OUR SUCCESS STORIES

 · Client – Rockport Terminals, LLC

· Location – Aransas Pass, Texas

· Project – Environmental Closure

A Final Certificate of Completion from the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) as issued to Rockport Terminals, LLC for a 5.3-acre property known as the Former Aransas Pass Carbon Black Plant – AOC-1 located between Rockport and Aransas Pass, Texas. The Final Certificate of Completion was issued in December 2021 and marks the sixth and final certificate of completion issued at the former plant site. The previous five final certificates of completion had been issued by the TCEQ between 2018-2021.  

A previous Phase I ESA had identified recognized environmental conditions related to the location of former oil or gas pipelines that are located in AOC-1. Epperson Environmental Group completed a further assessment that revealed the presence of soil and groundwater containing total petroleum hydrocarbons but not in excess of RRC standards. As a result, RRC required no further action and issued a final Certificate of Completion allowing future commercial/industrial development of the property. 

The future plans for the property include the construction of a new large railyard that will cover the entire Former Aransas Pass Carbon Plant property. 

For more information, please contact Chuck Epperson at 512/636-4305  

Client - Current Owner

Location - Houston, Texas

Project –  Affected Property Assessment, Ground Water Cleanup 

The Dixie Electro Plating Company property is located on Engelke Street in Houston. The property is approximately 2.5 acres of land that has been used for hard chrome and nickel plating operations since 1939. The property was entered into the TCEQ VCP in 1997.

During various investigations conducted since 1999 on the property, a release of plating chemicals into the shallow groundwater was discovered adjacent to a former containment area and a former wastewater treatment sump in the facility. Both the former containment area and the wastewater treatment sump were both decommissioned in 2003.

Cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and nickel were identified in the underlying groundwater at levels exceeding potable water protective concentration levels. As a result, a groundwater recovery system was installed and contaminated groundwater was extracted until its shutdown in 2011. EEG conducted subsequent groundwater monitoring over the next few years indicated that the groundwater plume had stabilized at the property. TCEQ then agree that a Municipal Setting Designation (MSD) was appropriate as the long-term groundwater response action for the property.

EEG filed an MSD application with the City of Houston in 2013 and the City issued an MSD ordinance in 2016. Subsequently, the TCEQ issued an MSD certificate in 2017.

EEG then completed closure reports for two waste management units and an Affected Property Assessment Report (APAR) incorporating the closure findings and the elimination of groundwater exposure pathways to TCEQ in 2020. EEG also submitted a Response Action Plan (RAP) documenting an area of soil contamination that remained under a portion of the facility building footprint. Because the soil contamination was delineated and completely capped by the building, the building serves as an effective physical control for the underlying soil and qualifying it for a conditional certificate of completion.

TCEQ approved the closure report and the APAR in late 2020 and issued the conditional certificate of completion in April 2021.

Client - Current Owner 

Location - Aransas Pass, Texas

Project –  Affected Property Assessment, Soil and Ground Water Cleanup  

 On October 9th 2018 TCEQ VCP Certificates of Completion were issued for Partial Response Action Areas (PRAA) 2 and 3.

The TCEQ VCP issued Certificates of Completion for PRAA 4 on April 8, 2019 and for PRAA 5 on April 22, 2019.

Former Aransas Pass Carbon Black Plant (VCP No. 2885) – Affected Property Assessments, Soil Remediation, Response Action Completion Reports, VCP Closure (2017-2018).  Several parcels of land associated with the 315 acre former Nilok Chemical Plant in Aransas Pass, Texas were assessed with over 9,000 cubic yards of affected soils placed into a bioremediation composting area for the purpose of remediating TPH-contaminated soils to TCEQ standards.  In addition, over 2,000 gallons of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) were successfully removed from the groundwater and recycled.  Additional assessment and remediation activities are ongoing.  

8/2/19 UPDATE

RRC AOC-1 soil/ground water assessment; TCEQ PRAA6 landfarm area.

At this point, soils are being turned and tested for successful remediation. These soils will be used as on-site fill. 

 Client -Future Owner
Location - Austin
Project – Affected Property Assessment 

 A 0.7-acre former industrial property located on Roxie Drive in northwest Austin received a TCEQ Certificate of Completion.

​Historically, the property was used as an oilfield drilling company storage yard and an office building warehouse.  Oilfield service equipment storage and maintenance, truck fueling, and chemical storage activities took place at the property since the 1970s until it was vacated in 2014.    

Based on an evaluation of historic site activities and source areas, Epperson Environmental Group completed a soil and groundwater sampling investigation which detected the presence of semi-volatile organic compounds, volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals in on-site soil and groundwater. However, an analysis of Tier 2 exposure pathways revealed that no chemicals of concern were detected above Texas Risk Reduction Program Protective Concentration Levels or Petroleum Storage Tank regulation levels. Therefore, the TCEQ issued a final Certificate of Completion allowing future commercial/industrial development of the property.  
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 ​TCEQ Issues Certificate of Completion

Client -Developer
Location - Central San Antonio
Project – Affected Property Assessment

  A Certificate of Completion from the TCEQ was issued to a developer client for a 4-acre property located just east of downtown San Antonio known as “Former Merchants Ice & Cold Storage”.

