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Large areas of the 100+ year old site were man-made consisting of fill materials placed in Lake Michigan. Hydrogeology was complicated by strong Lake hydrodynamic influences on the saturated zone. BBJ Group professionals designed and installed free product recovery wells with hydrophobic coatings for product separation and air-drive pumps. Within six months, free product in an area impacted by heavy fuel was reduced to a sheen.
Large parts of a century-old facility were man-made, consisting of fill materials placed in Lake Michigan. Free petroleum product was present beneath parts of the site, necessitating RCRA cleanup.
BBJ Group professionals were responsible for designing and installing systems for free product recovery. Within six months, free product in an area impacted by heavy fuel was reduced from 1.5 feet thick on the water table to only a sheen.
Property transfer due diligence identified several solid waste management units that warranted RCRA Corrective Action before closing.
The USEPA required site investigation, cleanup, and closure. Subsequent BBJ Group investigations identified the extent of impact, determined the geologic conditions controlling migration, and evaluated potential consequences of stormwater runoff. BBJ Group is currently conducting post-closure activities.
A former naval station was reopened to residential and other uses. According to the federal and state agencies, groundwater at the site was potentially impacted with substances known to cause cancer and other illnesses.
BBJ Group defined cleanup standards based on human health risk assessment data considering “central tendency” and “reasonable maximum exposure” scenarios. The Client assessed development strategies based on these risk evaluations.
BBJ Group found elevated levels of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons at a Client’s property. Risk and liability were complicated as the Client was not the current owner, contamination extended off-site, and most of the contamination was in a wooded area.
The Client received state approval for voluntary site cleanup and closure under agency supervision. Based on BBJ Group recommendations, the closure strategy saved the Client more than $450,000.
BBJ Group provided decommissioning services for several former cathode ray tube manufacturing facilities. This entailed day-to-day contractor procurement and management; environmental, health, and safety planning and compliance; permitting; and decommissioning; negotiations with local and state regulators; compliance reporting; and Client representation during negotiations with potential buyers. Some of the sites were closed under state voluntary cleanup programs; others were engaged in remediation under RCRA.
BBJ Group provided a team of outsourced H & S professionals to a manufacturing facility with almost 3,000 employees. BBJ Group conducted a gap analysis of H & S programs at the facility, and developed a Corrective Action / Preventive Action (CAPA) Plan to resolve over two dozen priority items in a period of three to six months. BBJ Group closed out CAPA tasks, and prepared JSAs and PPE assessments for over 75 job roles.
BBJ Group assisted with the remediation of a contaminated manufacturing property. Preliminary estimates to meet site-wide state objectives were several million dollars.
Through risk assessment and chemical fate and transport modeling, BBJ Group demonstrated that only some the site required remediation. BBJ Group recommended engineered barriers to address vapor intrusion and worker safety concerns, and also showed that large building dimensions would lead to rapid dissipation of vapor intrusion risks.
The Client owned a paint manufacturing plant in which wastes historically migrated offsite. The municipality proposed to redevelop adjoining properties so a strategy was necessary to relocate operation and clean up pollution in order to construct residential properties.
BBJ Group conducted studies to develop site-specific groundwater cleanup objectives. The strategy reduced site liability by more than $3 million in a financial settlement and accelerated site occupancy.
BBJ Group oversaw the demolition of a former check processing center under the State of Illinois’ Site Remediation Program. Site activities included a Phase II subsurface investigation and asbestos abatement, and underground storage tank removal. BBJ Group also managed the excavation and offsite disposal of petroleum-impacted soil. “No Further Action” status was assigned to the site and the Client has since redeveloped the site for residential and commercial use.
BBJ Group assisted its Client in defense of a claim for Superfund cost recovery. The site was a landfill filled with hazardous waste generated by the Client and its business partner, the Plaintiff. Once the landfill was identified as a Superfund site, the Plaintiff took responsibility in response to EPA orders for compliance. Work focused on reconstructing knowledge and decision history, and this information was provided to counsel, who argued for a settlement saving the Client over $6 million.
BBJ Group assessed potential emissions for a global electronics manufacturer that was constructing a new facility to replace an existing facility. The company initially anticipated needing a minor source permit, but BBJ Group’s recommendations regarding process changes allowed the new facility to remain within the state’s permit-by-rule framework. This allowed the facility to come on-line earlier than anticipated.
