Transcript www.tceq.state.tx.us

Hillcrest Community Environmental Investigation
Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality
Geo Strata Environmental
Consultants, Inc.
No Conflict of Interest
Geo Strata is not affiliated with and does
not hold contracts with the oil & gas
refining industry.
March 25, 2010
Geo Strata
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Founded in San Antonio, Texas in
1991
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Certified Woman-Owned Small
Business
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Main Offices are located in San
Antonio
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TCEQ Registered Corrective Action
Specialist and Texas Licensed
Geoscience Firm
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TCEQ PST Contractor for 8+ years
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70% of current workload Government Entity clients

30% of current workload – Private
Clients (primarily small business)
Geo Strata Staff Includes:
Geologists
Hydrogeologists
Environmental Scientists
Field Technicians
Support Staff
Project Organization Chart
Michael Honeycutt
Neeraja Erraguntla
TCEQ
TCEQ
Project Sponsor
Project Toxicologist
Omar Valdez
TCEQ
Project Manager
Cheri Krieg
Suzanne Green
Steve Thornley
Geo Strata
Geo Strata
Beacon Environmental Services
H&S Officer
Project Manager
Laboratory Manager
Taryn Scholz
Quality Assurance Associates
QA Specialist
Hillcrest Phase 1
Conduct Passive Soil Vapor Survey
Goal: To identify optimal locations for permanent monitor wells
Typical Installation Set-up
Quality Assurance - Installation &
Removal Activities
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All samples will be installed and collected by experienced
Scientist(s) and Technician(s)
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Custody records and custody seals will be used.
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Show control during sample transfer and to maintain the security
and integrity of samples.
Each sample will be collected in duplicate.
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Using standard methods and procedures specified in the Field
Sampling Plan (FSP).
In the event that any problem is encountered with the first analysis.
Non-disposable equipment will be decontaminated between
each sample.
Independent Data Review
Performed by QAA, L.L.C.
(Quality Assurance Associates)
www.qaallc.com
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Two partners (Dr. Donald A. Flory and Ms. Taryn G.
Scholz) in business since 1984
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Hired as a subcontractor through Geo Strata, but does
not answer to Geo Strata, TCEQ, or the laboratory
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Experience includes review and validation of data for
over 10,000 samples from all types of sites (federal
Superfund, Texas Superfund, TRRP, Louisiana RECAP,
various EPA Regions)
Quality Control Samples - Field
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Ambient field blanks (minimum two for the event) – PSG
sampler
exposed to air just like samples during installation and
retrieval.
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Used to determine if samples are affected by exposure
to ambient air during installation or retrieval
Equipment rinsate blanks (one per day) – laboratory
grade water poured over the borehole drilling equipment.
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Used to determine if the decontamination of borehole
drills was adequate to avoid cross contamination
between samples
Quality Control Samples – Field
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Trip blanks (one per shipment) – PSG sampler
(unopened) stored and transported with samples
during installation and retrieval.
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Used to assess the potential introduction of
contaminants from sample containers or during the
transportation and storage procedures
Field duplicates (one per 10 samples) – second set of
adsorbent cartridges collected simultaneously with a
sample and transported in same sample vial
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Used to assess the precision of the sample collection
and analytical procedures
Quality Assurance - Sample Analysis
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All samples will be analyzed by an experienced laboratory,
dedicated to PSG analyses, that has a quality assurance program
and proficiency testing program that meets NELAC requirements.
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Beacon Environmental Services www.beacon-usa.com
A rigorous, EPA-approved analytical method (SW-846 8260) will
be used that uses GC/MS instrumentation, internal standard
quantitation, and five-point calibration to produce definitive data
with low detection levels (1-5 ng)
A full target analyte list of approximately 40 VOCs will be
reported including BTEX, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and PAHs
(Naphthalene and 2-Methylnaphthalene)
A complete data package including all required reportable data
plus laboratory review checklists and necessary exception reports
will be submitted.
Quality Control Samples - Laboratory
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Laboratory blanks (one per 20 samples) – clean
adsorbent cartridges that are prepared and
analyzed just like the samples
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Used to determine if samples are affected by any
contamination introduced in the laboratory
Laboratory control samples (one per 20
samples) – clean adsorbent cartridges that are
spiked with a known amount of target analytes
and then prepared and analyzed
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Recoveries are used to determine accuracy of analysis
on a clean sample matrix
Quality Control Samples - Laboratory
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Matrix spike/matrix spike duplicate samples (one per 20
samples) – Samples that are spiked with a known amount
of target analytes and then prepared and analyzed.
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Surrogates (three used for every sample) – Deuterated
compounds that are added to each sample.
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Recoveries are used to determine accuracy of analysis
on the site sample matrix
Recoveries are used to determine accuracy and validity
of each analysis
Internal standards (four used for every sample) –
Deuterated compounds that are added to each sample
and used to provide standardized quantitation.
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Recoveries are used to monitor matrix effects and show
any loss in instrument sensitivity
Independent Data Review
Review includes:
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Verifying that laboratory data package includes all required data
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Assuring that proper custody procedures and sample handling procedures
have been used
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Confirming that appropriate analytical methods and reporting procedures
have been used
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Verifying that all QC samples (blanks, spikes, duplicates, etc.) have been
included at the required frequency
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Evaluating the results of the QC samples against criteria established in the
FSP
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Determining the effect of any QC deficiencies on the data quality
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Qualifying the data to indicate potential biases (if minor QC issues) or
rejection (if significant QC issues)
Thank You
We look forward to assisting the
TCEQ and the Hillcrest Community
during this phase of assessment.