Electrical Transmission Towers Remediation Program Management

PIVOX Corporation served as program manager and construction contractor for General Contractor for remediation and restoration of potentially lead-impacted soil under electrical transmission towers across Northern and Central California. 

Individual work sites were widespread and included both remote and urban settings, including at/near residences. Work at each site included mechanical and hand excavation of potentially impacted soil, field chemical screening using x-ray fluorescence, soil confirmation sampling, installation of delineation material at the extents of soil removal, backfill with imported clean soil suited to surrounding conditions, transportation and disposal of excavated soil, and restoration of the site, including new landscaping, to match pre-remediation conditions. 

PIVOX was responsible for sequencing and scheduling the work, data tracking and reporting, procuring required local agency/municipal permits, interfacing with the public as needed to access sites, and coordinating transportation and disposal of removed soil. The PIVOX management approach was critical in meeting the challenges associated with this project. While specific remediation activities at each site were straightforward, the project included remediation of 29 individual sites, tower sites were spread widely through the utility service region, sites had tight access constraints, and many sites were located near residential and school settings.  PIVOX met these challenges by taking a program-level approach: 

• Working with the Owner and consultants to develop specific sampling/analysis/cleanup plans for each site prior to mobilization and minimizing open questions while remediation is underway at each site.
• Grouping sites based on cleanup needs and location, and sequencing work to address sites in batches and allowing PIVOX to procure local agency permits for multiple sites in a single effort where possible.
• Developing several “hub” staging areas where crews could organize equipment, temporary excavated soil stockpiles, and replacement soil stockpiles to efficiently service site groups without requiring a new mobilization effort for each site.
• Developing simple and clear site-specific remediation schematics for crews, such that there was clear direction to crews for the specific assigned “hub”, site access, excavation method and extents, soil characterization data, waste screening data, and restoration requirements at each site.  This was critical was a critical quality assurance measure, as multiple crews were remediation multiple sites simultaneously, many sites appeared to be similar, yet all sites had custom remediation requirements.
• Developing and maintaining a daily work progress and data tracking system that provided well-organized, clear, and accurate real-time work progress and soil chemical data to the owner and consultants.
• Developing a standardized means to document and report post-remediation condition of each site prior to demobilizing from the site.