In a project to assess agricultural wetlands in a metropolitan region, BBJ Group utilized benefit transfer, an analysis method that transfers benefits from similar, existing case studies to the site in question. This combines econometrics, landscape ecology, and GIS to assign dollar values to ecosystem function. The final product could be used to target areas for wetland protection and restoration where they would have the most financial impact.
One of BBJ Group’s clients is a Fortune 500 diverse company for which we have worked with to prepare liability reserve obligations under SEC Regulation S-K. BBJ Group has also been providing technical support to the Client related to most aspects of environmental health and safety. BBJ Group has been able to forecast costs for plant decommissioning, cleanup, and closure; evaluate regulatory trends; and aid with permit negotiations during acquisitions and dispositions.
When BBJ Groups client was searching for cost savings to divert to wildlife habitat management, they noticed that forested property was taxed the same as developed property. BBJ Group worked with the client to establish habitat management goals and objectives and developed a management plan that met state and federal requirements. The client was able to take the significant savings in property taxes and divert them to habitat management.
During the development of a mixed-use complex, the Client discovered that under the site was an abandoned landfill that contained lead-contaminated ash at concentrations considered “hazardous” under the definitive statute.
BBJ Group developed a method for stabilizing the lead content of the ash so that it no longer met the definition of a “hazardous waste” allowing the Client to save more than $2 million in disposal costs.
The industrial redevelopment and brownfield remediation project was about $4MM over budged when BBJ Group was engaged. By adjusting the stormwater management design and recognizing the presence of an endangered species living in onsite wetlands, BBJ Group developed a plan that utilized mitigation banking and conservation easements that helped return the project to the black by several million dollars.
On conservation land owned by a local nonprofit organization, BBJ staff performed site preparation and managed the planting of 500 containerized hardwood trees appropriate for the Mississippi River floodplain. Volunteers from a local corporation assisted with planting. BBJ staff was responsible for post-planting tree maintenance. The site has a 95% survival rate after 2 years.
BBJ staff has worked hand-in-hand with wildlife biologists to improve wildlife habitat on and year round food supply on this property. Cool season grass pastures have been converted to prairie and are on three-year alternating burn schedules. Overstocked forests are being managed to conserve and promote oak regeneration. Forested corridors along streams are being re-established to connect habitat with adjacent properties while maintaining cool stream temperatures.
After gathering input from management and staff , a forest management plan was developed to improve the overall forest health, provide browse material for or zoo animals, and to establish funds to maintain the forested areas through managed timber harvests.
BBJ Group provided ecological consulting services bring the property into compliance with existing permits. To ensure that the wetlands were restored in accordance with regulatory permits, BBJ Group negotiated and corresponded with regulatory agencies to promote cooperation among stakeholders and permitting agencies. Mitigation activities included grading fill pad areas and installing red mangroves. Exotic species were eradicated to prevent inadvertent adverse effects to native species.
This 123-acre Midwest plant, underlain by karst, was one of the earlier RCRA FIRST (formerly RCRA Lean) pilot studies. BBJ, EPA, the State, other agencies, and stakeholders finalized the CAF in November 2014. Eliminating or streamlining traditional RCRA Phases
or elements has allowed for the clean-closure of most SWMUs and AOCs. Combined with other supplemental data and environmental forensics, a clear and robust CSM have allowed the group to largely focus on completion of work regarding one SWMU.
Within a month, BBJ Group completed 67 Phase I ESAs for Sears-owned retail and automotive centers located in 22 states and Puerto Rico to identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs) related to current and past business operations.
Based on the RECs identified during the Phase I ESAs, BBJ Group developed a scope of work to perform Phase II ESAs for 44 of the locations to determine the presence and extent of subsurface impacts related to the site operations. Specifically, BBJ Group performed subsurface groundwater and soil sampling to assess for impacts related to underground storage tanks, aboveground storage tanks, oil/water separators, waste neutralization tanks, underground hydraulic lifts, and automotive center floor drains. Additionally, at select sites, BBJ Group performed groundwater and soil sampling to assess for potential migration of contaminants on to Sears’ property from RECs identified on adjacent properties (i.e. drycleaners and filling stations).
