Manufactured Gas Plant Remediation – Program Management
From the middle of the eighteenth century into the early 1900s, manufactured gas was used for gas lighting, as a convenient substitute for candles and oil lamps in the home. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates there are anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 former manufactured gas plants (MGPs) in the United States.
Unfortunately, these facilities left behind coal tar and other materials containing toxic chemicals from the manufacturing process. GEI has been working with Ameren to retire the liability associated with their MGP portfolio for the last several years.
In order to meet Ameren’s aggressive remediation plan, and support related accounting requirements, GEI teamed with a Woman Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) to develop an integrated cost loaded schedule for more than 20 MGP sites in need of remediation.
Successful implementation of this program requires cost and schedule tracking, program management, contractor selection, risk identification and management, and seconded project managers.
GEI also performed technical reviews of regulatory reports, remedy selection, design and implementation, including excavation, dredging, in-situ thermal treatment, in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) and in-situ solidification (ISS).
Key Challenges
The GEI team assisted with the creation of program guidelines, specifications, file and data management and supported an increase focus on internal and external stakeholder management. Stakeholders include municipalities, property owners, consultants, real estate, accounting, legal, contractors, and state and federal agencies.
GEI helps Ameren manage the remediation of multiple large-scale multi-million dollar sites, using cost-loaded schedules that are rolled up into a programmatic schedule that must be managed to achieve a precise annual spend. The challenge is, MGP sites are known for unknown structures at depth, that can lead to scheduling and change order challenges. GEI works hand in hand with Ameren in developing greater certainty in consultant cost estimates helping to achieve project goals.
GEI collaborates with Ameren to obtain “no further remediation” letters for each site in an accelerated schedule, limiting Ameren’s long-term liability.
- Dave Palmer, Ameren Services, Manager – Remediation Projects, Environmental Strategy & AnalysisGEI has been instrumental is supporting Ameren's MGP remediation program, and associated liability reduction, completing the work safely, and timely, all while mindful of cost and multiple stakeholder goals/requests.
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