Isolation of mercury contaminated sediment
ENVIRONMENT
Project No. LIFE98 ENV/S/000477
Progress Report No. 1 March 15, 1999
Municipality of Nykvarn Municipality of Södertälje Sweden Sweden
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary...3
Dissemination task...4
Project realization tasks...4
Task 1 - Investigations ... 4
Task 2 - Remedial design & planning... 4
Task 3 - Environmental monitoring... 4
Task 4 - Legal issues and permitting ... 5
Task 5 - Construction ... 5
Discussion...5
Progress expected and milestones attained ... 5
Problems encountered and corrective actions taken ... 5
Expected progress during next reporting period...5
Financial situation...6
Statement of submission...6
Appendices
Financial summary...Appendix 1 Organization chart ...Appendix 2 Project orientation sheet ...Appendix 3 Time schedule ...Appendix 4 Members of project support group ...Appendix 5 Cover sheets for new documents produced in project ...Appendix 6
Summary
During the reporting period ended March 15, 1999, the Lake Turingen Remedial Project started operation in earnest. The project was fully funded, and as a result, the project organization was activated. Necessary administrative, informational and support structures have been put into place. Work has begun on design and implementation of construction and environmental monitoring for the first stage of remedial works.
Applications for environmental permits have also been submitted.
During the reporting period, only relatively small economic expenditures were made. The entire project budget is being reviewed, but the total sum required is not expected to change.
Management task
At the end of 1998, management received notice that co-financing for the project would be provided by the EU Life Environment Fund. Although the EU contribution was somewhat less than requested,
management considered the total financing package to be complete. Only minor design changes were felt to be necessary in order to maintain the reduced budget. The current budget for the project may be found in Appendix 1.
Following the EU decision, the project organization was finalized and mobilized (see Appendix 2) and a review was performed of all activities defined within each separate task. These actions have led to production of an updated project orientation sheet (Appendix 3) and a revised project schedule (Appendix 4). As currently defined, the project encompasses three stages and five phases, see Figure 11. All tasks are now either in a startup mode or already in production.
Part I River remediation
1995
Part II Lake remediation
1998-2002 Pre-
remediation Stage
Stage 1
Dredging and disposal near river mouth
Stage 2
Gel cover of transport and accumulation bottoms
Reference Phase
Stage 1 Remediation
Phase
Stage 1 Evaluation
Phase
Stage 2 Remediation
Phase
Stage 2 Evaluation
Phase Figure 1. Definition of various phases within the project.
Since January 1, 1999, the newly formed municipality of Nykvarn has come on-board as the most affected project beneficiary (Lake Turingen lies within Nykvarn), in partnership with the municipality of Södertälje.
As a consequence, the Nykvarn municipal government now provides accounting and other administrative services for the project. A project specific list of budget lines has been developed and implemented and reporting procedures are being specified.
Within the scope of the management task, contacts have also been established or re opened with a number of well-respected researchers, technical experts and officials at government agencies and other entities who have agreed to provide outside support services (see Appendix 5). Such services include critical review of planning, design and evaluation documents, participation in research and dissemination activities, etc.
A quality assurance policy for the project was proposed during January 1999 and is currently undergoing revisions.
1 Note that the official starting date for the project per Life Environment (February 1, 1998) lies midway
Finally, project management hosted a visit in early February 1999 for a representative of Life Environment's technical assistance group for the project, Trans-Mond Environment Ltd.
Dissemination task
A public meeting was held in early December 1999 in Nykvarn at which information regarding the project was presented to local residents. Additional such meetings will be held as the project proceeds.
A request for proposals and tenders to develo p and implement an information strategy for the project was issued in February 1999. It is expected that this work will commence during April 1999.
Project realization tasks
Task 1 - Investigations
Within the investigations task, two desk studies with regard to the chemical and physical performance characteristics of possible natural cover materials were recently completed (Kemakta 1998 and Uppsala University 1998), see Appendix 6. These studies confirmed the feasibility of the proposed cap design for the underwater disposal site and other areas of the lake near the river mouth and provide a basis for selection of critical design parameters.
A large scale field test of the proposed gel cover method was initiated during Fall 1998, but could not be completed at that time due to both technical delays and the onset of winter conditions. The test will be resumed in Spring 1999 when the lake surface is free from ice.
