consistently remain current.
The presentation will begin with a brief overview of web-based geospatial technologies and will follow with a live demo.
“There’s Still an Issue with Asbestos?” Perceptions and Realities about Asbestos and Associated Regulatory Liability
Jamie Laubenthal - GEI Consulting
A common thought regarding asbestos is, “I thought they banned asbestos years ago?”, or “I thought all of that was removed
years ago?” The reality is that asbestos-containing materials are still sold today, and can be purchased by consumers at
every-day retail outlets. Asbestos-containing roofing tar is sold at home improvement centers, and floor tiles and mastics are
still manufactured with asbestos - to name a few. More importantly, many believe that there is no liability associated with
asbestos, but there most certainly is for owners of commercial and industrial buildings, which includes railroads.
How does your company manage these kinds of potential environmental liabilities when there may be three or more
corporate departments managing asbestos? What systems do you have in place to ensure that your corporate purchasing
departments do not hire renovation contractors that may install a new roofing system that has asbestos-containing
components? How does your corporate real estate department manage the NESHAP notification requirement prior to
renovation or demolition projects? Is a building survey for asbestos conducted prior to each renovation or demolition
project? Does your corporate environmental and safety department meet their responsibility to annually notify occupants
and employees of a building, as well as contractors that work in those buildings, that asbestos-containing building materials
(ACBM) are present? Improper planning for proper asbestos management can add cost and time to project implementation,
not to mention increase liability.
How does this apply to the railroad industry? How many building does your company own and manage? Do you know if
there are ACBMs in these buildings? Do you annually notify all occupants, tenants, and contractors of the types of ACBMs
and the location of these materials? How are you managing asbestos in-place?
This presentation will dispel common misperceptions regarding asbestos use and prevalence, and replace them with the
reality of how many asbestos products and building materials are still in use and managed in-place. We will also discuss
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EPA and OSHA requirements for the survey, documentation, maintenance and notification associated with ACBM. We will
examine the common blind faith placed in contractors to “do the right thing” regarding asbestos, and the corporate liability
for non-compliance. Multiple examples will be presented to show how Project Managers in various railroad departments can
accomplish their goals when asbestos is or may be involved. In addition, we will discuss the importance and necessity for
early and often communication between all departments regarding asbestos. We will also highlight a few landmark cases
involving property owners being fined for improper or illegal work that their contractors completed.
Risk Based and Process Focused Environmental Audits
Norman Parker - Canadian National Railway
For the past two years Canadian National Railway has adopted an environmental auditing strategy that is more risk and
process driven than compliance driven.
The audit team is given the flexibility to direct the course of the audits based on preliminary information related to key
indicators and risks. The audit team is also allowed the flexibility to then further steer the audit based on initial field
observations, interviews, and risk factors.
Audit results are then couched in risk management and process language rather than pure regulatory terminology. This
strategy has allowed responsible parties to view corrective action more in the context of “doing the right thing” with respect
to key environmental risk issues than dotting the “i’s”. It has also resulted in substantially improved buy-in at the operating
level.
The Use of “Faulty” Science in Eco Risk and Natural Resource Damage Assessments
Daniel Smith - Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Geoffrey Reeder Union Pacific Railroad
The litigation surrounding pollution and its environmental impacts is inextricably complicated by the complex subject
matter. Hence, the outcome of litigation often relies on expert testimony, which according to the Daubert standard, is
supposed to be based on good science and good scientific methods. But what is good science and good scientific methods? In
this presentation, we briefly define good science and apply that definition to Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) and Natural
Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). Despite the appearance – statistics, involved calculations, scientific jargon, dueling
Ph.Ds – and sometime overt pretense to good science, our presentation demonstrates that neither ERA nor NRDA is good
science. Rather, conservative regulatory policy, not science, is the underlying basis of the ERA process and related studies in
NRDA. These policy judgments may be appropriate because scientific methods are not capable of addressing critical issues
such as “how safe is safe?.” However, problems occur when regulators, legal counsel, and the courts confuse ERA and its
results with good science and when these intentionally biased methods are misapplied to injury assessments in NRDA. The
confusion between non-scientific, regulatory policy and good science is exemplified by the widespread use of Co-Occurrence
Sediment Quality Guidelines (CoSQGs) to assess risk/injury to biota living in aquatic sediments. Although CoSQGs may
appear to non-experts as good science, we demonstrate that they were not derived with good scientific methods, and they
lack the necessary characteristics of science. Worse, most users believe that CoSQGs have some technical basis based on their
coincidence with negative effects on biota, but that supposed link is demonstrated to be baseless. Expert testimony regarding
risk/injury to sediment biota that relies on CoSQGs is not well founded on good science and, thus, does not satisfy the
Daubert standard for evidence in litigation.
Auditing of Remediation Project Sites, a Proactive Approach
Paul Kurzanski - CSX Transportation, Inc
Every railroad has dozens to hundreds of long term environmental remediation and monitoring sites which are managed by
a relatively small number of railroad Environmental Project Managers, overseeing a variety of environmental consultants
and contractors. Typically these sites are spread out over the system on various operating and non-operating properties and
former rail incident sites making routine observation by the railroad’s responsible manager all but impossible. Over a period
of several years with staff turnover, rotation, loss of perspective, weathering, and the influence of outside parties, conditions
at these project sites tend to deteriorate in regard to safety, security, compliance, housekeeping and management of waste
materials. These unidentified issues may increase the railroad’s risk and liability.
CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) developed a novel Remediation Site Audit Program to take a pro-active approach in
evaluating the condition and operation of these sites with the intent to identify and correct any issues in site safety, security,
environmental, waste management, or housekeeping. CSXT selected a group with no long term remediation sites for CSXT
to provide a third-party evaluation and a more seasoned (big picture) perspective on liability.
Inspectors review project sites and complete audit forms, which can either be paper or electronic, to document the condition
of each site in the system. Evaluation of safety issues, potential regulatory concerns, condition of wells and recovery systems,
fences, gates, signage and compliance with corporate waste programs provide critical information to the CSXT Project
Manager. Any identified issues of critical significance regarding safety or environmental observations are communicated
immediately to the CSXT Project Manager for action. The resulting information is provided in individual site reports and
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data based for trend evaluations. The results of individual audits are subsequently shared with the consultant or contractor
responsible for the project site and a time frame established to address any deficiencies.
CSXT has experienced substantial benefits from this program that are applicable to all railroads. These include identification
and correction of safety and environmental issues without injury or regulatory fines. Issues of illegal access and dumping
were identified and corrected in a more timely manner and waste material handling checked for compliance with corporate
programs. This program focuses attention and resources on these sites to correct any issues in a pro-active manner and
provides a record of inspection and corrective action that is available for review by regulatory agencies or the courts.
The audit reports developed by the program provide site specific perspective to the consultant or contractor regarding
their client’s acceptable standards and an evaluation tool for the CSXT Project Manager to gauge the performance of his
consultants or contractors. They additionally provide a review of the entire project site and its periphery that typically falls
outside the routine scope of long term operations. These measures have reduced CSXT’s liability in an increasingly punitive
regulatory climate.
Environmental Permitting for Siding Construction: Challenges, Obstacles, and Success
Brian Schaffer - AECOM
Obtaining Federal and State Environmental Permits can be an expensive, time consuming part of any railroad construction
project, often resulting in unexpected delays and un-foreseen expense. Planning, coordination, and flexibility can often
minimize these risks. Canadian Pacific (CP) successfully completed construction of multiple projects in North Dakota and
Minnesota in 2011 with the assistance of AECOM’s project team by employing these principles. Early planning, agency
coordination and communication, and design flexibility allowed these projects to be designed, permitted, and built on
schedule and within budget.
In August, 2010 CP tasked AECOM to perform siding design and permitting at 10 locations along the former SOO Line in
North Dakota and Minnesota to be built during the 2011 construction season. AECOM immediately recognized the need for
early identification and formal delineation of wetland features in the project locations during the 2010 growing season and
mobilized personnel to complete as many as possible before snow cover made delineations impossible.
During the winter of 2010-2011 the reports were finalized and submitted to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers review personnel
in North Dakota for Jurisdictional Determinations. The final designs were modified as needed to minimize impacts to
jurisdictional wetlands, and Federal Clean Water Act permit applications were submitted.
During this time field visits were arranged through the local government authorities in Minnesota to begin the more
involved process to identify jurisdiction of areas to be impacted on proposed construction sites in Minnesota. Based on these
visits final designs were modified, and mitigation was arranged.
By the end of 2011, 4 sidings were constructed in North Dakota, and 3 were constructed in Minnesota.
Iowa Interstate Railroad, Homestead, Iowa - From Cornfield to Locomotive Shop
David Diem - Kennedy Jenks Consultants
Liz A. Ardell Kennedy Jenks Consultants and Engineers
Iowa Interstate Railroad, Homestead, Iowa
From Cornfield to Locomotive Shop
By: Tom R. Klemm, P.E., Iowa Interstate Railroad
And: Dave A. Diem, Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
And: Liz A. Ardell, Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
Iowa Interstate Railroad was founded in 1984, and is a regional rail carrier that operates over 600 miles between Omaha,
Nebraska, and Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the few short line Railroads that connects with the entire Class 1 railroad system
(BNSF, UP, CN, CP, KCS, CSXT, and NS) at multiple locations. Due to purchase of larger locomotives in 2008, Iowa Interstate
found that its current locomotive shop located in urban Iowa City, Iowa was no longer capable of handling maintenance for
the current fleet of locomotives. Since expansion of the existing facility was not an option, Iowa Interstate Railroad decided
to build a new “state of the art facility” approximately 25-miles west of Iowa City. The proposed location of the new facility is
what made this project unique.
In 2010, Iowa Interstate Railroad and Kennedy/Jenks Consultants started design of a new locomotive shop and fueling
facility to be located just west of Homestead, Iowa. A former farm of 62 acres was purchased by IAIS for the planned facility.
The most unique factor and challenge presented by the purchase of this property was the fact that the facility was to be
constructed within the geographical footprint of a National Historic Landmark – the Amana Colonies of Iowa. The Amana
Colonies are a group of settlements of German Pietists, comprising seven villages of which Homestead is one. The colonies as
a whole have been listed as a National Historic Landmark since 1965, and today all the Colonies and surrounding farm lands
are run as a “Corporation”.
This presentation will present the aspects of design and construction that are unique to building an industrial facility not
only in a rural setting, but within the footprint of a national treasure. Topics that will be discussed will include:
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Design of a locomotive shop with its architectural features to be approved by the Amana Colonies National Historic
District;
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•
•
•
•
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Design and permitting sanitary collection discharge;
Design and permitting industrial waste collection and discharge to a rural sanitation district;
Application process for a construction storm water permit and associated storm water BMPs;
Application process for an industrial operation storm water permit; and
Other unique construction challenges.
I have all my permits…what do you mean that I am out of compliance?
Lucien Tender - AMEC E & I, Inc.
In recent years, the rail industry has experienced tremendous growth. With growth comes the need to expand and maintain
track infrastructure. Programmatically, CSXT has committed to obtaining all required state and federal permits, and
remaining compliant to project completion. As the rail industry follows the permitting process, there can be many conditions
that must be followed – prior to, during, and after construction.
As the rail industry also starts participating in public/private partnerships involving public funding, we must become
intimately familiar with the federally-required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. NEPA documents can be
as simple as a one-page Categorical Exclusion to as difficult as a voluminous Environmental Impact Statement. Identify the
sponsoring agency and engage the public early in the process. NEPA has many opportunities to miss a required deadline/
notification; therefore, to safely navigate the challenges, the project owner must be keenly aware of the process.
CSXT streamlined preliminary engineering so track designers, and CSXT engineering and environmental departments can
work as a cohesive team to minimize environmental impacts and acquire permits in a timely/cost-efficient manner. However,
once the permits are in hand, the Environmental Department must inform the project team of permit conditions, ensure the
conditions are met, and remain a resource throughout the life of the project. Permits cannot just be placed on a shelf and
allowed to sit idle.
Quite often there are requirements that must be met prior to starting construction. These compliance conditions/
requirements may include wetland mitigation credit purchase prior to construction, pre- and post-construction notifications
to the regulatory agencies, and threatened and endangered (T&E) species site reviews. Many conditions have specific
timeline requirements that may expire if construction is delayed.
Additionally, most rail construction projects are required to have a state-approved erosion and sediment control (ESC) and
storm-water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) prior to starting construction. Requirements for these can vary from state to
state; therefore, it is essential to be familiar with the nuances of each state. Most states require a notice of intent be submitted
prior to construction (timelines for approval can vary significantly depending upon the state). Most states require weekly
and post-rain site inspections by Certified Inspectors which requires additional training. Inspections are required after the
track is in service and until a notice of termination (NOT) has been submitted and approved by the permitting agency.
Once the project is in service and the NOT submitted, the permit owner must typically notify the reviewing agencies of
completion. Some states also require project as-built drawings for the permit record, which are typically signed and sealed
by the engineer in charge, or the contractor. This permitting requirement could be a contractual issue, and therefore, must
be incorporated into the early stages of the project. Finally, if any onsite mitigation or water quality treatment areas were
constructed, there could be long-term post construction monitoring and reporting requirements.
Bottom-line, just because you obtain the required permits, full permit compliance requires you commit to the project until
the very end.
Streamlining Federal Historic Preservation Laws for Rail Related Properties
Richard Starzak - ICF International
David Bauer ICF International
In 2012, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is preparing a report to Congress on streamlining compliance with
Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for
federally funded railroad infrastructure repair and improvement projects. The study is mandated by the Passenger Rail
Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA). The study will be presented to Congress before the conference is held
in October 2012. The presenters will provide an overview of the preparation and methodology of the study, details of the
recommendations made to Congress, and summarize the status of the implementation of the recommendations at the time of
the conference. The following topics are proposed for presentation at the conference:
•
Scope of the study: What railroad and rail transit project approvals would be streamlined by the study
recommendations.
•
Current Compliance Methods:
o
existing regulatory constraints;
o
focus group and stakeholder group participants;
o
analysis of National Register listings/eligibility trends of rail-related properties;
o
Section 106: Administrative Flexibility;
o
Streamlining Techniques: Linear Resources.
•
Streamlining Solutions
o
Section 106
o
Section 4(f)
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•
Study Recommendations
1.
Exempted Categories of Undertakings
2.
NRHP Eligibility and Level of Significance
A.
NRHP Guidance for Railroads or Linear Transportation Facilities
B.
Section 106 Programmatic Agreement(s)
C.
Section 106/Section 4(f) Exemption for Railroad Properties
3.
Section 4(f) Legislative Exemption for “Use” and “Historic Site”
Participants will learn streamlining methods for regulatory compliance with Federal historic preservation laws and be
notified of any related legislative changes resulting from the study.
Railroad Stormwater Permits: All 46 Industrial Stormwater Permits are NOT Created Equal
Dan Schultz - Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
Melissa Godlewski Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
Industrial stormwater pollution prevention rules are based generally on federal regulations and the Clean Water Act;
however 45 states have been granted individual authority to implement those regulations. In other words, there are 46
different industrial stormwater permits across the country. Not surprisingly, the requirements of those authorized states’
industrial stormwater permit programs vary widely between one another and as compared to the federal Multi-Sector
General Permit (MSGP) issued by EPA. For example, the state of Washington Industrial Stormwater General Permit is 61
pages long and includes hundreds of additional pages of appendices and fact sheet documents. By way of comparison,
Illinois’ general permit for stormwater discharges from industrial facilities is only 13 pages long. Authorized states issue
individual and/or general permits that apply at a minimum to industries listed in the federal regulations and are required to
be updated on a five-year cycle.
This presentation will provide insight into the general requirements for industrial stormwater permits included in the
NPDES program as well as a listing of permit similarities and differences in selected states across the nation where railroads
operate. Trends in regulation development will also be explored showing where stormwater programs in one region have
morphed over the years providing a potential view into where the stormwater regulations may be headed in your region.
Attendees will learn about federal and state mandated regulatory trends requiring more intensive monitoring, facility
inspections, and application of potentially expensive best management practices and stormwater runoff treatment. Hardlearned lessons will be discussed, as well as the strategies that have been developed to meet the challenge of implementing
a new stormwater program while trying to run a railroad. Case studies will be provided and successful tactics will
be discussed that will help prepare other railroad environmental managers comply with the new world of stormwater
management undoubtedly spreading to a state near you.
Enviornmental Compliance during Derailment and Natural Disaster Response
Debra Schafer - Union Pacific Railroad
During railroad emergency response, the first priority is safely restoring railroad operations and minimizing system
impacts. However, minimizing environmental impacts during emergency response is also very important, can reduce
total project cost, and can normally be achieved without slowing the emergency response process. Union Pacific Railroad
has increased workforce awareness of environmental regulations, which has resulted in positive results during response
efforts to emergencies such as derailments, flooding, fires, and landslides. This presentation includes a case study of several
emergency responses, with emphasis on good environmental practices used during the response to maintain environmental
compliance, streamline the permitting process with regulatory agencies, and minimize impacts to the environment. The
environmental practices discussed, such as minimizing the disturbance footprint and early identification of potentially
sensitive areas adjacent to the response location, are versatile measures that can be implemented by most railroads.
Assessing vulnerability of nesting songbirds along the Elgin Joliet and Eastern Rail Corridor
Christopher Whelan - Illinois Natural History Survey
Allison Barner Oregon State University
As part of a larger effort to examine potential ecological and environmental impacts of rail traffic along the Elgin, Joliet,
and Eastern Railway (EJ&E), 198 miles of class II tracks that operate in the suburbs of Chicago, we conducted experimental
investigations of mammalian and avian species that may be important predators on songbirds attempting to use the corridor
as nesting habitat. To assay the potential nest predators we used artificial bird nests baited with plasticine eggs to assess nest
predator activity. Artificial nests provide an effective method for indexing the vulnerability of bird nests to a wide variety of
predators, and supplement our data on natural nests. These data reveal patterns in nest predator activities (e.g., differences
between nests close to versus far from tracks) and aid in identifying nest predator species (e.g., those that leave signature
markings such as tooth or bill marks on the plasticine eggs).
In 2009 and again in 2010, we established transects that ran parallel to the EJ&E at two distances (10-15 m and > 100 m) from
the corridor, and in comparable habitat, at each of three county forest preserves: Poplar Creek and Spring Creek Valley in
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Cook County, IL, and Cuba Marsh in Lake County, IL. In 2009, nests were deployed and baited on 6 July, and monitored
every 3 days until 20 July, for a total of 14 exposure days (about the length of the incubation period for some songbird species
inhabiting the sites). In 2010, nests were deployed from 7 -19 June for a total of 12 exposure days. Thus we assayed a total of 60
nests in 2009 and 120 nests in 2010. In addition, six nests were deployed at each site with digital camera-traps to photograph
animals visiting the nests. Three of these “ nest camera-traps” were located within 10 m of the EJE corridor and the other
three were located beyond 50 m of the corridor. Camera-trap nests were generally left in place for a few days, after which they
were moved and redeployed. Six additional camera-traps were deployed haphazardly (“random camera-traps) at the three
sites (three close and three far from the EJE corridor) to provide an index of animal abundance irrespective of artificial nests.
