EnviroForensics successfully guided a former dry cleaning facility in Brazil, Indiana, through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP), culminating in IDEM approval of a combined Remediation Work Plan (RWP) and Remediation Completion Report (RCR), issuance and recording of a Certificate of Completion (COC), and Covenant Not‑To‑Sue (CNTS).
EnviroForensics’ work began while the dry-cleaning business was actively operating, but operations closed when the business owner passed away. Following his passing, his family was left to navigate the responsibility of addressing historical environmental liabilities while preserving the property’s long-term value. Through strategic investigation and remediation, ultimately resulting in IDEM regulatory closure, EnviroForensics helped provide the certainty needed for the property to move forward. The site has since been successfully sold, and the building has been incorporated into the operations of a neighboring restaurant, allowing the property to move beyond its environmental legacy and continue serving the local business community.
The outcome was achieved despite highly atypical conditions, off-site impacts, and multiple exposure pathways in a dense historic downtown setting.
A Site Defined by Atypical Subsurface Conditions
The property is located within a historic commercial corridor with buildings dating back to the 1800s. Subsurface investigations identified extensive anthropogenic fill consisting of coal cinders, sand, and construction debris. Rather than behaving as a conventional groundwater system, this fill supported shallow “fill water” that responded differently to precipitation, infrastructure leaks, and remediation efforts.
A deteriorated sanitary sewer lateral beneath the building created a preferential migration pathway, allowing chlorinated solvents to move laterally beneath adjacent properties. Impacts extended beyond the original source area, requiring investigation beneath occupied commercial buildings.
These factors required development of a refined conceptual site model incorporating historic construction, buried utilities, and non‑traditional groundwater dynamics. A conventional approach would not have adequately characterized the site.
Multiple Exposure Pathways in a Dense Urban Setting
Environmental impacts at the site were identified in multiple media, including soil, shallow fill water, groundwater within a deeper sand unit, and soil vapor. Each medium required independent evaluation and supporting lines of evidence to identify potential exposure liabilities and develop the best response.
Vapor intrusion presented particular concern due to the close spacing of buildings, shared walls, and the presence of crawlspaces and basements in neighboring properties. Two adjacent off‑site commercial properties were incorporated into the investigation and remedy. Coordination with third‑party owners was essential to address risk and long‑term obligations.
Adaptive, Multi‑Technology Remediation Strategy
Given the complexity of the site, EnviroForensics implemented a phased and adaptive remediation approach rather than relying on a single remedy.
Source Area Soil Remediation
Impacted soils were removed during the replacement of the leaking sewer lateral. This action eliminated a primary source component and preferential migration pathway early in the project.
Groundwater Treatment
Enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) was applied in the deeper sand unit to address impacts from dissolved chlorinated solvents. Post‑treatment monitoring demonstrated plume stability and declining concentrations, supporting IDEM’s concurrence that no further groundwater remediation was required.
Vapor Mitigation
At the most impacted adjacent property, a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system was initially deployed and later converted to a sub‑slab depressurization system (SSDS). The system effectively mitigated vapor intrusion risks and transitioned to long‑term operation, maintenance, and monitoring (OMM).
Institutional and Engineering Controls
Environmental Restrictive Covenants (ERCs) were recorded on the site and three (3) affected off‑site properties. Controls included:
- Groundwater use restrictions
- Land use restrictions
- Ongoing operation and maintenance of engineered controls
This integrated strategy addressed all exposure pathways while remaining responsive to evolving site data.
A Streamlined and Defensible Closure
A critical success factor was IDEM’s acceptance of a combined RWP and Closure Request. This consolidated submittal documented the complete site history, remedial actions, and post‑remediation evidence in a single, comprehensive package. By presenting a complete, risk‑based evaluation of the site, the approach minimized regulatory iteration and supported timely closure.
EnviroForensics also managed the final administrative requirements necessary for full regulatory closure, including:
- Monitoring well abandonment
- Recording of the Certificate of Completion with the Clay County Recorder
- Formal notifications to affected off‑site property owners regarding post‑closure responsibilities
The result was regulatory certainty, controlled long-term risk, and defined obligations for all parties.
Demonstrating Value on Complex Urban Sites
This project demonstrates EnviroForensics’ ability to resolve challenging environmental liabilities in constrained urban environments. Our team successfully:
- Developed a defensible conceptual site model under atypical conditions
- Managed contaminant migration driven by aging infrastructure and preferential pathways
- Integrated multiple remedial technologies into a cohesive, defensible strategy
- Navigated regulatory programs while coordinating with property owners, counsel, and insurers
- Delivered both technical remediation and administrative closure
Projects like this one reflect our ability to move complex sites from uncertainty to resolution, protecting human health, satisfying regulatory expectations, and positioning properties for long‑term stability and reuse.
Facing a complex environmental site or legacy contamination issue? EnviroForensics helps clients navigate investigation, remediation, and regulatory closure to move properties forward with confidence. Contact our team to discuss your project.
