Credentials & Past Projects

Client: Lumber Company

Location: Cascade Locks, OR

Timeline: 2007 – Present

Former lumber mill site in the Columbia River Gorge – High profile, highly complex site where Alpha performed Phase I and Phase II ESAs, project design, management and cleanup including; soil and groundwater testing, geophysical survey, risk assessment, impacted soil removal, Phase I and II Ecological Studies, groundwater quarterly monitoring, sediment studies in river, and assessment of numerous environmental issues (USTs, septic tanks, lead, asbestos, on-site well). Alpha provided project management that included demolition and disposal of buildings and concrete/asphalt surfaces, and then returning the land to a natural state.  Alpha is the lead company in liaising between the lumber company, the Port, associated attorneys, DEQ, Fish and Wildlife, Native American Tribes and other agencies and groups involved or concerned with development along the Columbia River.  We are currently in the process of requesting No Further Action from the DEQ allowing for future development.

Client: Michael Niemet P.E, CH2M HILL

Location: Roswell, NM

Timeline: 2010 – Present

Phillip Brewer is the project manager overseeing the engineering, design, and installation of a vapor reduction system in Roswell, New Mexico at an EPA Superfund Site.  Alpha is working with the EPA and CH2MHILL in developing and implementing a pilot project to address volatilization from high concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) into buildings.  The success of this project has far exceeded any predictions and Alpha under the direction of Mr Brewer has been asked to be involved in projects in California (an overturned train with a cargo of solvents), spill of a tanker in Wyoming, and a superfund site in Chicago.  This project and Alpha’s work, in particular, was the subject of a national environmental professionals conference hosted by CH2MHILL. Currently, the project in New Mexico is ahead of schedule and is expected to be operational in November 2012.

Client: Dan Slevin, Capacity Commercial Group

Location: Portland, OR

Timeline: 2011

Alpha conducted extensive assessment activities for this local foundry located within the Portland Harbor Superfund Site area of potential responsible party contribution.  Numerous issues were present including metals in soil, PCB contamination, and leaking underground storage tanks.  Alpha was able to address all these concerns and received No Further Action status for several of these confirmed releases, all within a 60 day period of time allowing for a successful property transaction. The project was coordinated by Phillip Brewer and Jim Cooper.

Client: Automotive Dealership 

Location: Gladstone, OR

Timeline: 2007

Project design, management and cleanup of a large automobile dealership in Gladstone, Oregon.  Alpha performed the initial Phase I ESA and discovered this was the former site of a large chemical distribution facility (Carolina Chemical).  The subsequent Phase II ESA performed by Alpha determined chemicals associated with the former distribution facility and petroleum products that migrated from the shop through the sump, have heavily impacted shallow groundwater, including impacting an on-site creek and nearby wetlands.  Alpha is currently working closely with the owner and DEQ to address all concerns regarding this highly complex site including soil and groundwater sampling, quarterly monitoring, ecological impact study, as well as migration of contaminants through a complex stormwater drainage system underground.  The original Phase I ESA was completed by Joe Jensen in 2007, and the project has since been handled by Phillip Brewer and Jim Cooper.

Client: Neil Fernando

Location: Portland, OR

Alpha provided Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) services for a commercial property in NE Portland. After completing the Phase I ESA, an abandoned underground heating oil tank, abandoned drywell, and suspect asbestos were identified in the building. For the Phase II ESA, the heating oil tank and drywell were both decommissioned, and an asbestos survey determined that there was not any asbestos present. Resulting from Alpha’s thorough investigation on the heating oil tank and drywell, Alpha was able to submit a report and receive No Further Action Letters (NFA’s) for both the tank and drywell within 48 hours of submittal. The rapid site closure and receipt of the NFA’s allowed the client to complete the property transaction the same week.

Client: Gas Station

Location: Gresham, OR

Timeline: March – October 2011

Based on Phase I site investigation recommendations, during a refinancing of the gas station property, the lender requested the property owner to collect subsurface soil and groundwater samples in the area around the tank nest, dispenser area and piping. Concerns were also related to potential contamination migrating from the upgradient, adjacent historic wrecking yard. This assessment included the advancement of several shallow soil borings to collect soil and groundwater samples and to collect soil-gas samples inside the building to assess the level of volatilization to indoor air. Alpha prepared a conceputual site model, performed a groundwater assessment in the area, and reviewed chemical data. In spite of being a currently operated gas station, our scope of work was able to be conducted with minimal impact to business, which functioned normally during our on-site investigation. All constituents of concern were compared to the DEQ risk-based concentrations and results indicate values are below the applicable RBCs for all exposure pathways. The analytical results for the soil-gas showed detections for volatile organic compounds, which were concluded to be below RBCs for vapor intrusion.

Client: Commercial Property

Location: Sherwood, OR

Rodolfo Gomez conducted a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment on a property in downtown Sherwood which identified a closed Leaking Underground Storage Tank file on a tank which had been closed by a company which had gone out of business. Additionally, the company which provided site closure services did not properly assess the tank and did not account for the high groundwater table which exists on the property.  As a result, the file was reopened, and Alpha was contracted to perform site closure services.  Due to the close proximity of the tank to the City of Sherwood Right-of-Way, and extensive excavation activities, Traffic Control and Permitting was required for the site work to be performed. Alpha also provided a flat-rate bid approximately half the price of other entities which bid on the project. During the excavation, it was discovered that contamination migrated under the building.  To prevent significant settling and damage to the building, careful compaction and high-grade fill was used for backfill.  The excavation was only open for less than a week, and normal activities in the building were allowed during this project. The full site closure took approximately two months from initial Phase I initiation to completion of the heating oil tank closure.  The heating oil tank aspects of the project took less than one month.

With the roadway traffic properly controlled, our team harnessed in and enclosed the area surrounding the pipe with a barrier to prevent any potential asbestos containing debris from falling into the river. They then used water to loosen the asbestos containing insulation wrap from around the pipe. Piece by piece, using wet methods, our team properly removed, double 6 mil bagged, labeled and properly disposed of the asbestos containing material. Asbestos abatement performed properly and without impact to nature.