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INTERA

INTERA

Environmental and Water Resource Consulting Firm

  • Services and Industries
        • Services
          • Water Resources and Supply
          • Environmental
            • Air Quality
          • Coastal Engineering
          • Radioactive Waste
        • Specialty Services
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Solid Waste

May 16, 2023

May 16, 2023 by

Challenge: Renew and amend a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste permit for a commercial recycling facility.

Solution: INTERA staff prepared an application and provided processing support for the renewal and major amendment of an industrial facility’s hazardous waste permit.  The facility offers recycling services for businesses that generate metal-containing industrial solid wastes, and some of the wastes are classified as hazardous.  The metal waste, as well as purchased materials, are used as feedstock in various recycling processes to reclaim metal resources that can be re-purposed as usable products.  In addition to the recycling processes and operations, the principal features of the facility include two container storage units that are used for management of industrial and hazardous wastes prior to recycling and for storage of site-generated wastes.  These units are authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) under Hazardous Waste Permit No. 50203.

INTERA performed an in-depth review of facility operations and prepared an application for renewal and major amendment of their hazardous waste permit.  Engineered design drawings and waste management plans were developed to expand the size and storage capacity of the two existing container storage units, and to request permit authorization for a new container storage unit.  Other activities completed by INTERA staff included: preparation of facility siting information; development of new security, inspection, contingency, and waste analysis plans; preparation of fault delineation information; development of new engineering reports; development of a new closure plan and associated closure cost estimates; preparation of the required financial assurance and financial disclosure information; and preparation of a preliminary review of releases from solid waste management units and/or areas of concern.  INTERA produced electronic and paper copies of the application documents for TCEQ submittal, and subsequently provided application processing support to facilitate TCEQ approval of the application. 

Results: The application was approved by the TCEQ and the hazardous waste permit was issued in December 2019.

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May 2, 2023

May 2, 2023 by

Challenge: To renew and amend a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste permit and compliance plan for a 23-acre closed hazardous waste land disposal facility.

Solution: INTERA prepared an application for renewal and major amendment of the facility’s hazardous waste permit and compliance plan. The facility is comprised of four closed hazardous waste land disposal units.  INTERA staff have been assisting with RCRA permitting, groundwater detection monitoring, groundwater compliance monitoring, site remediation and groundwater corrective actions, and other engineering and compliance related services since the 1980s.  The application preparation activities included:

  • Completion of the applicable portions of the Part A and Part B application forms and attachments 
  • Update and/or revision of the facility management plans, including personnel training plan, security plan, and inspection plan and schedule 
  • Update and/or revision of the engineering reports, including general engineering report and landfill report 
  • Update and/or revision of the post closure care plan and associated cost estimate 
  • Development of a preliminary review to address releases from solid waste management units 
  • Update and/or revision of the compliance plan portion of the application, including preparation of a Response Action Plan (RAP) to address affected groundwater at the facility

The application preparation activities included an in-depth review and incorporation of historical design and construction information, operational information, closure activities, and regulatory status for the closed land disposal units. In addition, a permitted unit was removed from the groundwater detection monitoring program, a site-specific background value was established for arsenic, concentration limits were updated for the organic monitoring parameters, and various changes were made to data evaluation procedures. Also, a compliance monitoring program was proposed for a newly confirmed release to groundwater. Additionally, the existing corrective action program was revised to establish a plume management zone, change certain alternate concentration limits, develop attenuation action levels; incorporate in-situ anaerobic bioremediation as a supplemental corrective action to enhance natural attenuation, and replace the active groundwater contaminant recovery program with a contingent program.  After submitting the application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), INTERA facilitated TCEQ approval and assisted with negotiating permit language.  

Results: The facility’s new hazardous waste permit was successfully negotiated and issued by TCEQ.  

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November 17, 2022

November 17, 2022 by

Challenge: To re-work and address TCEQ technical review comments on a permit application initially prepared by others for a new, 331-acre municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal and recycling facility.

Solution: INTERA conducted an in-depth hydrogeological investigation including monitoring well installation and sampling; prepared detailed analyses and designs for the landfill liner, leachate collection and cover systems, including an alternate liner demonstration; developed groundwater monitoring system specifications; and performed drainage studies and prepared surface water drainage system designs. We also obtained a standard air quality permit for the facility.  

Results: After a lengthy contested public hearing process during which INTERA staff provided expert testimony, TCEQ issued the MSW permit. 

