By Juan Lopez 0 Comments

Newburgh Enlarged Central School District

The City of Newburgh School District is an expanded district that encompasses two adjacent towns. As a result of the aged facility inventory and magnet school educational approach, the consolidation of some schools and the expansion of others to accommodate the student population have required significant infrastructure upgrades. Tectonic provided a variety of services for improvements at 10 different schools in the City of Newburgh, Newburgh, and Town of New Windsor.

Services performed in connection with two separate bond referenda included: value engineering, boundary/topographic surveys, geotechnical/pavement investigations, site plans for SED approval (involving idrainage, grading, roadways, circulation, safety, parking lots, sidewalks, retaining walls, potable water, irrigation, and sanitary sewer), athletic facilities (two NFHS polyurethane-bound rubber running tracks, softball, multi-purpose fields, tennis courts), and SPDES stormwater compliance.

At three schools, the condition/safety of the roadways and parking lots was dramatically improved through the reconfiguration and reconstruction of discrete bus loading areas, separated parent drop-off locations, and new access roadways.

By Juan Lopez 0 Comments

Wireless Infrastructure Environmental Support Services

Tectonic has worked with multiple telecommunications service providers throughout the United States offering environmental compliance support services.  Services included preliminary research, consultations, project-specific field studies and regulatory permitting. Recent projects include:

  • Verizon Wireless Phase I / II ESAs, ACM/LBP, NEPA, Various Locations in Northeast, Mid- Atlantic, Midwest, & South – These projects involved the construction and collocation of wireless communication towers and antennae. Responsibilities include performing and reviewing Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), Phase II ESA, reviews of historic records and government database records, Environmental Data Report (EDR) review, and report preparation. Further responsibilities include reviews of LBP and ACM test results, Limited Site Assessments, completion of a NEPA Checklist Report and Section 106 Consultation.
  • Crown Castle, NEPA and Section 106 Reviews, Northwestern, US – Tectonic performed NEPA and Section 106 Reviews, including tribal consultation for cellular collocation installations to existing telecommunications towers. These services were performed in Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
  • Delaware County Emergency Radio Communication Center, Environmental Review Services – Tectonic provided Environmental Review and Due Diligence Services involving the construction, rehabilitation, modification, and expansion of the Delaware County Emergency Radio Communications System at multiple locations within Delaware County. These services were performed in accordance with applicable state and federal laws in addition to regulation pertaining to the protection of environmental and historic resources. These services included the completion of Section 106 Consultation, Visual EAF Addendum and Visual Resource Assessment, Long Environmental Assessment Form, V Homeland Security (FEMA) Form 024-0-1, Phase I ESA, Phase I A/B Archaeological Investigations, Vegetation and Wildlife Report and Species-Specific Wildlife Investigations.
  • Verizon Wireless, NEPA Review, Clarksville, NY – This project involved the construction of a raw land telecommunications tower. Tectonic conducted a Phase IA background and literature search which identified a small pre-contact site.  Project redesign accomplished archaeological site preservation while allowing the project to move forward and complete a full NEPA.
  • Verizon Wireless, NEPA Review. Virgil, Los Angeles, CA. – This project involved the collocation of telecommunications antennae to a National Register Listed building. Tectonic provided an architectural historian review, SHPO approval, tribal consolation, and prepared the final NEPA report.
  • Crown Castle, Section 106 Review, Lake St. Clair, WA. – This project involved the collocation of telecommunications antennae to an existing telecommunications monopole with a Section 106 consultation and final report production.
  • Radio Communications of Virginia, Phase I ESA and NEPA Review, Lancaster, VA – This project involved the construction of a raw land telecommunications tower. Tectonic conducted a Phase I ESA, SHPO and tribal consultation, Phase I Archaeological Survey, species review and the completion of a full NEPA report.
By Juan Lopez 0 Comments

Orange County Environmental On-Calls Wetlands & Rare Species

Wetlands provide many beneficial functions to the environment and people of NY.  This includes flood protection, erosion control, pollution reduction and providing valuable habitat for rare and endangered species.  Protecting these wetlands is vital for preventing habitat loss and maintaining the health of the environment.

For three (3) consecutive years, Tectonic’s Environmental Department has been designated to provide a one (1) year term contract for on-call freshwater wetlands and threatened and endangered consulting services to the Orange County Department of Public Works (OCDPW) for various projects involving federal and state freshwater wetlands regulated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Contract services include wetlands investigations, delineations, reporting, permitting, regulatory consultation, and mitigation design/monitoring on a project‐by-project basis throughout Orange County.

Tectonic’s wetlands consulting services is assisting the OCDPW with project development during environmental impact assessment activities in connection with the with State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process, pursuant to Articles 24/15 and 6NYCRR- Part 182  of the New York State (NYS) Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) and Sections 404/401 of the Clean Water Act.