As with nest camera-traps, random camera-traps were left in place for several days and then moved and redeployed.
Artificial nests exhibited nearly identical survivorship functions with respect to proximity to the EJE corridor in both 2009
and 2010. We documented 14 bird species and nine mammal species in about equal abundances with camera traps. Results
thus suggest that overall activity levels of potential nest predators (birds and mammals) do not differ with respect to
proximity to the EJ&E corridor.
Finding mitigation opportunities for emergency bank repairs performed on the Yellowstone River.
Katie Walter - Shannon & Wilson
During the spring of 2011, the Yellowstone River in eastern Montana rose to flood levels after heavy rainfall and snowmelt.
The river was running at 157,000 cfs, topping a 120 year old record. Typical levels then are closer to 25,000 cfs. The flooding
and saturated ground conditions resulted in erosion and landsliding along the riverbank, railroad embankments, and
uplands. Shannon & Wilson field personnel documented damage at more than 100 locations. Over 18,635 lineal feet (3.5
miles) of the necessary repair impacted Waters of the United States. The magnitude of the flooding and the large number of
locations where the tracks were impacted, coupled with the remote access difficulties for most of these sites, complicated our
response effort.
The initial emergency response consisted of identifying damaged or threatened track and developing individual solutions
for each site in order to implement repairs. Shannon & Wilson notified local, state, and federal agencies on behalf of BNSF of
the threatened railroad infrastructure and the need for immediate response. While repairs were ongoing, the agencies were
provided with location maps, photos, sketches and cross section views of each site; approximate dimensions of the aquatic
impacts including length, width, and cubic yards below ordinary high water; and narrative descriptions of the repair, as well
as timing for the proposed repairs. After the initial emergency response, track was returned to service.
Shannon & Wilson and BNSF are working with regulatory agencies to determine the extent of impacts, and provide adequate
mitigation for the impacts to the Yellowstone River, its tributaries, and wetland areas. Our current estimates include
approximately 10,600 lineal feet of repaired track in Waters of the US necessitating compensatory mitigation, with an estimate
of approximately 16,250 cubic yards of fill placed below the ordinary high water mark.
Regulatory agencies require compensatory mitigation as part of emergency repairs; however, guidelines for adequate
mitigation are not prescriptive. On-site in-kind mitigation is the most typical form of compensatory mitigation. Due to
the scope of the emergency repairs, on-site in-kind mitigation is not the most effective mitigation strategy to offset the
unavoidable impacts. Therefore, in order to find a solution that satisfies all of the regulatory agencies and is acceptable to
BNSF, we are exploring alternatives to on-site in-kind mitigation.
Off-site and out-of-kind mitigation is becoming more acceptable and in some cases the preferred form of compensatory
mitigation for regulatory agencies. Off-site and out-of-kind mitigation opportunities currently being pursued include
purchasing credits from a private mitigation bank, financially supporting flood plain acquisition and restoration projects,
removing fish barriers and dikes, or financially supporting an in lieu fee program that will implement mitigation projects in
the Yellowstone basin.
Through a package of multiple off-site and out-of-kind mitigation strategies, Shannon & Wilson is developing a solution that
targets the ecological needs of the Lower Yellowstone River system, meets the needs of the multiple regulatory agencies, and
is cost effective for BNSF. This mitigation strategy may provide a framework for future emergency mitigation repairs for
BNSF in Montana and elsewhere.
Monitoring Effects of Train Traffic on Wildlife and Plants
Ed Heske - Illinois Natural History Survey
Yong Cao Illinois Natural History Survey
Dave Enstrom Illinois Natural History Survey
Jeff levengood Illinois Natural History Survey
When the Canadian National Railroad (CN) proposed purchasing the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railway (EJ&E), with 198
miles of class II tracks that operate in the suburbs of Chicago, governmental and nongovernmental agencies cited concerns
about how this transaction could potentially affect natural areas that EJ&E tracks cross. Tracks were already in place, but the
number of trains/day was expected to increase substantially. The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) was recruited by
CN and a large group of stakeholders to assess the effects of train traffic on wildlife and plants at selected sites over a period
of 5 years, beginning in 2009.
Our monitoring sites are 8 forest preserves and 1 federal research area in 4 affected counties. Our main approach is to survey
species or taxonomic groups, or measure contaminants, at locations near RR tracks and away from tracks (e.g., >100 m) within
sites. We also are monitoring changes over time (i.e., between years) as train traffic increases. Study sites, focal taxonomic
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groups, and topics of concern were identified during initial meetings with the stakeholders (Illinois Natural Resources/
Water Resources Stakeholder Group). Further discussions between INHS, the stakeholders, and CN helped focus and refine a
research plan.
Our studies include monitoring avian communities and nesting success, stream aquatic communities and water quality,
reptiles and amphibians, insect communities including butterflies and invasive beetles, plant communities in selected highquality habitats near tracks, and selected environmental contaminants in water and sediments. A novel method being used
is the establishment of acoustic microphone arrays to record the behavioral responses of birds to passing trains and other
loud, environmental noise. Because of the depressed economy, train traffic did not increase much above historical baselines
in 2009 and 2010, allowing our field work in those 2 summers to provide good baseline data for comparison to years when
traffic does increase. We discuss some of our main findings to date, and plans for continued monitoring. This study is an
example of how stakeholders, railroads, and scientists can work together to evaluate concerns about environmental impacts.
Sustainability
Sustainability and Environmental Operations: An “In-Practice” Case Study
Lauren Alkidas - ARCADIS U.S.
Paul Kurzanski CSX Transportation, Inc.
CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) is committed to protecting the environment and the safety and health of the public through
the use of environmentally sustainable and sound business practices. Opportunities to promote energy conservation,
materials reuse or recycling and pollution prevention are routinely evaluated during a project’s lifecycle. This case study
presents how CSXT has implemented ways to minimize the environmental footprint for all aspects of remediation, pollution
control and monitoring of a site in the Midwest.
The case study site has been an active railroad facility for over 100 years. Current and historic operations include
maintenance and refueling of diesel locomotive engines and rail cars. Current subsurface environmental concerns at the site
include light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL), chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), and methane.
CSX implemented best sustainable remediation practices for pollution prevention and recovery of LNAPL. Options for
LNAPL management were evaluated based on reduction of material consumption and waste generation. A passive hanging
sheet pile barrier wall was installed to contain LNAPL on-site and prevent sheen from entering an adjacent creek. The
barrier wall allows recovery of LNAPL without active groundwater control, thus eliminating energy and resource intensive
groundwater extraction and treatment. Additionally, the LNAPL recovery pumps are solar powered, thus keeping this
recovery operation “off the grid”. Recovered LNAPL is managed through a local fuel blending operation and reused rather
disposed of as a waste.
CVOCs were identified in groundwater above applicable state standards. Options evaluated to address the CVOCs included
air sparging and soil vapor extraction with off-gas treatment, pump and treat, and enhanced reductive dechlorination.
Enhanced reductive dechlorination was the selected remediation option, which converted the CVOCs to harmless endproducts, and had the shortest life cycle of the remedies evaluated. This alternative directly treated the impacts rather than
transfer them to another media and eliminated energy-intensive pumping and above ground treatment and water discharge.
Methane in groundwater and soil gas underlie a portion of the site due to biological decay of historic fill. Based on the
presence of methane in groundwater and soil gas, CSXT took proactive measures to improve site safety and remedy the
methane while minimizing the environmental footprint. Methane engineered control systems often employ powered
extraction equipment. However, at this site the methane is managed through a passive venting system that reduces pressure
buildup, monitoring of methane concentrations, and reduction of the methane soil gas concentrations. As an additional
conservative measure, wind-driven turbines were installed on each passive vent to increase subsurface airflow to further
reduce methane concentrations in soil gas.
Growing a Sustainability Program at Amtrak
Celia Ann Pfleckl - Amtrak
The Amtrak Board of Directors, senior leadership, and operations staff have supported a gradually evolving sustainability
process. The Amtrak Strategic Plan (FY 2011 - 2015) supports five goals areas: Safety and Security, Customer Focus, Mobility
and Connectivity, Environment and Energy, Financial and Organizational Excellence. These goals form the core of the
company’s Sustainability Program.
Transportation energy data for the U.S. consistently show that intercity rail travel is more efficient per passenger mile than
automobile or air travel. As the nation’s principal intercity rail passenger carrier, Amtrak has pursued a number of strategies
to improve efficiencies and to evaluate our carbon footprint in order to prioritize efforts. Among early initiatives, Amtrak
was a charter member of the Chicago Climate Exchange and was successful in meeting and exceeding the CCX commitment
to reduce carbon emissions from diesel fuel by six percent in a period of eight years. In the area of traction power, Amtrak
Acela Express power cars use regenerative braking that returns a portion of electricity to the catenary (supply) system.
More recent examples of efforts to build an Amtrak sustainability program include our commitments to The Climate
Registry (TCR) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). These commitments are briefly detailed below.
As a member of TCR, Amtrak has committed to comprehensive reporting standards for recording and managing greenhouse
gas emissions throughout its system including those from diesel and electric locomotives, passenger rail cars, maintenance
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equipment, stations, offices and other facilities. Amtrak’s first official GHG inventory was prepared for calendar year 2010
emissions and underwent a rigorous verification process by a third party. Amtrak’s total emissions for the first reporting
year were 1.17 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
In 2010, Amtrak agreed to participate in the APTA Sustainability Commitment. The goals of the program are to recognize
APTA members for their current and future sustainability efforts; to define a set of common sustainability principles for the
transportation industry; and to support the exchange of good practices. Through the commitment, the public transportation
industry aims to demonstrate measurable leadership on sustainability.
Additional initiatives include a biodiesel trial on the Heartland Flyer, procurement of grants for GenSet switch locomotives at
various facilities, and an anti-idling campaign. In addition to climate, energy, and fuel initiatives, the Amtrak Sustainability
Program draws on other company programs that foster improvements in safety, accessibility, risk management, connectivity
with other transportation systems, environmental conservation and education, employee health, and the quality of customer
service.
The focus of this presentation will be on Amtrak’s efforts to build a comprehensive sustainability program using current and
ongoing efforts as a baseline.
“Green Plan” for Residual Project Construction Materials
Denis Balcer - ARCADIS
Paul Kurzanski CSX Transportation
A CSX Intermodal Terminal expansion project required the management of construction residuals from an active rail yard.
The project challenge was to manage a 16,000 cubic yard mixed debris soil stockpile which obstructed additional yard
expansion. The established approach required loading, transport and disposal of the soil at a landfill at considerable cost.
An alternative management approach involving combined onsite beneficial re-use with salvage recycling of the mixed
debris was employed for site improvements, liability reduction, avoid logistical traffic challenges, and cost reduction.
ARCADIS evaluated re-use placement options within the yard that could accommodate the soil volume. Cooperative permit
management and regulatory negotiations allowed the relocation of the soil and small rock portion. Debris were screened
from the re-usable soil/rock portion. Metals were removed for salvage, and concrete was separated and crushed for beneficial
reuse as erosion controls, roadway improvements and construction fill within the yard.
The result of the alternative management approach, that kept the materials on site and within the yard, was a carbon and
greenhouse gas footprint reduction as compared to off-site disposal. For example, the amount of carbon dioxide alone saved
by the elimination of off-site transport to a landfill equals approximately 149.8 metric tons (1,200 round-trip truckloads).
Additionally, on-site use saved landfill space equivalent to the 16,000 cubic yards. The relocation area for the construction
residuals is now a graded and surface drainage design improvement with plantings of native wild flowers, grasses and trees.
The mulch material selected for use during the area reclamation was made from recycled denim. The final result…a “green”
reuse-plan, implemented to not impede yard expansion progress and reduced the project cost for off-site management from
an estimated $1.3 million to the actual on-site reuse cost of $400K, a savings of $900K.
Sustainable Rail in Scotland
Lorraine Young - Network Rail
Rail is globally recognised as being one of the most sustainable modes of transport yet it is acknowledged that there are
many efficiencies that can be made in rail construction, maintenance and operation to further improve its sustainability
credentials.
My presentation will discuss and provide examples of the steps being taken in Scotland by Network Rail (the owner
and operator of railway infrastructure in Great Britain) to improve the delivery and operation of its infrastructure socially, economically and environmentally; with a view to providing the audience with an opportunity to compare the
commonalities and different approaches being taken ‘across the pond’.
I will explain how Network Rail plan to meet the Scottish Government’s Strategy for Sustainable Transport which seeks to:
•
Improve journey times and connections,
•
Reduce emissions, and
•
Improve quality, accessibility and affordability
Through delivering these improvements in a sustainable manner and by implementation of the company Sustainability
Policy.
A Blueprint for Coordinated Emergency Response and Expedited Site Closure - CSXT Westville Indiana Derailment
Coley Cambell - ARCADIS
Michele Gurgas - ARCADIS
Paul Kurzanski CSX
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On Friday January 6th, 2012, three CSX Transportation (CSXT) trains collided and derailed five locomotives and twenty-one
rail and intermodal cars in Westville, Indiana. Diesel fuel and lubricating oil were spilled from the locomotives along with
powdered milk protein, metal rings, and animal tallow from derailed cars. The integrated CSXT project response team was
comprised of CSXT representatives from the Hazardous Materials Group, Claims, L.E.A.D.S., Asset Recovery, Engineering,
Field Services, Train Control, and multiple consultants and response contractors. Through a recognized need to bring “order
to the chaos”, a centralized decision team was formed from representatives of the response stakeholders. This allowed the
response team to quickly identify roles and responsibilities and streamline efforts to achieve the overall goals of rapidly
restoring CSXT track infrastructure and addressing impacts to the environment and surrounding property owners.
ARCADIS-managed response activities included health & safety oversight of all subcontractors, identification of potential
environmental receptors, development of a waste containment and characterization plan for more than 6,000 tons of solid
waste and 20,000 gallons of liquids, design and implementation of the site remediation plan, development of a storm
water and erosion control plan, and development of a traffic control plan. All activities were completed under regulatory
oversight by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM),
and the LaPorte County Emergency Management Agency. Through negotiations with the regulatory agencies, ARCADIS
implemented a sampling plan with a focused suite of analytical parameters, saving unnecessary analytical costs.
The response team completed immediate track clean-up that facilitated restoration of the track infrastructure within 36 hours
of the derailment. ARCADIS expedited the waste coordination process to initiate soil and debris removal within 5 days of
the derailment. The majority of soil excavation and remediation was completed within 10 days of the derailment.
ARCADIS developed a template communication/organization tool which compiled the response team’s efforts for CSXT
corporate and field management, regulatory agencies and on-scene managers. The template proved to be an invaluable tool
for keeping the team efficient and “on-track” and has become the blueprint for future CSXT incidents. This tool also allows
for the financial tracking of the various component of an on-going response effort.
The efforts of the response team exceeded IDEM’s expectations. The success of response activities is illustrated by IDEM’s
request of a condensed incident letter report as opposed to a comprehensive summary report. Site clean-up was completed
in January 2012. Site restoration will be completed in April 2012 and regulatory site closure is anticipated in the summer of
2012.
Proactive Incident Response at Niagara Lubricants Facility in Buffalo, NY Results in Reduced Adverse Environmental Impact and
Cleanup Costs
Ben Girard - ARCADIS
A major fire occurred at the Niagara Lubricants Facility located in Buffalo NY in July 2011, which resulted in the release of
various petroleum impacted products and fire suppression water onto CSXT’s adjacent mainline ROW. The facility produced
various materials including blended oils, greases, and automotive additives. Due to the inaction of the property owner to
prevent the spread of contamination to the adjacent properties, CSXT took emergency actions while the fire was ongoing
to contain and prevent the releases from impacting it’s property and migrating beneath the mainline tracks and impacting
nearby waterways. This required coordination and interface with various agancies including USEPA, NYSDEC, ATF, the City
of Buffalo, and adjacent property owners. CSXT decided to proactively respond and facilitate an expedited cleanup in order
to avoid lengthy remedial cleanup down the road with increased costs and more importanty, future service interuptions on
the mainline that would have been needed to remediate the property.
Initial/emergency response activites included excavation of approximately 250 tons of petroleum impacted soils and
management of petroleum impacted fire suppression water. Sorbent booms and pads were placed on the surface water as an
initial control measure, and approx 5,0000 gallons were vacuumed, temporarily stored on-site in a frac tank, and eventually
disposed off-site. Following this initial response, a stormwater management system was put in place to collect impacted
rainwater that would run onto the CSXT ROW during emergency demolition and remediation activites performed by Niagara
Lubricants. The water was temporarily stored, sampled, and sent to the local POTW through a permitted discharge location
at the street.
This presentation will discuss the CSXT emergency/spill response efforts and proactive approach that was successfully
utilized following the incident. Important decisions were made early on during the initial response effort, and over the
following months The presentation will demonstrate how these proactive actions by CSXT resulted in minimizing negative
impacts to the CSXT and the surrounding community, were image positive for CSX with State and Federal regulators and
avoided the need for futre service nteruptios along the mainline.
Enhanced Aerobic Bioremediation - A Streamlined Approach to Achieving Closure for a Lysine Release Incident
Kevin Peterburs - ARCADIS
Martina Schlauch Jones ARCADIS
Mark Klemmer ARCADIS
In February 2011, a tank car was breached during switching operations, resulting in the release of 20,800 gallons of feedgrade lysine (an amino acid) at the Alton & Southern Railway Gateway Yard located in East St. Louis, Illinois. Emergency
response actions included the recovery of the released lysine product via vacuum truck, cleaning of storm water drainage
piping within the release area, and recovery of impacted water at the storm water drainage outfall to an on-site retention
pond. Lysine accumulation was observed in the rentention pond, which was aerated by pumping air into weighted,
25
perforated air lines placed into the pond. Aeration of the pond ceased with the approval of the Illinois EPA emergency
responder after approximately two weeks of aerator operation. Approximately one month after the initial release, fish
mortality was observed in a different on-site retention pond located downgradient from the release. The Illinois EPA issued
a Violation Notice as a result of the incident.
On March 23, 2011, ARCADIS mobilized an emergency response team, which included an ecologist due to the fish mortality
issue, to complete an initial site assessment. Response activities conducted included aeration of two on-site retention
ponds and removal of the dead fish. ARCADIS collected data to characterize the condition of the on-site retention ponds
and evaluate the potential cause of the fish kill. This included conducting field measurements of dissolved oxygen (DO) in
various on-site surface water bodies and collecting water samples for laboratory analysis of total organic carbon (TOC) and
lysine. The fish mortality was directly attributable to hypoxic conditions that were caused by the biological degradation and
decomposition of lysine.
