Tetra Tech, Inc., a leading high-end consulting and engineering service provider, is contracted to provide technical and advisory services in EPA Region 8 for the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START V). This includes the Montana Pole and Treating Plant Superfund site in Butte, Montana. The former plant treated wood for industrial use with a toxic mix of preservatives, including pentachlorophenol (PCP), dioxins, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which had contaminated soil and groundwater. In 2020, after decades of cleanup activities, Tetra Tech oversaw the final stage of bioremediation for the remaining 25 acres.

The project involved creating a Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU) to transfer, store, and cap soils contaminated with PCP, dioxins, and PAHs that did not meet cleanup levels. A key issue was airborne dust and VOC vapors impacting onsite workers and the local community. The DEQ required monitoring exposure levels according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This was complicated by localized air quality impacts from mining operations and Interstate 15/90, which runs through the site.

Tetra Tech deployed several Aeroqual AQS 1 air monitors at the site perimeter to track real-time PM10, VOCs, and wind shifts. Using Aeroqual Cloud software, Tetra Tech accurately apportioned site contributions and used the exceedance alerts function to effectively deploy dust suppression strategies to protect worker health and the downwind community.

By implementing Aeroqual’s solution, Tetra Tech reduced the air monitoring and mitigation costs by over 50% while ensuring negligible community and worker health impacts. The DEQ now securely manages the completed CAMU as the land is prepared for commercial and recreational purposes.

Colin McCoy of Tetra Tech summarized the project, stating, “This real-time monitoring system was a win-win-win for us, the client, and the community.”

Tetra Tech is a global provider of high-end consulting, leading with science to create a more sustainable future. Their vision is to change lives through science, technology, and innovation. Their goal is to improve the lives of 1 billion people around the world by 2030 by helping to create more resilient and sustainable communities.

Pine Environmental is a leading North American equipment provider for rental equipment throughout the U.S. and Canada for Environmental Monitoring and Testing, Nondestructive Testing, and Visual Inspection. Pine has the most extensive inventory of test and measurement rental equipment across North America.

Aeroqual develops integrated monitoring and software systems underpinned by industry-leading sensor technology to support environmental, health, and safety professionals in protecting people and the planet from the impact of air pollution. That’s why governments, industry, researchers, and consultants trust Aeroqual to deliver actionable data for their air quality monitoring projects.