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SW: Alternative Earthen Final Cover

September 22, 2020

Kansas Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Solid WasteUAV & GeospatialWetland & Ecological Assessment Project Summary Blackstone recently completed an annual vegetation survey for an Alternative Earthen Final Cover (AEFC) at a Kansas landfill. The AEFC design includes native grasses, wildflowers (forbs), and trees. The goal of the AEFC is to produce a final cover that provides a more naturally sustainable, ecosystem-based design requiring less maintenance and providing improved structural integrity, water uptake, vegetation health, nutrient recycling, and wildlife/aesthetic characteristics. The AEFC design is intended to encourage/accelerate the re-establishment of a native grassland-woodland community on the landfill after closure of each area.  Services Provided The annual vegetation survey included the evaluation of overall health of AEFC areas and determination if additional seeding or maintenance was required. Areas planted in native grasses and forbs were surveyed for species diversity, and a tree survival count was conducted in tree planting areas. Areas of significant stands of volunteer trees were identified. Areas were also surveyed for the presence…
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SW: Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Gas Collection System Expansion

March 4, 2020

Kansas Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Solid Waste Project Summary Blackstone Environmental assisted a local Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill in overseeing the expansion of their landfill gas (LFG) collection system. Blackstone completed the design of the LFG system expansion and completed construction quality assurance (CQA) oversight and testing during construction. The expansion included the addition of vertical extraction wells, collection piping, and condensate collection sumps and was completed on a portion of the site which was relatively new waste. The LFG collection system produces methane for an on-site landfill gas-to-energy plant which produces pipeline quality natural gas. Services Provided Blackstone designed the LFG collection system expansion, which included new vertical extraction well design, re-drill of existing vertical extraction wells, header and lateral collection piping, condensate sumps, control valves, line maintenance valves and cleanouts, and wellhead flow control devices. Blackstone also conducted CQA services, which included inspection and observation of vertical well drilling, collection piping placement and pressure testing, and certification reporting. Results The…
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SW: Hamm Landfill: Landfill Gas System Expansion

August 29, 2019

Kansas Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Solid Waste Project Summary Blackstone Environmental provided engineering design and construction oversight for the landfill gas collection and control system (GCCS) expansion at the Hamm Landfill in Lawrence, Kansas. The GCCS consists of vertical gas extraction wells, collection and control piping, leachate condensate sumps, leachate forcemains, air supply lines, and control valves. The site includes a landfill gas-to-energy plant which converts the collected LFG into usable pipeline quality, high-BTU natural gas. The first phase of the GCCS was constructed in 2016. The second phase of GCCS included installation of 14 vertical extraction wells along with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) collection piping. Services Provided The overall objective of this project was to design and provide construction drawings for the second phase of the GCCS at the landfill. Design of the GCCS expansion project included vertical gas extraction wells, HDPE collection piping, leachate forcemain collection systems, and gas condensate sump collection units. Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) during construction of the GCCS…
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SW: Solid Waste Construction Management: Champ Landfill

August 2, 2019

Missouri Location Mike Kukuk Contact Service Lines Solid Waste Project Summary Blackstone provided independent construction observation and testing of an approximately 6.4-acre liner installation for Cell 1G/2D at the Champ Landfill in Missouri in 2013. Blackstone was responsible for visually observing and documenting construction activities and performing tests to verify that the material and construction procedures were in compliance with the MDNR approved CQA Plan. Services Provided Collection and submittal of geotechnical soil samples for pre-construction testing.Observation of subgrade and drainage layer filling activities.Observation of geotextile installation activities.Observation of fine aggregate filling and rolling activities. Review of the geomembrane manufacturer’s quality control submittals for compliance.Conducted field moisture and density testing during construction using a nuclear density/moisture gauge for the low permeability compacted soil liner.Collection and submittal of conformance soil samples.Observation and documentation of geomembrane deployment, seaming, and testing.Collection and submittal of geomembrane seam samples for seam strength analysis.Observation of temporary phase termination berm construction.Observation of leachate collection pipe, rock, and gravel drainage installation. Review of…
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SW: Solid Waste Engineering & Compliance Services: WCG/GL

August 2, 2019

Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Kentucky Location Lindsay James Contact Service Lines GroundwaterSolid WasteGeology & Hydrogeology Project Summary Blackstone provides solid waste and groundwater compliance for WCA Waste/GFL in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, and Kentucky. Blackstone provides groundwater compliance services including routine groundwater monitoring and reporting, alternate source demonstrations, monitoring network design, leachate monitoring, and groundwater monitoring plan preparation. Blackstone also assists with stormwater management plan preparation, routine solid waste engineering, and landfill gas monitoring and remedial solutions. Services Provided Black Oak Landfill horizontal expansion engineering, design and permitting.CML Cell 6 sump investigation in support of engineering services to determining groundwater level and engineering design implications.Perform semi-annual groundwater sampling, statistical analysis, and reporting for multiple landfills throughout the Midwest.Conduct background quarterly monitoring for new network wells and perform statistical analysis at multiple landfills to evaluate data quality and representativeness.Prepare Assessment of Corrective Measures reports and well installation work plans.Perform proactive geochemical analysis for monitoring wells showing statistical exceedances comparing leachate analytical and surface water analytical to well data.Prepared…
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SW: Hamm Landfill Compliance & Engineering Services

