New Way Cleaners Brownfield Project

S&ME performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) of the former New Way Cleaners located at 394 Prince Avenue in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. The Property consists of 0.73 acres of land developed with a 10,525 square foot former dry cleaner, which was constructed in 1946.

The property was used as a dry cleaner from 1946 until 2009 and the owner of the Property submitted a release notification the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD’s) Response & Remediation Program on April 28, 2000, for a release of PCE in the groundwater. In a letter dated May 10, 2000, the EPD stated that a release exceeding a reportable quantity had not occurred at the property and the property was not placed on the Hazardous Sites Inventory.

Using the laboratory data from the 2000 release notification, S&ME submitted an Application for Limitation of Liability and Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to the Georgia EPD’s Brownfields Unit on April 22, 2014.

S&ME completed soil and groundwater sampling at the Property in July 2014. Soil samples were collected using direct-push drilling techniques and two soil samples from each boring were submitted for laboratory analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The VOC tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was detected in 13 of the samples analyzed at concentrations below the EPD’s residential Risk Reduction Standard (RRS). Additionally, S&ME sampled the groundwater from six existing monitoring wells for analysis of VOCs and PAHs. PCE was detected in all six samples along with several other VOCs, including trichloroethene (TCE) and the petroleum hydrocarbon constituents benzene, toluene, and xylene.

Using the July 2014 data, S&ME submitted a Prospective Purchaser Compliance Status Report (PPCSR) to the EPD certifying the property met residential RRSs for soil. In a letter dated November 10, 2014, the EPD concurred with our certification that the property is in compliance with the residential RRS for soil and the property was granted a Brownfields Limitation of Liability (LOL).

Upon receipt of the LOL concurring with our PPCSR, S&ME abandoned six groundwater monitoring wells located on or near the property and a former water supply well located on the property.