SCS’s Green Street Blog Series: Part III
In our Green Street blog series, as we step through a successful redevelopment project called Green Street, we help identify and avoid potential environmental issues and sometimes surprises such as underground storage tanks.
As Green Street will breathe new life into the cultural arts scene, creating a vibrant community hub for all to enjoy, there can be a surprise during excavation, even with well-planned and implemented due diligence.
Despite conducting an onsite assessment, historical use assessment, and research before excavation begins, there still can be a deeply buried surprise. In the case of Green Street, an old tank under the former icehouse was discovered beneath 6″ of concrete. Unfortunately, it was not in any historical records since the tank was unregistered. Fortunately, it did not stop the excavation work for long.
Pausing work in the tank’s vicinity enabled SCS to inspect the tank and collect samples of the tank’s contents while continuing work in all other site areas. Based on the analytical results of the sampling and examination, SCS determined that it was an old oil-heating tank likely used to heat the icehouse. Following safety protocols, removing the tank contents comes first, followed by the tank.
Although heating oil tanks are unregulated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Underground Storage Tanks Section, SCS completed a tank closure soil sampling under the Missouri Risk-Based Corrective Action requirements for unregistered underground petroleum storage tanks. Then, soil excavation removes minimally impacted soil directly under the tank, which testing confirms there is no possibility of petroleum-impacted soil remaining.
One of the key aspects of remediation project support is having access to as-needed assistance. Brownfield and any remediation project will have some risks, but quickly minimizing and addressing challenges is critical. Look for full-service environmental engineers and consultants with construction experience. These firms take a holistic approach to projects and have a deep bench of professionals to call upon if and when needed.
Because these firms understand project needs throughout the life cycle. They can help clients make better decisions along the journey to completion and minimize timing risks related to environmental conditions and risks around zoning for intended future use, permitting, and environmental insurance and funding.
We reveal another discovery onsite in Part IV of the Green Street series on February 3rd – this one is wonderful!
Additional Resources:
About the Author: Michael (Mike) Dustman is experienced in environmental project management, remedial design activities, building inspection, site assessments, and field training. He possesses an in-depth knowledge of relevant and applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws and protocols. Mike has served numerous local agencies and private clients, including the USEPA Region 4 Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team. Mike is a certified asbestos project designer, management planner, and building inspector, a certified air sample professional, and a certified lead-based paint inspector and lead risk assessor.
Recycling land and properties helps build opportunities for creating and transitioning commercial and mixed-use space. It is often a sensible and sustainable option with rising real estate costs, increased due diligence, and a lack of greenfield in and around urban areas with established infrastructure.
Miami-Dade County, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades in Florida, faces a significant challenge in finding space for new development. With land becoming increasingly scarce, attention has turned towards redeveloping sites left vacant due to contamination or the perceived presence of contamination, such as brownfield designated areas, agricultural lands, golf courses, old dumps, and closed landfills.
Despite the challenges these sites pose, such as contamination from pesticides, herbicides, and other pollutants, developers and investors are finding many benefits to redeveloping these sites for residential, mixed-use, and commercial purposes.
Sustainable Benefits for Developers, Investors, Local Businesses, and Communities
Increased Community Value: Vacant, contaminated sites offer little benefit to communities. Redeveloping these areas can transform them into safe, productive commercial or mixed-use spaces, contributing to revitalization and community well-being.
Job Creation: Redevelopment projects stimulate economic activity by creating jobs in construction, engineering, and related fields. Jobs boost local employment rates and support businesses in the area.
Tax Revenue: Land recycling can increase property values and tax revenues for essential community services such as schools, roads, and public facilities.
Tax Credits: Private and public entities conducting voluntary cleanup in Florida, for example, can receive available tax credits of upwards of $500,000.
Federal Funding: EPA’s Brownfields Program provides direct funding via grants for assessment, cleanup, and other environmental-related programs.
Affordable Housing: Repurposing land for residential use can help address housing shortages, offering more affordable housing options in desirable urban and suburban locations.
Environmental Restoration: Through careful planning and adherence to regulations, redeveloped sites can contribute to environmental restoration efforts. Measures like methane gas mitigation systems manage any environmental risks responsibly.
Solutions to the Most Common Challenges
Although redeveloping contaminated properties or land recycling offers benefits, some challenges require insight from specialized environmental engineers. With their more comprehensive knowledge and relationships, these engineers help keep projects safe and on schedule.
