SKA was retained by a private developer to conduct environmental investigations and remediation activities on the former Affordable Feed & Tack property located in Houston, Harris County, Texas.  The site formerly operated as a portion of a large railroad yard from the early 1900s to late 1960s and more recently as a retail feed and tack facility.  An underground storage tank (UST) system was utilized by the feed and tack facility for fleet fueling.

Initial subsurface investigations conducted by SKA identified organic and inorganic impacts to soil and shallow groundwater at the site.  Subsequently, the site was entered into the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) to obtain a final Certificate of Completion for residential land use.  Cleanup of the site was conducted under the TCEQ Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP – 30 TAC § 350) and Petroleum Storage Tank (PST – 30 TAC § 334) rules.  Site investigations were supported with the installation and sampling of more than 150 soil borings and 12 permanent groundwater monitoring wells.  Fifteen areas of concern consisting of organic and inorganic impacts to soil were identified on the site.  Petroleum hydrocarbon impacts resulting from a release from the on-site UST system were identified in shallow groundwater beneath the site.

Remediation activities included removal (excavation) of impacted soil from the 15 areas of concern, the collection and laboratory analysis of 158 confirmation soil samples, proper waste classification of 14 soil stockpiles, off-site disposal of approximately 1,200 cubic yards of impacted soil, and site restoration (backfilling and grading).  Quarterly groundwater monitoring and sampling activities were conducted to verify plume stability and request closure.  SKA prepared a Response Action Completion Report (RACR) and a Site Closure Request form to summarize the remediation activities and request closure.  The TCEQ VCP issued a final Certificate of Completion for residential land use in March 2009 for the site.