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| TechLaw contacted over 60 archive collections, libraries, and other record repositories while conducting research for this project, which involved the collection of over 20,000 pages of documentation. Due to TechLaw’s extensive capabilities conducting historical research at sites formerly owned or operated by agencies of the Department of Defense, the client requested that TechLaw perform nine specialized historical research tasks. To accomplish this, TechLaw visited numerous document repositories including, but not limited to, the following: the National Archives and Records Administration, the Library of Congress, U.S. Military History Institute, U.S. Air Force Directorate of Information, U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency, U.S. Air Force Historical Support Office, and U.S. Army Center of Military History. Extensive files were reviewed and information relevant to each of the nine topics was identified. A standard form was used to coordinate the collection of relevant documents and subsequent separation by topic. Reports were prepared to present the information contained in the collected records. These reports were provided to all USACE Districts conducting PRP work. |
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| TechLaw conducted an ESH for an industrial site in Massachusetts. Operations at the site occurred from 1941 to 1989; during that time, a contractor produced aircraft engine parts for the United States and foreign governments, and commercial clients. Tasks included record collection, review of documents, interviews, contract analysis, title research, aerial photography interpretation, data analysis with a review of a risk assessment, waste stream analysis, and report preparation. This information was used during negotiations between the parties regarding remediation costs. |
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| On behalf of a group of potentially responsible parties, TechLaw developed site histories for over 75 parcels located along a waterway in Tacoma, Washington. For nearly 80 years, activities along the waterway resulted in the contamination of nearly a million cubic yards of sediments with PCBs, chlorinated solvents, and other organics and metals. TechLaw chronicled the involvement of over 100 parties with numerous commercial and industrial operations that included ship-building, metal scrapping, chemical manufacturing, log and lumber processing, aluminum smelting, electric power generation and distribution, vehicle maintenance and repair, petroleum reclaiming, agricultural research, and marinas. TechLaw developed site histories using information provided by parties involved in the allocation effort, interviews of knowledgeable parties, and information obtained from EPA, state environmental agencies, and other sources. These site histories were used as a basis for cost allocation among the parties and for cash-out negotiations with EPA. |
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| For this site located in Colorado, TechLaw conducted an ESH in conjunction with the environmental investigation. This proactive approach gave the client cost-saving opportunities in identifying the part of the site that might be suitable for conversion or sale, identifying critical investigation/remediation areas, prioritizing remedial tasks, and minimizing the costs of remediation by avoiding excess sampling and analysis. TechLaw performed an extensive search of both public and private historical records relevant to the site. More than 100,000 pages of documentation were scanned and processed using Optical Character Recognition technology to generate a bibliographic database. Sixty-five federal, state, and local agencies were contacted for information and 80 interviews were conducted with current and former employees, managers, equipment manufacturers, chemical suppliers, government officials, and area residents. More than 10,000 maps and drawings relevant to the site were screened, with 2,200 determined to be "environmentally significant" and catalogued in databases. |
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