Various remedial approaches were considered to restore the surface water system to pre-incident conditions. The criteria for
remedy success were sustained DO readings representative of pre-incident conditions and the elimination of lysine to remove
the potential for further biological depletion of oxygen. Chemical oxidation of lysine was considered as it provided the most
rapid elimination of residual lysine. However chemical oxidants often contain trace impurities such as metals or can trigger
secondary water quality standard exceedances, such as the sulfate generated when using sodium persulfate. An exception is
hydrogen peroxide that is an oxidant/oxygen source that has a very low likelihood of creating secondary water quality issues,
which was retained for further consideration. An alternate remedy that was considered was enhancement of the biological
degradation mechanism that had created the anoxic conditions.
A bench scale treatability study was conducted to determine the most effective method for destruction of lysine (chemical
oxidation or aerobic biodegradation), and the effectiveness of the addition of macronutrients for encouraging biodegradation
of lysine at the site. The results of the study revealed that lysine will biodegrade sufficiently to eliminate the risk of future
deleterious effects if dissolved oxygen alone is provided to native bacterial populations. The ability to use dissolved oxygen
avoided the potentially high cost of chemical purchase and possible secondary water quality issues.
Surface water aerators were identified as the most suitable approach to address low dissolved oxygen levels and lysine
impacts, and were subsequently deployed in the on-site retention pond. The selected, low-profile aerators were suitable
for shallow water, reduced the risk of wind-blown water and/or odors, and were low in capital cost and maintenance.
DO monitoring demonstrated that the retention ponds returned to pre-incident conditions by exhibiting sustained DO
concentrations two weeks after intallation.
Sampling results indicate that the surface water system has returned to pre-incident conditions using a low-cost approach
by utilizing the native bacterial populations. UPRR received a “ReturnTo Compliance” letter dated September 28, 2011,
providing regulatory closure of the incident 7 months after the incident despite the fish kill.
Demystifying Air Monitoring Strategies for Railroad Environmental Projects
Dyron Hamlin - Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Air monitoring is an important component of many environmental projects for the following reasons: protection of
the community, protection of workers, fulfillment of regulatory requirements, and limiting liability. In recent years, air
monitoring technology has advanced and become more accessible (from both a cost and ease-of-use perspective). Due to this
evolution, a broader range of options is now available to environmental project managers. This talk will help to demystify
the process of developing and implementing an appropriate and effective air monitoring strategy for a typical railroad
environmental project with the potential for chemicals or chemical laden dust to become airborne at high concentrations. A
checklist will be presented which will help guide project managers in regards to the following important components of an
air monitoring strategy:
When: Emergency and/or remediation phase monitoring
What: Applicable standards and guidelines – emergency v. chronic
How: Air monitoring methods
Who: Relevant regulatory agencies
Why: When to scale up, when to scale down
Where: How receptors can affect sample location selection
This presentation will enable attendees to ask the necessary critical questions, to ensure that the proper approach is being
taken. At the conclusion of the talk, an example strategy for a typical environmental project will be presented, which will
include suggested answers to all of the above questions. The presentation will be based on the collective experience of a team
of scientists, health professionals, and engineers who have been providing air monitoring and consulting services for over 10
years. During this time, the role of air monitoring has grown from an erstwhile requirement to a critical component during
many environmental projects. This presentation will bring those unfamiliar with this type of work up-to-speed with how it
is done, and what potential pitfalls exist.
Environmental Response and Restoration of the CSXT Morristown Derailment Site
Jamie Krejsa - EnviroScience, Inc.
Harry Hopes CSXT HAZMAT
Bill Baker CSXT
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At approximately 18:08 on Wednesday July 6, 2011, CSX Transportation (CSXT) encountered a major derailment in
Morristown, Shelby County, Indiana. The derailment involved 15 cars including 2 box cars, 5 tank cars and 8 covered hopper
cars containing plastic pellets. The derailment occurred over the Big Blue River, which is considered a warm water habitat in
the State of Indiana. The derailment also involved the collapse of an approximately 900 foot trestle with train cars into the
Big Blue River.
This project involved unique challenges to the project team including the closure of the CSXT main line due to the bridge
collapse and a major environmental cleanup associated with the derailment. The release of non-toxic plastic pellets was
challenging due to the fact that they are neutrally buoyant in water, making their removal extremely difficult by conventional
methods. CSXT departments involved in the incident included Environmental, HAZMAT and the Bridge and Engineering
Departments. Regulatory agencies included the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers Indianapolis Field Office, Indiana Department
of Environmental Management (IDEM), and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
CSXT’s approach was to complete the cleanup of the derailment to the satisfaction of the regulatory agencies while, at the
same time, completing the environmental permitting for the construction of the bridge. Additionally, the site would have
to be fully restored to satisfy the regulatory agencies and serve as mitigation for impacts from the derailment and bridge
construction.
The derailment involved the release of an unknown quantity of non-toxic plastic pellets to the Big Blue River and unnamed
tributary in the vicinity of the railroad bridge. Water quality data, a freshwater mussel survey and visual observations
indicated that the derailment had no effect on the aquatic communities of the Big Blue River or on state or federally listed
species. Additionally, no wetlands or jurisdictional waters were impacted with the exception of near-shore areas of the Big
Blue River. Once potential impacts were assessed, EnviroScience’s Dive Team worked diligently over several days to rig all
remaining train debris in the Big Blue River for removal using the crane that was mobilized to re-construct the bridge. Once
the area was clear of debris, the plastic pellets were removed by underwater suction and a creative dewatering method. A
small area immediately under the CSXT Bridge was dewatered and excavated due to the volume of material in that particular
area. The derailment site was turned over to the CSXT Bridge Department within 4 days of the incident, and the bridge was
reconstructed and operational within 9 days of the collapse. Agencies including IDEM, IDNR and USACE were involved
in coordination for the recovery of materials from the derailment, bridge construction, restoration of the stream banks and
floodplain area, and associated permitting.
Temporarily impacted areas were restored starting on August 8, 2011 with native seed mixes. A site visit was conducted with
IDEM on September 29, 2011; and the site was determined to be fully restored and vegetated. Erosion controls were able to be
removed just 86 days after the incident.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Dosing Solutions for Large Engines
Ulrich Pfahl - Emitec Inc
Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems have been used on large utility and industrial applications to reduce oxides of
nitrogen (NOx) efficiently for many decades. More recently, such systems have been applied to cars, trucks, large ships, gas
turbines, and diesel powered locomotives.
In such mobile applications, Urea or diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is widely used, but requires conversion to ammonia through
thermal decomposition in order to be used as an effective reductant.
SCR systems require precise integration and calibration in order to utilize the full NOx reduction potential. Also,
temperature is one of the biggest challenges of SCR. Especially mobile applications have a period during start-up where
exhaust temperatures are too cold for NOx reduction to occur.
This paper describes SCR system-, and especially SCR dosing-, technology requirements. It addresses the corresponding
solutions to apply SCR technology for large engines, such as locomotives. It looks at technologies such as air-assisted and
airless to enable cost effective SCR dosing systems to combine high fuel efficiency with lowest NOx emissions, especially for
very demanding large engine applications.
Air Quality Modelling for Railway Projects
Mike Lepage - RWDI AIR Inc.
The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) has an extensive suburban commuter rail network that operates with
diesel locomotives. Some of the network’s corridors are shared with other rail users, including regional passenger service
and freight carriers that also operate diesel locomotives. In recent years, the commuter rail authority (Metrolinx) has been
planning to increase service on this network. Metrolinx has also been considering the potential for electrifying sections of
the network. Some of the rail corridors pass through residential areas, where both detached homes and multi-unit residential
buildings are in close proximity to the right-of-way. The exposure to diesel exhaust pollutants resulting from a single
locomotive pass-by in such an area is very brief and, on its own, may not be a significant concern. However, if the corridor
has a high traffic volume then a more prolonged exposure can result from the accumulation of individual brief exposures.
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If an increase in traffic is proposed on such a corridor, it is of interest to predict the impact on local air quality. Similarly, if
electrification is being considered, it is of interest to predict the benefit to the local air quality from eliminated diesel exhaust
emissions. This paper discusses computer simulations used to assess the contribution of diesel rail traffic to local air quality
adjacent to rail corridors in the GTHA. The simulations used traditional air pollutant dispersion modelling techniques
for transportation corridors. Results are presented showing how air pollutant contributions from rail traffic compare to
measured background levels of air pollutants associated with road traffic and various other sources of emissions. A number
of the interesting challenges associated with assessing rail traffic emissions are discussed, including the following:
-Characterizing future operations and emissions performance of locomotive fleets. Older locomotives gradually are replaced
with newer ones that meet more stringent emission standards. The rail operators are not always accurately able to predict the
rate at which the fleet will change over.
-Characterizing spatial and temporal variation of locomotive emissions. Speed and throttle setting of locomotives may
vary considerably as they travel along a corridor, especially for commuter trains that stop at stations along the way. Where
trains are accelerating away from a station, up a grade slope or around a curve, the throttle setting can be relatively high in
combination with a relatively low travel speed, leading to relatively high emissions per kilometre in these areas.
-Characterizing future background pollutant levels. The overall pollutant exposure at a sensitive impact location is a
combination of the contribution from the rail operations and that from other background sources. The background levels
can be estimated from historical monitoring data in representative locations, however this does not account for future trends
in background levels. Background levels may also vary from place to place over a long rail corridor, and data from multiple
representative monitoring sites needs to be considered.
Discussion includes a preliminary evaluation of the dispersion model performance by comparing model results to actual
monitoring data recorded adjacent to a corridor.
Diesel Particulate Matter Regulation and Health Impacts
Gary Rubenstein - Sierra Research
Brenda Douglas Sierra Research
Nancy Matthews Sierra Research
Diesel particulate matter (DPM) emissions are regulated both as criteria and non-criteria pollutants. The definition of DPM
emissions is regulation-specific, meaning the definition is based on the test method used for measurement. Different test
methods are used for mobile and stationary source measurements of DPM, using fundamentally different procedures. The
result is DPM emissions can be quantified differently for a single engine depending on whether DPM is measured using an
EPA mobile source or nonroad engine test method, or using an EPA stationary source test method.
Once DPM is emitted into the atmosphere, it cannot be measured directly. This is because DPM is actually a combination
of solid particles and organic and sulfate aerosols that are generally indistinguishable in the atmosphere from similar
compounds emitted by other combustion sources.
As a result of these measurement challenges, assessments of the health impacts attributable to DPM emissions are often
performed using surrogates. In some regulatory programs, these surrogacy approaches leads to conclusions that are
dramatically different from those that would be reached using techniques for assessing the health impacts of, for example,
gasoline engine exhaust. For example, surrogacy approaches for evaluating the health impacts of DPM ignore changes in
the composition of Diesel exhaust and of DPM that result from changes to Diesel fuel composition, Diesel engine combustion
techniques such as the use of electronic engine controls, and the use of Diesel exhaust aftertreatment systems. While
surrogacy approaches can and sometimes do account for reductions in the mass of DPM emissions attributable to these DPM
control strategies, they do not account for the often-significant benefits associated with the changed composition of DPM. In
contrast, the approaches for evaluating the health impacts of, for example, gasoline engine exhaust account for the benefits of
both reductions in mass emissions and changes in gasoline exhaust composition.
The use of surrogacy approaches to addressing the health impacts of Diesel exhaust, in general, and DPM emissions, in
particular, has resulted in a dramatic shift in the allocation of resources to reduce health risks associated with air pollutant
emissions from various source categories – often to the detriment of the overall air quality program objectives.
Developing a Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory for Inclusion in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Submittal
Kenneth Richardson - ARCADIS
A comprehensive inventory of Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and Inventory Management Plan (IMP)
was prepared for CSX Transportation following guidance from the GHG protocol developed by the World Resources Institute
and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The resulting inventory and methodology was reviewed
by an independent verifier to achieve a reasonable level of assurance and was submitted in response to the 2012 Investor
Questionnaire from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
We established organizational and operational boundaries for all CSX companies. Next, fuel usage and GHG emissions
associated with system operations were determined. CSX Transportation and subsidiary activity data was obtained and
used for calculating emissions using published emission factors. Following GHG protocol guidance, an IMP was prepared
to document the processes and calculations associated with the GHG emission inventory. Following Quality Assurance
reviews of the inventory and the IMP, materials were provided to the independent verifier to validate the reasonableness of
the inventory.
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We’ll describe the review of existing internal processes, opportunities for streamlining, data collection, the independent
audit review, and a summary of lessons learned.
Technology R&D Opportunities for Reducing Rail Sector Emissions
Ray Barton
National Research Council of Canada - Surface Transportation
A rail sector technology and infrastructure scan is undertaken via a literature review and industry interviews to make
recommendations on promising technologies and research opportunities, and to provide information to assist Transport
Canada in outlining a five year research agenda and future policy development. The scan is focused on North America
and identifies 18 opportunities prioritized into short (0-2 years), medium (3-5 years) and longer (5 plus) term time frames
that consider potential environmental impacts, safety implications, potential economics, time frame for development and
technical challenge.
Union Pacific Railroad, Cheyenne Railyard Industrial Wastewater and Stormwater System Improvements – Part 1
Oscar E. Sorensen III - CH2M HILL
The wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Union Pacific Railroad’s (UPRR’s) Cheyenne Railyard (Yard) currently handles
a combined waste stream consisting of wastewater generated at various facilities on the Yard in addition to infiltrating
groundwater and stormwater. The combined influent is treated at UPRR’s WWTP and discharged to the publically-owned
treatment works (POTW). During periods of high stormwater runoff, the combined influent exceeds the capacity of the
WWTP and wastewater is stored in a series of storage basins that ultimately overflow to an emergency outfall permitted
under the State of Wyoming’s National Pollutant Discharge Eliminations System (NPDES) program.
In 2007, UPRR began investigating the condition of the conveyance system on the Yard and began planning to either repair
or replace the system. Approximately 80 percent of the existing lines were cleaned and inspected. Because the conveyance
system on the Yard is old (over 100-years), deep (25-feet at its deepest), and in bad disrepair, UPRR decided to replace the
existing combined system with two new systems, one specifically designed to handle industrial wastewater and the other
for stormwater. The design for these new systems was completed in January of 2012 and construction is scheduled to
begin in May. The industrial wastewater system will consist of forced mains with strategically-located pump stations. For
stormwater, a new evaporation pond will be constructed with an increased capacity and an overflow tied into the exiting
NPDES outfall.
This project has many complex challenges and unique conditions that have been and will continue to be encountered
through the completion of the project. An example of these challenges includes the removal of the existing 24-inch vitrified
clay pipe from the 60-inch carrier pipe that crosses the 375-foot wide Classification Yard. The 60-inch line is located 25-feet
below the Classification Yard and the 24-inch pipe had to be removed under confined-space conditions, 30-inches at a time.
Part 1 of this presentation will discuss the unique design and construction challenges for the new industrial wastewater and
stormwater systems. Part 2 of the presentation, which will be submitted for presentation in 2013, will update the audience on
construction completion and bringing the new systems online.
End of the Pipe: Managing Regulatory Perception of Stormwater Outfall
Herb Colby - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.
Sam Farnsworth AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.
Stormwater discharge has received increased scrutiny from EPA and State regulatory agencies. This scrutiny can be
compounded when outfalls daylight in water bodies that are aesthetic elements of a metropolitan area. And who does the
regulatory entity approach first with any questions or concerns? The property owner at the end of the pipe.
CSX has fought the battle of perception for years in a metropolitan area in the northeast, as the operator of a yard through
which a stormwater system (under easement to a DOT) passes and discharges to a river at the edge of the property. In spite
of the fact that CSX does not discharge stormwater to the system, CSX has been issued Notices of Responsibility for sheens
within a boom system maintained at the system outfall.
In an effort to rationally defend against spurious claims, CSX has taken a number of steps to assemble facts about the extent
of the stormwater system and the characteristics of sheens observed at the outfall and within the stormwater system. This
paper presents the elements assembled, including:
Current Activities
•
Documentation that CSX property has minimal connection to stormwater system;
•
Mapped extent of stormdrain system;
•
Inspection of storm drain system, documentation of occurrence of hydrocarbon;
Historic Activities
•
Fingerprint of hydrocarbons at outfall;
•
Installation of booms within stormwater system, upstream at property boundary and at intersection of new inputs;
•
Fingerprint results of fluids collected behind booms and of boom material.
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Low Impact Development Stormwater BMPs at Framingham Yard
Irina Calante - ARCADIS U.S., Inc.
Kathryn Edwards ARCADIS
Daniel Lee ARCADIS
Rick Adams ARCADIS
The CSX rail yard in Framingham, Massachusetts is prone to flooding during periods of prolonged or heavy rain that is
exacerbated by snowmelt and runoff that flows onto the property from the surrounding mixed use neighborhood. The
flooding at the yard, not only causes logistical problems from an operational perspective, it can slowly undermine the
integrity of the Site infrastructure, and poses environmental compliance risks associated with storm water discharges. At
this site, the lowland area that accumulates water first and where the flooding problems are worst coincides with the yard
service and tracks that are used to park locomotives pending service or that have been cleared to be re- crewed. These tracks
are lined with track mat that is meant to adsorb any small petroleum type releases from the parked and idling locomotives.
When flooding occurs, the petroleum impacted track mats become saturated, resulting in petroleum sheens that are released
and can potentially be released to the adjacent water body, Farm Pond.
As a result of these issues, several stormwater management options were evaluated to reduce or eliminate flooding at
the Site to protect the tracks, access road, and water quality at the yard. Traditional collection, treatment and Low Impact
Development (LID) Best Management Practices (BMPs) were considered. The different options included rehabilitation
of stormwater infrastructure shown on 60-year old town drawings, installation of new catch basins and under drains,
installation of leaching catch basins, and infiltration basins with vegetated filter strips. These stormwater management
options were evaluated based on the implementation costs and environmental considerations.
Although not required by state or local regulations, CSX chose to implement LID BMPs to control runoff in an
environmentally sound manner. LID is an approach to stormwater management that seeks to minimize stormwater runoff
during development or redevelopment through creative site planning and improvements. For this yard, the BMP selected are
on-site stormwater infiltration basins with vegetated filter strips to protect stormwater quality. The design of the infiltration
basins included a detailed Site survey, an evaluation of Site practices and operational requirements, and a subsurface
investigation to determine the suitability of soils for stormwater infiltration.
This presentation will discuss the stormwater management evaluation performed at the CSX Framingham Yard and the low
impact development BMPs examined. In addition, the pros and cons of these BMPs and site specific considerations will be
discussed.
