Contaminated soil found at Virginia public-safety site; council approves up to $400,000 for cleanup

Contractors working on the new public-safety building site in Virginia discovered contaminated soil during pond excavation and the city council on June 24 authorized up to $400,000 in owner contingency funds to remove and dispose of the material while further testing and grant applications proceed.

Consultants from NTS and the site civil engineer reported the discovery to the council after preliminary laboratory results returned petroleum-type contamination rather than solvents typically associated with an adjacent former dry-cleaning operation. Rick Crum of NTS said the stockpile on site was about 1,400 cubic yards; Sean Lewis (project consultant) said roughly 700 cubic yards remained to be excavated to complete the stormwater pond work.

Lewis told the council the city had stopped work about a week earlier and will export the on-site stockpile and continue excavation, exporting directly instead of creating additional temporary stockpiles. He estimated the total incremental remediation cost at about $400,000 — a higher-end estimate to cover identified material and contingencies — and said the city has roughly $700,000 in owner contingency and set-aside funds available for the project. "We have approximately 700 cubic yards left to excavate… estimates could be up around the $400,000 mark for the cost to remediate all this contaminated soil," Lewis said.

The council voted to allow the contractor to proceed and to authorize up to $400,000 for remedial work. The motion (moved by Councilor Johnson) passed. City staff said they will pursue retroactive reimbursement opportunities through Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) programs and other grant sources where applicable; the project team noted the existence of a response action plan and contingency construction plan that can help secure reimbursement.

Project details and next steps: Consultants said the contamination was encountered in a discrete excavation zone near a former commercial parcel; work will resume immediately to remove the stockpile and finish the pond excavation, with exported material sent to an approved landfill. The team requested and the council approved proceeding up to the $400,000 limit so the pond and related site work can be completed without further stockpiling on site. Staff will: (1) continue confirmatory testing on remaining excavation faces; (2) coordinate disposal with the county landfill; (3) submit reimbursement requests to state programs overseen by MPCA; and (4) report back if unexpected additional contamination is encountered.

Why it matters: The public-safety building is a capital project for the city. Unanticipated contaminated soil increases near-term costs and scheduling risk. The city balanced the need to complete the stormwater pond (which must be in place for site work) with the desire to pursue reimbursement, and assigned remediation to contingency funds so building work can proceed.

What the council approved: a motion authorizing the project team to remove and export contaminated soils as needed and to spend up to $400,000 from owner contingency funds for disposal and remediation. Staff will pursue MPCA reimbursement and return to council if remediation needs exceed the authorized amount.