Case Studies: Successful and Unsuccessful Redevelopment of Contaminated Sites - Urban Watersheds: Geology, Contamination, and Sustainable Development - page 463

14
CaseStudies:SuccessfulandUnsuccessful
Redevelop mentofContaminatedSites
14.1 Introduction
There are several reasons for the selection of the six case studies presented in this chapter.
The primary reason is to provide students, professionals, organizations, policy makers, and
concerned individuals with real-world examples of the interactions between geology and
contamination at the site scale. Reviewing these cases illustrates why the effective applica-
tion of sound science in the form of geologic theory and practice and the knowledge of
contaminant characteristics are critical to successful site planning and future pollution pre-
vention efforts. Moreover, the lessons outlined here and throughout this topic can be suc-
cessfully applied to future urban planning projects within the framework of a watershed
approach at broader geographic scales. Since land represents 90%-95% of the surface area of
urban watersheds, achieving sustainability requires effective land use planning at the sites
within the watershed coupled with measures designed to prevent pollution from those sites.
Another important reason behind the selection of these case studies is their representa-
tiveness—they capture significant amounts of variation in terms of urban geology and con-
tamination. What they have in common is their location within heavily urbanized areas of
the United States, and all were, or are, brownfield sites occupied by light or heavy manufac-
turing activities. In addition, all are located near large surface water bodies or rivers. Their
variability is expressed by their size, length of operation, geological environment, and con-
taminants of concern (COC). In terms of size, they range from less than 1 ha (2 ac) to more
than 114 ha (250 ac). Operational histories range from less than 35 years to nearly 250 years.
The geology beneath each site consists of unconsolidated sedimentary deposits encompass-
ing thicknesses from less than 15 m (50 ft) to more than 305 m (1000 ft), with origins from gla-
cial, alluvial, fluvial, and lacustrine geological processes. Their COC represent a broad array
including Light Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPLs), Dense Nonaqueous Phase Liquids
(DNAPLs), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Polycyclic or Polynuclear Aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), SVOCs, and several heavy metals
(arsenic, cadmium, copper, chromium VI, lead, manganese, nickel, and mercury).
Each study has been rigorously performed and is a matter of public record (Rogers et al.
2006). The lessons learned are summarized at the end of each case study.
14.2 Case Study 1: Michigan
Case Study 1 is located in an urban area in Michigan (MDNRE 2010). It is an idle brownfield
site. According to available records, it was first developed as a furniture manufacturing