Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) offers a variety of environmental services ranging from initial investigation to site closure. The following is a brief presentation of the type of services we currently offer:
A. PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS (ESA’s)
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) provides detailed quality Phase One real estate Environmental Site Assessments and Transaction Screening. All of our assessments meet or exceed the requirements of the American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard E-1527-97 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process and ASTM Standard E1528-96, Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Transaction Screen Process.
The purpose of an ESA is to satisfy one of the requirements to qualify for the innocent landowners’ defense to CERCLA liability, which states “all appropriate inquiry into the previous ownership and uses of the property consistent with good commercial or customary practice.”
The goal of an ESA is to identify the likely presence of any hazardous substances or petroleum products on the property that constitute a threat by existing release, past release, or material threat of a release on the property, or into the ground, groundwater, or surface water.
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) believes that ESA’s can be a powerful tool in assessing the environmental conditions of a potential site prior to conducting a soil and groundwater investigation. By doing so, areas of potential contamination can be detected so that a proper site investigation can be conducted.
B. UNDERGROUND STORAGE FUEL TANK (UST) REMOVAL
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) can successfully assist the client in tank removal and tank closures. One of our strong points, is to monitor the activities of the environmental contractor during excavation, removal of the UST, sub-excavation, and backfilling of the tank cavity. One of the problems that can frequently occur when using only an environmental contractor is that the contractor has a tendency to over-excavate the tank cavity. This results in a larger, and deeper tank excavation , which means a greater amount of impacted soil to dispose of, and a greater amount of imported backfill to place back into the tank cavity. The end result is the client pays a lot more money than is necessary. The larger the open pit, the more clean backfilled will be needed. And a larger stockpile of contaminated and clean soil will need to be send to a hazardous waste site for disposal.
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) can prevent this kind of nightmare from occurring by performing the following services: we will inspect the operation during the initial tank removal process, and collect compliance soil samples from the side walls and tank pit bottom for laboratory analysis. We will determine which soil is clean and which soil has been impacted and direct the contractor to place them in separate stockpiles for later sampling. By doing this we can determine, after reviewing the laboratory analytical results, if any of the soil can be placed back into the tank pit excavation. This can save the client thousands of dollars that would otherwise be spent on hauling costs.
C. SOIL AND GROUNDWATER INVESTIGATIONS, AND CHARACTERIZATIONS
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) provides quality service during soil and groundwater investigations. Our innovative site investigation methodology involves the use of continuously cored exploratory soil borings. Our staff personnel take pride in producing detailed and accurate boring logs that describe the underlying lithology of the site being investigated. Our geologists make sure that soil borings and groundwater monitoring wells are placed in specific locations within or beyond the site property. Our reason, so that they can also be used for conducting trend analyses of groundwater plumes and for the strategic placement of remediation wells such as Dual-phased Extraction, (DPE), Soil Vapor Extraction, (SVE), and Air-sparging, (AS).
D. GROUNDWATER MONITORING, AND SENSITIVE RECEPTOR SURVEYS (SRS)
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) provides cost saving monitoring for two-inch diameter monitoring wells installed using our methodology. By continuously coring each well boring, each well is screened correctly within the aquifer being evaluated, thus causing less error.
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) conducts detailed Sensitive Receptor Surveys (SRS) for the purpose of evaluating groundwater plumes located on a property and evaluating if there is a potential threat to a surface or subsurface water body, a nearby domestic well, or to human health. SRS’s are already a prerequisite in most counties, prior to obtaining site closure.
E. SITE REMEDIATION
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) can customize the most cost-effective, and cost-efficient remediation method for the individual site by properly evaluating the various remediation alternatives through the use of Feasibility Studies, and Corrective Action Plan (CAP) Studies. These studies can save hundreds of thousands of dollars that would otherwise be wasted on sub-excavation and hauling costs.
At Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) we don’t always agree that excavation is the right approach to remediating a site containing petroleum based hydrocarbons. Instead, we approach it as previously stated by the use of Feasibility Studies. Once we have completely defined the extent of both the soil and groundwater plumes, our preferred approach will save time and money.
F. REIMBURSEMENTS
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) has a long and good standing record with the State Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund Program. EGS President, Rafael Gallardo, has successfully assisted many clients in preparing their reimbursement claims, which when done correctly, will speed the waiting time between claims. We also have a 99 % recovery record on our invoices.
If you don’t qualify for the Tank Fund, you should still Contact Us – we can help you get past that hurdle.
G. SOIL REPORTS AND ON-SITE GRADING INSPECTION FOR SITE
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) is also capable of creating soil reports and on-site grading inspections for new construction sites. Our engineers are experienced professionals who have performed numerous geotechnical investigations. Over the years EGS has successfully performed geological and geotechnical services throughout Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties. Our last major geotechnical project was the new District Headquarters for the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control located in Cotati.
H. SUMMARY
Environmental & Geological Solutions (EGS) is a turn-key company that can cover both environmental and geotechnical services, which includes testing and inspection capabilities for soil, concrete, and asphalt. EGS is a relatively new company, (16 years) with new ideas, and principles that can make the difference between an expensive on-going project, with no immediate approach to closure, to a site that is approached with closure in mind from beginning to end. Our goal is to educate the client and to make his environmental nightmare smooth, easy to understand, and most importantly, cost effective.
Our capabilities and our close relationship with government regulators throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento Valley, and outlying counties allow us to work through your environmental concerns effortlessly through the regulatory system, resulting in accelerated site closure, when warranted.