All Phase II activities and reporting were completed within the client-specified timeframe, which allowed the timely sale of the properties to a REIT.
A law firm representing C-level individuals involved with a shareholder lawsuit, engaged BBJ Group to complete a multi-site review of the company’s environmental reserve estimates. At issue was whether the company had adequately reserved for reasonably foreseeable asset retirement obligations, as required by Sarbanes-Oxley and applicable accounting standards such as FIN 47 and FAS 5.
Specifically, BBJ Group researched public records, corporate histories, environmental reports, and other documentation regarding over 50 known and suspected facilities associated with the company, including legacy assets. BBJ Group was able to provide a detailed history of polluting activities and environmental investigations/discoveries during three relevant time periods, for purposes of evaluating potential liability and possible bankruptcy bars to claims. BBJ Group also identified numerous past owners and operators of the facilities, many of which had currently viable successors, as potentially responsible parties to pursue for response cost contributions.
In the fall of 2016, BBJ Group conducted a compliance audit for the US Forest Service facilities within the Carson and Coconino National Forests. The compliance audit included an evaluation of environmental plans and programs including air emissions inventories, hazardous materials and waste management, and drinking water and wastewater programs. Additionally, BBJ Group worked with the Forest Service personnel to highlight key findings and to create a task list of necessary action items for the forests.
BBJ Group helped a residential client restore its property, which had been partially flooded by a beaver pond. BBJ Group evaluated strategies remove the dam and restore creek flows to normal, thereby reducing the risk of flooding. BBJ Group coordinated re-grading and dam removal to eliminate flooding on the property. In addition, the work
The Client sought to acquire a multi-site auto auction company, which necessitated Phase Is and IIs at twelve locations in six states in less than three weeks. BBJ Group met the rushed deadline required by the Client’s narrow due diligence window. Following due diligence, BBJ Group then developed an Opinion of Cost for identified impairments; this was used to reduce the client’s purchase price.
BBJ Group provided site redevelopment strategy services to a municipality seeking to improve a former quarry that had been backfilled with construction demolition and debris. BBJ Group assessed contaminants, directed remedial measures, led public hearings, and pursued brownfield grants. As a result, the site was redeveloped with a community center, police station, and park.
BBJ Group advised a potentially responsible party steering committee during all stages of removal action conducted at the Liquid Dynamics facility. The site, located in a residential neighborhood, had an extensive industrial history. BBJ Group prepared all site-specific documents for the project, including the Remediation Work Plan, Quality Assurance Project Plan, Air Monitoring Plan, and Health and Safety Plan. The Removal Action was completed to the satisfaction of USEPA, and at $300,000 under budget.
A former oil refinery was dumping process waste into an adjacent wetland area for more than 45 years. BBJ Group personnel served as contractors to the USEPA on the project and prepared both the Sampling and Analysis Plan and a Quality Assurance Project Plan used to evaluate the extent of the impacts. In addition, these personnel oversaw demolition and scrapping activities including removal of asbestos-containing materials.
BBJ Group helped a telecommunications. Client restore a surface water management system in which the retention pond and associated swale had become overgrown with nuisance vegetation. BBJ Group coordinated correspondence between the Client and the lead regulatory agency to determine the most cost-effective way to restore the system. Then, the areas were hydroseeded to promote the quick regrowth of native grass around the retention pond and swale.
BBJ Group professionals provided several supermajors with WWT design and permitting services for retaining dike stormwater, fuel loading rack runoff water, and AST condensate. Work consisted of air and/or water discharge permitting for fixed and mobile WWT systems. Technologies included oil/water separation, multi-media filtration, organophyllic clay filtration, air stripping, vapor and liquid carbon filtration. The new WWT systems treated free-phase and dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons, ethers, surfactants, and suspended solids.
BBJ Group provided natural resource consulting services to help a telecommunications Client restore a surface water management system to optimal performance. The retention pond and associated
The Client engaged BBJ Group professionals to assess strategies to minimize the excavation and disposal cost of chromium ore production waste. BBJ Group personnel engineered a system dynamics analysis for the excavation, truck transport, rail transport, and disposal of Class I hazardous waste. The analysis showed the Client the importance of using tri-axle for transporting waste to rail yard storage facilities, leading to a savings of $16 million.
