Management of low priority sites presents some interesting questions. Firstly, what defines a low priority site (both within and outside the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan context)? These could include sites that may seem innocuous based on their small size or remote location, and consequently seem to represent a “low priority” for assessment. Secondly, how do you ensure that potentially significant environmental impacts or risk associated with these sites are addressed, especially when a portfolio of these sites could number into the hundreds or thousands? And how do you achieve this in a fiscally responsible way?

SNC-Lavalin has worked on several examples of such “low priority” sites. Fisheries and Oceans Canada manage over 600 minor shore lights, and the Water Survey of Canada on behalf of Environment Canada and Climate Change manage over 1,000 hydrometric stations in the Pacific Region alone. The common characteristics of these sites include typically small footprints, isolated locations, presence over large geographical areas, and limited potential environmental issues. Although these sites may seem to individually represent a low priority, some individual sites may have site specific environmental concerns representative of higher risk situations that need to be addressed. Accordingly, a process was needed to identify those sites. A strategy was implemented that allowed for rapid assessment of many smaller low priority sites in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner to assess the risk associated with potential contamination, and to prioritize these sites for future assessment/remediation as necessary. While the specific scope associated with each program was different, the fundamental approach to assessment was similar. These sites could not be feasibly assessed in a traditional manner, and a framework was required that would further allow for prioritization of work.

The simplified approaches to initial site assessment activities implemented for these programs resulted in the successful handling of a large number of sites in a relatively short period of time, where conventional approaches would have been both time and financially impractical. The approach subsequently allowed for prioritization of further work to a more manageable number of sites based on identified level of risk. This allowed custodians to make informed decisions on efficient use of funds and resources to address and minimize potential environmental concerns related with these sites.

Meredith Guest, Project Manager, SNC-Lavalin Inc.
Meredith Guest is a professional engineer with experience in environmental site assessment (ESA) including Phase 1/2 ESAs; Stage 1/2 preliminary site investigations; detailed site investigations; remedial action planning, implementation; and, risk management planning. She has expertise in remediation construction planning, tendering, project and contract management, and remediation construction closure under federal (Canadian Standards Association, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) and provincial (BC Contaminated Sites Regulation) regulatory frameworks. As a Project Manager and PMP, she is responsible for overall supervision of projects including management of multidisciplinary teams, supervision of intermediate technical staff, providing specialized advice on contaminated sites assessment and remediation planning and design as well as providing quality assurance components. In addition to project management, her involvement in projects has included coordination of field staff, contractors and subconsultants, data reduction and interpretation, and technical reporting and review. Meredith’s project experience includes various industrial and commercial facilities including sawmills, electrical substations, airports, highway maintenance yards, light stations, hatchery sites, small craft harbours, military bases and retail service stations. Meredith also has extensive assessment, remedial planning and remediation experience in remote site work.

Large contaminated sites involve an intricate progression of technical services to achieve the remedial goals of the owner. All sites are required to progress through the identification stage, often referred to as the assessment stage, development of a remedial action plan, remediation design, and, ultimately, remediation implementation and monitoring. In many instances, these stages of remediation planning take place within a start finish relationship over a period of time allowing the completion of one stage prior to the onset of the next stage.

On very large sites or multi-location contaminated site programs there is often a need to accelerate the remediation process to run concurrently with the other stages. This usually sees larger sites divided into smaller projects or properties grouped within the same program.

This approach allows the remediation construction process to begin within some areas of the site of program whilst other locations are still in early stages of the remediation process.

This methodology is very effective for aligning within a defined funding window and/or maintaining a defined schedule. It does, however, present logistic challenges for implementers. Often the responsible agency will have the same or multiple firms working on different stages/projects within the program, creating logistic challenges for stakeholders.

This presentation will detail the successful development of a customized management approach for large scale remediation projects and/or programs utilizing through “design thinking.” This considers key components of project deliverables including the need for maintained and monitored real time earned value management. This approach integrates a real or near real time reporting dashboard to assure parties are fully informed and dialed into site-wide undertakings. Specialized focus is given to the sensitivities and needs of all stakeholders, with specific measurement and reporting mechanisms available to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders, including the implementing bodies, contractors, regulatory agencies and special interest groups, are receiving the information required to assure confidence in project delivery aligned with program requirements and deliverables. Looking towards the future and the continuance of the digital age the program management approach has embraces the utilization of digital technologies with both current and emerging management tools and technologies. These tools allow incorporation of a real time interface into the daily undertakings of projects. Items such as a real time presence on sites through live stream technologies, ongoing 360° camera which offers the user the ability to look at a specific are of site from any location (with internet) on the planet. These approaches allow for expansion of the program players beyond local areas, thereby increasing communication and ultimately the understanding of project progress. Ultimately this approach will look into the future of how technology will change the way we undertake out projects from the onset through completion in the digital age.

