Some of Our Projects

Residential Fuel Spill Clean-up, Private Residence, Nantucket, MA. Lord has completed numerous fuel oil spill clean-ups at private residences.    One typical example is a private residence on the Island of Nantucket.  Because the residence is located within a ground water resource area, the      most stringent standards apply for clean-up. A subsurface release of fuel oil from a feed line was identified during tank filling activities.  Lord directed the excavation and off-Site disposal of impacted soil, and subsequently installed a groundwater pump-and-treat system.  After the majority of the      recoverable fuel oil was captured by the extraction system, Lord began a groundwater enhancement (biotreatment) program.  Groundwater quality  greatly improved at the property and non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) is no longer present in Site groundwater monitoring wells or recovery wells.   At other residential fuel oil sites, Lord has implemented programs to chemically oxidize residual hydrocarbons in-situ ("ISCO").  We are not married    to any one particular remedial technology, but carefully select the one that best suits site-specific conditions and financial feasibility considerations.     

AST Fueling Facility Design, City of Newton, Massachusetts For the City of Newton, Lord has designed and supervised the installation of a major fueling facility at a DPW garage location.  The design incorporated the latest technology for aboveground fleet fueling stations for dispensing both     gasoline and diesel products.  Lord  provided the plans and specifications, assisted in the bidding and inspection during the construction phase, and wrote the SPCC Plan now required for all AST facilities.  A follow up project for another DPW fueling location is currently in the design phase.              

Environmental Site Assessments, Affordable Housing Projects Throughout New England Lord regularly provides services to many major             Affordable Housing Organizations and Economic Community Development Corporations.  We recently completed a 36-property, 114-unit assessment in East Boston for conversion to affordable housing. This project was a highly visible, strategic initative supported by the Mayor of Boston to keep           affordable housing available in the Jefferies Point, Eagle Hill and Orient Heights neighborhoods.                                                                                                 

Environmental Site Assessments, Chestnut Hill Realty Corp., Charles River Realty, Inc., Various Locations.  Lord  is the “go-to” consultant for    several major Massachusetts real estate investment and management firms.  Years of personal service with some of Boston’s major players has         honed our skills in completing due-diligence assessments, feasibility studies, portfolio evaluations, and environmental problem solving.  Recent          projects include completing a fast-track property transfer assessment on a 24-million dollar loan to acquire a large condominium complex in               Brookline, and a 492-unit residential complex in Warwick.  Issues addressed included asbestos, mold and lead paint inspections as well as updating    previous environmental inspections to recent ASTM and EPA “All Appropriate Inquiry” standards.                                                                                                                                                                   

Environmental Management and LSP Services, City of Fall River, Massachusetts Lord completed the assessment, clean-up and closure               documentation for major public school construction projects in the City of Fall River.  One project involved the renovation of a former textile mill        property into the new Kuss School on the banks of Mount Hope Bay.  This work included the removal of multiple underground storage tanks and      over 1,500 tons of contaminated soil and special waste. The second project involved the construction of the new Mary Fonseca Elementary School.    Working with the City and architect, a plan was developed to address the former use of the property as a municipal landfill in a rock quarry.  The plan involved the removal of nearly 6,000 tons of contaminated soil and the placement of clean fill and Activity and Use Limitation (AUL) to prevent future access to residual material buried deep within the bedrock quarry.                                                                                                                                                    

Site Investigations and Environmental Management, Various Auto Recycling Facilities Lord has completed numerous environmental site           assessments and remedial projects at various auto recycling facilities located in Acushnet, Bellingham, Bourne, Chicopee, Cumberland R.I., Grafton,   Nantucket, Pawtucket, R.I., Shirley, Somerville, and Warwick, R.I.  Businesses served have ranged from small family run enterprises to large publically traded businesses.  Environmental issues addressed included impacts to soil, groundwater, private wells and surface water.  We have helped these   businesses with problems related to on-going operations as well as end-of- business decisions and positioning of property for sale and re-                  development.  Lord  can assist in the procurement of permits, development and implementation of Best Management Practices, environmental         compliance as well as clean-up activities.                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Brownfields Cleanup, Private Development Investor, Fall River, MA Completing the redevelopment of the former Kerr Mill on the banks of the   backup water supply to the City of Fall River, a private investor sought an experienced hand in solving an assortment of problems left behind by      numerous other businesses, developers, and environmental consultants.  Lord revised remedial plans, met with the state regulators, and has          undertaken a new approach to the cleanup.  MassDevelopment under their Brownfields Asscess to Redevelopment (BRAC) fund has provided            funding for this revised plan.  The plan includes the re-directing of potential preferential pathways of contaminant migration, building demolition, soil excavation, groundwater treatment, and longer-term bioremediation.  Future long-term risks will be managed through the installation of an               Engineered Barrier and the recording of an Activity and Use Limitation.                                                                                                                                           