July 31, 2019

Kansas Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Solid WasteEnvironmental Compliance Project Summary Blackstone has provided engineering and environmental consulting services to Hamm Companies since 2010 including alternative cap design and construction oversight, GCCS design and permitting, cell liner construction quality assurance (CQA) oversight, Research, Design, and Demonstration (RD&D) program implementation and monitoring, leachate management, and quarry evaluation services. Services Provided Blackstone has played a key role in assisting Hamm in their involvement in the RD&D program with Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Involvement in the RD&D program includes continual monitoring and data collection with the associated alternative cover items and bi-annual reporting to KDHE. Blackstone has been in charge of the monitoring, data collection, and reporting process since 2011 when Hamm initially entered the RD&D program. Data collection on leachate management, alternative cover hydraulic performance, landfill settlement, erosion control, and landfill gas production has been included in the bi-annual summary reports submitted to KDHE. Blackstone has also…
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SW: GCCS Design and Construction Management: Rolling Meadows, Pheasant Point, and Metro Park East

July 31, 2019

Kansas Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines Solid Waste Project Summary Blackstone has provided engineering consulting services to Waste Management, including design of gas collection and control system (GCCS) expansion systems, GCCS future planning, and construction quality assurance (CQA) oversight of GCCS construction. Services Provided Engineering Design and Construction Management Blackstone has helped plan and design expansions to the existing GCCS systems at the Rolling Meadows Landfill in Topeka, Kansas; Pheasant Point Landfill in Bennington, Nebraska; and Metro Park East Landfill in Mitchellville, Iowa. Blackstone designed the expansions to the existing systems, which include new vertical extraction wells, new header and lateral piping, gas control valves, and leachate condensate sumps. Blackstone has also assisted Waste Management in long-term planning for future GCCS placement and construction at these landfills. Blackstone also conducted the CQA oversight of the construction of the 2014 Rolling Meadows GCCS expansion which included drilling of the vertical extraction wells, vertical extraction well placement and backfill, trench construction, header and lateral pipe placement,…
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Env. Com.: Electric Utility Landfill and Compliance Support

July 31, 2019

Kansas Location Emily Smart Contact Service Lines Environmental ComplianceGroundwaterSolid Waste Project Summary Blackstone provides compliance services to local electric utilities, including Westar Energy and the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. These services include: Quarterly inspection of landfills for QA and SWP3 complianceGroundwater sampling and reporting including Sanitas data analysisGroundwater modelingAirspace computations for landfillsLandfill permit modificationsLandfill closure and post-closure cost estimatesCQA oversight, monitoring, and reportingPreparation of landfill operations planPreparation of waste management unit closure plansPrepare sampling and analysis plansPrepare plot plansReview of remediation plansCompliance for CCR unitsFly Ash landfill monofill facility operation planFly Ash landfill engineering design plans
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Groundwater: Coffey County Sanitary Landfill: Compliance & Engineering Services

July 31, 2019

Kansas Location Kyle Kukuk Contact Service Lines GroundwaterSolid Waste Project Summary Blackstone provides environmental compliance and engineering services to the Coffey County Sanitary Landfill (CCSL). The CCSL is an approximate 38-acre municipal solid waste landfill (MSW) located near Burlington, Kansas, and operated by Coffey County. Services Provided Blackstone assists the landfill with groundwater monitoring and also provides engineering design services, construction quality assurance for liner and cap construction, and test pad permeability (Boutwell) testing. Blackstone also prepared a design report for a proposed phytoremediation pilot test plot unit. The pilot test plot was designed to evaluate using CCSL leachate for beneficial use as an irrigation source on native, water-loving trees and grasses, which will utilize the evapotranspiration process to naturally treat the landfill leachate. The pilot test plot goal is to determine the viability of using diluted leachate as an irrigation source and to evaluate the interaction between the native vegetation and the leachate to ultimately determine maximum loading rates for a larger, permanent phytoremediation…
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GW: City of St. Joseph Sanitary Landfill: Compliance & Engineering Services

July 31, 2019

Missouri Location Lindsay James Contact Service Lines GroundwaterSolid Waste Geology & Hydrogeology Project Understanding Blackstone provides routine groundwater monitoring and compliance services for the City of St. Joseph Sanitary Landfill and the closed McArthur Drive Landfill. Blackstone has assisted the City with cell Construction Quality Assurance (CQA), Erosion Control Plan preparation, Cap and Closure services, installation of a nested perimeter probe gas monitoring system, landfill rate study, stormwater compliance, GCCS system repairs, and airspace calculations. Services Provided Blackstone provides routine semi-annual groundwater monitoring and statistical evaluation for the St. Joseph Sanitary Landfill and annual monitoring of groundwater, sediment, and surface water for the closed McArthur Drive Landfill. Non-routine groundwater services have included investigation of VOC detections in groundwater; preparation of sampling and analysis plans; background statistical updates; hydrogeological site characterization activities; investigation of fluctuating water levels in multiple monitoring wells using downhole camera inspection; and installation of replacement monitoring wells. Blackstone completed oversight and installation of a complex site-wide nested perimeter gas probe monitoring system…
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