Costs and Monetary Support: Assessment and remediation costs are typically the number one factor in why sites are not recycled. However, engaging an environmental program manager who guides you through state and federal funding options can help achieve budgetary goals by offsetting some of these costs.
Regulatory Compliance: Regulations for redeveloping sites are stringent and require experienced professionals who understand the regulatory landscape. Therefore, engaging with an engineer early to perform due diligence will help better qualify and quantify development risks. The same professional can better provide the development team with the closure strategies available to manage and mitigate contaminants effectively.
Risk Management: Risk-based corrective actions (RBCA) are crucial in ensuring the safety of redeveloped sites and land recycling. Without RBCA, many contaminated sites would likely be undeveloped due to high remediation costs. The engineer will tailor actions to a specific county or city regulatory framework to address potential hazards comprehensively. Specialized techniques environmental engineers use include newer technology and engineering processes that can resolve contamination and groundwater issues more efficiently while meeting local, state, and federal mandates.
Innovation and Adaptation: Staying ahead of emerging contaminant challenges such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or remediation limitations is essential as regulatory landscapes evolve. Adapting to new cleanup standards and remediation technologies ensures that redeveloped sites meet or exceed environmental safety expectations both now and in the future. It is also possible for some land recycling projects to account for or verify any carbon savings – an increasingly important consideration to shareholders.
Exploration into Land Recycling and Property Restoration is Rigorous
Redeveloping contaminated land presents both challenges and opportunities. Developers are transforming these sites into valuable community assets by adhering to rigorous environmental standards and employing innovative solutions. From economic revitalization to environmental stewardship, redeveloping contaminated properties or land recycling offers a path toward sustainable growth and improved quality of life in regions around our nation.
Meet the Authors:
Brittney Odem is a Vice President and SCS’s Regional Director of our Southeast Region Environmental Services Practice. She manages large scale projects that include emergency response; environmental site assessment and characterization; remedial pilot testing, construction, installation, operations, and maintenance; regulatory negotiations; and compliance. She also conducts large scale assessments and remediation of arsenic-impacted sites to recycle into useable properties.
Dillon Reio is a Senior Project Professional with experience in site assessments, field sampling, and remediation of contaminated sites, including Phase I and Phase II ESAs pertaining to petroleum and industrial waste contamination. As a hydrogeologist he has reviewed technical reports as well as soil and groundwater assessments for proposed developments.
Additional Land Recycling Resources:
SCS Engineers has been awarded Phase 1 and Phase 2 on-call brownfield services for the City of Tucson. Voluntary Remediation Programs encourage property owners and other interested parties to invest resources voluntarily to restore contaminated sites as quickly as possible to healthful standards. Often these sites are in now historically significant neighborhoods with excellent infrastructure.
Remediation of Historic Properties
In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency selected Tucson for a $1 million grant to focus on the neighborhoods of La Doce, Thrive in the O5, Barrio Centro/Julia Keen Neighborhood, and Downtown Tucson/Historic Barrios. The areas were chosen because of their economic and cultural significance to the community and redevelopment potential. Priority sites include a vacant former fueling station, a vacant former private school, a transit center, and an adjacent parking lot.
SCS offers full services such as assessment, cleanup planning, remediation, and regulatory closure of properties participating in grant-funded activities and properties owned or redeveloped by the City.
“Our team has deep experience in brownfield environmental services and understands the complexities involved to remediate property successfully,” said Iain Olness, senior project manager at SCS Engineers’ Tempe office. “We are honored to work with local governments across Arizona to return sites into economic drivers for their communities.”
By proactively complying with regulations and completing a progressive assessment process, remediation contractors can avoid project delays and minimize the risks of improper soil transfer. While soil remediation in situ is preferable, it is not always possible.
Assessing and managing regulated waste soil and “clean” or inert soil is an important element in construction and demolition. To succeed, it’s necessary to understand the regulatory and legal framework regarding proper soil transport and disposal in a development setting and to develop best practices to avoid the risk and liability of shipping contaminated soil to unauthorized destinations.
Naturally occurring metals such as arsenic can be elevated because of regional geologic sources that exceed regulatory screening levels and disposal standards. Are these hazardous wastes? That depends on the concentrations of the chemical constituents or metals in the soil. Properties with previous land use often show concentrations of these constituents in the soil below hazardous waste levels but high enough to designate certain soils as regulated nonhazardous waste. Contractors must dispose of or recycle this soil at a properly licensed facility or face heavy penalties.