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August 3, 2015 · (Updated: July 19, 2022)

August 3, 2015 by

Project-Cerro-Colorado-Landfill

Challenge. Provide routine operation and maintenance (O&M) services and other engineering and technical support to optimize collection and use of landfill gas (LFG)

Solution. Opened in 1990, the Cerro Colorado Landfill is an operating 390-acre waste disposal facility that accepts approximately 450,000 tons of residential and commercial solid waste each year. The landfill is also permitted to accept and safety dispose of petroleum contaminated soils (from oil spills, leaking storage tanks, etc.). INTERA has provided O&M services for the landfill gas collection and control system (GCCS) which is comprised of 46 LFG collection wells, a blower station, a candlestick flare, condensate recovery system, and a skid-mounted control and data storage system. Our routine work has included well field balancing to New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), flare station monitoring and maintenance, surface emission monitoring, compliance reporting, and greenhouse gas emission monitoring and reporting. INTERA staff (certified as HDPE pipe joiners) have also completed pipeline/header repairs on portions of the GCCS. As part of initiating a gas-to-energy project, the City installed a gas compression skid adjacent to the flare station. INTERA assisted in the startup and shakedown of the gas compression skid which sequesters a portion of the LFG for a gas-to-energy boiler system operating at a remote New Mexico Corrections Department facility. Over two miles of conveyance pipeline between the compression skid and the correctional facility are maintained in accordance with the New Mexico Public Relations Commission, Pipeline Safety Bureau regulations.

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August 3, 2015 · (Updated: July 19, 2022)

August 3, 2015 by

Project-San-Antonio-Landfill

Challenge. In support of the safe redevelopment of portions of this former landfill site and surrounding properties, determine depth of waste and soil cover and monitor landfill gas (LFG) within landfill buffer zone

Solution. The former San Antonio Landfill site occupies 40-acres in northeast Albuquerque that is now surrounded by residential and commercial properties. The landfill accepted municipal waste from 1968 until 1970, at which time it was capped and informally closed. Portions of the site are owned by both the City of Albuquerque and private land owners. Sale and redevelopment of the site has been challenging due to environmental and engineering concerns, including the presence of methane gas and differential settlement concerns arising from the compressibility of the underlying waste material. Despite this, significant development has occurred on the western portion of the site (including a hotel, restaurant, and the New Mexico Environment Department [NMED] District I office building). Residential neighborhoods are to the north, east, and south of the landfill. INTERA completed a Phase II site investigation consisting of a geophysical survey to estimate the depth of waste and cover across the landfill site. This included an initial ground conductivity survey over the entire site, followed by focused electromagnetic and magnetic surveys of selected areas. Resistivity soundings were also performed to provide as much data as possible. Based on data from the geophysical survey, we concluded that the depth of soil cover across the former San Antonio Landfill ranges from 2 to 6 feet, and it is very unlikely that landfill related waste will be encountered in surficial soils. In support of the site developer of the NMED District 1 office building, INTERA staff have completed additional investigations of the extent of buried waste, provided design, on-site inspection, and oversight of waste excavation and installation of a LFG abatement system, and conducted quarterly methane monitoring and reporting. For other owners and developers of properties within the LFG buffer zone of the former landfill, we have installed and monitored numerous methane monitoring wells and successfully negotiated a modification to the buffer zone boundary to support property redevelopment projects in close proximity to this former landfill.

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August 3, 2015 · (Updated: July 19, 2022)

August 3, 2015 by

Project-LA-Landfill

Challenge. Operate and maintain systems designed to protect the environment and public health from issues associated with a 77-acre former municipal landfill where over 1.5 million tons of solid waste was placed in an abandoned sand and gravel quarry between 1978 and 1983

Solution. INTERA has provided operations and maintenance (O&M) and related services for a landfill gas (LFG) extraction system and a soil vapor extraction/air injection (SVE/AI) system to address vadose zone and shallow aquifer contamination by volatile organic compounds. For the 60-well LFG extraction system, we have performed well field balancing (optimization of methane concentration), groundwater sampling, and LFG monitoring, and have maintained the blower/flare station condensate recovery system, a pilot system microturbine unit, and indoor methane detection systems. Our efforts have resulted in the LFG extraction system being operational for more than 99.9% of the time. One of our first tasks associated with the SVE/AI system involved troubleshooting injection performance which had degraded over time and could no longer support the needed extraction rate. To improve injection performance, we installed two new injection wells and upgraded components including pre-injection buffering tanks, a new pump-skid building, an injection pump system, pre-injection filters, actuated backflush and injection globe valves, flow meters, and a chemical sequestering agent delivery system. When mineral precipitant started to negatively impact extraction operations, INTERA developed and implemented a well-rehabilitation program using a mild acid and aggressive swabbing and bailing. To permanently address the clogging issue, we designed and installed a sulfuric acid delivery system for pH adjustment of the treated water. This has produced a SVE/AI system operational run time of over 99%. Beyond the routine O&M activities performed at the landfill, INTERA has responded to a number of unique and challenging issues. The perpetual decomposition of waste material causes differential settling. This issue results in unequal stresses to buried and surficial infrastructure and causes drainage issues across the site. To address this, INTERA developed a formal grading and drainage plan for the landfill and have conducted annual grading and drainage work in accordance with this plan. We have removed relic electrical infrastructure that posed a constant hazard to site workers and the public (the landfill site is used for recreational vehicle parking during the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Festival [AIBF]); developed a Public Access Plan; remedied the unequal settlement of the SVE building footings with a new foundation design that allows for adjustments to be made to the building as subsidence continues; and prepared the landfill site for the annual AIBF.

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