deliberations. To be specific, the Weston-Pirnie team presented the objectives of the RI and then discussed each of the sites separately describing the investigative approach for each  location. The overall goal of the project is to first “gather sufficient information to determine the nature and extent of MEC/MC and assess the potential risks/hazards to support the evaluation of a no further action or remedial action alternative (through a Feasibility Study).”

To sum up, the RI objectives include

conducting investigations to characterize

the following :

• MRSs (nature and extent of MEC)
• MC concentration and extent
• Risks
• MRS boundaries.

There are a total of eight munitions response sites (MRS). By far the most extensive site is that related to the 1926 explosion at Picatinny Arsenal.   The 1926 explosion site comprises an on-site area  (PICA-003-R-01) and an off-site area (PICA-004-R-01).  Most of the off-site area is situated on property currently owned by Tilcon which is actively quarrying the property.  The other MRS sites are as follows:  Shell Burial Grounds (PICA-010-R-01), Green Pond (PICA-005-R-01), Inactive Munitions Waste

CONTINUED ON P. 7

Arcadis reported at the October 7, 2010 RAB meeting that the treatment plant formerly associated with Area D groundwater treatment had been  decommissioned and disassembled during the period from June 23, 2010 to September 10, 2010. This treatment plant had formerly processed water from nearby recovery wells. The new permeable reactive barrier (PRB)

that was constructed beneath the golf course appears to be successfully treating VOC-contaminated groundwater passively. The Army had requested that the remedial design stipulate a treatment plant removal option. Its removal was agreed to - pending demonstration of the PRB’s successful operation. When the PRB was constructed the treatment plant had been “mothballed”

temporarily in the event that the PRB failed and groundwater pumping would need to be reinstituted.  That day never came and therefore the treatment plant was permanently dismantled.  The building that once housed the carbon filtration units is now used as storage and office space.

Say goodbye to the treatment plant

PAERAB MEMBERSHIP UPDATES

At the October 7, 2010 meeting of the PAERAB Mr. Chris Dour was  unanimously confirmed as its newest member. The board welcomed Mr. Dour who will serve as Denville Township’s official representative to the PAERAB now that Mr. Robert Crothers had retired after many years of dedicated service to the board as Denville’s official representative. Mr. Crothers, who had represented

Denville since the PAERAB’s inception, had announced his intention to retire during the board’s October 29, 2009 meeting - despite effusive praise from both PAERAB Co-chairmen and also from Denville’s Mayor P. Ted Hussa who was in attendance. Mr. Dour who had attended several PAERAB meetings in previous years was subsequently nominated by Mayor Hussa to serve as his community’s

representative Mr. Glaab offers the following comments:

“We welcome Mr. Dour and we are truly appreciative of Mayor Hussa’s interest in the environmental remediation effort at Picatinny Arsenal. We are also profoundly grateful to Mr. Crothers for his  extensive service to the arsenal’s cleanup effort. Indeed, Bob Crothers’ able participation extends back to

the  early stages of the

Technical Review Committee, the

precursor to the PAERAB. As a retired former employee at the arsenal Mr. Crothers is especially knowledgeable about its activities. He consistently expressed a preference for  contaminant removal. Mr. Crothers’ insightful and informed contributions to our deliberations will be missed. ”