Three project examples will be presented in which these approaches have been utilized in both Canada and the United States.

Martin Gavin, Director of Government Programs, Arcadis Canada Inc.
Martin Gavin is a Graduate of Dalhousie University (Nee Technical University of Nova Scotia) and Saint Mary’s University. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology before changing his career Path to Engineering. Martin is a registered Professional Engineer in NWT, NU, NL, NB and of course his home Province of Nova Scotia.

Beginning his career as a Highway Engineer and Regulator for the province of Nova Scotia he moved to the Federal Government and quickly became and Environmental Remediation Specialist on the Devco Mine Closure Program, Gagetown Sustainable Development Program, and Sydney Tar Ponds. In 2008 Martin moved to Yellowknife to become the Manager of the Giant Mine Remediation program until 2011.

Moving to consulting in 2011 Martin was a Senior Engineer for AMEC (now Wood) as well as the National Director of Government services for Canada. In 2016 Martin transitioned to Arcadis Canada Inc. as the Director of Government Programs and where he currently leads the national government portfolio including the Canadian Nuclear Labs program in Port Hope.

Martin’s project teams have received multiple Deputy Minister awards and he has been personally recognized in government and in the private sector for his leadership in environmental programs and projects.

Federal contaminated sites management, as has traditionally been undertaken as part of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan program, can present some challenges to program efficiencies and resulting effective outcomes. Current approaches may be limited by funding, contracting and resource allocation constraints, which can result in large-scale complex contaminated site issues being treated and managed in a less effective silo fashion. The generation of more effective solutions and site management strategies requires consideration of the overall site setting as a whole, including all potential sources (both on-site and upgradient off-site); all current and future land uses and potential receptors and exposure pathways; all impacted media; all involved stakeholders; and, potential limits and constraints resulting from site uses, site users and existing infrastructure. Silo management, only considering specific issues, contaminants, or physical limits within a large-scale complex site in isolation of other influencing factors (i.e., potential risk arising from co-mingled on and off site plumes, analysis tailored to only assess one suite of contaminants of concern and not considering more which may be present), precludes the generation of more robust and synergistic solutions, resulting in less favourable outcomes for long-term site management and achievement of the overall program goals for all stakeholders involved.

This presentation features a case study discussing an alternative holistic management approach to address a chlorinated solvent (DNAPL) plume in fractured bedrock at CFB Trenton. Due to the physical site setting, nature of the contaminants of concern, impacts arising from the contaminated plume and impacted media, co-mingling of potential sources, socioeconomic and political considerations and the involvement of various stakeholders, the most effective long-term management solution for the site will require consideration of multiple concurrent components. Considering the contaminated site holistically has allowed for the development of a stepwise site assessment program that has been tailored to inform the development of a detailed conceptual site model in tandem with a detailed quantitative risk assessment, groundwater treatment system specification, and future updated remedial options analysis. In this way, the identified potential risk to site users and receptors has been used to direct the subsequent supplemental field programs and investigations to address data gaps, which in turn has allowed for the prioritization of data and field programs to best support the finalization of the conceptual site model, confirmation of potential unacceptable risk to receptors and feasible remedial options. Considering the site contamination and potential adverse impacts as a whole will allow for more robust and favourable solutions for the long-term management of the site.

Su-Kim Roy, Senior Project Manager and Environmental Engineer, Environmental Services Group, Stantec Consulting Limited
Su-Kim Roy is a Senior Project Manager and Environmental Engineer in the Environmental Services group in Ottawa with over 20 years of experience in the environmental consulting field. Su-Kim is the Ontario Region Lead for Stantec Consulting Limited’s Federal Sector Team and has managed and been the primary environmental engineer or contaminant hydrogeologist on many projects for public sector clients including Public Services and Procurement Canada (National Capital and Ontario Regions), Defence Construction Canada, National Capital Commission, National Research Council, Natural Resources Canada, Canada Post and the City of Ottawa. Projects have included large multi-disciplinary teams providing technical expertise and support to complete Phase I/II/III environmental site assessments, data gap analysis, remediation programs, remedial options analysis, remediation design / specifications, tender and construction support, conceptual site models, risk assessments, and risk management plans at various federal sites across Canada.