No other activities are currently ongoing or planned within the investigations task.
Task 2 - Remedial design & planning
In January 1999, a consulting firm was contracted to perform the Stage 1 Remedial design. This work, which also includes some field measurements, sampling and lab testing, is expected to be completed by early April 1999. Preliminary results indicate that geotechnical considerations may entail some deviations from the design initially proposed. The main change expected is a partial relocation and increase in area of the underwater disposal site.
No other activities are currently ongoing or planned within the remedial design task.
Task 3 - Environmental monitoring
Within the environmental monitoring task, a framework monitoring program was developed during February and March 1999. The program encompasses all five phases within Part II of the project (remediation of Lake Turingen).
A request for tenders for implementation of the monitoring program for the Reference, Stage 1 Remediation and Stage 1 Evaluation phases is planned to be issued by the end of March 1999. Monitoring should begin shortly thereafter. It should be noted that the Reference phase is based on techniques and data from (a) the ongoing monitoring program currently used for evaluation of the remedial works completed during Part I of the project (remediation of Turinge River); and (b) separate studies and investigations performed during development of the lake remediation concept.
No other environmental monitoring activities are currently ongoing or planned.
Task 4 - Legal issues and permitting
In late Decemb er 1999, the project submitted an application to the Water Court in Stockholm for a permit under the Water Law, see Appendix 6. Simultaneously, a voluntary application for a permit under the Environmental Protection Act was submitted to the Stockholm County Administrative Board. Prior to submission of these applications, meetings were held in early December to inform, explain and discuss the project with both national, regional and local environmental agencies and (as noted above) with the general public in the community of Nykvarn.
At present, at the request of the Water Court, supplementary information and clarifying statements are being prepared. After submission of these documents and prior to rendering its decision, the Court will publish a public notification of the application and hold a public hearing.
No other activities are currently ongoing or planned within the legal issues task.
Task 5 - Construction
No activities have been performed within the Construction task during the current re porting period, other than the cursory budgetary and technical review done for all tasks. The ongoing remedial design work (see Task 2) will however, shortly result in preparation of a request for tenders for Stage 1 Remedial
Construction.
Discussion
Progress expected and milestones attained
Since the project is just starting up, there is no previous list o f expected milestones against which progress may be measured. However, major milestones attained during recent months include:
• implementation of project organization and administrative practices
• submission of permit applications
• selection of consultant and start of work on Stage 1 Remedial design
• development of framework environmental monitoring program.
Problems encountered and corrective actions taken
Significant problems which have been encountered during the last reporting period and the actions taken to correct these are:
• Delay of completion of the field test of gel cover method due to technical difficulties with equipment and materials. The contractor appears to have solved the problems.
• Delay of completion of the field test of gel cover method due to the onset of winter conditions. The test will resume following the disappearance of lake ice.
• Adverse geotechnical properties in the planned underwater disposal site. The Stage 1 Remedial design will be adjusted accordingly, possibly entailing relocation of the dis posal site and the need to cap a larger area than previously anticipated.
Expected progress during next reporting period
During the next reporting period, significant progress is expected in the following areas:
• Further development of project-specific administrative procedures.
• Establishment of a project field office at the work site.
• Development of an information strategy and specific dissemination tools and products for the project.
• Completion of Stage 1 Remedial Design.
• Issuance of a request for tenders, s election of a contractor and implementation of an environmental monitoring program for the Reference Phase and for the Stage 1 Remediation and Evaluation phases.
• Submission of amendments, additions and clarifications to the permit applications.
• Issuance of environmental and water law permits and approval of the monitoring program.
• Issuance of a request for tenders, selection of a contractor and start of the Stage 1 Remedial Construction.
• A certified auditor will be engaged in accordance with Life regulations.
Financial situation
The current status of the project with regard to the budget is shown in the financial summary (Appendix 1). A review of the project budget is ongoing. It is expected that this will yield a somewhat different distribution between tasks, and also certain changes per Life budget lines. However, the total project budget is not expected to change. Any differences will be described in the next progress report, and if necessary, approval by the Commission will be requested.
Statement of submission
The undersigned submits this progress report on the date shown below and asserts that the report accurately represents the current status of the project in all pertinent regards.
Nykvarn, Sweden March 15, 1999
Ronald Bergman
Lake Turingen Remedial Project Project Manager