If your project requires importing and exporting soil, follow Environmental Consultant Keith Etchells’ advice in this C&D Magazine article to keep compliant with regulatory agencies and costs low during soil disposal.
About the Author: Keith Etchells is a professional geologist and hydrogeologist with 22 years of experience assisting clients in managing environmental risks associated with ownership, transfer, or operation of commercial, industrial, and waste disposal properties. His particular technical expertise involves aspects of groundwater science and engineering relevant to contaminated sites and landfills designing analytical, geotechnical, and hydrogeological data collection programs to complete subsurface assessment and land remediation. Reach out to Keith on LinkedIn or at .
About CALRC
It’s time for the California Land Recycling Conference (CALRC) in Carson, California, September 26-28. The Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) is hosting the conference, and this year’s event theme is “People, Partnerships, Progress.”
SCS Engineers is exceptionally proud of our relationship with CCLR and of our clients who are winning Phoenix, EBJ, and other awards for their valuable contributions to their communities across all 50 states.
Environmental Justice
Achieving environmental justice means taking a sustainable, holistic approach to site remediation and land recycling. One that meets each party’s social, environmental, and economic goals. These experts can help; they’ve been in the business of sustainability for decades and are always open to knowledge sharing about funding, permitting, and remediation processes that will keep your project on track.
Headline Presentations
Should it Stay or Should it Go? In-situ vs. Ex-situ Solutions with Michael McLaughlin of SCS Engineers, Senior Vice President of Environmental Services and National Specialist on Brownfields & Landfill Redevelopment
Tuesday, September 26th at 3:15 PM in the Community Hall Section A
With numerous approaches and examples of pilot studies, innovative technologies, and work done to execute alternatives to excavation, this session will help you overcome the practical challenges of sustainable remediation. With an overview of conducting pilot tests and examples of innovative technologies, this session will help project managers and site owners take the next steps in bringing sustainable solutions to clean up contaminated sites and answer the question, can in-situ technologies be used to avoid costly excavation and disposal?
Getting to the Finish Line: Navigating Projects Through the Water Board Process with Jim Ritchie, Vice President, SCS Engineers.
Wednesday, September 27th at 10:30 am in the Community Hall Section A
We aim to get your remediation or brownfields project done sustainably, meeting economic and environmental goals such as the mission of the Water Boards to preserve the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water to protect the environment, public health, and beneficial uses. Join Jim and company to learn the best practices.
It’s time for the California Land Recycling Conference (CALRC) in Carson, California, September 26-28. The Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) is hosting the conference, and this year’s event theme is “People, Partnerships, Progress.” SCS Engineers is a Visionary Sponsor and will have our experts presenting at the conference and discussing best practices for those in California and nationwide. Please stop by our booth to discuss the various land recycling possibilities for your site, funding, and permitting.
We are exceptionally proud of our relationship with CCLR and our clients who are winning Phoenix, EBJ, and other awards for their valuable contributions to their communities across all 50 states.
Achieving environmental justice means taking a sustainable, holistic approach to site remediation and land recycling. One that meets each party’s social, environmental, and economic goals. These experts can help; they’ve been in the business of sustainability for decades and are always open to knowledge sharing about funding, permitting, and remediation processes that will keep your project on track.
Should it Stay or Should it Go? In-situ vs. Ex-situ Solutions with Michael McLaughlin of SCS Engineers, Senior Vice President of Environmental Services and National Specialist on Brownfields & Landfill Redevelopment
Tuesday, September 26th at 3:15 PM in the Community Hall Section A
With numerous approaches and examples of pilot studies, innovative technologies, and work done to execute alternatives to excavation, this session will help you overcome the practical challenges of sustainable remediation. With an overview of conducting pilot tests and examples of innovative technologies, this session will help project managers and site owners take the next steps in bringing sustainable solutions to clean up contaminated sites and answer the question, can in-situ technologies be used to avoid costly excavation and disposal?
Getting to the Finish Line: Navigating Projects Through the Water Board Process with Jim Ritchie, Vice President, SCS Engineers.
Wednesday, September 27th at 10:30 am in the Community Hall Section A
We aim to get your remediation or brownfields project done sustainably, meeting economic and environmental goals such as the mission of the Water Boards to preserve the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water to protect the environment, public health, and beneficial uses. Join Jim and company to learn the best practices.