BBJ Group professionals reduced wastewater ammonia levels at a chemical manufacturing facility allowing it to lower WWT volumes by 85%, close a Class V well, and use the POTW. Services included design, permitting, equipment procurement and fabrication, construction, start-up, and O&M manual preparation. The design utilized steam stripping, condensation, liquid/liquid separation, and reflux operation. Wet scrubber ammonia was reduced from 20,000 mg/L to below 5 mg/L. 15% concentrated ammonia was generated from condensate.
Since 2002, BBJ Group has prepared more than 500 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessments for properties throughout the Midwest. By providing this service in conjunction with environmental due diligence, BBJ Group has simplified and consolidated the compliance review processes. As examples, BBJ Group has coordinated archaeological surveys, architectural surveys, wetlands delineations, and endangered species habitat assessments on many sites. The resulting efficiencies and smoother permitting processes have reduced project environmental costs for BBJ Group clients.
During the development of a mixed-use complex, the Client discovered that under the site was an abandoned landfill that contained lead-contaminated ash at concentrations considered “hazardous” under the definitive statute. BBJ Group developed a method for stabilizing the lead content of the ash so that it no longer met the definition of a “hazardous waste” allowing the Client to save more than $2 million in disposal costs.
BBJ Group was involved with all stages of the redevelopment of a former fill area which a Fortune 500 home builder sought to redevelop into a 100+ acre subdivision. Historically, more than 120,000 cubic yards of improperly disposed material had been placed on the property. BBJ Group’s approach eliminated the stigma of contamination, which would have reduced home values.
BBJ Group provided limited compliance reviews (LCRs) and due diligence services for a portfolio of electrical equipment manufacturing operations targeted by a venture capital company (Client) for acquisition. The compliance issues BBJ Group identified allowed the Client to re-trade on cost and carve out a problematic facility that the Client had little interest in owning. Following the sale, BBJ Group assisted the Client with permit transfers and rectified compliance concerns.
BBJ Group’s Client sought to purchase an industrial crane company with multiple locations, many with non-compliance issues. BBJ Group provided oversight and reviewed measures to bring the properties into compliance and avoid potential fines or violations. BBJ Group supervised the Seller’s compliance measure implementation to ensure that the work was completed swiftly and properly.
BBJ Group identified designed and implemented a brownfields project to redevelop a vacant 170-acre riverfront parcel into a regional asphalt terminal with rail, road, and barge access. As part of construction activities, BBJ Group obtained all necessary permits, including air permits. As part of the process, BBJ Group attended public hearings to understand shareholder concerns.
BBJ Group provided due diligence and cost estimation services on behalf of a publicly-traded REIT as part of a fast-tracked, $152 MM sale-leaseback real estate deal involving sites in 16 states and Canadian provinces coast-to-coast. Following the investigations, we evaluated costs associated with the risks at the project sites. Our outside-the-box strategies resulted in a risk management approach that made the acquisition a profitable venture.
BBJ Group helped a Client determine the applicability of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Secondary Aluminum Facilities. BBJ Group submitted all requisite notifications and developed a compliance program, requiring review of NESHAP requirements and performance specifications. BBJ Group drafted a testing protocol for the required performance testing. Full service compliance assistance was provided to the facility to help facility operations meet applicable NESHAP requirements.
BBJ Group performed wastewater permitting and pollution prevention services for a printing facility in South Carolina. BBJ Group reviewed the current wastewater treatment system and demonstrated how to reduce biological oxygen demand and metal concentrations. BBJ Group also supported permit negotiations and modifications to reduce exposure to fines and penalties. BBJ Group completed this work a fraction of the cost proposed by competitors.
BBJ Group managed Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures compliance at more than 125 telecommunications facilities. Specifically, BBJ Group determined if the facilities were in compliance and, if not, recommended actions that would achieve compliance. BBJ Group also trained facility personnel responsible for spill prevention and response. To manage the voluminous amounts of data, BBJ Group developed a project-specific database and tailored it for the Client’s specific purposes.
Since 1997, BBJ Group has helped a former Fortune 500 Client develop and implement its EHS policy and manage EHS matters for facilities across the globe. BBJ Group has helped manage all aspects of EHS and supported the actions of Superfund Steering Committees, annual planning and budgeting, cost recovery actions, plant decommissioning, and site restoration.