Minimizing Spill and Contaminant Release from Storm Water Infrastructure through a Comprehensive Investigation Approach
Dilan Singaraja - Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Terry Gayman Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Ryan Shepard Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
The storm water network at aging rail yards is often not fully documented or the existing information is not completely
accurate. This causes operational difficulties in controlling the movement of storm water at a yard, particularly during a spill
event. Because many rail yards have been in existence for a long time and have potentially had numerous alterations and
additions over the years that have not been adequately documented, a spill event can result in unforeseen discharges to a
variety of receptors, creating unnecessary increases to spill response costs. This results in increased risk in the event of spills
as it is often unclear where spilled liquids will migrate to once they enter the storm water network.
In an attempt to minimize the costs and response times associated with spills, the Canadian National Railway Company
(CN Rail) has worked with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates at several rail yards in Ontario and Atlantic Canada on finding
solutions that minimize the risk associated with spills and discharges of contaminants to the environment by completing or
updating Storm Water Studies. The purpose of a Storm Water Study is to allow CN to understand and control the movement
of storm water and potential spills within a yard, resulting in minimal downstream impacts, improved yard safety, and
reduced operational costs.
To complete a Storm Water Study, CRA has taken a systematic and comprehensive approach to gathering information
from historical records and through field investigations to complete a drainage plan. Once the drainage plan is complete,
CRA identifies recommended action items to CN that will improve the drainage network and reduce the risks associated
with future spills. This comprehensive approach to investigating a site is a dynamic and evolving process and lessons are
continually learned as unexpected issues arise. This presentation presents several case studies of ongoing projects both in
Ontario and Atlantic Canada. The overall investigation approach including several field investigation techniques will be
discussed in addition to solutions for minimizing risk.
Stormwater Source Control Implementation
Mark Leece - CH2M HILL
Traci Rohde Union Pacific Railroad
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Since 2005, Union Pacific Railroad and CH2M HILL have investigated and implemented stormwater source control measures
at the Albina Rail Yard in Portland, Oregon under the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Joint Source
Control Strategy (JSCS) developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Oregon DEQ for the Portland
Harbor Superfund Site. Evaluation of stormwater and its potential to impact in-water cleanup at the Portland Harbor
Superfund Site was the basis for the JSCS development. This presentation will explore the topic of stormwater source control
at a large, active rail yard including evaluation, design, and rehabilitation of stormwater infrastructure, completion of a
stormwater source control investigation, and implementation of stormwater source control measures under the framework of
the JSCS.
On December 1, 2000, the Portland Harbor Superfund Site was listed on the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act National Priorities List. In February 2001, under a memorandum of understanding, EPA,
DEQ, and Trustees assigned EPA the responsibility for in-water investigation and cleanup and assigned upland source
control to DEQ. Under this framework, more than 200 sites have worked with DEQ to address upland source control
evaluation and implement measures using the JSCS as the primary guiding framework. The overarching goal of the JSCS is to
identify, evaluate, and control sources of contamination that may impact the Willamette River in a manner that is consistent
with the objectives and schedule for the Portland Harbor remedial investigation and feasibility study.
Construction of the Albina Rail Yard and associated shops began in the late 1880’s. Stormwater infrastructure was
constructed in various phases throughout decades and only limited information was available on the system prior to
the initial evaluation. The initial evaluation of the stormwater system included solids removal (system cleanout), system
mapping, and evaluation of existing conveyance pipe, catch basin, and manhole integrity throughout the 22,000-linear-feet
system. Following system evaluation, a rehabilitation plan was developed that incorporated elements of the JSCS. This
work consisted of stormwater pipe lining to prevent infiltration of groundwater to the system, pipeline, manhole and catch
basin replacement, and reconstruction of stormwater outfalls. As part of the source control evaluation, a weight of evidence
approach was used to evaluate stormwater quality under the JSCS.
Stormwater source control is an up and coming issue at many rail facilities. The JSCS is an early framework that has been
implemented by Oregon DEQ and EPA to address potential future recontamination of sediment at the Portland Harbor
Superfund Site. Implementation of source control under the JSCS provides an insight to how stormwater source control may
be approached at similar sites throughout the U.S.
CSX Transportation Corbin, KY – Industrial Wastewater Recycling Facility
Chris Butler - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
Luke Williams AMEC Environment & infrastructure
Kim Farris CSX
Sue Johnson AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
Industrial wastewater treatment has embraced water recovery and recycling for a long time now. The recognition of
the cultural benefits of recycling and making environmentally responsible and sustainable choices has spurred onsite
wastewater recycling to be not only common but also a source of significant cost savings. For the CSXT Corbin Locomotive
Shop facility in Kentucky, these savings exceed $90,000 annually.
In support of its sustainability goals, CSXT implemented a recycled Industrial Wastewater Treatment system (IWT) that
encompasses wastewater recycling using the latest state of the art treatment technology, electro-coagulation (EC) for its
Corbin Kentucky facility. The project goal was to eliminate potable water usage for locomotive washing operations in
the locomotive shop. This innovative application of the EC technology has demonstrated economical benefits to this often
cost prohibitive technology. This presentation provides a technology and design overview for the system and a financial
evaluation of its operation.
Perhaps every onsite water treatment system setup has its drawbacks: excess water or energy use, changing government
regulations, or the expenses generated by landfilling associated wastes. According to the EPA, , EC has 80% less solids or
sludge and dewaters 76% faster as compared to chemical coagulation as a result is friendly to the environment and more
manageable. This benefit is realized because conventional chemical coagulation polymers “hold” or retain water. On the
other hand, EC repels water; therefore it dewaters faster and has a more compact sludge. The drawback to EC is typically the
initial system cost and replacement cost of plates. This presentation compares the former conventional chemical coagulation
Dissolved Air Floatation treatment system for discharge to the EC Dissolved Air Flotation system with recycling of the
industrial wastewater.
To support the comparisons, wastewater flows into and out of the treatment plant were monitored, the amount of treated
water that is recycled, and discharged to the sewer. In addition the following other measurements were tracked.
• Acid and Caustic Consumption
• Polymer Use
• EC cartridge plates
• GeoTube Cost
• Dewatered Sludge Disposal
This data have been documented and evaluated to support cost per gallon, water reuse/recycle, sewer disposal costs, potable
water costs, cost savings, and provide an overall “Green” assessment of the new IWT. The purpose of the presentation will
be to highlight the efficiency and advantages of the implemented technology.
The “Green” approach to industrial wastewater treatment at Corbin has reduced total annual operational cost savings in
sewer and water costs by as much as $6,000. The new IWT system has essentially eliminated city water consumption for
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locomotive washing operations, about 18-million gallons annually at a cost of about $45,000. The EC technology has reduced
or eliminated chemical consumption associated with the previous treatment system, $10,380 reported for 2007, as well as
chemical feed pumps, storage, handling and spill contingencies associated with the current IWT for an approximate overall
savings of $90,000 annually.
Remediation
Electrical Resistivity Imaging: Lessons for Effective Rail Yard Site Characterization
Todd Halihan - Oklahoma State University
Jim Diel Union Pacific Railroad Company
Site characterization of rail yards present unique challenges to evaluate potential source zones and distribution of
contaminants. These sites often have a long history of use that includes a range of products that may have been spilled into
the subsurface. In addition, the building use on the sites changes over the history of the site and materials can be buried and/
or fill areas added as the site configurations change. Finally, the sites can contain significant quantities of metal from rails,
cars, buildings, piping, and buried debris.
In this context, the application of specialty electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) technology has been successfully applied
to rail yard sites to evaluate the location of diesel and other non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), detect preferential
contaminant flow paths, and locate buried solid materials of interest. The technique applied is a proprietary ERI method
(GeoTrax Survey™) designed specifically to image electrically anomalous materials in the surface such as NAPLs.
A robust 2-D and 3-D data integration/visualization approach (i.e., Evidence-Based Geophysics) is necessary to benefit
from this high data density approach. Datasets can often exceeded 100,000 geophysical field data points, in addition to
existing and follow-up confirmation drilling/sampling data. The quality control procedures utilized with this method allow
identification of poor quality data zones attributed to buried metallic and other debris. A site in Dunsmuir, California is used
to illustrate the procedures that allowed an effective site characterization of this complex site.
Data Management Tools to Support Rapid Site Characterization
Ben Verburg - ARCADIS
Becky Forbort ARCADIS
Matt Gress ARCADIS
During the course of evaluating assets of the former Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railway (DM&IR), a 180-acre former
waste impoundment area was identified on CN property (Site). Ponded water with an elevated pH was observed in select
areas of the Site. However, limited data were available to assess the current and potential additional impacts present at
the Site. In an aggressive strategy, CN elected to complete a rapid site characterization study to support a Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) compliant Remedial Investigation Report.
Key aspects of the rapid site characterization included:
•
Preparation of CERCLA-compliant work plan documents.
•
Completion of a 3-D geophysical survey to map subterranean structures.
•
Installation of 117 soil boring, 17 temporary wells, 24 monitoring wells and collection of over 450 soil, groundwater,
surface water, and sediment samples.
•
Integration of newly-collected and existing historical data including drawings, plans, and aerials photographs.
•
Data validation in accordance with the Quality Assurance Project Plan.
•
Preparation of a Remedial Investigation Report, Human Health Risk Assessment, Screening Level Ecological Risk
Assessment.
•
Completion of all work within five months of project authorization.
Due to the compressed schedule, near real-time data management was necessary to meet CN’s objectives. ARCADIS
deployed the Trimble Yuma ruggedized tablets with the ARCADIS Electronic Data Gathering Environment (EDGE) field
tool to support electronic data collection as part of the rapid site characterization. SharePoint and ePRISIM—internet-based
ARCADIS visualization tools that integrates aerial imagery, photographs, data summaries and other GIS features—were used
to manage and share data with stakeholders. Key aspects of the data management tools included:
•
Staff recorded field data from boring and well installations using standardized forms within EDGE.
•
Data were electronically synchronized to a server database. Boring logs, GIS mapping of Site features, and Site
photographs were made available daily to the project team through SharePoint and ePRISM.
•
The software allowed boring logs to be used as direct input into software solutions to evaluate fill, geologic, and
hydrogeological Site conditions.
This data management approach provided several benefits, including providing efficient and timely access to information
with the ability to generate drawing and figures, and summarize field conditions on a daily basis.
Because of this, the team had the ability to adjust the Site characterization strategy on daily basis as newly-collected data
was obtained. Ultimately, this approach allowed the the team to rapidly compile and generate exhibits (e.g. boring logs) to
support preparation of the RI Report and calculate volumes(s) and type(s) of fill materials to re-evaluate the environmental
reserve.
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In the end, CN’s projects objectives were achieved within the required schedule. This has ultimately led to the transfer
of a legacy liability to a former owner and allowed CN to decrease a significant portion of the funds allocated in the
environmental reserve for the Site.
Vapor Intrusion at Railroad Properties: Investigation, Evaluation and Recent Regulatory Developments.
Nadine Weinberg - ARCADIS
Emily Christy ARCADIS
Raghu Chatrathi CSX
Vapor intrusion at occupied and operating structures continues to be an important, and often driving, factor for the
monitoring and mitigation of worker safety and public health liabilities. The potential for vapor intrusion concerns should
be considered at sites requiring environmental cleanup. USEPA is in the process of revising its vapor intrusion guidance
and most states have adopted some type of vapor intrusion guidance. At rail sites, a vapor intrusion evaluation should
be considered when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in soil or groundwater within 100 feet of occupied or
operating structures. Using a CSX railroad site in the Northeast as a case study, this presentation will discuss the steps
in developing a vapor intrusion investigation including: consideration of the type of chemicals present (petroleum vs.
chlorinated VOCs), determining the type of samples to collect (soil vapor, sub-slab or indoor air), how and when to address
sampling in operating facilities, and when off-site evaluations might be necessary. Understanding the many variables that
affect vapor movement can aid in data collection activities, and is also crucial during data evaluation. Once data are collected,
the data evaluation should consider all site conditions that could affect vapor migration and accumulation including building
factors, geology, and hydrogeology in addition to the specific data results. At the case study site, soil vapor, sub-slab soil
vapor, and indoor air data were collected from a warehouse near a maintenance facility, along the property boundary
and off-site in a right of way to evaluate the vapor intrusion pathway both on and off-site. Techniques were employed to
pre-evaluate areas and help identify and focus additional data collection needs, saving time and project costs. The data
evaluation focused on developing a weight of evidence to understand the data results. For the case study site, the weight
of evidence relied on the soil vapor, sub-slab soil vapor, and indoor air data results, as well as using information on site
geology, hydrogeology, history, liability considerations and state specific criteria. This information was used to determine
if mitigation, additional investigation, or no further action were necessary to address the vapor intrusion pathway in the
interest of worker safety, environment and community safety.
Novel Educational Outreach Program on the Emerging Issue of Ethanol-based Biofuels
Denice Nelson - ARCADIS
Martina Schlauch Jones ARCADIS
Increased production and transport of fuel grade (denatured) ethanol resulted from the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007, which requires the production of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2022, including ethanol-based fuels.
The current dominant transport means for petroleum fuels is via pipeline. Compatibility issues between ethanol and pipe
construction (e.g. increased corrosion) limit the transport of ethanol fuels by pipeline, and as a result, approximately 75
percent of all ethanol produced in the U.S. is moved by rail. This makes ethanol the largest hazardous material (by volume)
transported by rail today.
Fuel grade ethanol releases differ from traditional petroleum hydrocarbon spills because of important differences in physical,
chemical and biological properties of the fuel components, as well as the risk drivers behind the clean-up activities. The
regulatory driver for cleanup of ethanol-based fuels is typically associated with the petroleum compounds present within
the denaturant (e.g. gasoline), or associated with the petroleum fraction of the ethanol blend. Petroleum cleanup standards do
not reflect the risk associated with the readily biodegradable nature of ethanol, which can cause a rapid decrease in dissolved
oxygen levels. For surface water, this can lead to a high risk of adverse effects in aquatic life (i.e. fish kills). In groundwater,
anaerobic breakdown of ethanol can cause methane generation, which has the potential to generate an explosion hazard
under confined conditions. Regulatory drivers associated with denaturants, therefore, will not necessarily account for the
risks associated with an ethanol spill.
As part of its corporate strategic initiative to conduct stakeholder outreach activities, CN initiated a novel outreach program
in 2011 to provide education and training to municipal, state and federal agencies about the behavior of ethanol-based
biofuels in the enviroment. The purpose of this program is to educate the regulatory community on the properties of
ethanol, and to provide a framework for how an ethanol release should be approached from an emergency response
perspective, as well as from an investigative and a remedial standpoint. The seminar was developed to teach attendees
how to distinguish between ethanol-based and petroleum-based fuels, and to generate an interactive dialogue between
CN and the audience on how the differences between ethanol- and petroleum- based fuels impact response, investigation,
remediation, and mitigation approaches. Each seminar spans a two-hour period and is tailored to the audience and
associated regulatory framework. An online survey was developed to gather feedback from attendees Where appropriate,
the feedback is incorporated into the presentation, thereby continually evolving the seminar content to fit stakeholder needs.
The locations and associated audiences for this outreach program have been prioritized by 1) where CN moves large volumes
of ethanol; 2) agencies where relationship building could be beneficial; and 3) where it has been requested. Seminars were
given in Iowa and Michigan in 2011 and are planned for Wisconsin, Alberta, and Quebec in 2012. This presentation will
provide an overview of the novel outreach program, discuss the key differences between ethanol-based and traditional fuels
that are central to the outreach program, and provide examples of feedback from agency outreach efforts.
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Application of Natural Attenuation Data and Ternary Diagrams for Site Closure
Stewart Emhof - ERM
The former BNSF rail yard in San Bernardino, California (site) is approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles. It is in
the central portion of the Upper Santa Ana Watershed of the Santa Ana River Basin. The site contained facilities for
remanufacturing, heavy repair and maintenance of locomotives and rail cars. Operations associated with those activities
ceased in 1992 to allow for redeveloping the site as a major intermodal facility. The California Regional Water Quality Control
Board, Santa Ana Region (RWQCB), issued a Cleanup and Abatement Order (CAO) for the site in 1988. Approximately
twenty subsurface soil and/or groundwater investigations were conducted to characterize the vertical and lateral extent
of contaminants of concern including metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and halogenated volatile organic
compounds (HVOCs). By 2002, the extent of contaminants in soil had been characterized and remedial actions by BNSF
lead to a “No Further Action” (NFA) for site soils in 2008. By then, groundwater quality below the site had been studied
for approximately 20 years under an approved monitoring program but the off-site extent of dissolved HVOCs attributed to
historical site operations had not been defined. A few downgradient monitoring wells indicated a possible off-site migration
distance ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 feet southeast of the site.
To collect primary and/or secondary evidence that conditions in groundwater below the site and nearby off-site areas
were promoting natural degradation (specifically reductive dechlorination), ERM conducted a Natural Attenuation Study
involving six monitoring wells between March 2005 and September 2006. Both direct and indirect indicators of ongoing
reductive dechlorination were documented during that study.
Analytical data for the primary HVOCs (tetracholoethene [PCE], trichloroethene [TCE], and cis-1,2-dichloroethene [cis1,2-DCE]) obtained from the most recent groundwater monitoring event during which both on-site and off-site wells were
water bearing (June 2002) were compared. To reduce effects of dilution and dispersion of the three constituents, mass
concentrations were converted to molar concentrations. Mole fractions were then computed for the three HVOCs. The
derived mole fractions, as percentages, were then plotted on a Ternary Diagram. Well data plotted increasingly toward the
degradation product TCE, followed by cis-1,2-DCE for wells increasing in distance away from the site source area. Data
representing two downgradient, off-site wells, however, plotted closer to site source-area wells on the Ternary Diagram,
indicating impact from a possible “younger” off-site source.
Off-site properties that had potential current and/or historical use of HVOCs were identified. Upon presentation of these
potential off-site sources, along with results of the Natural Attenuation Study and Ternary Diagram, a reduced off-site area
of investigation was approved by the RWQCB. Triple-nested monitoring wells were installed to define the vertical and
lateral off-site extent of impacted groundwater associated with the site. After review of analytical data from three quarterly
monitoring events, an NFA was issued for the site and the CAO was rescinded in July 2011.
Legacy Property Environmental Closures are No Day at the Circus
Bryant Griggs - ARCADIS U.S., INC
A combination of strategies including active remediation, risk assessments and practicability studies allowed for the cost
effective closure of this legacy site and accelerated the potential sale of the property. Closure was achieved through the
cooperation of IDEM’s Voluntary Remediation Program, Emergency Response and Water Quality sections along with the
Miami County Health Department personnel.
The site is a 40-acre parcel formerly used as a locomotive fueling and railcar maintenance facility for the C&O Railroad
system since the early 1900’s in Peru, Indiana. The site consisted of several large above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) for diesel
fuel storage, multiple railroad tracks, a turntable and roundhouse and various buildings used in the maintenance process.
The northern edge of the site was a section of the Ohio-Indiana Canal System which was utilized in the late 1800’s along
the Wabash River. Also interestingly, Peru is known as the “Circus Capital of the World” and the site was reportedly one of
several winter locations of various traveling circuses to include the Ringling Brothers Circus.
