ASSESSING THE RISKS
In January 2018 the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued revised guidance ( Pub . RR-800 ) on addressing vapor intrusion at remediation and redevelopment sites in the state . Follow these links to learn more about how consultants and other responsible parties are screening for , investigating , remediating , and mitigating vapor pathways at contaminated sites .
dnr . wi . gov / topic / brownfields / vapor . html dnr . wi . gov / files / PDF / pubs / rr / RR800 . pdf
And visit dnr . wi . gov / topic / landfills / development . html for guidance documents and the application form to build on historic fill sites .
Wisconsin , where a recreational complex was constructed on top of the closed Bender Road Landfill . The City contracted with Ayres to provide groundwater and methane gas monitoring and modifications to the landfill ’ s design to accommodate the new recreational facility that , to date , includes a multi-use building , a small outdoor amphitheater , a playground , parking areas , roads , and new utilities . Ayres ’ role was to develop landfill design modifications to accommodate the development and submit them to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ( WDNR ) for review and approval . Services also included designing the vapor mitigation system . “ It ’ s a pretty neat site , and we had to try to make sure that all the old gas , what was left , was venting out and staying away from people ,” said Shupert , a technician on the project .
Jerry DeMers , an environmental engineer with the WDNR ’ s Waste and Materials Management Program , reviewed the proposed design at the Glendale site and issued a conditional closure plan modification allowing building on the landfill – a regulatory necessity to ensure that concerns about settling and methane exposure are sufficiently addressed . “ Any landfill that contains waste that can break down biologically will produce methane . The bacteria naturally produce about 50 % methane and 50 % carbon dioxide when they ’ re breaking down the organic materials , so if something is going to be built , particularly near a landfill with waste in it , that methane needs to be prevented from getting into confined spaces where it can accumulate and build up to an explosive concentration ,” DeMers said .
Back in Eau Claire , substantial completion of the new fire station is expected by mid-June with a move-in date slated for early July . Installation of the vapor system is well under way . At this point just the test probes and exhaust system are left to install , according to Kelly . He added that , for him , simply knowing a system like this will be in place – working quietly in the background to eliminate the possibility of hazards – gives him great peace of mind . “ The whole process has been very easy ,” Kelly said . “ It ’ s one of those specialty areas that none of us has any experience with . Having local experts come in and be part of the process kind of puts your mind at ease .”
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