A scrap metal company in suburban Chicago, received Notices of Violation (NOV) because several of their transfer station facilities had failed to comply with state stormwater regulations. BBJ Group performed tasks needed to file Notice of Intent letters and prepared Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans. All of BBJ Group’s services were performed to the satisfaction of both the state and the Client.
BBJ Group assessed whether its Client, an auto parts manufacturer, was operating in compliance with its environmental management plans. BBJ Group updated existing site-specific compliance plans and constructed new plans as needed. BBJ Group recommended employee training on the new plans and all major federal environmental regulations. Training also extended to SPCC- and RCRA-related emergency response.
BBJ Group serves as an extension of the client’s EHS staff, reporting directly to the EHS Director. BBJ Group has helped the Client reduce, manage, or avoid EHS risk before they impact the environment or create unsafe work conditions. As a result, the Client has reduced its cost of environmental compliance by about 25%, including the cost of investigations, cleanup, and safety measures.
BBJ Group has helped its Client, an international tool manufacturer, implement new EHS Policy; manage risks; and reduce costs at several active and legacy sites. Services have helped the Client with EHS compliance audits, regulatory negotiations, due diligence, new policy roll-out, permitting, and planning. As a result, the company has demonstrated marked savings in their EHS budget.
BBJ Group designed and developed a web-based data management system and training modules for asbestos-containing materials (ACM). BBJ Group also updated the Client’s ACM training materials based on federal regulations, prior Client training materials, and BBJ Group’s experience with similar facilities. By implementing BBJ Group’s on-line training solution, the Client was able to substantially reduce its training costs while centralizing employee training records for the first time.
BBJ Group worked for a private equity firm that acquired a tool manufacturer, calculating a reasonable fair market value of liabilities assumed by the Client’s predecessor. BBJ Group then negotiated a buyout of the risk owner and helped the Client file claims under the PLL policies for newly discovered conditions. BBJ Group anticipates the Client’s gross out-of-pocket costs will be less than $750,000 to cover up to $25MM in liabilities.
BBJ Group helped prepare New Source Review construction permit applications associated with the Client’s new facilities, identifying potentially applicable regulations and assessing lowest achievable emission rate control technologies. BBJ Group participated in discussions and negotiations with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), working with the permit engineer to streamline timing associated with IEPA’s permit application processes. As a result, the facility obtained emission reduction credits and secured allotment trading units.
BBJ Group professionals completed an internal Full Compliance Review at a plastic products manufacturing facility. BBJ Group inspected the site and reviewed all available permits and facility records to evaluate facility operations. BBJ Group discovered several non-compliant areas previously unidentified in compliance reviews by other firms. BBJ Group helped the Client amend their practices to achieve compliance, avoid potentially costly enforcement actions and operate with greater efficiency.
A telecommunications equipment manufacturer (Client) identified an inaccuracy in self-prepared Form R reports. BBJ Group and the Client’s outside counsel recommended voluntarily reporting the inaccuracies to the USEPA. BBJ Group identified inaccuracies in the Client’s previous Form R reports and recommended low cost improvements in the Client’s recordkeeping procedures. With BBJ’s assistance, the Client has since submitted error-free Form R reports to USEPA, resolving compliance problems without penalty.
A Client sought to redevelop a riverfront parcel into a regional asphalt terminal with rail, road, and barge access. To promote acceptance of this project by the City and community, BBJ Group recommended that the Client rehabilitate parts of the property into habitats for sensitive species. BBJ Group also identified the permit requirements and site-specific plans necessary to meet air, water, and waste permitting requirements.
BBJ Group was involved in all aspects of obtaining federal, state, and local agency approval for the construction of a telecommunications site which was critical to the Client. The effort emphasized planning wetlands and endangered species assessments that would meet the requirements of these jurisdictions. The site was located in a wetland area known to include endangered and threatened species habitats. BBJ Group designed and coordinated the endangered and threatened species assessment, wetlands delineation, and jurisdictional wetlands permitting for the site.
BBJ Group’s client, a foundry which produces ductile iron castings, required assistance in determining alternative waste disposal options for industrial by-products. Of particular concern were sands generated during the molding process in the foundry. Annually, the facility was generating approximately 14,000 tons of sands that were no longer viable for re-use in foundry operations and were being disposed as solid waste.BBJ Group evaluated the sands generated at the facility and determined that the sands were appropriate for use in concrete mixes, making the sands eligible for the State-level certification program for reuse of industrial by-products.
