Bergen County Riverside Park

Dresdner Robin was contracted by the Bergen County Department of Parks to assist with taking the property through the NJDEP’s Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) requirements to obtain a Response Action Outcome (RAO) for the entire park. The RAO would allow the County to be reimbursed by the Green Acres Program for planned park improvements. Dresdner Robin provided LSRP and consulting environmental services for the project.
Dresdner Robin conducted a site inspection and records review to produce a Preliminary Assessment Report (PAR) in compliance with NJDEP rules and regulations. The PAR determined the potential Areas of Concern (AOCs) at the site and recommended further investigation. Soil and groundwater investigations were conducted to determine if any of the AOCs may have impacted soil or groundwater. Historic Fill Material (HFM) was identified throughout most of the site and the results of the HFM investigation determined that HFM above the NJDEP’s SRS was present under much of the park.

To minimize the areas that require remediation, Dresdner Robin applied Compliance Averaging using Spatially Weighted Averaging (SWA) to the site. The method required coordination with NJDEP staff to develop project specific approaches since HFM AOCs are not covered by NJDEP guidance. Dresdner Robin worked with the NJDEP to develop Site-Specific Alternative Remediation Standards (ARS) for recreational use, develop appropriately sized Functional Areas (FAs) required for SWA, and develop the appropriate number of data points to evaluate each functional area.

Thiessen Polygons were created using GIS to spatially represent samples within each FA. Contaminants of concern (COCs) were evaluated to determine which polygon required remediation so that the average concentrations within the FA were below the ARS. This process was repeated for each COC above the ARS and a map of polygons that required remediation was generated. The proposed remedial action for each of these polygons is the use of surficial caps, either in the form of newly placed clean fill or the use of existing or proposed park improvements.

Dresdner Robin worked with the County, the County’s design engineer, and the County’s construction management firm to develop design drawings and specifications to incorporate the environmental requirements of the project into the park improvements project. This coordination also included assistance with obtaining Land Use Permits (LUP) to allow the remediation work to be completed within a Flood Hazard Area (FHA).

The next phase of the project will include proposed contractor bid document reviews, construction oversight, post construction document review, and submittal of remedial phase reports to the NJDEP by the LSRP of record.

Services Provided:

• Preliminary Assessment
• Soil & Groundwater Investigations
• Remedial Design via Spatially Weighted Averagin
• Construction Bid Documents