The challenges for obtaining closure at this site included Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL) on the groundwater
in the northwest portion from the former bulk storage ASTs, the former canal system along the northern portion of the site,
LNAPL on the groundwater along the southern portion of the site; and an intermittent seep/sheen entering the Wabash
River. A combination of strategies facilitated closure of the site consisted of active groundwater pump and treat remediation,
enhancement of the groundwater system with Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) along the southern portion, an Ecological Risk
Assessment (ERA), a Site-Specific Practicability Evaluation (SSPE) and finally a detailed risk assessment and evaluation of the
seep/sheen along the Wabash River.
A groundwater recovery and treatment system was operated from 1993 until 2005 for the remediation of LNAPL both in
the area of the former ASTs and along the Wabash River. The portion of the system along the Wabash River was enhanced
in 2003 through SVE remediation as a final polishing remedial action. The LNAPL at the site was removed to the extent
practicable with some free product remaining on the groundwater as allowed by the IDEM through risk assessment.
The seep/sheen was addressed by first conducting a detailed assessment and evaluation which revealed the seep/sheen was
in the final stages of natural biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons and specifically a result of natural occurring ironproducing bacteria that exist at the site posing no risk to human health or the environment. Secondly, an ERA was conducted
on the Wabash River and determined there were no significant adverse effects at this site. Lastly, a SSPE was conducted at the
request of the IDEM which determined the cost of conducting remediation was disproportionate to the incremental benefit
of removing the seep/sheen and therefore not practical. The IDEM has indicated this was the first and only study of its kind
accepted by the IDEM; as this SSPE guidance was cancelled shortly thereafter by IDEM.
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Passive Adsorptive Barrier Remedy Selection and Design to Replace Active Surface Water Treatment at a Groundwater Seepage
Area
Jeff Gentry - CH2M HILL
Rob Healy CH2M HILL
In early 2011, at the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR) Bunker Fuel Release Site in Colfax, California, the regulatory
agency approved selection of a passive adsorptive barrier (PAB) to treat a dissolved phase petroleum groundwater plume
discharging to a surface drainage feature. Currently, groundwater discharges to a manmade pond, and is treated prior to
discharge to surface water drainage channel under an NPDES permit. The PAB remedy was selected to manage groundwater
petroleum concentrations to support designated groundwater beneficial use and protect surface water quality from impact by
groundwater seeps, thereby allowing elimination of the NPDES discharge permit.
The PAB wall design analysis included evaluating the adsorptive capacities of various thicknesses and configurations in
relation to the existing groundwater petroleum concentrations, groundwater flux, and maximum allowable breakthrough
concentration in groundwater. Both oleophilic clay and granular-activated carbon (GAC) were evaluated as materials for use
in the PAB.
To evaluate the potential performance of the proposed PAB wall, a one-dimensional numerical model was developed
that simulates groundwater flow and contaminant transport through the PAB wall. The United States Geological Survey
MODFLOW was used to simulate groundwater flow and MT3DMS simulates contaminant transport incorporating advection,
dispersion, retardation, and decay. This evaluation estimates the time at which petroleum contamination may break through
the PAB wall above regulatory concentration limits.
The adsorptive capabilities Oleophilic Clay and GAC were simulated using linear isotherms, with coefficients derived from
published treatability study data. Degradation of aqueous-phase solutes were included as a first-order irreversible rate
reaction as part of the contaminant breakthrough sensitivity analysis. Cost-optimized design conditions included a 2 foot
wall thickness with 90-percent sand and 10-percent GAC (by weight) selected as the wall material. Estimated breakthrough
above regulatory limits is expected to occur within a range of 83 to 356 years following wall construction, based on
uniformity of PAB wall material mixing post-construction.
Combining Focused Soil Excavation with BOS 200® application to Expedite Site Closure at an Indiana Rail Yard
Todd McFarland - CSX Transportation, Inc.
Gary Simpson, PE AST Environmental, Inc.
Bertisabel M. Custer CHMM
The site comprises 1.25 acres within the CSXT Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana. In 1952, CSXT installed a 125,000-gallon
above-ground storage tank (AST) for diesel fueling operations. CSXT removed the AST from service in January 1999. Site
assessments detected petroleum hydrocarbons in soil samples collected at depths that ranged from near surface to 32 feet
below ground surface (bgs). Soil at the site consisted of varying amounts of fill material, including building foundations and
brick fragments, mixed with silt, clay, and sand. A review of groundwater analytical results indicated impacts in the source
area and down gradient of the source area.
Following completion of site assessment activities, identified remedial options included excavation, natural attenuation, in
situ chemical oxidation, and a trap and treat technology. Following a review of remedial options, AMEC proposed a two step
remediation to focus the remediation on the unsaturated zone soil from ground surface to 20 feet bgs, smear zone impacts
from 20 to 25 feet bgs, and saturated zone impacts from 25 feet to 32 feet bgs. Because of the soil and fill heterogeneities
observed in the unsaturated zone soil, injection in the unsaturated zone would likely result in a non-uniform distribution
of injection chemical. Therefore, soil excavation was used to address unsaturated zone impacts. However, saturated sands
observed from 20 to 32 feet bgs prevented excavation to the full vertical extent of impacts.
The second step of the remediation process proposed injection to address the smear zone and saturated zone impacts. Based
on elevated petroleum concentrations in the smear zone, the oxidant demand for traditional chemical oxidation products was
impractical based on material cost and injection volume. Therefore, BOS 200® was proposed to remediate the smear zone
and saturated zones. Remediation Products, Inc.’s BOS 200® is an innovative material that uses two proven technologies
to remediate petroleum hydrocarbon impacts. The technology traps the contaminants via carbon adsorption and treats the
impacts via biological degradation within the product matrix, incorporating both aerobic and anaerobic processes. The
remediation mechanisms provide for immediate contaminant mass reduction and migration control while also providing
continued long-term remedial degradation.
This presentation will focus on the systematic implementation of the remedial effort including the Conceptual Site Model
(CSM); preparation of the remedial design (including technology selection); implementation of the corrective measures;
performance monitoring; and conclusions/results.
Innovative & Sustainable Approach to Barrier Wall Installation at an Active Rail Yard
Francisco Perello
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Keystone Environmental Ltd - Jesse Berton Keystone Environmental Ltd
David Brogliatto Canadian National Railway Company
Jason Christensen
Sustainability has become an increasingly important aspect in the planning, evaluation and implementation of remediation
as well as the management strategies for the handling of contaminated sites. As society’s vision of sustainability continues
to evolve and we better identify exactly what is sustainable and how we can achieve it, we recognize that sustainable options
normally mimic natural processes. Sustainable remediation considers the benefits and impacts of the clean-up activities
by addressing issues in a holistic approach, while taking into account local, community and global impacts. A sustainable
remedial approach has been broadly defined as a remediation or combination of remedial actions “whose net benefit on
human health and the environment is maximized through the judicious use of limited resources”. This paper highlights
a case study of a passive underground barrier wall installed in at a rail yard in northern BC for the twofold management
of dissolved phase hydrocarbons. First, the barrier wall seeks to prevent dissolved contaminants from migrating offsite.
Secondly, the barrier wall alters groundwater flow, creating a longer migratory pathway to assist natural attenuation.
Much like a cast assists a bone in healing itself; the barrier wall uses a relatively low initial energy and capital investment
to create the conditions for natural processes to be more successful. The barrier wall was compared to the status quo of
ongoing monitoring and remedial excavation using the CN’s GoldSET-CN-SR Sustainability Evaluation Tool. The barrier wall
obtained the highest sustainability assessment score of the three remedial options evaluated. Used in the specific context
of an active rail yard, the installation of the barrier wall employed innovative techniques to account for the constraints of
the operating site, proximity of sensitive utilities (including rail signal cables) and the immediacy of nearby rail traffic. The
installed barrier wall will continue to provide a sustainable benefit for site remediation for the foreseeable future without any
additional operation or maintenance works required. The presentation will discuss many of the challenges encountered and
solved during the planning, design and construction of this barrier wall, and the go-forward program supporting sustainable
management of this Site.
Chlorinated Solvent Remediation Via Emulsified Vegetable Oil (EVO): How Much and How Often?
Matthew Schnobrich - ARCADIS U.S. Inc.
Dawn Gabardi ARCADIS U.S. Inc.
Denice Nelson ARCADIS U.S. Inc.
Background and Objectives: Emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) remedial applications can be advantageous from a cost basis
in that a long-lasting organic carbon source can be delivered to the subsurface during infrequent injection events. Because
these applications may serve as the sole form of remedial activity over a several year period, understanding the EVO
distribution achieved and the resulting concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) available for microbial use is critical
to successful design. To date, EVO loading rates (injected concentration) and distribution extent (droplet transport) have
generally been defined by stoichiometric electron donor calculation or laboratory-derived oil to soil loading ratios. Multiple
field efforts indicate that these projections can significantly underestimate the required EVO loading and these values must
be confirmed on a case-by-case basis to confirm droplet retention (due to adherence or straining) and provide sufficient
organic carbon for treatment.
Approach/Activities: Using fluorescent dye tracers and the combination of both total and dissolved organic carbon fractions,
pilot and full-scale EVO injection applications have been conducted to evaluate differences between multiple EVO substrates,
injection techniques (direct push and permanent wells), and overall treatment strategy (grid-style points or treatment barrier)
to further expand EVO design considerations. Results from these activities indicate that EVO droplet straining can be more
than one order of magnitude higher than that predicted based on current literature. In addition, differences in both dye tracer
and organic carbon wash out have been used to characterize the overall DOC strength and groundwater residence time
within the injection area following delivery. Coupled with volatile organic carbon (VOC) treatment data, these wash out rates
are used to determine the required residence time for optimal system design.
Results/Lessons Learned: A summary of the droplet straining behavior observed at multiple field sites will be presented and
will be coupled with a detailed case study focused on expanding considerations pertaining to EVO application. Following
EVO injection, a method of moments approach was conducted to evaluate the groundwater velocity between two different
hydrostratigraphies (fine sand and gravelly sand) to evaluate the differences in droplet distribution, achievable DOC
concentrations, and groundwater residence time through the EVO injection area and these results were then correlated with
overall VOC treatment performance. Results indicate that the groundwater velocity between the two units varied by two-fold
(0.22 feet/day versus 0.43 feet/day) which resulted in differences in sustained DOC (273 milligrams per liter [mg/L] versus 155
mg/L, respectively) and the overall chlorinated VOC treatment extent (95% versus 45%, respectively).
DNAPL Source Zone Characterization - Maximizing Return-on-Investigation
Fred Payne - ARCADIS
Erik Gaiser ARCADIS
Kristen Stevens ARCADIS
Jim Diel Union Pacific Railroad
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Abstract:
One of the difficult challenges of site restoration is the characterization of source zones, especially when there may be
DNAPL. Traditional monitoring wells don’t provide all the needed data, and they are very expensive to maintain over
their typical life cycle. Union Pacific Railroad teamed with ARCADIS to apply a new family of tools for DNAPL source
zone characterization at a former lease property in California, where solvents appeared to have been released into the
subsurface. The objectives of the study were to 1) prepare a three-dimensional mapping of solvent concentrations in the
subsurface, 2) at the same time prepare a mapping of the site hydrogeology, identifying zones of relatively high and low
hydraulic conductivity, and; 3) identify potential transport pathways that could support dissolved-phase solvent migration
away from the source zone. The characterization process consisted of an investigation tool set that provided rapid analysis
of site hydrogeology and solvent concentrations, and a strategy for real-time analysis of the data and adaptive allocation of
sampling efforts.
The tools comprised dual-tube direct-push sampling for collection of subsurface soil and groundwater samples, an in situ
hydraulic profiling tool for the quantification of hydraulic conductivities, and a field laboratory equipped with a directsampling ion trap mass spectrometer to run method EPA 8265 soil and water analysis for solvents. These tools provided
immediate data on both solvent concentrations and subsurface geology.
The strategy was to build a three-dimensional visualization of the incoming data, in real time. An initial site framework
and provisional boring locations were developed from previous soil borings at the site. Daily solvent concentration and site
geology results were fed to a data visualization team that built interpolations in real-time. Each evening, the team reviewed
the latest interpolations mapping and laid out the next day’s boring locations. Adjustments to the boring plan were made
daily, as the three-dimensional site geology and solvent concentration structures emerged from the visualization. The
priorities for the boring program were to strengthen weak points in the interpolation process, to locate and map areas of high
solvent concentration and high groundwater flow potential.
The 1.15-acre site hydrogeology and solvent concentrations (both dissolved-phase and DNAPL) were mapped successfully
in three dimensions, to a depth of 80 feet, during two mobilizations. The picture that emerged was a complex solvent
distribution structure that occupied less than 50 percent of the subsurface volume, with more than 80 percent of the
estimated mass occupying roughly 15 percent of the site volume. Zones of potential dissolved-phase mass transport were
identified and both a focal point for remedial activities and a guide to potential off-site characterization activities. The
mapping was completed for a cost less than the life-cycle cost of 10 traditional monitoring well placements.
Carbon Dioxide Traps Used to Measure LNAPL Loss
Rebecca Rewey - CH2M HILL
Natural Source Zone Depletion (NSZD) are processes where quantities of chemicals are naturally lost from the source zone
at some rate due to volatilization, dissolution, biodegradation, and sorption. NSZD for LNAPLs, which, when appropriately
evaluated, can serve as an objective benchmark by which to compare the relative effectiveness of different remedial
alternatives (ITRC 2009).
Various methods are available to quantify the rate of NSZD (Johnson 2006, Mayer 2011). An alternative method is under
development by the Center for Contaminant Hydrology (CCH) at Colorado State University under the direction of Dr. Tom
Sale. Building on the work of Drs. Mayer and Johnson, CCH staff recognized the potential of using CO2 traps located at
grade to generate integral measurements of CO2 flux. CO2 passing through the trap is converted to solid phase carbonate
salts and H2O. A variety of solid CO2 adsorbents have been tested in the lab and the field. Current versions of the traps
employ a product used to remove CO2 in SCUBA rebreathing apparatuses. This method evaluates non-aqueous-phase
liquid (NAPL) losses by measuring the carbon dioxide emission in soil gas as a result of aerobic biodegradation of petroleum
hydrocarbons.
The Union Pacific Railroad Pueblo, CO site was one of 8 sites that were studied in 2011. Ten custom-made CO2 Traps were
installed by hand to rest flush with surrounding grade near existing monitoring wells within the Pueblo rail yard and in the
adjacent neighborhood, within and outside of the NAPL plume.
This presentation presents an overview of the CO2 Trap field methods and the results from the Pueblo rail yard and how the
NAPL loss by NSZD compares with NAPL recovery by active remedial alternatives.
Using Principals of Environmental Sequence Stratigraphy (ESS) to Develop Detailed NAPL Conceptual Models for Calculating
LNAPL Transmissivity
Rick Cramer - AECOM
Trevre Andrews AECOM
Background/Objectives
NAPL site conceptual models are typically created using a variety of data sets collected at a given location combined to
describe the distribution NAPL. This data typically includes boring logs, fluid interfaces, laboratory analytical data, laser
induced fluorescence response, hydraulic profile data, electrical conductivity data, and cone penetrometer data. Correlations
between these data provide greater levels of confidence in the conceptual model. One emerging tool being added to NAPL
conceptual models is Environmental Sequence Stratigraphy (ESS). ESS focuses on reviewing the depositional environment
of site geology and identifying the vertical grain size patterns associated with that environment in the conceptual site model
using traditional data. Fining and coarsening sequences can be identified using ESS methods which is particularly important
37
at NAPL sites where small variations in grain size, and therefore permeability, may create capillary barriers to NAPL
movement. These capillary barriers are responsible for exaggerated LNAPL well thicknesses due to perched and confined
conditions.
Approach/Activities
Sequence stratigraphy was used to update several NAPL conceptual models and aid in identifying critical undisturbed soil
core sample locations which allowed a more accurate estimate of LNAPL distribution, identify primary LNAPL flow units,
and supported migration potential analysis.
Results/Lessons Learned
The updated LNAPL distribution was used to more accurately calculate LNAPL drawdown and transmissivity from LNAPL
mobility testing. The updated conceptual site models were also used to refined site LNAPL distribution and recoverability
models used to predict recovery system performance. Additionally understanding depositional environments provided
another line of evidence to support the existing conceptual model and explain anomalous data. In several cases the
application of ESS to NAPL conceptual models was able to refine existing models without collecting additional site data. The
refined model helped correlate existing data and reduces uncertainties. Refined conceptual models are being used to support
NAPL plume stability and monitoring well observations.
Changing the paradigm of legacy rail yards with residual LNAPL
Rick Adams - ARCADIS
Curtis Bartz CN
Brad Koons ARCADIS
Purvee Shah ARCADIS
Too often sites with light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) remain open for years languishing in regulatory systems
without a mechanism to evaluate LNAPL from a risk perspective. The majority of regulatory systems require continued
monitoring and LNAPL removal based on observation of LNAPL accumulations in groundwater monitoring wells, which has
minimal correlation to human health or environmental risk.
A rail yard site in St. Albans, Vermont, had historic releases of diesel petroleum near a locomotive refueling area. A total
fluids recovery system was installed and operated for nearly 10 years in an attempt to abate the free product accumulations.
After 10 years of operation, only a few hundred gallons of oil were recovered, resulting in a nominal change in site
conditions. The Site transitioned into a monitoring phase with periodic manual LNAPL removal. The Client leased the
property to a third party that continued to operate the Site as a railyard. This arrangement made it difficult to differentiate
between impacts caused from historic versus current operations. The annual monitoring and reporting costs for the Client
were between $50- $100K.
While it was the general concurrence by all stakeholders that additional LNAPL recovery would provide no additional
benefit, the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VDEC) does not have provisions in their regulations to
allow for closure of sites with LNAPL accumulations in wells. Instead of accepting a long-term monitoring approach for
a property where operations had changed hands, a strategy was developed to achieve closure even though LNAPL was
present. CN and ARCADIS’s approach was to: 1) meet with the regulators and request their involvement and support; 2)
perform a comprehensive LNAPL mobility assessment; and 3) request closure based on no LNAPL mobility and an overall
lack of risk.
The mobility assessments included establishing lines of evidence by: evaluating LNAPL observations in monitoring wells,
LNAPL field and residual saturations, LNAPL pore velocity calculations, LNAPL baildown testing, LNAPL pore-entry
pressure calculations, and, dissolved-phase plume stability. The mobility assessment results indicated that LNAPL at the Site
has limited mobility within the current LNAPL plume footprint, and will not migrate into unimpacted areas. VDEC agreed
with the findings and granted site closure.
A CSI Approach to NFA: NAPL Forensics & Historic Data Provides Multiple Lines of Evidence for NFA
Sean Gormley - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.