A Client was considering purchasing a former copper tubing facility situated along a major river. BBJ Group provided a detailed Opinion of Cost to remediate the property, estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars. Where possible, portions of the cleanup effort were deferred to maximize the net present value of remediation cash flow. The recommendations allowed the Client to evaluate options for future beneficial re-use of the property.
BBJ Group reduced regulatory burden for a bulk terminal seeking to retrofit its facility to accept a different grade of petroleum product. Following review of product specifications and completion of an emission inventory, BBJ Group suggested modifications to facility operations that allowed the terminal to avoid triggering more onerous permitting and reporting requirements.
BBJ Group’s client, a precious metals refinery, generated millions of gallons of wastewater which was being disposed as hazardous waste. Following evaluation and analysis of the wastewater waste stream, BBJ Group recommended appealing to the state agency to de-classify the waste as hazardous (i.e. delisting). BBJ Group participated in the design and installation of a treatment system to pre-treat plating wastes prior to off-site disposal.
Alleged dischargers were notified of potential liability for remediation of a site under USEPA and state agency investigation. The investigation indicated a release or the threat of future release of contaminants onsite. One company was named as the defendant to a claim that exposure to the release caused residents to contract non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. BBJ Group provided technical support to counter the plaintiff’s expert deposition.
BBJ Group provided the South Carolina Budget and Control Board with a long-term care site model evaluation of the LLRW disposal facility. Work included a 100-year closure period extended care cost development and comparative analysis for currently operating, closed, or planned LLRW disposal facilities in other states. BBJ Group also provided alternative financing and implementation scenarios for closure. Findings were presented to South Carolina’s Nuclear Advisory Commission.
A Client looking to expand its market share in the food service equipment manufacturing industry sought to acquire a smaller competitor. BB&J identified environmental concerns at the various properties, including landfilling and releases of chlorinated solvents at the properties. We led discussions with the seller regarding impairment, resulting in a sale price reduction and inclusion of protective environmental conditions into the PSA.
A Client subleasing a bus terminal property received a state-issued notice of violation (NOV). To discharge the NOV, BBJ Group prepared a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and site-specific stormwater monitoring program in agreement with state guidance documents and regulations. Facility managers were trained to implement the program, showing them how to perform monitoring tests, document findings, report results, and keep records of all actions.
A school district Audit Committee hired BBJ Group professionals to perform an environmental audit of its land holdings and operations.
BBJ Group’s engagement consisted of an assessment of compliance requirements, an audit of current operations, an assessment of non-compliant practices, a classification of real properties, the development of compliance plans, and the design of a new self-management system.
A publicly traded company purchased brass foundries across the Country. Seller escrowed contingent environmental liability funds. Unspent dollars were periodically released to seller’s shareholders. At the last escrow period, buyer disputed seller’s claim to the remaining $12 million. The agreement provided for “baseball” arbitration by an independent third party environmental consultant. BBJ Group was retained; its decision based on review of written, final arguments provided by the parties.
A disposal company mishandled hazardous waste generated by a manufacturer, contaminating groundwater used by local residents as their potable water source. Impacts prohibiting use of the groundwater led to the assessment of NRD.
BBJ Group helped the Client evaluate the technical merit of the state’s claim and found that the extent of injury and NRD was far less than alleged.
BBJ Group provided due diligence and cost estimation services on behalf of a publicly-traded REIT as part of a fast-tracked, $152 MM sale-leaseback real estate deal involving sites in 16 states and Canadian provinces coast-to-coast. Following the investigations, we evaluated costs associated with the risks at the project sites. Our outside-the-box strategies resulted in a risk management approach that made the acquisition a profitable venture.
BBJ Group participated in environmental due diligence and dispute resolution activities for a container manufacturer during the sale of various facilities. During contract negotiations, BBJ Group assisted both the buyer and seller in resolving environmental issues. By serving as an intermediary to the Client in response to the opposition’s concerns, BBJ Group distanced them from research tasks while guiding the opposing parties to Client-favorable solutions.
