Environmental Consulting Fundamentals: Investigation, Remediation, and Brownfields Redevelopment

441 Pages·2019·37.587 MB·English

by  Benjamin Alter

Environmental Consulting
Fundamentals

Environmental Consulting
Fundamentals
Investigation, Remediation, and Brownfields
Redevelopment

Second Edition
Benjamin Alter
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Alter, Benjamin, author.
Title: Environmental consulting fundamentals : investigation, remediation,
and brownfields redevelopment / authored by Benjamin Alter.
Description: Second edition. | Boca Raton : Taylor & Francis, a CRC title,
part of the Taylor & Francis imprint, a member of the Taylor & Francis
Group, the academic division of T&F Informa, plc, 2019. | Includes
bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019002047| ISBN 9781138613201 (hardback : acid-free paper)
| ISBN 9780429464379 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Environmental impact analysis. | Environmental impact
consultants.
Classification: LCC TD194.6 .A47 2019 | DDC 333.71/4068--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019002047
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the CRC Press Web site at
http://www.crcpress.com
eResource material is available for this title at
https://www.crcpress.com/9781138613201
To my wife, Jean, who encourages me to pursue my dreams, revels in
my successes, and is there for me through my failures.

Contents
Preface to Second Edition ..........................................................................................................xxi
Preface to First Edition .............................................................................................................xxiii
Acknowledgments to Second Edition .....................................................................................xxv
Author ........................................................................................................................................xxvii
Section I Environmental Consulting: A Perspective
1. What Is Environmental Consulting? ..................................................................................3
1.1 The Environment and Environmental Hazards .......................................................3
1.2 What Is Environmental Consulting? ..........................................................................5
1.3 Types of Clients .............................................................................................................5
1.4 What Do Environmental Consultants Do? ................................................................6
1.4.1 The Consultant as Consultant ........................................................................6
1.4.2 The Consultant as General Contractor .........................................................8
1.4.3 The Consultant as Client.................................................................................8
1.4.4 The Consultant as Regulator ..........................................................................8
1.4.5 The Consultant as Expert ...............................................................................9
1.5 Credentials and Certifications of Environmental Consultants ..............................9
1.6 Career Pathways in Environmental Consulting .....................................................10
Bibliography ...........................................................................................................................11
2. Environmental Projects: The Technical Side and the Business Side .........................13
2.1 The Technical Side of Environmental Consulting .................................................13
2.1.1 Environmental Investigations and Remediations .....................................13
2.1.1.1 Data Collection ...............................................................................13
2.1.1.2 Sampling Objectives ......................................................................14
2.1.1.3 Biased versus Unbiased Data .......................................................14
2.1.1.4 Quality Assurance and Quality Control ....................................15
2.1.1.5 Units of Measurement ...................................................................15
2.1.2 Environmental Remediation ........................................................................16
2.1.3 Documenting the Environmental Investigation and Remediation ........16
2.2 The Business Side of Environmental Consulting ...................................................17
2.2.1 Project Contract ..............................................................................................17
2.2.2 Project Scope of Services ...............................................................................17
2.2.3 The Project Team ............................................................................................18
2.2.4 The Project Schedule .....................................................................................18
2.2.5 The Project Budget .........................................................................................19
2.2.5.1 Labor Costs ......................................................................................19
2.2.5.2 Pass-Through Costs and Other Direct Expenses .......................20
2.2.5.3 Net Revenue ....................................................................................20
2.2.5.4 Project Invoicing .............................................................................20
Problems and Exercises .........................................................................................................22
vii
viii Contents
3. Framework of Environmental Regulations .....................................................................23
3.1 The Formation of United States Environmental Protection Agency and
Occupational Safety and Health Administration ..................................................23
3.1.1 Pre-history of Environmental Regulations ................................................23
3.1.2 Establishment of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency ........................................................................................................24
3.1.3 Establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration ..........................................................................................25
3.2 Legal Framework of Federal Environmental Regulations ....................................25
3.2.1 Code of Federal Regulations ........................................................................25
3.2.2 Legal Framework of State Environmental Regulations ...........................26
3.3 Major Federal Environmental Laws .........................................................................27
3.3.1 Clean Air Act ..................................................................................................27
3.3.2 Clean Water Act .............................................................................................28
3.3.3 Endangered Species Act ...............................................................................28
3.3.4 Safe Drinking Water Act ...............................................................................29
3.3.5 Toxic Substances Control Act .......................................................................29
3.3.5.1 Polychlorinated Biphenyls under the Toxic Substances
Control Act ......................................................................................29
3.3.5.2 Titles II through VI of TSCA .........................................................29
3.3.6 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act .................................................30
3.3.6.1 Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste ..............................................30
