Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Petroleum Restoration Project (LSSI)
During March 2018, Royal Consulting Services, Inc. completed site assessment activities for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) under the LSSI Program. This particular project was located in the City of Okeechobee in Okeechobee County, Florida. The BPSS Storage Tank/Contaminated Facility Database lists the site as previously having aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) and underground storage tanks (USTs). The tank registration forms note that each of the USTs was removed from the site in 1990. A discharge reporting form, dated January 11, 1993, was filed following the UST removal activities and noted petroleum sheen near the former diesel UST.
As part of this project, RCS did a complete assessment of the site and analyzed 15 soil borings, while taking into account groundwater flow and the locations from the 2014 Previous Contamination Assessment report indicating the locations of the highest Organic Vapor Analyzer (OVA) readings. The OVA screening revealed hydrocarbon impacts above 50 ppm in the samples collected.
In the same month, soil samples were collected at 0 to 2 ft below land surface (bls) and 2 ft bls for laboratory analysis. Soil concentrations from these samples were reported to be below leachability Soil Cleanup Target Levels (CTLs). The total recoverable petroleum hydrocarbons (TRPH) concentrations were reported to be below Direct Exposure Soil CTLs and TRPH limits. Other chemical constituents analyzed in samples were also reported to be below Soil CTLs.
Groundwater samples were collected from MW-Deep, a new well installed to aid in the analysis of the extent and depth of contamination, on March 23, 2018. The groundwater analytical results reported concentrations to be below Groundwater and Surface Water CTLs and Natural Attenuation Default Concentrations in the samples collected from MW-Deep.
Due to the high OVA readings in the vadose and shallow water table zones in soil borings collected, RCS recommended water quality samples be collected from existing onsite shallow monitoring wells MW-1R, MW-2R, and MW-6 through MW-10 prior to advancing to a “Site Rehabilitation Completion Order” or a “No Further Action” directive. This would provide RCS with the data necessary to determine the extent of the contamination onsite and allow a determination as to how to appropriately remediate the area. Options for remediation include in-situ remediation or excavation of contaminated soils. Due to the lack of contamination in the deep monitoring well, MW-Deep, excavation may be the most practical means of remediating the site.