Since 2000, BBJ has conducted nearly 1,800 due diligence projects, including approximately 1,000 Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, 200 limited in-building assessments, more than 75 Phase II subsurface investigations, and over 500 NEPA-related compliance evaluations for a major communications company. Based on BBJ’s exemplary service the firm was awarded a nationwide master services agreement with the carrier in 2002.
The Client, a national property developer engaged BBJ Group to plan, design, and relocate existing groundwater treatment infrastructure used to remediate contaminated groundwater at a former Army base. The project entailed relocating groundwater extraction and monitoring wells, more than three miles of water conveyance, several infiltration galleries, and related ancillary infrastructure. BBJ Group professionals provided a Work Plan detailing the design specifications, costs, and project schedule.
A Client looking to expand its market share in the food service equipment manufacturing industry sought to acquire a smaller competitor. BBJ Group’s due diligence activities identified several environmental concerns at the various properties. BBJ Group participated in discussions to reach an agreement on the value of the impairments to the property resulting in a reduction of price and the inclusion of further protective provisions into the purchase/sale agreement.
BBJ Group was asked to prepare environmental reserves for the client’s portfolio of 30+ sites. BBJ Group recommended additional strategic investigation at some facilities to reduce the uncertainty and improve the estimates to discharge liabilities for the site. At others, investigation was recommended and subsequently conducted to rule out “worst-case” scenarios, thereby reducing the overall reserve estimate. The Client has since closed several sites significantly below projected costs.
BBJ Group conducted limited compliance reviews (LCR) for eight chemical plants targeted for acquisition. The facilities were primarily located in the United States with one in Brazil. The LCRs identified on-site practices and processes that may be subject to the requirements of environmental regulations. BBJ Group was able to complete the LCRs under budget and in less than two weeks which was necessary to facilitate the transaction.
BBJ Group coordinated a comprehensive asbestos survey, abatement, and asbestos operations in conjunction with a maintenance program implementation for a light industrial facility. BBJ Group provided third-party air testing throughout the abatement of thermal systems insulation, floor tile and mastic, and transite paneling. BBJ Group served as Program Administrator while designated facility personnel were trained in asbestos awareness. All aspects of this project were completed on-time, under budget and to the satisfaction of the Client.
BBJ Group conducts radon testing for a major cellular provider at proposed retail locations in support of a master services agreement in conjunction with other due diligence and compliance-related services to the same Client. For these projects, BBJ Group coordinates 48-hour radon gas tests at prospective retail facilities and uses risk assessment and regulatory guidance, to provide health and safety recommendations to the Client.
BBJ Group’s Client disposed of production waste and discharge in onsite leachfields. The system was closed by voluntary action, under a Memorandum of Agreement requiring environmental investigations and corrective actions. BBJ Group was also assisting the same Client on a different NRD claim in the same state. The two NRDs were combined and settlement was reached at value far less than if evaluated as separate properties.
A Client, new to underwriting environmental risk, needed a consistent method measuring environmental risk to provide competitive and profitable coverage. BBJ Group provided an environmental risk classification method for underwriters addressing liability and explained the method process for risk classification and evaluation. In method testing, insurance analysts consistently classified and evaluated test cases, providing the underwriters with confidence in risk-accounted product pricing. The Client developed and offered a new insurance product based on this work.
One of BBJ Group’s manufacturing clients conducts acquisitions of other businesses and has closed older plants, also occasionally discovering new environmental conditions at existing facilities then requiring remediation. BBJ Group has performed cost forecasting for decommissioning, cleanup and closure; evaluated regulatory trends and impact on operations; and negotiated favorable permits during acquisitions and dispositions.
Contaminated soil and groundwater were detected on adjoining industrial properties and were commingled from multiple discharges along the shared property boundary. Both owners were to be cited for cleanup but wanted to settle out of court. BBJ Group used a traditional decision and risk analysis to determine the expected total remediation cost for the combined properties, or “cost to cure,” was determined as the total expected cost to remediate accessible soil, inaccessible soil, and groundwater.
During acquisition due diligence of a manufacturing facility in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, BBJ Group identified free phase at an adjacent site. BBJ Group performed a soil DNAPLS gas survey and indoor air investigation, identifying potentially harmful levels of TCE vapors affecting the building. BBJ Group designed and installed a sub-slab depressurization system, reducing TCE concentrations to EPA-approved levels.