This year’s National Brownfields Conference in Detroit, Michigan, was notable. The evening before the conference began, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) hosted an ‘Environmental Justice’ caucus in which over 150 people from both the public and private sectors came together to learn more about what Environmental Justice is and how it informs our work in economic development efforts.
USEPA defines Environmental Justice (often called ‘EJ’) as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” We’ll achieve this goal when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment to live, learn, and work.
Distilled to its core, EJ is a call to action for all individuals and entities engaged in helping sustain and grow their communities. It posits that multiple demographics (including but not limited to people of color, inhabitants of rural areas, and people with less access to education and well-paying jobs) are disproportionately subject to harmful impacts from exposure to toxins and pollutants. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon those engaged with those populations to pay heed to find ways to mitigate or reduce those exposures.
EPA formally established the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights on October 6, 2022, and since that time, has engaged over 200 people across the agency to perform tasks specifically addressing EJ, including “processing grant applications from communities with environmental justice concerns, reaching out to residents to understand their concerns, and enforcing civil rights.” The EPA also established the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) program in direct response to two Executive Orders issued by the Biden administration (EO 14008 and 13985) and will soon award ~$550 million to 11 distinct entities (which must be community-based nonprofits or partnerships between community-based nonprofits and either Tribal government or institutions of higher education) to spearhead more inclusive and easily accessible resources/support for communities seeking EPA funding to address EJ concerns.
EPA also established 16 technical assistance centers across the nation under the EJ Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program (EJ TCTAC), aimed at “providing technical assistance, training, and related support to communities with environmental justice concerns and their partners. The services provided will include training and assistance on writing grant proposals, navigating federal systems such as Grants.gov and SAM.gov, effectively managing grant funds, community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants.”
Furthermore, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act created the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant program in section 138 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). It provided EPA with $2.8 billion in grant funding for the program for projects to benefit communities with environmental justice concerns.
All told billions of dollars are currently available to communities that seek to spur environmental cleanup and revitalization efforts. SCS specializes in helping communities connect with this funding (even providing in-house Brownfields grant writing services) and has a proven track record of forming successful partnerships which result in timely and meaningful rejuvenation projects.
Two of the projects SCS teamed on this past year are awardees of the EPA’s prestigious 2023 Phoenix Award. The first of such projects, performed in EPA Region 6, involved the restoration of the historic First National Bank Building in downtown Oklahoma City, OK. This project created a mixed-use space, including apartments in the heart of the bustling business district, to help revive a struggling downtown and create jobs for residents. The second project, performed in EPA Region 9, provided affordable housing in San Diego, CA, and included upgrades to storm drains, water and sewer lines, underground powerlines, and streetscape improvements, significantly enhancing area infrastructure.
In both these projects and countless other projects performed under federal and state Brownfields programs, SCS is a trusted partner providing technical expertise and conscientious approaches to community engagement and planning that align with EJ protocols. SCS is a Foundational Member and Advisor of the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR), which aims to turn abandoned land into thriving spaces that serve communities meaningfully.
This year’s Brownfields Conference theme was “Sustainable Communities Start Here,” in sync with SCS’s long culture and mission of achieving sustainability through holistic processes. The most successful remediation projects are when all stakeholders have a voice and redevelopment efforts are thoughtfully, creatively, and deliberately planned and implemented.
Additional Resources:
About the Author: Rachel McShane, LEP, has over 15 years of experience in environmental due diligence projects (Phase I, II and III Environmental Site Assessments) as well as Brownfields redevelopment, risk-based corrective action, and remediation projects. She is also familiar with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessments, vapor investigations and mitigation, radon, asbestos, and lead based paint surveys, and leachate monitoring/solid waste management. You may reach her at or via LinkedIn.
SCS Engineers welcomes two experienced environmental consulting professionals to our St. Louis regional office.
Susan Robertson, MBA, is Senior Project Manager. Robertson’s comprehensive environmental due diligence and remedial work rejuvenates prime commercial properties back to health while supporting municipal and private industries’ plans for economic redevelopment.
In the environmental industry for nearly 20 years, Susan has worked on a wide range of consulting projects, including environmental due diligence Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments. She performs Indoor Air Quality and radon assessments, lead-based paint, and asbestos inspections.
Susan is known for her Brownfield-Voluntary Cleanup Program work under the Missouri Department of Natural Resources¹, Illinois EPA Tiered Approach to Corrective Action, and Missouri Risk-Based Corrective Action risk assessments and historic preservation projects under the Missouri Department of Economic Development².
