Voluntary Remediation Plan: With assistance from Leaaf, the City of Gretna received a Brownfields grant to remediate and redevelop an abandoned automotive service station into a commercial property. Leaaf was contracted by the City of Gretna to complete the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) Voluntary Remediation Application and Voluntary Remediation Action Plan (VRAP) using a previous Phase I & Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) conducted at the property.
Agency Coordination & Communication: The VRAP was approved by LDEQ and included an Underground Storage Tank (UST) Closure, soil remediation via excavation, and confirmatory sampling. Leaaf arranged a project meeting with the LDEQ Team Leader and the City of Gretna to discuss project plans, expectations, scheduling, and budgetary items. In our experience, initiating communication with LDEQ and stakeholders at the beginning of a project is important to ensure the project is completed as efficiently as possible and meets the expectations of all signatory authorities. Leaaf completed all required Public Notifications on behalf of the City of Gretna, including a newspaper notification and notifications to adjoining property owners. No concerns were submitted during the public review and response period.
LDEQ UST Closure: On behalf of the City of Gretna, Leaaf completed all required UST Registration forms and UST Closure Notifications in accordance with LDEQ’s UST Division. Four USTs were removed and confirmatory samples were collected in accordance with LDEQ UST Closure Guidance. The number and size of the tanks was unknown prior to the removal. The analytical results from the UST Closure did not exceed LDEQ Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) Screening Standards.
Voluntary Remedial Action Closure Report: Based on the analytical results from the UST Closure, no further excavation or remediation was needed at the site. As a result, Leaaf prepared the final Voluntary Remedial Action Closure Report that included a No Further Action notification from LDEQ’s UST Division.
Workforce Training: Leaaf and Limitless Vistas, Inc. (LVI), an environmental workforce training non-profit organization, partnered together for this project. Leaaf provided on-site UST Closure training for LVI members during the course of closure activities.