Bill Parry CSX Transportation, Inc.
Neil Ferrone Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail)
For 12 plus years, an existing rail yard has been recovering petroleum non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) from the
groundwater surface at both on and offsite properties because of accusations of liability from neighboring property owners,
and the lack of definitive data to rebut the assertion that the owning railroad was the responsible party. The railroad
made several attempts to differentiate petroleum NAPL (and associated separate sources) that had been detected on the
neighboring properties by conducting an historical information review using aerial photographs, Sanborn maps, corporate
searches, and historic investigation reports. Early attempts were also made to differentiate the petroleum NAPL using
conventional commercially available analytical methods including fingerprint analysis of total petroleum hydrocarbons
(TPH) using GC/FID, and analysis of VOCs and SVOCs using standard EPA analytical methods. These procedures were
adequate in determining the petroleum NAPL for all the sampled properties consisted of weathered No. 2 diesel/fuel oil, and
in suggesting there were minor compositional differences. However, this earlier approach did not conclusively prove the
petroleum NAPL on these properties were from different sources.
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The petroleum industry uses advanced organic geochemical analysis of petroleum constituents as a way to classify and
differentiate petroleum from different oil fields. The commercial availability of these analyses for forensic evaluation of
petroleum sources has improved a great deal over the past several years, and it is now possible to obtain these services
from accredited commercial laboratories rather than working with university or oil company laboratories. As a result, the
characteristics and potential source(s) of petroleum NAPL located in off-site areas were assessed by conducting an extensive
fingerprint evaluation of petroleum NAPL product on the groundwater surface at both onsite and off-site locations.
A comprehensive forensics analysis was conducted using petroleum fingerprint techniques, which included an examination
of saturated petroleum hydrocarbons, alkyl-substituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (“PAHs”), and petroleum
biomarkers. Biomarkers in particular are the most persistent elements in petroleum mixtures and are found in combinations
that indicate the original petroleum mixture. The pattern of biomarkers present in NAPL samples from the neighboring
properties provided definitive evidence that differentiated the sources of petroleum product present in NAPL from the
individual properties. The lines of evidence produced by the chemical forensic evaluation were supplemented with historic
onsite and offsite information which supported the conclusion that the railroad was not the source of NAPL present on the
adjacent properties.
Suspending Periodic LNAPL Recovery to Improve Conceptual Model Understanding
Trevre Andrews - AECOM
C.Russell McDaniel, PE Norfolk Southern Corporation
Matthew Zenker, P.E. AECOM
Andrew Kirkman AECOM
The post-investigation remedies at most LNAPL sites require, as a minimum, the regular
removal of accumulating LNAPL, usually on a frequent basis (e.g., monthly). This
passive removal creates persistent unsteady state conditions at LNAPL sites and is
synonymous with attempting to characterize an actively pumped water aquifer without
understanding its static, pre-test baseline conditions. Advanced LNAPL assessment tools
such as calculation of LNAPL transmissivity, use of LNAPL recovery models such as the
API LNAPL Distribution and Recovery Model, and LNAPL site conceptual models
(LSCMs) require equilibrium fluid levels to accurately understand site conditions.
Equilibrium LNAPL fluid levels are the most commonly overlooked data in the LSCM.
A technique being applied at Norfolk Southern rail yards involves suspending passive
LNAPL removal and allowing the site and LNAPL within wells to reach equilibrium
conditions. Using the equilibrium data, the LNAPL behavior is being analyzed using
diagnostic gauging plots to improve the understanding of LNAPL distribution (e.g.,
defining the mobile LNAPL interval) and LNAPL behavior (e.g., confined, unconfined,
and perched).
In addition, utilizing the new ASTM Standard Guide for Estimation of LNAPL
Transmissivity in conjunction with an updated LSCM, the available historic passive
recovery data can be analyzed to determine LNAPL transmissivity without the collection
of additional field data.
This improved understanding supports the use of more robust remedial metrics at the
sites such as LNAPL transmissivity on a much broader scale than historically feasible.
This approach also helps guide additional investigation where deemed necessary at sites
to prioritize areas of the site with the highest potential mobility risk.
This presentation describes in general how this principal can improve the LSCM at any
LNAPL site and specifically illustrates its utility at two Norfolk Southern rail yard sites
containing LNAPL. This analysis can be completed at any site where LNAPL is present
for little additional investigation and analysis cost. Overall, the improved understanding
results in long term cost savings by directing practical remediation towards well
understood LNAPL zones and supporting observations of the limited risk of LNAPL
migration at many locations.
39
Poster Presentations
Environmental Impact Avoidance and Permit Compliance for
Christine Roberts - CH2M HILL
Linear transportation projects are increasingly subject to various environmental regulations that affect construction
schedules and require various best management practices and mitigations as conditions of permit issuance. In addition
to high-profile projects that capture local and national headlines, railroads engage daily in maintenance and construction
activities subject to those same environmental regulations, including the Endangered Species Act, the National Historical
Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Clean Water Act, to name just a few relevant federal
statutes. Each of these regulations contains requirements for applicants to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts. In
many instances, regulatory compliance is equally challenging to address for regularly scheduled maintenance work and
construction to increase capacity, such as double tracking, as it is for new rail yard development or other major construction
proposal. In addition, various local, state, and federal agencies and departments interpret the same regulations in various
ways, resulting in uncertainty in initial project planning based on a lack of certainty in permitting expectations.
This presentation focuses on ways in which both railroad permitting and construction managers can assess projects
at early stages of design and development to avoid and minimize impacts that trigger various regulations and permit
conditions. Rather than developing a permitting approach that is based on a final design, this approach stresses evaluating
the conceptual design in the context of the geographical setting, land ownership, and the potential for impacts to sensitive
resources (such as waters of the U.S., cultural resources, threatened and endangered species). By integrating the permitting
team at early stages of project consideration, minor design alterations can be considered that reduce permitting requirements
while still emphasizing constructability and meeting railroads capacity and financial objectives. The benefits of this early
integrated permit-assessment approach to results in real-world examples of reducing costs, expediting construction
schedules, and concurrently avoiding impacts that would require lengthy project review and costly mitigations.
This presentation will highlight examples of collaborative permitting processes used by Union Pacific Railroad to comply
with relevant regulations while concurrently removing the “low fruit” environmental impact and permitting constraints
to project implementation. Examples demonstrating impact avoidance techniques will include emergency response,
maintenance of way, and construction permitting of UPRR projects in the western United States.
A Collaborated Effort to Obtain USACE Permits in Challenging Permitting Environment
Jon Sawyer - ARCADIS
Deb Schafer Union Pacific Railroad
Jim Pinkerton Alton&Southern Railway
Alton & Southern Railway Company (A&S) suspected that wetlands may be present within the proposed construction
limits of two rail construction projects located in Granite City and East St. Louis, Illinois. Both project sites include
pond-like wetland features. However, the jurisdictional status of the construction areas was uncertain due to a heavily
industrialized surrounding area and the fact that the potential wetlands had no surficial connectivity to nearby jurisdictional
and traditional navigable waterways. A&S acknowlged that the success of the construction projects was contingent upon
identifying the jurisdictional status of the project areas and obtaining permits which would allow for the initiation of
construction without significant project delays.
ARCADIS conducted an initial site assessement in January 2012 and observed inundated, emergent, forested and shrubby
palustrine wetland habitats within both project corridors. It was also determined that both project areas were located within
the American Bottoms Physiographic Region of southern Illinois, which is a unique floodplain of the Mississippi River
comprised of renowned ecological and geological diversity. The American Bottoms is the largest contiguous floodplain area
within the entire extent of the Mississippi River, and is heavily guarded by State and Federal agencies due the loss of 82
percent of natural habitats since the commencement of river alterations.
ARCADIS established communication with the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District immediately
after the initial site assessment. A pre-application meeting and site visit with the USACE was requested to determine if
the wetland features met jurisdictional parameters defined by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). A site visit was
conducted at the Granite City, Illinois project location in March 2012. The USACE confirmed the jusrisdictional status of
wetland features due to groundwater connectivity to nearby Horseshoe Lake. The USACE used information from a recently
completed Jursidictional Determination/Significant Nexus Evaluation of an unrelated project located adjacent to the Granite
City , Illinois project site to support its decision. The USACE collected soil samples during the site visit and provided
immediate guidance to ARCADIS and A&S on its determination of hydric soils. The USACE recommended a wetland
delineation be completed to determine the extent of impacts. The USACE also indicated that the same guidance provided
at the Granite City, Illinois project location may be used at the East St. Louis project location since both are located in the
American Bottoms.
The preliminary design for both projects included wetland impacts of greater than the Nationwide Permit (NWP) Program
threshold of 0.50 acre. However, construction schedules of both projects would not allow the timeframe required to receive
Individual Permits. The USACE St. Louis District disclosed that the typical 180-day Individual Permit review period is
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typically greater than one year due to the Illinois EPA review period. Another element of potential project delays was the
expiration of the 2007 NWP Program and implementation of the 2012 NWP Program during the permitting effort.
The critical project timelines, unique project area characteristics, and the expiration of the 2007 NWP Program during
project planning created a permitting environment that required a collaborated effort between ARCADIS, A&S, and design
engineers to obtain necessary permits consistent with the project construction schedules which included the following
activities:
•
Completed a wetland delineation in the field which was surveyed and incorporated into design drawings.
•
Prepared design modifications to minimize wetland impacts to under the 0.50 acre NWP threshold, including the
adjustment of the track centerline and the tightening of the slope embankments.
•
Established and maintained productive communication strategies with the USACE to meet project needs, while
preserving a sense of urgency to maintain engagement and willingness to expedite permit reviews.
•
Submitted detailed USACE Joint Application and Preconstruction Notice (PCN) documents for each project to
expedite USACE review.
•
Successfully negotiated with the USACE to obtain permits and to establish 1:1 mitigation ratio for each project.
The USACE committed to issuing the NWP permits approximately 4 weeks after receipt of the application. By implementing
a successful strategy consisting of proactive regulator communication and precise site evaluations, A&S avoided permitting
delays which would have significantly affected construction project schedules. The successful issuance of the NWPs are
anticipated before the end of April 2012. This will allow for the initiation of construction projects to occur in May 2012 which
meets A&S’ construction schedule and illustrates project success.
What Do You Mean It’s Historic? Permitting Challenges to Fast Track a Historic Bridge Replacement
Lance Rasnake - AMEC E & I, Inc.
Troy Neisz AMEC E & I, Inc.
In fall 2011, during a routine annual bridge inspection, a CSXT bridge inspector found a broken lower chord member near
the bearing on the 101-ft truss span over the scenic New River in West Virginia. It was determined that the existing span is
not repairable due to collateral damage and distortion throughout the truss, which was caused by the broken member. Due
to concerns over the structure integrity and safe operations, the bridge was immediately taken out of service. Passage over
this bridge was necessary for the sole access for continual service to a large customer of the railroad. Therefore, expedited
Preliminary Engineering was initiated for repairs with three options considered.
Due to the emergency nature of the structure being out of service, project staff immediately engaged regulators from the
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) to discuss
permitting options for each scenario and to expedite the project. This allowed the regulatory agencies to provide input to the
project in the early stages and allowed CSXT to address some of their concerns.
After consideration of the cost, schedule, and environmental impacts, the option of replacement of end truss span without
a center pier was chosen, and the project was put out to bid. During the bid process, additional site visits with the the
regulatory agencies were completed to fully define and delineate the environmental constraints associated with the chosen
option.
Since temporary fill was required to be placed in the waters of the state for a crane pad, permit coverage under USACE
Nationwide Permit #3: Maintenance was required. During coordination with West Virginia State Historic Preservation
Office (WV SHPO) on Section 106 considerations, it was determined that the existing truss bridge was considered eligible
for the National Register of Historic Places and mitigation would be required due to project impacts. Although the existing
piers and approach structures would remain, the bridge structure would be altered. CSXT assisted the USACE in rapidly
coordinating with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and Library of Congress in Washington, DC to reach a
determination that a more extensive federal level of documentation of the historic bridge was unnecessary. Simultaneously,
the team closely coordinated with USACE and WV SHPO in identifying consulting parties (county historic society and
railroad historic groups) developing, reviewing, and signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) within 6 weeks. To
facilitate project progress, worked with the WV SHPO to receive permission for the state-level of bridge documentation to be
initiated and to allow removal of ties while the MOA was awaiting signature.
The project advanced quickly after permit submittal while enduring heavy rains and flood conditions. The involvement
of regulatory agencies with environmental in the early stages of the project removed the potential for lengthy coordination
between all regulatory agencies. The rail industry must realize that much of the existing infrastructure could be considered
to have historic significance, and must be prepared to deal with these challenges during the permitting process.
The Hojack Swing Bridge: Navigating the Removal and Understanding the Costs of the Trip
Marie Dowd - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.
William Parry CSX Transportation, Inc.
The Hojack Swing Bridge (Bridge) was built in 1905 to serve the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad and is located
over the Genesee River at River Mile 0.9 in the Port of Rochester, Rochester, New York. The existing Hojack Swing Bridge
replaced a bridge at the same location built in 1876 for the Rome, Ogdendsburg and Watertown Railroad, known as the
Hojack Line, which ran from Niagara Falls to Oswego. The King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio designed the Bridge.
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Originally, the Hojack Swing Bridge was powered by a steam engine and was retrofitted in the 1950’s with a diesel engine.
The Bridge was operational until approximately 1995. CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) became the owner of the Hojack
Swing Bridge when it purchased Conrail in 1999. The Bridge has been determined to be eligible for inclusion on the National
Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
CSXT was notified by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) that the Bridge and all its appurtenances must be removed to
restore the free, easy, and unobstructed navigation on the Genesee River pursuant to the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 since
it was no longer used nor is there intent to use it in the future for transportation use. In accordance with the enforcement
proceeding CSXT initiated local, State and Federal permit processes. To date, CSXT has received a Provisional Letter of
Permission from the United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), Federal Coastal Consistency Determination from the
New York State Department of State, and approval of the Historical Mitigation Plan from the New York State Office of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation. An Article 15 Protection of Waters Permit including 401 Water Quality Certification is
still required from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) prior to any Bridge removal
activities can commence.
CSXT assembled a team of lawyers, environmental consultants, engineers, and general contractors to work together to
coordinate the permitting and contracting efforts for the Bridge removal. Due to the fact that the Bridge is a historic resource
that has been determined to be eligible for inclusion on the NRHP and the level of public interest in the Project, there have
been a number of hurdles to progress through in the rigorous regulatory approval process. The associated costs have been
expensive and are not traditionally allotted for in the annual budgets.
CSXT and AMEC would like to discuss the nuances and lessons learned to permitting and contracting a project that involves
a regulatory driver to remove inactive and obsolete and sometimes historical railroad infrastructure that have peaked the
local interest of preservationists. The presentation would also serve as a ‘heads up’ to the other railroads that undertaking
these efforts can be a time consuming and costly process that should be accounted for somehow in the railroad budgets.
Potentially, railroads should consider identifying similar structures in their system that may require removal to better
understand and evaluate their prospective financial liabilities.
The New Jersey Site Remediation Reform Act and the Licensed Site Remediation Professional Program: Expedited Site Closure?
Stephen E. Posten - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.
The Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) of 2009 established sweeping changes to the way in which sites are remediated
in New Jersey. SRRA established an affirmative obligation for responsible parties to remediate contaminated sites in a
timely manner. In order to achieve this objective, SRRA created a category of remediation professionals known as Licensed
Site Remediation Professionals (LSRP). LSRPs will “step into the shoes” of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
(NJDEP) to oversee the remediation of contaminated sites in most instances. SRRA requires that the LSRP must comply with
all remediation statutes and rules and consider a hierarchy of technical guidance when making remediation decisions.
In order to implement the statute, NJDEP adopted interim rules on November 4, 2009 and final rules on May 7, 2012
(Administrative Requirements for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites or ARRCS), and concurrently, significantly revised
the primary rules governing site investigation and remediation (Technical Requirements for Site Remediation or Tech Regs).
Additionally, a wide range of new technical guidance documents have been developed in 2011 and 2012 through a combined
NJDEP-Stakeholder process.
Under the new remediation paradigm, in most instances the remediating party need not wait for NJDEP direction and
pre-approvals to commence or continue cleanups. Instead they must initiate and complete the cleanup under the direction of
an LSRP, who will have responsibility for oversight of the environmental investigation and remediation. The Department will
monitor the remediation progress and the actions of LSRPs by requiring the submittal of forms and reports as remediation
milestones are reached. As a result, there is a clear opportunity to expedite site closure in New Jersey. However, the
breadth of the new rulemaking, the range of topics now governed by new technical guidance documents, and the extent of
administrative paperwork and form submittals now required by SRRA and ARRCS make the path to closure daunting for
the uninitiated. This poster presentation will focus on several technical guidance topics that present new opportunities for
minimizing the cost associated with site closure.
Increasing of Rolling Stock Ecological Compatibility on Basis of Engines Work Process Improvement
Otari Gelashvili - Georgian Technical University
Efficient and uninterrupted rolling stock traffic in recent years becomes the extremely important socio-economic importance.
This mode of transport is related to energy-intensive industries. Accordingly, is urgent the task to improve fuel efficiency and
environmental safety.
Analysis of modern advances in the development of rolling stock engines shows that perspective way of problem’s complex
solution is the engine structures shift for gas-diesel process.
According to the results of long-term experience of work is ascertained that the engines shift to gas is accompanied by a
decrease in its power up to 5-18%. The use of gas fuel gives the possibility to release up scarce liquid petroleum products,
reduces operating transportation costs, and improves the engineering-and-economical performances and significantly
reduces the level of emissions in environment and air quality.
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Developed by the author design of gas combustion system as an engine fuel provides an increase in service life of engine
oil up to 1,5 - 2,0 times, and increase in engine service life up to 30-40%, and that is most important - reduced the emissions
toxicity according to CO parameters up to 3 -4 times; NOx up to 1,2 - 2,0 times; CmHn up to 1,2 - 1,4 times, and engine noise
by 8-9 dB.
With purpose of efficient fuel combustion, in the paper is given the design of developed new generation feed systems
equipped with the elements of microprocessor technology.
Is developed an algorithm for optimizing the output parameters of the work process of engine feed systems.
How Accurate and Precise Are Your Analytical Results?
Ruth Forman - Environmental Standards, Inc.
Robert Strong Canadian National Railway Co.
Stella Karnis Canadian National Railway Co.
Analytical laboratory results are used to demonstrate compliance, demonstrate that clean-up or remediation goals are met,
obtain baseline data, determine extent of contamination, monitor exposure, and to make a variety of decisions; often, the
decisions that are made based upon the analytical data can have significant financial consequences. No matter what the
purpose of the data collection process, investigators often assume that an analytical result is accurate and precise and that
the error bar associated with the result is small. This interactive session will test your knowledge about the precision and
accuracy associated with a variety of measurements and present ways that you can minimize the error bars associated with
your data.