3.3.6.2 “Cradle-to-Grave” Concept of Hazardous Waste
Management ...................................................................................32
3.3.6.3 Non-hazardous Waste Management ...........................................34
3.3.7 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act ....................................................................................................34
3.3.7.1 Origins of Superfund .....................................................................34
3.3.7.2 Liability under Superfund ............................................................35
3.3.7.3 Petroleum Exclusion ......................................................................36
3.3.7.4 National Priorities List ..................................................................36
3.3.7.5 National Contingency Plan ...........................................................37
3.3.7.6 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 .....37
3.3.7.7 Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields
Revitalization Act of 2002 .............................................................38
3.3.7.8 Energy Policy Act of 2005 ..............................................................38
3.4 Environmental Regulations and Environmental Consultants .............................38
3.4.1 Clean Air Act Compliance ............................................................................39
3.4.2 Clean Water Act Compliance .......................................................................39
3.4.3 Endangered Species Act Compliance .........................................................39
3.4.4 Safe Drinking Water Act Compliance ........................................................39
3.4.5 Toxic Substances Control Act Compliance .................................................40
3.4.6 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Compliance ...........................40
3.4.7 Superfund and Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
Compliance .....................................................................................................40
3.4.8 Brownfields Act ..............................................................................................40
3.4.9 Environmental Compliance Audits ............................................................40
Problems and Exercises .........................................................................................................41
Bibliography ...........................................................................................................................42
Contents ix
4. Environmental Chemistry ..................................................................................................43
4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................43
4.2 Chemical Nomenclature ............................................................................................43
4.3 Chemical Lists .............................................................................................................43
4.4 Chemical Classifications ............................................................................................44
4.5 The Target Compound List/Target Analyte List ...................................................45
4.5.1 Inorganic Analytes ........................................................................................45
4.5.2 Organic Compounds .....................................................................................46
4.5.2.1 Volatile Organic Compounds .......................................................46
4.5.2.2 Semi-volatile Organic Compounds .............................................52
4.5.2.3 Pesticides .........................................................................................56
4.5.2.4 Polychlorinated Biphenyls ............................................................57
4.6 Contaminants in Drinking Water .............................................................................58
4.6.1 Organic Chemicals with Primary Drinking Water Standards ...............58
4.6.2 Inorganic Chemicals with Primary Drinking Water Standards .............60
4.6.2.1 Disinfectants and Disinfectant Byproducts ...............................60
4.6.2.2 Nitrates and Nitrites ......................................................................62
4.6.3 Radionuclides .................................................................................................62
4.6.4 Biological Agents............................................................................................62
4.6.5 Turbidity ..........................................................................................................62
4.6.6 Secondary Drinking Water Regulations Contaminants ..........................62
4.6.7 Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water .............................................63
4.6.7.1 1,4-Dioxane ......................................................................................64
4.6.7.2 Perchlorate .......................................................................................64
4.6.7.3 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) .............................64
4.7 Chemistry of Surface Waters .....................................................................................65
4.8 Petroleum and Petroleum-Related Compounds ....................................................67
4.8.1 Chemical Composition of Petroleum ..........................................................67
4.8.2 Gasoline ...........................................................................................................67
4.8.3 Non-volatile Fuels ..........................................................................................68
4.8.4 Engineered Oils..............................................................................................68
4.9 Synthetic Organic Contaminants .............................................................................69
Problems and Exercises .........................................................................................................69
Bibliography ...........................................................................................................................69
5. Fate and Transport in the Subsurface ...............................................................................71
5.1 Surface Transport of Chemicals ................................................................................71
5.2 Subsurface Formations ...............................................................................................72
5.2.1 Bedrock ............................................................................................................72
5.2.2 Soils ..................................................................................................................72
5.2.3 Fill Materials ...................................................................................................74
5.2.4 Organic Matter ...............................................................................................75
5.2.5 Porosity and Permeability ............................................................................76
5.3 Chemical Fate and Transport in the Subsurface.....................................................77
5.3.1 Physical State of Chemicals ..........................................................................77
5.3.1.1 Vapor-Liquid Partition Coefficient ..............................................77
5.3.1.2 Solubility ..........................................................................................77
5.3.2 The Hydrogeologic Cycle ..............................................................................78
5.3.3 Vadose Zone....................................................................................................78