In preparation for a full investigation concerning the origin of contaminants in the Sunnyside Rail Yard, Queens, NY, EnviroMed prepared a Health and Safety Plan for soil sampling and a Quality Assurance Project Plan to manage the investigation. All workers received AMTRAK training in rail yard safety; the HASP provided for the electrical and other physical hazards of the rail yard as well as chemical hazards.
As part of the QAPP, a soil-sampling plan was designed. The soil-sampling plan specified sampling locations based on random numbers and was therefore statistically unbiased. Statistical bias is a common fault of many investigations and can destroy the validity of the investigation’s conclusions. Avoidance of statistical bias requires careful planning.
The QAPP also specified the statistical tests to be performed on the data in order to reach a conclusion regarding the origin of the contaminant (lead). These tests included identification and confirmation of statistical outliers, tests for normality and log normality, analysis of censored data, and comparison of means and correlation analysis. Seventeen individual statistical tests were selected to be applied to the data as part of the analysis. Data validation included provision for contaminants typically introduced in analytical laboratories. Data were checked for chains-of-custody, sample labeling, laboratory holding times, surrogate recoveries, analytical data for blanks and spikes, and instrument performance data.
EnviroMed also performed investigation, evaluation and remediation oversight of environmental contamination located within the Sunnyside Rail Yard under the Honeywell Avenue Bridge, which was slated for demolition and rehabilitation in 2001/2002. EnviroMed was able to evaluate prior Phase I and II environmental assessments from other environmental consulting groups and ascertain if adequate data was collected for remedial action. Additional environmental sampling and monitoring was undertaken by EnviroMed to further isolate and demarcate contamination not previously notated. Data was transmitted in a detail mapping to all concerned parties for corrective action. Finally, EnviroMed was tasked by NYCDOT to oversee the remedial actions performed by the contractor to ensure the clean-up operations were being performed in accordance with federal, state and local environmental standards. Data was also collected and issued to NYCDOT regarding ambient monitoring to ensure Amtrak that the contamination was not expanding beyond the project site.
Additionally, Sanborn Insurance Maps and historical aerial photographs of the Site were reviewed in detail. Numerical models were performed to simulate the down-wind migration of lead-containing paint chips generated by sandblasting bridges.