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Council told North Walnut lot excavation has uncovered 11 underground tanks; staff may reallocate up to $800,000 for remediation
Summary
Village engineer and staff reported unexpected buried tanks and contaminated soil at the North Walnut parking lot. Councilors were told the discovery could consume restoration funds and that options for the surface after remediation will be presented after bids return on April 9.
Village engineers reported new contamination discoveries at the North Walnut parking lot project, saying crews have located two additional underground tanks — increasing the total to 11 — and that removing contaminated soil will require reallocating funds originally slated for surface restoration.
Chris Rudishauser, the village engineer, described active excavation that has uncovered tank foundations, water intrusion requiring pumping, and gasoline-type contamination. He said crews are excavating to depths up to about 10–12 feet in places and are performing field confirmation sampling to guide the extent of removal. The licensed site remediation professional (LSRP) is receiving clean fill documentation from the quarry vendor for backfill that must meet DEP submittal requirements.
Village Manager Keith told the council staff recommends redirecting the restoration line items in the April paving bid package toward continued soil excavation and remediation. Rudishauser said unit prices included in the restoration bid were substantially higher than those in the village’s capital paving bids (for example, an asphalt figure of $200/ton in the restoration quotes versus under $80/ton in typical paving bids), so staff propose reallocating the restoration allocation to pay for the unanticipated contamination work now and revisit surface-material options after April 9 when paving unit prices are known.
Staff told the council they currently estimate about $800,000 across two line items may be required to finish excavation and remediation; council members were warned to expect significant change orders. Rudishauser said contamination odor at the site is noticeable from nearby parking areas and that tanks discovered have ranged in size from about 330 gallons to a few thousand gallons; most tanks were shallow (often within 16 inches of grade) and abandoned decades ago. He cautioned that excavation often reveals additional items and that, around each tank found so far, contaminated soil has been encountered.
Council members asked how the village will be confident it has located all buried tanks; Rudishauser said metal detectors are not reliably helpful on a site with many buried steel conduits and that confidence will come from excavating the entire parcel and extensive sampling. He said the contractor uses a cautious excavation method and that PSE&G assisted in marking utilities earlier in the work. The manager said staff will present a menu of surface options (restore as a parking lot, seed with topsoil and grass, or place crushed stone) with cost estimates after the April 9 bid results arrive so the council can decide how to finish the parcel once remediation is complete.
No final surface decision or reallocation resolution was adopted at the meeting; councilors directed staff to continue remediation to LSRP satisfaction and to return with cost estimates and recommended options.