BBJ Group coordinated a comprehensive asbestos survey, abatement, and asbestos operations in conjunction with a maintenance program implementation for a light industrial facility. BBJ Group has since been authorized to conduct limited LBP surveys for any of their properties where potential LBP may be disturbed during renovations.
BBJ Group was tasked to investigate and close a hazardous waste storage area at a food processing facility. Material handling changes had reduced hazardous waste, thereby eliminating its need. BBJ Group evaluated assessment techniques and conducted confirmation sampling. Subsequent subsurface investigations characterized the extent of contamination and documented that groundwater had not been impacted. BBJ Group prepared the necessary reports and analyses to successfully close the area.
Approximately 50,000 pounds of chlorinated solvent waste was released from improperly disposed drums linked to BBJ Group’s Client, a Fortune 500 manufacturer. The state alleged that the release adversely affected a sensitive wetland. BBJ Group reviewed technical documentation submitted by the state in support of its claim and generated a defensible model using statistical techniques and chemical fate-and-transfer concepts resulting in reduction of the Natural Resource Damage payment by 81%.
BBJ Group provided the South Carolina Budget and Control Board with a long-term care site model evaluation of the radioactive waste disposal facility. Work included a 100-year closure period extended care cost development; comparative analysis for currently operating, closed, or planned radioactive waste disposal facilities in other states; and alternative financing and implementation scenarios for closure. Findings were publicly presented to South Carolina’s Nuclear Advisory Commission.
BBJ Group provided transaction support services to a law firm whose client was pursuing real estate within a former army base that suited their environmental, transportation, and real estate requirements. Through BBJ Group’s research of environmental issues, geotechnical constraints, local zoning regulations, and regional railroad rights-of-way at the properties, a feasibility assessment was proposed that presented “best-fit” scenarios to the Client.
BBJ Group assisted a law firm client to assemble a risk-mitigation and risk-transfer program for the acquisition by law firm's client of a U.S.-based hardware manufacturer with substantial legacy liabilities that included ownership of a former manufactured gas plant property. BBJ Group provided an opinion of cost and developed a formula for a fixed-cost liability buy-out including use of environmental insurance to limit the exposure of all parties and provide the certainty necessary to support closing the transaction.
BBJ Group managed cleanup of a former glass manufacturing site within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) program. Before BBJ Group’s involvement, progress was stalled after years of disjointed investigations. BBJ Group implemented an aggressive site-wide approach to move the cleanup forward by (1) properly identifying areas of concern through consolidation of historical information with new soil, groundwater, and vapor sampling data, and (2) designing remedial actions that met ISRA requirements while reducing overall project costs.
BBJ performed due diligence for a Real Estate Investment Trust purchase of an industrial complex leased to a lead-acid battery manufacturing operation. Soil across the property was impacted with the lead oxide used in the business. BBJ prepared opinions of cost for the impacts to the soil and nearby waterways, allowing the client to renegotiate the sale price and manage risks post-closing.
The Client engaged BBJ Group to evaluate the environmental liability of one of its largest Superfund sites. Consulting engineers used business cases to forecast liability to be $310 million for some conditions, and $430 million for others. The Client tasked BBJ Group to perform a probabilistic analysis using probability conditions. BBJ Group led a diversely-skilled analysis team and concluded that the expected value of liability was $375 million, with a right tail risk exceeding $450 million.
BBJ Group provides vapor intrusion services for multiple national commercial clients. One company is a telecom retailer with leases across the U.S. BBJ Group has developed methodologies to evaluate vapor risks and support successful lease negotiations, making landlords aware of vapor issues while offering practical solutions that address our clients’ H&S and risk mitigation requirements.
BBJ’s client purchased a former brownfield site for reuse as a recreational and retail site along a prominent riverfront in a major U.S. city. The site was contaminated with solvents. BBJ worked with the design team and developed a coordinated strategy for site remediation, abatement and demolition of existing structures, and site restoration that supported the development objective and extracted maximum value from the property.
BBJ Group conducted cost and reserve estimating for a public, former 150-year old company filing Chapter 13. Client’s historic operations reached from the Midwest to the West Coast including more than 2,000 railroad properties (tracks, roundhouses, switch yards, rack fuel loading and off-loading operations, etc.). BBJ Group worked with in-house counsel, board, and insurance broker to develop a reasonable fair market liability value for risk transfer.
