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    Alliance 51ST Street/Bartram's Barden Mile Trail

    ​​​​​​​​​Inspections, Investigation, & Background

    DEP’s Inspections and Investigation of the Site

    2024

    Spring

    • DEP Clean Water program staff and DEP emergency response team immediately coordinated information with the Industrial Waste Unit at the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD).
    • PWD was the first agency to visit the site on April 5, 2024, and inspected the site again on April 9, 2024.
    • PWD collected samples of the greenish looking material and sent it to their lab for analysis.
    • On April 12, 2024 (PDF) DEP conducted an inspection. No active discharge of "green liquid" was observed at the time of inspection. The inspector recommended that the property owner collect samples from their property to determine the composition of the green material, and that they install additional control measures (berms) to prevent any further discharge from the site.
    • DEP Inspections on May 2, 2024 (PDF) and on July 18, 2024, confirmed the construction of earthen berms across the drainage ditch by the property owner.


    Summer

    • On July 17, 2024 (PDF), DEP personnel visited the site to inspect areas of noted offsite discharge, to ensure berms were still in place, to observe if continued offsite discharge was occurring, and to scout locations for sampling.
    • On July 18, 2024 (PDF), DEP conducted an inspection, in conjunction with the PWD, to evaluate site conditions. The inspection report indicated a failure to implement and/or maintain erosion and sedimentation control best management practices, failure to comply with DEP regulations and/or Clean Streams Law, and failure to take necessary measures to prevent pollutants from reaching waters of the Commonwealth.
    • On July 22, 2024 (PDF), DEP collected 11 soil samples from along the bike path and riverbank and four surface water samples from the Schuylkill River. The soil sample results indicated that several locations along the trail contained moderate levels of hexavalent chromium. No surface water samples exceeded their respective water quality standards.
    • On July 29, 2024 (PDF), DEP conducted a follow-up inspection which noted some erosion and sedimentation control improvements. Specifically, it was recommended during this inspection that the large stockpile of dirt on the site be temporarily stabilized with an erosion control blanket.
    • On August 8, 2024 (PDF), DEP conducted an unannounced site inspection and cited the property owner for failure to stabilize the large stockpile of dirt on the site.
    • On August 13, 2024 (PDF),​ DEP collected ten soil samples and two duplicate samples from along the bike path, and two surface water samples from standing water located within the drainage ditch on the Alliance property.
    • On August 14, 2024 (PDF), DEP acknowledged receipt of the updated Notice of Intent to Remediate.​​
    • On August 14 (PDF) and 20, 2024 DEP conducted site inspections. The August 20, 2024 (PDF)​ inspection report indicated a failure to maintain erosion & sediment control best management practices for earth disturbance.
    • ​On August 27, 2024 (PDF), DEP provided the property owner with copies of the laboratory reports for the samples collected on August 13th and requested follow-up actions.​​


    Fall

      • On September 4, 2024 (PDF), a follow-up inspection was conducted. No violations were noted during this inspection.​​​
      • ​On September 17, 2024 (PDF),​ DEP conducted a follow-up inspection. No violations were noted during this inspection.
      • ​On ​September 19, 2024,​ DEP finalized a Sampling Evaluation Report (PDF) which discusses the results of DEP’s sampling events conducted on July 22, 2024, and August 13, 2024.


      Property Owner’s Activities

      • On June 10, 2024 (PDF), Arcadis U.S., Inc. (Arcadis), consultants working on behalf of Alliance reported that soil berms had been constructed “across the low-lying area on the eastern portion of the site to prevent any discolored water from leaving the site.” Results from monitoring well sampling conducted on May 30, 2024, revealed the presence of chromium (trivalent and hexavalent) in the groundwater. Tests pits revealed yellow-green stained soil. Analysis of the stained soil confirmed the presence of trivalent and hexavalent chromium.
      • On July 11, 2024 (PDF), Arcadis indicated that five test pits were installed on the southern property boundary on July 3rd. The stained soil layer was encountered a few feet below the ground surface and varied in thickness in each test pit.
      • On July 29, 2024 (PDF), Alliance provided results of sampling they conducted alongside DEP and an updated NIR. The soil sample results revealed concentrations of hexavalent chromium at concentrations lower than what had been detected in DEP samples. Note, that samples were collected from the same sample locations as DEP, after DEP had collected its sample.
      • On ​August 1, 2024 (PDF), Alliance reported that cleanup efforts to address areas of elevated hexavalent chromium concentrations beside Bartram’s Trail had been completed.
      • On August 8, 2024 (PDF), Alliance provided results of confirmatory samples collected on August 6. No hexavalent chromium was detected in their samples.
      • On August 29, 2024, the property owner provided a document (PDF) replying to public comments received.​​
      • ​On September 19, 2024 (PDF), Alliance reported that additional cleanup efforts to address areas of elevated hexavalent chromium concentrations beside Bartram’s Trail had been completed.
      • Alliance will remediate the property in accordance with the Act 2 Land Recycling Program which will include the submittal of a Remedial Investigation Report which will describe the nature and extent of the contamination, a Cleanup Plan, and other reports as necessary. Additional information on the Act 2 Land Recycling Process is available on DEP’s website: Land Recycling Program (pa.gov), and by reviewing these Fact Sheets: Cleanups Using the Site-Specific Standard or Opportunities for Public Participation in the Land Recycling Program.


      Site Background