A Practical Approach to the Investigation of Subsurface Conditions Following a Diesel Release on a High Traffic Rail Corridor
Sherry Eaton - Golder Associates Ltd.
Alex Borges Canadian National
In March 2010, a derailment of a locomotive occurred on the Canadian National (“CN”) Kingston Subdivision, a high
traffic rail corridor from Toronto to Montreal. As a result of the derailment, a quantity of diesel fuel was released from the
locomotive to the tracks. Given the conditions in the area of the diesel release including the presence of high permeability fill
material, the proximity to the property line, and the presence of nearby preferential migration pathways, it was decided that
an investigation should be undertaken to assess the potential subsurface impacts resulting from the release. However, given
that the release occurred on the mainline track, access to the area of the release was extremely limited and available during
only short time intervals between trains. As a result, traditional subsurface investigation methods, involving the collection
of samples, waiting for lab results, and possible re-mobilization of equipment to allow for delineation, was not considered an
effective approach to the characterization of the spill area.
As a result, it was decided to use a geoprobe drill rig equipped with in-situ characterization screening tools consisting of
Laser Induced Florescence (“LIF”) and Membrane Interface Probe (“MIP”) to assess subsurface conditions in the vicinity of
the release. These two tools were selected given their ability to provide rapid, real time in-situ screening and logging of the
presence of hydrocarbons in the subsurface. This allowed for the collection of relevant data during the short time periods
in which the track area was accessible. The real time data allowed for immediate assessment of subsurface conditions, thus
allowing for quick decision making regarding the need for and location of additional testing.
This presentation will provide an overview of the investigation challenges and how they were overcome through the use of
practical in-situ characterization tools. A summary of the investigation findings and conclusions will also be provided.
Remediation Without Devastation
James “Jeb” Barrett, Jr. - Marion Environmental, Inc.
John “Rusty” Sewell Marion Envrionmental, Inc.
Mobile industrial vacuum loaders (vacuum trucks) can provide a type of clean up technique that minimizes the impact
to the environment and neighboring structures. Typical dig and haul techniques can be devastating to vegetation and
sensitive environments and potentially unsettling to adjacent structures. With the use of vacuum trucks, both solid and
liquid contaminates can be safely recovered without removing extra soils and vegetation that can increase disposal costs and
restoration costs.
Vacuum trucks equipped with high rail systems can respond quickly to any location where a release has occurred on or near
railroad property. With the use of hoses and hard pipe, vacuum trucks can access locations away from the tracks without
ever having to leave the tracks. The vacuum is powerful enough to be effective several hundred feet away from rail lines.
This ability to work without having to leave the tracks greatly lowers the impact on the rail-bed and the siding not to mention
adjacent private property.
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Materials that have been released to the environment are potential contaminates, but originally these materials were valuable
products. Contamination can work in both directions in a spill or release. The environment can be contaminated by the
spilled product, and the product can be contaminated by soil and water so that it cannot be reused. With a vacuum truck,
more valuable product can be recovered and reused. This approach greatly reduces the time, efforts and cost put forth to
secure proper disposal of these products or commodities which can be safely recovered and re-packaged or transported to an
end user, saving revenue.
Modern vacuum trucks have an array of tools at their disposal to help aide in recovery and remediation efforts. When
non-aqueous phase liquids are released onto bodies of water, skimmers can be added to the inlets of the vacuums expediting
clean up. Vacuum boxes and frac/portable tanks can be used so that the vacuum truck can operate 24 hours a day.
Tennessee regulators have recently seen the effectiveness of vacuum truck clean ups when state forest and state parks have
been impacted. They have been so impressed that they have chosen vacuum truck cleaning as their preferred method of
clean up for calcine ore spilled along the Ocoee River corridor which sees as many as 400 truckloads transported per day.
Fate and Transport of Eethanol in the Environment
James Holland - Pinnacle Engineering, Inc.
Federal mandates for use of biofuels will continue to promote growth in the renewable fuels industry. Increases in
production and handling at new and existing facilities, along with additional opportunities for the transportation industries
will unfortunately lead to an increased number of spill incidents. Unlike the traditional petroleum-based products, the
fate and transport of ethanol in the environment is not widely understood by environmental agencies, responders, and the
regulated community. The different biological, chemical, and physical properties of ethanol as compared to petroleumbased products, can pose different risks and techniques, both from the initial response through the successful site closure
of a release site. For example, ethanol and ethanol blends have the potential to biodegrade producing significant levels of
methane, which can often become the risk driver for soil and groundwater investigations and cleanups. And because the
potential lag time between the initial release and the generation of methane may take up to several months, the potential
risks and regulatory requirements can persist for a long period of time. This presentation will incorporate visual tools from
case studies of which we had involvement, focused spill response planning efforts, along with recent agency investigation
and cleanup guidelines, to illustrate the nuances associated with an ethanol release at a plant site and while in transport.
Achieving Quick Klozur: A Case Study
Jeffrey LaRock - AMEC Environment & Infrastructure
Diesel fuel released from derailments along main line sections of tracks or in heavily utilized portions of rail yards are
exceptionally problematic to address. The disruption to rail service makes excavation of these areas an unattractive option to
address the resulting impacts and receive regulatory closure, it can also lead to protracted and costly remedial efforts. In situ
chemical oxidation has long been an accepted method to treat these types of scenarios, but it is often not initiated until well
after the release has occurred leading to the possibility of migration from the initial spill site and increased characterization
of the release site to define this migration pattern.
In May of 2011 an engine derailment in Selkirk Yard resulted in the release of approximately 3,150 gallons of diesel fuel to
ground. Recovery trenches were installed to collect diesel fuel and traditional response efforts were undertaken to minimize
the impacts, however after emergency response measures 290 gallons of diesel fuel were unaccounted for and free product
was observed in the subsurface. Attempts to recover additional fuel from the Site through the recovery trenches were
minimally effective and could not account for the residual product at the Site. Samples from the derailment site and along the
drainage ditch in the vicinity of the release indicted dissolved phase impacts were present..
To address the remaining impacts at the site and achieve closure, AMEC initiated a modified injection program utilizing
the existing recovery trenches as injection points. In July of 2011AMEC utilized the FMC product Klozur CR® in high
concentration slurry (15-20%) and injected this material, by sub-contractor, into each of the recovery trenches at the Site. By
utilizing the existing recovery trenches, AMEC was able to minimize costs to complete the work and still effectively treat
the impacted area. Sampling of the area 45 days after the injection event showed a 76% reduction in the concentrations of
VOCs and SVOCs. Sampling 5 months after the injection event showed a 95% reduction from the pre-injection concentrations.
By completing the injection early and utilizing the existing infrastructure at the Site, costs were minimized and ultimately
regulatory closure was achieved within 7 months.
Forever Sustainable: Enhancing the Forever Wild Protection of the Adirondack Park
Paul Yonge - Iroquois Western LLC
The Adirondack Park was created in 1892 by the New York State Legislature. It now comprises an area of about six million
acres of interspersed parcels of private land and of State Forest Preserve that enjoys the protective constitutional clause
of being Forever Wild. A recent proposal by a railroad to extend the use of a rail line built under a wartime easement has
resulted in a protest from an environmentalist group. Railroads continue to be a most sustainable means of access to areas
where development is to be controlled. The paper shares first-hand accounts from those who were involved in the creation
and implementation of the Park-related organizations and agencies described in “The Great Experiment in Conservation:
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Voices from the Adirondack Park” edited by William F. Porter, Jon D. Erickson, and Ross S. Whaley. Historical contexts
are drawn from the notations and maps contained in “Where Did the Tracks Go in the Eastern Adirondacks?” by Michael
Kudish. One of the conclusions in “The Great Experiment” declares that “with improving transportation infrastructure,
the natural resources of the Adirondacks became valuable to burgeoning markets throughout New York, New England,
and Southern Canada. . . . the Adirondacks could not provide the means for an agrarian economy, but eventually the region
was opened to resource exploitation by water, rail, and road.” There are agendas behind the facade of Forever Wild that
command mutual respect rather than divisive conflict. The implementation of a sustainable strategy is the catalyst for dispute
resolution.
High Performance Biodegradable Hydraulic Fluids in Railroad MOW Equipment
Michael Kasbek - Terresolve Technologies
There is increasing pressure from government, industry and the public to protect the environment. More and more projects
require the use of environmentally preferable, biobased and biodegradable products in order to even bid for contracts. While
initially higher in price, these fluids can save operators and contractors money and time when properly utilized. They can
improve overall equipment performance, while protecting the user from costly fines and clean up in the event of a leak or
spill.
The definition of an environmentally preferable lubricant is discussed, as well as the standardized testing used to define
these products. A review of environmentally friendly hydraulic fluid types are discussed and each are compared siting
strengths and weaknesses. Environmentally preferable products utilized in the Railroad industry MOW equipment are
discussed. This includes specific types of equipment and approvals and the benefits seen from using these products as
compared to conventional lubricants. This includes a lubricant lifecycle cost analysis comparison.
Cathodic Protection for DFO storage tanks and buried piping
Louis Koszewski - US Tank Protectors, Inc
Preventing product releases from diesel fuel tanks and buried piping has been a primary concern for Railroad owners and
operators. This paper will discuss the basic causes of corrosion and cathodic protection for DFO tanks and buried product
piping that exist at railroad yards.
Remediation
LNAPL Volume Estimation and Recovery Modeling - Proceed with Caution!
Matthew Rousseau - Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Geoffrey Reeder Union Pacific Railroad
Two of the most common questions posed by regulators for light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) sites are: (1) how
much LNAPL is in the ground?; and (2) how much can be recovered? Modern tools such as LNAPL analytical modeling are
available to help answer these questions. However, significant simplifying assumptions are inherent in the tools. Further,
the continued reliance on in-well thickness to estimate LNAPL saturation profiles and the use of generic default inputs
in lieu of site-specific data can greatly multiply the already significant potential error that will be associated with results
for most environmental sites. This can have significant implications where results that should be viewed as qualitative
approximations are considered to be quantitative. Some of the more costly implications include the implementation of
LNAPL recovery efforts based on inaccurate model output suggesting that significant quantities of recoverable LNAPL
are available, or poorly performing remedial efforts that cannot be shut down since a model predicted an unrealistic and
unachievable recoverable LNAPL volume. Indeed, it can be quite problematic when your LNAPL recovery system has only
recovered a fraction of the volume predicted by a model!
The Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) LNAPLs Team has produced LNAPL technical guidance, internetbased training and classroom instructional training which discuss the dangers and pitfalls associated with LNAPL volume
estimates and recovery calculations. Due to the high level of uncertainty associated with such calculations, most LNAPL
experts try to avoid providing such information. However, often times some form of volume estimate and recovery
projection is required.
This presentation discusses aspects of the latest American Petroleum Institute (API) LNAPL analytical model, the LNAPL
Distribution and Recovery Model (LDRM), and its application at a Union Pacific Railroad LNAPL site in Wisconsin.
Specifically, the presentation highlights the dramatic differences between two separate model simulations and the regulatory
“challenges” caused by the simulations. The objectives of the presentation are to show the sensitivity of model output based
on varying input parameters, to discuss some of the critical model limitations that all users should understand, as well as to
stress the importance of using site-specific model inputs to provide credible site-specific model results.
Overcoming Site Challenges to Optimize an Inactive LNAPL recover System on an Active Commuter Rail
Frank Ricciardi - Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc.
Ken Bisceglio, CHMM Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc.
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An existing LNAPL containment and recovery system located in southeastern Massachusetts was installed following an
underground storage tank leak in the early 1990s. The ensuing leak produced an LNAPL plume over 20,000 square feet
migrating downgradient underneath an active commuter train line into a wetland. As part of the emergency response
actions, an impermeable barrier and recover trench were installed prior to the wetlands. Four product recovery sumps, two
located in the recovery trench, two in the source area, and multiple observation wells were also installed at the site.
Numerous logistical and site-related complications had to be overcome to optimize the LNAPL Recovery system that had
been inactive for over two years. An active commuter rail line, which presented serious safety concerns, roughly bisected the
LNAPL plume. The rail line also complicated the establishment of electrical service for any automated systems since power
would need to cross the lines. Also, a high groundwater table and numerous issues relating to flooding/ponding water and
breakout of free-phase petroleum product existed. The source area (former UST) is 15 feet above the train line and recovery
trench, dropping quickly on a steep slope. Since the current property owner had little available capital, additional monetary
resources were limited.
Optimization alternatives were evaluated that incorporated all these site-related and logistical issues to activate/replace the
existing system and to increase LNAPL recovery rates. These alternatives included an evaluation of:
•Solar and marine-battery operated LNAPL recovery systems
•Initiating groundwater depression
•Placing sorbent booms in the area of petroleum breakout
•Installing additional product recovery skimmers
•LNAPL flushing technologies (i.e. steam, surfactants, and co-solvents) and
•Upgrade and repair of existing LNAPL recovery equipment
Weston & Sampson selected a combination of upgrading existing equipment and augmentation of recovery using vacuum
pumps. The challenges included implementation of the remediation program at an active commuter Rail line, combined
with extreme weather conditions. the recovery program was succesful in extensive recovery of LNAPL and the site achieved
regulatory closure per the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations.
Free Product and Ballast Sheen Spawns a New Assessment Approach
Chuck Cline - Marshall Miller & Associates
Rail Yard’s pose unique challenges in understanding free product occurrence and distribution. Fill material, drastic changes
in permeability, compressive forces due to heavy rail loads and the integrity of monitoring well seals can challenge even
the experienced environmental engineer or geologist. We review a case study where a low yield surficial aquifer in central
West Virginia had us fooled. Remedial efforts at the central West Virginia rail yard focused on recovering free product from
the surficial aquifer adjacent to an active locomotive fueling pad and adjacent to a storm surge basin. Remedial efforts were
successful recovering all measurable product adjacent to the storm surge basin. However, similar success was not achieved at
the fueling pad. A closer look at lithologies, perched ground water, vertical free product distribution, product recoverability
and well construction raised new questions and spawned a new assessment approach.
The assessment approach utilized a newly developed portable ultraviolet (UV) core photography equipment, product
mobility analysis, modeling, and installation of nested wells that were constructed to maintain their integrity and “give”
with the compressive forces of the adjacent rails. The assessment approach revealed that product, visible under UV light
only, occurred within shallow thin horizons, above the well screen and seal of the surficial aquifer monitoring well. It was
speculated that the traditionally constructed well, using a 10% bentonite grout mixture and a two foot thick bentonite seal,
was not an effective seal from the upper product horizons against the daily compressive forces of locomotive traffic. Three
nested wells have been installed as a replacement of the original well. These wells were screened in the following zones: the
surficial aquifer; perched zone that contained product visible under UV light; and a very shallow zone within the ballast and
underlying sub-ballast. All wells were sealed to the surface using hydrated bentonite chips in effort that the bentonite would
effectively seal by “giving” with the movement of the soils due to compressive forces.
Subsequent groundwater monitoring and product mobility analysis were performed. Resulting data indicated that the thin
horizons of product were not mobile in the shallow perched horizons and the surficial aquifer well remains free of product.
These results support the following conclusions: traditional well construction may not be the best option for competent well
seals located adjacent to rails; and, looking closer at product distribution and mobility using non-traditional approaches may
result in remedial cost savings.
Multidiscipline Approach and Best Practices for Third Party Pipeline Construction through Environmental Impacts at a Rail
Yard in New Jersey
Jeffrey Seier - ARCADIS
William Parry CSX Transportation Inc.
A third party constructed approximately 0.8 miles of pipeline on an undeveloped parcel of land within a rail yard located
in Newark, New Jersey. During preliminary investigation of the undeveloped parcel, impacts in soil and groundwater
were identified within the pipeline alignment and triggered notification to the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection (NJDEP). The proposed construction of the pipeline was modified within the soil and groundwater impacted
area based on the risks of spreading the impacts, effects on future remediation of soil and groundwater, and risks to railroad
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operations. The risks were evaluated based on the pipeline alignment, pipeline depth, location of the HDD entry and exit
pits, location of existing utilities, and the potential to undermine tracks and access roads during construction. Evaluation
of the proposed pipeline construction involved a multidiscipline team consisting of railroad engineers, environmental
consultants, chemists, horizontal direction drill (HDD) expert, and legal council.
Environmental investigations of soil and groundwater were needed to delineate and characterize impacts prior to pipeline
construction. The investigation was completed within thirty days so that pipeline construction was not delayed. The
expedited environmental investigation included the installation of twenty-two monitoring wells, ninety-one temporary wells
points, fifteen soil borings, and eleven test trenches. Based on the environmental investigation results, the team developed
practical solutions and best practices for pipeline construction through the impacted area.
Design changes for pipeline construction included removing all impacted materials along the alignment of the pipeline
where open trench installation was proposed, HDD beneath most of the impacted materials at the site, and establishing
best practices for HDD to prevent the spread of contamination and inadvertent return of drilling mud to the surface. Open
trench installation included the removal of impacted material vertically to a stratigraphic layer that contained concentrations
less than NJDEP soil criteria and to a width that allowed for environmental investigations and remediation to be conducted
safely. HDD was used for pipeline construction in areas where vertically removing impacted materials to achieve NJDEP
standards was not practical. Best practices were developed for HDD through impacted soil and groundwater at the site and
included the use of steel conductor casing to a depth below the most highly impacted areas, HDD intercept method, frequent
screening and sampling of the drilling mud, and replacement of the mud after drilling through soils containing the greatest
impacts. The subsurface also consisted of preferential pathways for drilling muds and included site monitoring wells, vertical
boreholes from environmental investigation, highly organic soils, and bedding and backfill material surrounding a 14-inch
oil pipeline and 84-inch sanitary/storm sewer. Best practices were successful at minimizing the loss of drilling mud into the
impacted soil formation, underground utilities and to the adjacent railroad track surface and wetlands to the north of the site.
The multidiscipline team was successful at preventing disturbance to railroad operations and spread of contamination to
the surrounding formation and to bedrock. Impacted material surrounding the pipeline was removed vertically to the depth
of clean soil and to a width to allow for future remediation to be conducted safely. Future remediation will be minimally
affected by the constructed pipeline alignment and depth through the impacted area. The additional environmental costs
associated with long term remediation of soil and groundwater impacts underneath and adjacent to the pipeline were also
evaluated.
