Projects

Ames Privilege, Chicopee, MA

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Had I known
what I know now, I would have called Kevin
O’Reilly of OTO at the beginning of the project
rather than after 600 tons of dirt had been dug up.
I like the way OTO looks at a problem from multiple vantage points. Then they recommend a rational solution that works for everyone concerned – including the regulators. I really appreciate Kevin’s approach. I particularly like the way he continually tries to shed light on the end of the tunnel – even when there is seemingly no end in sight."

- Bob Egan, Partyka Resource Management

Effective environmental engineering solutions are often at the heart of successful real estate transactions. Such was the case for a development project at an old mill site in western Massachusetts. There was evidence of a substantial oil release from an underground tank.

The original environmental professional had recommended excavating all of the contaminated soil and disposing of it off-site. The property owner agreed, the backhoes were set in motion and the digging continued. The owner of the property was being charged by the hour and said he felt “like there was no end in sight.”

He decided to call O’Reilly, Talbot and Okun for a second opinion. OTO approached the problem in their typical style – from an engineering perspective. Information would be needed to define the problem. In this case, soil quality data was used with a Method 3 Risk Assessment to identify a range of sensible cleanup solutions. OTO further determined there was no need to continue with the massive excavation.

The specific cleanup ultimately recommended by OTO was well-defined and limited in scope. It included a deed restriction on the property which reduced the cost of the cleanup without sacrificing environmental safety. Given that the cleanup passed a DEP audit and the sale of the property was successfully transacted, it proved to be an effective course of action.