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NY Wheel ACM Exposure Assessment

The New York Wheel is a 630-foot Ferris Wheel under construction which is located on the waterfront of St. George, Staten Island. The NY Wheel is expected to become one of New York City’s and the world’s greatest landmark attractions with a projected 3.5 million visitors a year. The wheel will be the largest in the world consisting of 36 passenger capsules, each carrying up to 40 passengers, and a maximum capacity of 1,440 people per ride that will provide extraordinary views of the Manhattan Skyline.

Tectonic’s environmental team provided asbestos exposure assessment services during the pile driving operations at the early construction phase conducted at the site of this future exciting world attraction.

The construction is expected to create approximately 600 permanent jobs as well as 350 union construction jobs.

By Juan Lopez 0 Comments

GOSR ER Contract

The effects of 2012 Superstorm Sandy, were devastating, causing widespread damage to lives, homes and businesses. Fourteen counties were declared Federal disaster areas where as many as 300,000 housing units were left damaged. Through CDBG-DR funds provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban development, NYS developed a Storm Recovery Plan that focused principally on meeting the immediate needs for housing and business assistance in the communities affected by the recent storms.

Tectonic has been providing environmental services for homes and small businesses on State Island and Upstate New York that have been included in the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery’s programs. This includes complete environmental review (SEQR, HUD NEPA, Phase I), permitting (SPDES, NYSDEC Wetlands, USACE), and construction monitoring (wetlands) services.

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Freshkills Landfill Owl Hollow Fields

Formerly the world’s largest landfill, Freshkills was transformed into today’s Freshkills Park, the largest park developed in New York City in over 100 years.  In addition to providing a park with a wide range of recreational opportunities, including Owl Hollow Fields, the park’s design, environmental restoration and educational programming accentuate sustainability and a transformed public awareness regarding human impact on the earth.  As part of the reconstruction, Owl Hollow Fields includes four synthetic turf soccer fields and LEED gold-certified facilities.

Tectonic was selected as the NYSDEC Independent Environmental Monitor for the remedial capping of an 11 acre PCB and solid waste contaminated site, which is regulated under NYSDEC 6 NYCRR Part 360 regulations. Tectonic’s responsibilities included overseeing the remedial removal of PCB contaminated soil hotspots, monitoring soil excavations and fill placement activities, preparing reports summarizing site monitoring activities for submittal to the NYSDEC and providing public education.

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Con Edison Waste Characterization

ConEd’s Eastview Service Center in Valhalla, NY underwent improvements which involved the removal of underground fuel tanks. These tanks consisted of one 4,000 gallon underground diesel fuel tank and one 10,000 gallon gasoline tank in addition to associated fuel islands and piping systems.

Tectonic performed a subsurface investigation, boring inspection and chemical analysis of subsurface samples prior to the commencement of work. Soil samples were analyzed for the following:

  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by EPA Method 8260
  • Semivolatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) by EPA Method 8270
  • Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons-Diesel Range Organics (TPH-DRO) by EPA Method 8015C
  • Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons-Gasoline Range Organics (TPH-GRO) by EPA Method 8260C

Tectonic also performed Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) in the area of two historic Underground Storage Tanks (USTs).

In the second phase of the subsurface investigation, Tectonic installed two groundwater monitoring wells and performed a slug-in test to evaluate the subsurface hydrogeology.  Tectonic also collected groundwater samples for laboratory analysis.

Tectonic presented the Client with recommendations based on findings of the environmental investigation and the results of analytical testing.

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Child Care Center (CCC) Outdoor Play Area (OPA) Testing and Remediation

This project resulted from renovation work, involving exterior building envelope restoration work, that caused Poly-Chlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) -laden debris (in the form of waste caulk) to fall throughout the Federal courthouse plaza, including into the playground of the employee’s day care center. This project had a sensitive population at risk, and numerous concerned parties. The falling debris resulted in site-wide contamination above background levels and both state and Federal regulatory triggers. The regulatory framework included satisfying New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and Federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) clean-up requirements simultaneously.

Tectonic provided reviews, inspection, and testing services to delineate the extent of residual PCBs. The site is located within a Federal compound of a large city; this, and the security issues made the Remedial Investigation (RI) a challenge. Tectonic also ensured the testing regimens conformed to the TSCA evaluation procedures and all samples were analyzed at a NJ-authorized contract laboratory. Tectonic delineated the horizontal and vertical extent of PCBs in the soil and unitary play surface.

Jersey City Board of Education
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Jersey City BOE On-Call Services

Tectonic has been retained by the Jersey City Board of Education (JCBOE) to provide professional environmental engineering services on an as-needed basis.

  • Review and evaluate previous lead in water testing, reports, etc. as well as remediation activities & recommendations for appropriate courses of action,on a case-by-case basis.
  • Review NJDEP correspondence for UST issues and respond.
  • Recertification of soil Deed Notices (DN or Activity Use Limitation,(AUL) and Groundwater Classification Exemption Areas.
  • Remedial Action Permitting (RAP) of soil & groundwater; Indoor Air Quality including Mold.
  • Other environmental services as needed.

A combination of aging infrastructure & facilities in conjunction with a multitude of construction projects underway has resulted in the need for environmental services not anticipated; Tectonic filled the need for professional attendance and advice.