Although a portion of the property had been leased most recently as an entertainment venue, most of the property was vacant, including the prominent Merchants Ice & Cold Storage building on Houston Street. Prior to cold storage/refrigeration operations beginning in 1920, a cotton gin and cottonseed oil refining and storage operated at the property from 1888 to 1912. The property had been mostly abandoned since 1992.

A previous Phase I ESA had identified recognized environmental conditions related a machine shop located in the cold storage engine room, historic underground storage tanks, and hazardous substances from the former cotton gin and cottonseed oil refining process. Epperson Environmental Group completed a soil and groundwater assessment of potential historic source areas and submitted an Affected Property Assessment Report (APAR) to the TCEQ. Based on a Tier 2 analysis of human health exposure pathways, all soil and groundwater concentrations were determined to be below the Texas Risk Reduction Program Protective Concentration Levels. As a result, the TCEQ required no further action and issued a final Certificate of Completion allowing future residential development of the property.

The future plans for the property include the construction of a new multi-family development that will incorporate some of the existing buildings on the site. 

 Receives Certificate of Completion

Client - Developer
Location - Central Dallas
Project – Municipal Setting Designation and Affected Property Assessment 

A developer client of ours received a Certificate of Completion from the TCEQ for a 5.4 acre downtown Dallas property known as the “Old Dallas High School” located on Bryan Street in Dallas.  

The vacant property, which began as a public school in 1885, consisted of a 125,000-square-foot three-story school building and a basement, an asphalt-paved parking lot and vacant land. A previous assessment of the property discovered the presence of chlorinated solvents in shallow groundwater underneath the property. Epperson Environmental Group obtained a Municipal Setting Designation (MSD) from the City of Dallas to assess the potential contaminants. Epperson Environmental Group completed the soil and groundwater assessment of the historical source areas and confirmed that all on-site soil and groundwater concentrations were below the Texas Risk Reduction Program Protective Concentration Levels.  As a result, the TCEQ issued a final Certificate of Completion allowing future residential development of the property.

 Receives Certificate of Completion

Client -Developer
Location - Dallas
Project – Affected Property Assessment

 A 6-acre former industrial property located on Maple Avenue in Dallas receives a TCEQ Certificate of Completion. 

    Historically, the property included a former lumber yard, steel plate manufacturing facility, a truck repair facility, and most recently office buildings. We obtained oil and groundwater sampling and detected semi-volatile organic compounds, volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals in on-site soil and groundwater.  Because no chemicals of concern were detected above Texas Risk Reduction Program Protective Concentration Levels and no actions were required under TCEQ Petroleum Storage Tank Regulations, the TCEQ issued a final Certificate of Completion allowing future residential development of the property.   

 Client - ABMIC
Location - Plano, Texas
Project – Affected Property Assessment, Soil Cleanup 

Adjacent to the railroad tracks that support the new Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) line to the Dallas Fort Worth Airport and close to historic downtown Plano, the 18.5-acre General Cable production plant was an attractive property for redevelopment.
General Cable operated a large wire and cable manufacturing plant at this location until the 1980s. Solvents used in the manufacturing process contributed to surface and groundwater contamination.  An affected property assessment was completed and the property was entered into the VCP.  Soils affected with metals and volatile organics compounds contamination were removed to residential standards and a Response Action Completion Report (RACR) was submitted to TCEQ, approved and a final certificate of completion was issued.  Today the property has been subdivided into multiple transportation warehouse tenants. The owner has updated the exterior of the building and added landscaping, thereby making it a productive and attractive addition to the community.

 Client - ABMIC
Location - Dallas, Texas
Project – Affected Property Assessment, Soil Cleanup 

Located at 3200 Ross Avenue in Dallas, Texas, this 1.32-acre property is an area transitioning from light industrial to mixed use residential. The site was initially developed in 1907 as a laundry and dry cleaner; it closed its doors in 1997. Underground plumes of contaminated groundwater containing chlorinated solvents originating from on-site underground storage tanks were identified beneath the site.  The property was entered into the VCP and received an MSD certificate.   Approximately 1,600 cubic yards of solvent contaminated soils and six underground storage tanks that had once held chlorinated solvents and diesel fuel were removed and disposed of off-site.  The TCEQ issued a final Certificate of Completion and  the property was sold to a local Dallas developer. Today construction is complete on a 45 new brick-and-stone residential townhome development.

 Client - ABMIC
Location - Dallas, Texas
Project – Affected Property Assessment, Soil Cleanup 

 The former 2306 Motor Street property is strategically located one-half mile from Parkland Hospital and the UT Southwestern Medical Facility, well-positioned to serve the housing needs resulting from the expansion of the hospital and the medical campus.  Much of 2306 Motor Street was perceived as heavily contaminated with lead and heavy metals (from past lead battery cracking and remanufacturing activity) and from unknown activities at a former food processing plant also located on-site.  The affected property assessment included an investigation of a drum storage area, oil/water separators, chemical storage above-ground storage tanks, and lead-contaminated soils from the historic battery recycling operation.
Remediation of the property began with the City of Dallas MSD ordinance and resulting TCEQ MSD certificate followed by the removal of approximately 1,200 cubic yards of lead-contaminated soils to residential use standards.  TCEQ approved the RACR and then issued a final certificate of completion for the property.  Today, the site is now a $30 million mixed-use development with 263 apartments and 43,000 square feet of retail space, providing housing and services to the surrounding medical community.