Projects

Project Description

Comprehensive Environmental Inc. (CEI) is the principal environmental engineer working for the Department of Conservation & Recreation to reclaim unused industrial land for an expansion of Boston’s Emerald Necklace Parklands. The area was historically used by a Boston & Maine railyard, and contained a high degree of fill material and lead contamination. The cleanup and development of North Point Park will help create the New Charles River Basin, linking the Charles River Reservation with Boston Harbor. The overall plan includes 40 acres of new parks, shoreline restoration and many miles of new pedestrian and bicycle pathways. North Point Park, located across from the Museum of Science, includes the reclamation of nine acres of land and is a major link to the overall restoration plan.

The concept of developing such a parcel into an unrestricted park land represented a significant technical challenge. CEI conducted a detailed Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) and conducted a human health risk assessment to help develop site specific engineered mitigation measures and standards for the carcinogenic PAHs and lead contamination.We then developed construction alternatives on how the remedial actions could be implemented as part of the parks construction. CEI worked with MassDEP to develop new policies associated with direct contact soils to supplement existing regulations governing soils beneath buildings, roadways, and walkways. Additionally, CEI worked with DEP to help develop new asbestos remediation standards based on past scientific studies and risk assessment data. CEI completed the remedial design and prepared bid specifications and construction drawing that directed the excavation of approximately 64,000 cubic yards of material required to construct the $28 million park. CEI was also responsible for the construction oversight of the remedial action for this site. These efforts ultimately led to more than a $4 million savings to the client.