Water Well Management and Groundwater Sustainability
Peter Lacko - Gannett Fleming
The availability of water was extremely important to the rail industry during the expansion and golden age of railroads in
the U.S. Rail dominance occurred in the 1930s when trains were powered by steam locomotives running on approximately
250,000 miles of track. Because steam locomotives needed roughly 14,000 gallons of water to operate 150 miles, water stations
were spaced every 40 to 50 miles along rail corridors – pulling water from springs, artesian, and hand dug wells. In the
late 1940s and 1950s, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel-electric locomotives; however, no regulatory drivers were
in place mandating the proper abandonment of water wells. As a result, there is potential for hundreds of wells that may
be leaking or discharging groundwater; liabilities similar to the baby Jessica water well incident in Midland, Texas, in the
1980s; or the improper disposal of hazardous or toxic wastes that may contaminate a regional aquifer. The locations of many
of these wells have been forgotten as the need for massive quantities of water has diminished with the use of diesel and
electric locomotives. CSXT has an aggressive program to plug and abandon unused water wells. When a potential liability
is discovered, it is immediately addressed, preserving the sustainability of the aquifer and preventing any potential liability
and safety issues.
CASE STUDY – In 2009, a neighbor of a vacant CSXT property northeast of Pensacola, Fla., contacted the railroad about a
property that appeared to be marshy year round and was a breeding ground for mosquitoes. An internal records review
determined that an old artesian well was located on the property. A detailed property investigation identified that the
artesian well was located adjacent to surface piping, and was not identified in the Northwest Florida Water Management
District (NWFWMD) water well database. After inspection, the well casing was determined to be cracked above the flow
valve. Aquifer tests were performed to determine the flow rate of the well. The discharge rate was determined to be
approximately 25 gallons per minute or 36,000 gallons per day, which equates to 13 million gallons per year from this one
well. It was agreed in discussions with NWFWMD that it was better to repair the well rather than plug and abandon it, as
this would add re-sale value to the property and sustain a valuable water supply for beneficial uses in the future. Given the
potential for the number of historic wells along rail corridors that may not have been properly abandoned, there is a potential
to save untold millions of gallons of groundwater, avoid any potential safety or liability issues associated with the historic
wells and manage the sustainability of the affected watersheds..
Responsible Management of Environmentally Benign, High Hazard Railroad Legacy Sites
Duane Graves - Geosyntec Consultants
Railroad legacy sites may represent an underappreciated liability especially when the sites do not present environmental
contamination and exposure risks derived from hazardous wastes. During a recent inspection of a CSX Transportation
(CSXT) legacy site prompted by a municipal inquiry to purchase the property, the site was found to have no environmental
contamination. However, the site contained a number of physical hazards associated with former railroad activities. These
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included entrapment, confined space, drowning, and falling hazards along with convenient locations for illicit activities.
None of these findings required action based on regulations or legal requirements. However, consistent with the company
health and safety culture, CSXT took action to eliminate the physical hazards on the site.
This presentation uses a case history to highlight some of the legacy activities that leave behind physical hazards, which
could result in severe personal injury and death or other undesirable outcomes for railroads and neighboring communities.
Specific safety issues at the subject site included remnants of water intake structures in a large spring that apparently
supplied water for steam engines and in later years drinking water for the local community, cisterns, ledges, and small
buildings. Each of these structures presented imminent safety hazards to trespassers, who frequently traversed the property,
and neighbors, especially when the structures were near property boundaries or had unclear ownership. This case illustrates
a situation where railroad legacies created safety concerns and associated liability that outweighed the cost to mitigate the
dangerous conditions. As a good corporate citizen, CSXT’s do-the-right-thing attitude led to a safety-driven clean up of site
hazards in the absence of regulatory requirements, thereby minimizing future liability associated with legacies of historic
operations and providing a safer community for nearby residents.
Value of Non-Technical Forensic Evaluation to Avoid Field Investigation Activities in Rochester, NY
Jeffrey Bonsteel - ARCADIS
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) contacted CSX regarding the status of remedial
actions for several “historic environmental releases” that reportedly occured at Goodman Yard located in Rochester, New
York. Remediation of all but one of these spills has been completed or are actively being remediated with NYSDEC oversight.
The one historic release of concern that could nto be addressed from our historic records review was a reported spill of
acetone in 1976 when Conrail operated the facility. The only information that NYSDEC or Conrail had regarding the spill
was a NYSDEC single incident report which identified the loss of 20,000 gallons of acetone at the Yard. The report contained
no other information regarding location of the spill, emergency response actions, or other supporting documentation. Initial
efforts to locate information regarding the spill and any potential actions taken to address the release included the review
of Conrail and CSX records, NYSDEC and local regulatory and public repository databases and files along with interviews
of long time employees working at the Yard. No record of the incident was found as a result of the file and database review
efforts and since the spill occurred over 35 years ago, none of the current Yard employees had any recollection of the incident.
Based on some preliminary desktop forensic review that included a review of known hydrogeologic conditions at the Site
as well as the chemical properties of acetone in order to identify potential impacts from the release to current soil and
groundwater quality, it was determined that while much of the acetone would have biodegraded and dispersed, a release of
that size may still have residual impacts at the site.
Based on the lack of technical data and information, non-technical methodologies were used to locate the spill in an attempt
to avert the need to implement a yard-wide investigation. This included a review of local periodicals (e.g., newspapers) and
interviews with retiree’s that formerly worked at the yard.
Additionally, no previous investigations at the site had considered acetone as part of the laboratory analytical list (in NY, fuel
spill investigations can be analyzed for a reduced constituent list, which acetone is not included in).
During the review of potential records, it dawned on the CSX project manager that a release of this magnitude would have
likely made the local newspaper. ARCADIS went to the Rochester Public Library and scoured through microfiche of local
newpapers to try to find mention of such an incident. A newspaper clipping from October 27, 1976 was uncovered, which
reported the derailment and the release of 70,000 gallons of acetone (50,000 gallons more than NYSDEC had reported). There
was also a single photograph in the paper that showed the derailment site.
It became increasingly more likely that CSX was going to have to investigate the potential acetone impacts at the site, as the
volume had potentially increased, the likelihood of the acetone being fully biodegraded had decreased, and there was little
information regarding the location of the derailment (other than it being within the yard).
It was then noted that, in the distance, two smoke stacks from a neighboring industry were visible in the newspaper photo.
Recognizing that these were still present, ARCADIS went to the site and began snapping photos in an attempt to replicate the
location and angle of the 1976 photograph. If this could be done, the location of the derailment could be reduced to a smaller
section of the yard.
Of 45 pictures taken, one matched the newspaper photo best, and thus defined the location of the derailment to the
northeastern portion of the yard – and at a location were existing wells were present associated with one of the open diesel
fuel releases at the Site. ARCADIS presented this information to NYSDEC, including the proximity of the existing wells to
the suspected location of the acetone spill, and recommended sampling the existing wells for acetone (in lieu of conducting a
separate acetone investigation). NYSDEC agreed and the existing wells were sampled in February 2012.
Results of the February 2012 sampling event are pending. However, should results of acetone come back below regulatory
standards, CSX will be able to close out this mystery acetone spill with relatively little cost considering the magnitude of the
spill.
Management of Coal Fines Emphasizing Site Realities
David Drew - Gannett Fleming
John Calhoun CSXT
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At CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) Toledo Docks, CSXT transfers coal at the Presque Isle Coal Pier to ships from railcars
for distribution throughout the eastern U.S. and the Great Lakes. The coal transfer operation generates significant coal
fines, which is deposited onto the ground in the vicinity of transfer points. This case study demonstrates the importance
of considering the ultimate operational requirements for managing the coal fines, and site limitations that constrain
traditional engineering design approaches. This project involved a number of design elements including stormwater
modeling that considered relatively flat topography and the need for a surcharged sewer system design to avoid multiple
pumping systems; conveyance of coal fines into containment traps, or control structures, for removal and staging; developing
means for accessing and cleaning coal fines in and around conveyors and loaders using asphalt paving in key locations;
providing access to accumulated fines in control structures; minimizing flooding during design storm events; and meeting
environmental discharge requirements (e.g. avoid coal fine discharge into the Maumee River.)
The design and construction phases engaged site operational personnel and management on an on-going basis to test
options for managing coal fines, avoiding disruption of site operations, and to develop a long-term operational plan to
aid site personnel to reclaim the majority of coal materials for reuse, and to meet environmental and safety obligations.
The cooperation and communications between CSXT Corporate and site personnel, the engineering design team, and
construction contractors was essential in order to meet the project goals and objectives.
If it smells like sewage and looks like sewage, it must be sewage, right?
Erin Busby - AMEC
Michael Casadonte CSX Transportation, Inc.
Paul Kurzanski CSX Transportation, Inc.
An emergency response was conducted to mitigate concerns for worker safety related to a large quantity of stagnant liquid
pooled between tracks at Stanley Yard, Walbridge, Ohio. The pool was approximately 800 feet long by 30 feet wide. The
liquid exhibited a strong, foul odor and reddish color with a “foamy” substance on the surface and it appeared to be seeping
into a storm drain that discharges into nearby Dry Creek, a tributary to Lake Erie. In addition to storm sewer lines in the
vicinity of the pooled water, a 2-inch pressure main sanitary sewer line passed through the area and connected to the City of
Toledo sanitary sewer system. Spilled freight in the area such as grain, sugar, fertilizer, and similar materials were potential
sources as well as a potential leak in the sanitary sewer.
Initial actions protected the storm sewer and nearby Dry Creek through recovery of impacted liquid, ballast, lading, and soil.
Monitoring of Dry Creek was also performed daily throughout the response. Multiple lines of evidence were established
from the field investigation and analytical testing to characterize the nature and source of the liquid. Water supply as well
as storm and sanitary sewer lines were inspected, cleaned, and tested. Samples of accumulated liquid and storm water were
analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), fecal coliform, sewage screen,
human bacteriodes, dissolved oxygen (DO), pharmaceutical and personal care compounds, microscopic examination and
particulate identification, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC),
nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, total phosphorus, and ortho-phosphates.
High concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria and low concentrations of VOCs were initially reported in samples from the
accumulated liquid. While these results could indicate sewage was involved, the fecal coliform test is known to be subject
to false positive results, and follow-up testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques showed that molecular
markers for pathogenic bacteria were absent. Life forms in the accumulated liquid (identified through detailed microscopic
analysis) were found to be dominated by algae, particularly diatoms, with green and blue-green algae also present. However,
the types of diatoms present indicated a high nutrient level not typical of sewage. In addition, the mixture of salts present in
the accumulated liquid was not consistent with sewage.
Further testing identified the presence of high concentrations of organic acids in the soil and water, likely the result of
microbial respiration processes with the spilled grain and sugar acting as a food source for the bacteria. Organic acids have
a very distinct and unpleasant odor consistent with the odor at the site, and were likely the cause of employee complaints.
Using PCR, the fecal coliform results were determined to be false positives, and a continuous source for the bacteria was
not present, showing that sewage was not the cause of the odor. This definitive conclusion allowed CSXT to understand the
source and its characteristics; proceed with disinfection and restoration activities; and, return the affected area to service.
GoldSET – An Innovative Wastewater Treatment Decision Support Tool
Stéphanie Dumais - Golder Associés
Erika Akkerman Canadian National
Catherine Mulligan Concordia University
François Beaudoin Golder Associés
Initially developed in 2007 as a practical way to implement the principles of sustainable development within remediation
projects, the decision support tool GoldSET (Golder’s Sustainability Evaluation Tool) has been used around the world on a
49
wide range of engineering projects such as site remediation and mine tailings management. Since 2008, Canadian National
Railroads (CN) and Golder have worked together to develop the decision support tool GoldSET-CN, now widely used by CN
to manage its contaminated sites across North America.
The strength of GoldSET is that it can help identify optimal solutions in a decision-making process based on the technical
concerns, but also the economic, environmental and social aspects – the triple-bottom-line of sustainable development. In
addition to enhancing the ability to understand complex issues, the tool provides an excellent framework for communicating
with stakeholders, regulators, and the general public.
As GoldSET is a very flexible tool, new modules covering engineering management challenges can be added. In late 2010, a
partnership between Golder, CN and Concordia University was undertaken to research and develop a GoldSET wastewater
treatment module (GoldSET-WW). The developed module can be applied to the evaluation of treatment options and to the
optimization of the wastewater treatment system. It provides insight on the strengths and weaknesses of each option while
structuring the decision-making process.
GoldSET operates through the assessment of different options against a number of indicators for each of the four dimensions:
environmental, social, economic, and technical. As part of the wastewater module, the technical dimension is particularly
important in order to evaluate the feasibility and the robustness of design options. Indicators were developed through
literature review covering industrial, academic and scientific fields and through advice from technical staff having extensive
knowledge on wastewater treatment. The scoring scheme attached to each indicator provides a mechanism to assess
the performance of each option with respect to the indicator, producing a comparative graphical result of each option’s
sustainability performance.
A case study where GoldSET-WW has been applied will be presented. This presentation will highlight how various
wastewater treatment options can be compared within the GoldSET wastewater module, and how the use of the tool can
provide a better understanding of the underlying technical, environmental, social and economic challenges associated with
each option.
Stormwater Survival Guide: Preparation Strategies for Stormwater Regulations in Flux
Bryan Rogne - AECOM
Federal stormwater regulations are in a state of flux due to Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and proposed stormwater
rules revisions. On November 12, 2010, the EPA Office of Wastewater Management and Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and
Watersheds issued a memo establishing a series of stormwater permit requirements and how TMDL waste load allocations
would be incorporated into permits. The memo suggested municipal and industrial stormwater dischargers could be
subject to numeric water quality based effluent limitations for NPDES stormwater permit holders, including those under an
industrial stormwater general permit. Also stated, for established TMDLs, waste load allocation in the form of a numeric
load allocation would be assigned to stormwater discharges and measurable methods must be employed to demonstrate
compliance with waste load allocation. Rail facilities under an individual NPDES storm and wastewater permit may already
be required to do this, but facilities under a general stormwater permit may also have to comply. Implementation approaches
could include additional water quality monitoring and using an approved modeling approach to demonstrate best
management practice (BMP) effectiveness and/or pollutant load control. The EPA was scheduled to issue draft stormwater
regulations in late 2011, and finalize the modified regulations by the end of 2012. The draft regulations have been delayed
until at least late 2012, with a target date for finalized rulemaking in late 2013.
Things to come may be found within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A TMDL was established for the Chesapeake Bay
watershed in December 2010. The TMDL mandates significantly reducing nutrient discharges from all sources, and is
the largest and most complex TMDL ever prepared. Bay states work with the EPA to assign pollutant load allocations to
stakeholders as part of the effort to achieve the TMDL. Through these allocations and revisions to permitting programs,
the EPA and delegated authorities will require NPDES permit holders to implement significant and costly improvements to
current stormwater management practices. Similar measures are being established in other watersheds throughout the U.S.,
and are likely to be driving the new proposed stormwater rules. Numerous changes necessitate new methods, strategies and
tools for managing information and maintaining regulatory compliance.
This paper presents strategies and tools successfully used to meet water quality criteria while minimizing capital costs in
complex watersheds like the Chesapeake Bay. Sustainable strategies include a collaborative approach, where regulatory
agency involvement is used throughout the process. This approach does the following: obtains buy-in from regulatory
agencies on the technical approach used to evaluate BMPs; provides the opportunity to address the regulatory community’s
key issues in the planning process, before the improvements are recommended and designed; allows for educating
regulatory staff to understand the strong technical approach required for cost-saving opportunities.
The tools successfully used to demonstrate compliance, particularly in TMDL watersheds such as the Chesapeake, will be
presented. Proven tools include alternative methods for water quality monitoring, water quality and BMP modeling, and
compliance dashboard development, the same tools proposed by the EPA in their November 12, 2010 memo to demonstrate
pollutant load control.
50
Culvert Replacement: Using an Old Method with Planning, Design and Permitting Techniques to Keep Trains Safe and Moving
Troy Neisz - AMEC E & I, Inc
Paul J. Kurzanski CSX Transportation, Inc.
With continuous pounding from the high freight loads, culvert collapse and/or failure is a common problem in the rail
industry. These structural failures can cause track-bed instability which can lead to unexpected outages and the potential for
train derailments which can be catastrophic in both cost and environmental impact. Therefore, a viable corrective action is
to replace the damaged or failed culvert using Jack and Bore technology.
The Jack and Bore installation method is not new technology. Railroads have been replacing culverts by this means for
years. However, in most cases, the pipes were replaced in an emergency situation. In an effort reduce the impact of culvert
failure to train movement, CSXT initiated a proactive Jack and Bore Replacement Program in 2009. This program was
designed to identify problem culverts before failure, and replace them throughout the year using a systematic approach. It
is the responsibility of the local bridge managers or assistant district engineers to identify the most pressing culverts and to
prioritize the installations. Once the list is compiled from across the 22,000 mile system, CSXT Bridge Department personnel
in Jacksonville, FL complete a schedule for the culvert installations to keep the Jack and Bore machinery utilized. The
urgency and geographic location for each of the culverts is considered during the scheduling process. Based on scheduling,
the Jack and Bore crews complete the southern installations during the winter months, and mobilize northward during the
warmer months.
Once the schedule has been completed, site visits for each of the proposed locations are arranged. Team personnel include
representatives from the local Bridge Department (with knowledge of the area) and the environmental department, and
if possible, a representative from the Jack and Bore team. This team approach allows all parties to have input into the
upcoming project to identify the correct culvert location, possible access routes, permitting challenges, etc. A simple level
survey is conducted to obtain invert elevations of the existing culvert, additional channel elevations, and/or other constraints
as related to the top of rail. Drainage controls (“choke points”) located upstream/downstream are also evaluated to provide
accurate design criteria based on the delineated drainage basin. Permitting concerns (wetlands, stream/channel crossings,
floodplain encroachment, significant archaeological locations, and threatened & endangered (T&E) plant/animal species)
are also documented. A detailed hydrology and hydraulics (H&H) analyses is completed to properly size the culvert to be
installed. Detailed design criteria, environmental constraints, and photo documentation are then summarized in a report to
the Jack and Bore Team to support the installation and identify the environmental permits needed to perform the work.
The supporting consultant’s challenge is to schedule and complete the initial site visits in a timely and cost effective
manner. Therefore, the visits are completed in a “milk run” approach. Due to possible permitting approval timelines and
challenges, it is imperative to stay 3 to 4 sites ahead of the jack and bore crews. Since the inception of this program in 2010,
approximately 100 culverts in 17 states have been successfully replaced.
Sustainability
Impacts of Oil Price on Freight Transportation Modal Choice and Emissions
Taesung Hwang - UIUC
Christopher Barkan UIUC
Freight transportation activities are responsible for a large share of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the
United States. Different transport modes have significantly different impacts on air quality and environmental sustainability
highlighting the need for a better understanding of inter-regional freight shipment mode choices (e.g., rail and truck). This
study presents a simple, binomial logit market share model to predict U.S. inter-regional freight modal split between railroad
and truck as a function of freight and shipment characteristics. We are particularly interested in estimating the effect of oil
price on shippers’ modal choice decisions. A set of multi-year freight and geographical information databases were integrated
to develop regression models for typical freight commodities. The modeling framework will help economists and decisionmakers analyze the impacts of oil price on freight modal split and air quality.
51

2012 presentation booklet

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