Julia Hunter is an SCS Project Professional. Julia has five years of experience in environmental consulting, primarily performing environmental due diligence for commercial and telecommunications clients nationwide. She has a Master of Science in Environmental Geoscience from St. Louis University.
Hunter uses the highest standards of care in her due diligence and building sciences investigations, analyzing the data to determine if a property is feasible for its proposed use and future requirements to speed the closure process and ensure no surprises.
“The service these two women perform for our clients is strategic and comprehensive,” states Rachel McShane, SCS – St. Louis project director. “The results of their work help determine the true value of a property before purchase, and if there are any environmental or health concerns, how to remediate them.”
Additional Resources:
The Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) is hosting its annual California Land Recycling Conference (CALRC) in Carson, California, September 26-28. This year’s event theme is “People, Partnerships, Progress.” SCS Engineers is a Visionary Sponsor and will have these experts presenting at the conference.
Please stop by our booth to discuss the various land recycling possibilities for your site, funding, and permitting. We are exceptionally proud of our relationship with CCLR, and our clients who are winning Phoenix, EBJ, and other awards for their valuable contributions to their communities.
Should it Stay or Should it Go? In-situ vs. Ex-situ Solutions with Michael McLaughlin of SCS Engineers, Senior Vice President of Environmental Services and National Specialist on Brownfields & Landfill Redevelopment
Tuesday, September 26th at 3:15 PM in the Community Hall Section A
With numerous approaches and examples of pilot studies, innovative technologies, and work done to execute alternatives to excavation, this session will help you overcome the practical challenges of sustainable remediation. With an overview of conducting pilot tests and examples of innovative technologies, this session will help project managers and site owners take the next steps in bringing innovative sustainable solutions to clean up contaminated sites and answer the question, can in-situ technologies be used to avoid costly excavation and disposal?
Getting to the Finish Line: Navigating Projects Through the Water Board Process with Jim Ritchie, Vice President, SCS Engineers.
Wednesday, September 27th at 10:30 am in the Community Hall Section A
We aim to get your remediation or brownfields project done sustainably, meeting economic and environmental goals such as the mission of the Water Boards to preserve the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water to protect the environment, public health, and beneficial uses. Join Jim and company to learn the best practices.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 and the CA Department of Toxic Substances Control’s (DTSC) Office of Brownfields are co-collaborators of this conference.
Donald Barfield (Don) joins SCS Engineers as a Project Director specializing in environmental assessment and brownfield remediation, the first step in returning damaged sites and property to productive use. Barfield brings AAI expertise developed at over 2,000 assessments and brownfield projects throughout the United States and globally, keeping them on schedule and budget.
“Don’s proven track record fits our aim to create sustainable environmental solutions. Our consulting engineer teams include members with field and financial experience to create solutions that meet and remain compliant with local, state, and federal policies while economically and socially practical, states Senior Vice President and Southeast Business Director Carlo Lebron.
All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) is a process of evaluating the environmental condition of a property and assessing the likelihood of contamination. Parties must comply with the requirements of the AAI Rule or follow the standards set forth in the ASTM E1527-13 or E1527-21 Standard Practice for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments to satisfy the statutory requirements for conducting all appropriate inquiries.
Today’s commercial property transactions take environmental issues into consideration. Complex laws can impose significant environmental liabilities on purchasers, sellers, and lenders, whether or not they caused the problem and whether or not they still own the property.
Don brings years of experience helping municipalities, developers, and industrial clients prepare and submit EPA Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grants, including the compliance reporting and due diligence associated with making these projects successful for communities and businesses. His project experience includes due diligence and risk reviews for large acquisitions or mergers and the assessment and development of closure plans for RCRA Regulated Units.
“Sustainability and environmental compliance are important factors in moving projects forward while protecting communities,” says Don. “There are funding, grants, tax credits, and incentives available now. In Florida, the Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Program could support mixed-use developments and potential partnerships right now.”
Barfield is an LEED® Accredited Professional, HAZWOPER Certified, and an ASTM Environmental Professional. He earned his MBA at the University of North Florida and a BS in Biology at Jacksonville University.
SCS Engineers’ environmental solutions and technology directly result from our experience and dedication to industries responsible for safeguarding the environment as they deliver essential services and products. For more information about joining us, please visit the SCS Engineers website, or watch our video to see what we can do for your business and community.
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