Comprehensive Investigation, Remediation and Risk Characterization, Dry Cleaners Lord completed a Massachusetts Contingency Plan Method 3 Risk Characterization for a dry-cleaning facility on Cape Cod.  A Method 3 quantitative risk characterization was required for this area of the Site as a release to the environment including both surface water and sediments was identified, and the exposure scenario was not applicable under the     simpler Method 1.  (Method 1 is a simple comparison of exposure point concentrations to established MADEP applicable cleanup standards.)  The     source of Site contaminants (tetrachloroethene, or “PCE”) was alleged to have resulted from a combination of operational practices including the       placing of spent diatomaceous earth on the ground in back of the building, and the discharge of cooling and wastewater to an on-site sanitary           disposal system.  Lord completed an Immediate Response Action Plan to initiate the active cleanup of soil and groundwater at the property via soil    vapor extraction (SVE).  Since the depth to groundwater is approximately 50 feet, it was believed that the majority of contaminates were residually     adsorbed above the water table.  The SVE system operated for a period of approximately 6 months, over which time approximately 100 gallons of     solvent were recovered. The results of a comprehensive investigation identified a complete migration pathway from the source area to a sensitive     estuary located approximately 2,000 feet northeast of the subject property.  Samples of groundwater seeps located within the lower intertidal region identified concentrations of 580 micrograms per liter (ug/L) of PCE.  An exposure scenario developed to model the potential exposure of children to the affected groundwater determined that the risk of harm was not significant.  Moreover, an ecological screening assessment concurred that the    exposures to the environment were similarly not significant. Based on these conclusions, a satisfactory Response Action Outcome was achieved.      

Site Remediation, Enhanced Bioremediation, Major Food Service Company Lord was contracted to perform a site remediation in the vicinity of an underground release of diesel fuel.  After review of site conditions, Enhanced Bioremediation was selected as the most effective method to           remediate fuel oil contamination at this site.  Enhanced Bioremediation is the introduction of additional microorganisms, nutrients and water to the contaminated subsurface to accelerate the natural biodegradation of organic compounds. Based on ground water and soil sampling results, the         appropriate microorganisms were selected and applied to the subsurface via a trench upgradient from the contaminated area. Perforated piping left in place in the trench allows access for future applications.  Over the next ten months, additional microbes and nutrients were applied to the               subsurface pipe on three occasions.  Applications were scheduled based on the results of ground water sampling events in which microbe and           nutrient concentrations are monitored. Since the commencement of the bioremediation process, all free-phase diesel oil has been eliminated and    soluble petroleum concentrations in ground water have been dramatically reduced.  It is estimated that contaminant concentrations in soil and          ground water will reach compliance levels within the next six months. The bioremediation process has proven to be a cost effective cleanup strategy with minimal disruption to normal site activities.                                                                                                                                                                                    

Site Remediation and Closure, Gasoline Service Station Lord  was consulted by a small service station owner because of complaints of gasoline   vapors in a nearby structure's basement.  Immediate studies indicated the presence of free-phase product on the ground water surface and             inventory discrepancies with a 2,000-gallon UST.  Lord Associate’s personnel installed a soil vapor extraction system with soil vapor treatment via     regenerable vapor phase carbon.  Initially, the system was connected to two monitoring wells closest to the building, which had exhibited the vapor problems.  Within six days of operation, gasoline vapors were no longer detectable within the building. Subsequently, additional extraction wells       were installed in the suspected area of the underground storage tank leak.  After two additional months of soil vapor extraction, the property owner was given regulatory approval to remove the system from the site.  All free phase product was removed from the site and remaining VOC                     concentrations are below the applicable ground water standards. In a three-month period over 850 gallons of gasoline were recovered.                        

Underground Tank and Remedial Response Management, City of Newton, MA We have provided overall environmental services to the City of  Newton in support of their tank removal and replacement.  This program involves the replacement or removal of over 100 tanks over a 10 year       period.  Provided on-site health and safety planning, supervision of subcontractors, general contractors, soil and ground water sampling,                 coordination of contaminated soil disposal and coordination with the Massachusetts DEP. Perform preliminary assessments, Phase I and Phase II  investigations where required to investigate the impact of subsurface leaks of petroleum on ground water quality.                                                          

PCB Abatement Plans, Various Municipal and State University Schools Lord has provided services for over ten PCB abatement projects                throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire,focusing on the assessment and remediation of PCBs in building materials such as caulk, paint, and in soil.