At Terra Nova, we like to operate as a “toolbox” for the engineering industry. That is, we prefer to serve as a trusted member of our client’s teams, to collaboratively execute remedial field services, and placed “back on the shelf” until future use. Most of our remediation work is performed in a design-build fashion, with Terra Nova adding significant value to the planning, costs, and constructability review phases. Our remediation business model is predicated upon maintaining very close relationships with our engineering clients and operating as an extension of their field services group. We have a long and proven history of geotechnical and remedial services to top-tier clientele in the energy, oil and gas, transportation, and manufacturing industries.

Removal of impacted soil and groundwater

Remedial excavation and dewatering are core service offerings by Terra Nova. Built upon a foundation of significant experience averaging 25+ years. Our excavation and site work teams routinely perform excavation and management of target materials in a variety of conditions on a national level, for some of the top clientele in the industry. This experience includes sites in congested urban areas, remote locations, and otherwise challenging terrain as well as a wide variety of remedial applications deployed.

Our remedial excavation and dewatering resume include everything from surgical, small excavations related to buried drums, debris, unknown cylinders to mass excavation operations targeting hundreds of thousands of tons.

Terra Nova’s field crews also have significant, self-perform experience implementing temporary odor control measures such as foams, enclosures, and temporary structures to contain and treat fugitive emissions such as dust, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs).

Because remediation goals for contaminated sites are often driven by groundwater standards, the management of impacted groundwater is usually a pivotal element of any remedial operation. Terra Nova has decades of demonstrated experience with controlling and managing groundwater via several technologies including, fixed well points and temporary, portable dewatering and treatment systems. Our systems typically target suspended solids reduction, carbon absorption, metals precipitation, and NAPL recovery.

Terra Nova benefits from the support of a large transport equipment fleet and maintains a large fleet of other water management equipment consisting of specialized pumps, tanks, treatment equipment, and bulk transport equipment ranging from 2,800 gallons to over 9,000 gallons in capacity.

Groundwater Treatment

Terra Nova provides mobile water treatment systems for routine, scheduled service applications as well as dispatching them on an emergency basis. The company’s capacities range from 10 to approximately 500 gallons per minute and are available in a variety of sizes and configurations. All systems are pre-assembled, self-contained, requiring minimal setup time upon mobilization, and are available as trailer-mount, skid-mount, or containerized.

Terra Nova routinely fabricates and constructs integrated remediation systems configured to meet designed, site-specific cleanup criteria while satisfying air and/or water quality discharge standards. The company’s integrated remedial systems address all aspects of surface or subsurface contamination as it exists in groundwater and soil.

Geotechnical Construction Services

Where project goals require in-site treatment of contaminated media, Terra Nova successfully implements remedial measures including soil mixing/ stabilization, cut-off walls, injections, and other technologies.

Many of Terra Nova’s remediation projects are located on sites where traditional, open-cut remedial measures are not practical. Our staff has significant experience implementing institutional remedies in concert with our engineering partners. Terra Nova’s multi-disciplinary teams have decades of experience with operations such as:

• Shallow (<40’) soil mixing/injections with a variety of implements including hydraulic heads, augers, buckets, pugmills, and a variety of other implements.
• Shallow slurry and cut off walls of specialty design.
• Complex excavation support systems consisting of sheet pile installation, timber wall & lagging, slide rails, trench boxes, tiebacks, and vinyl sheeting.

Capping and Containment

A significant portion of Terra Nova’s remedial resume includes containment construction and capping as remedial measures. These are normally installed where typical open-cut and source removal activities are not permissible or where it may be advantageous to control and cap materials onsite.

Terra Nova’s staff has performed dozens of engineered capping projects, ranging from 1.5 acres to over 40 acres involving engineered/ RCRA caps, drainage, gas venting, stormwater, and erosion control.

Manufactured Gas Plant Remediation

Terra Nova’s primary remediation crews have 25+ years of experience remediating former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) sites. Many of these projects have involved the excavation of large quantities of coal tar contaminated soil as well as ancillary tasks such as selective, subsurface decommissioning and demolition, large-scale dewatering, excavation support, road building, and capping. Most of Terra Nova’s MGP resume includes sites in congested urban areas for some of  the leading utilities on the east coast. As part of these projects, Terra Nova has effectively utilized odor and vapor control measures and has performed work within temporary structures or enclosures.

Lagoon /Basin Closure

Thanks to our industrial roots, Terra Nova performs lined and unlined basin and lagoon closures for select industries. Specifically, manufacturing and chemical. These projects are performed with equipment similar to what is used in our wetland reclamation service line and generally include mass material conditioning, solidification, staging area construction, long reach or pneumatic equipment, and small pond dredges. Terra Nova leverages its industrial resources and routinely self-performs the installation and operation of the waste processing systems for basin cleanings and closures.

Wetland and Sediment Removal/Replacement

Wetland and riparian areas are often the final locations for many contaminants as they move through the fluvial and terrestrial systems. The wetland/ sediment portion of the environmental industry has been very active over the last decade and continues to benefit from relatively consistent funding sources and high-profile programs.

However, remediation of these areas is often complex and involves specialized techniques such as bypass pumping, large-scale dewatering, dredging, solidification, and restoration of wetland habitat, often not readily available through local vendors.

Terra Nova has responded to this challenge by investing heavily in personnel and equipment resources to support the national sediment remediation industry and offers the most effective solutions for these projects by providing services based on proven technologies. Our experience with sediment remediation and wetland mitigation involves bypass pumping of active watercourses for extended periods, nearshore mechanical dredging rebuilding, stabilization and realignment of riparian areas, dewatering and flow control of ponds and marshes through cofferdams as well as sheet pile walls, other hydraulic control devices, and restoration of habitat including the construction of riffle zones, pools, log vanes, root wad structures, and the replanting of wetland species.

Residential Remediation

Similar to sediment removal actions, the residential remediation industry has experienced an increase of several large residential remedial programs, both federal and commercial, during the last decade. Multi-site/ neighborhood residential remediation programs require a level of due diligence and a process that is not often required on other projects. Terra Nova’s staff has significant experience in these engagements and demonstrated the ability to work seamlessly and surgically in ultra-sensitive work zones. We are indebted to our team members who have cross-trained in emergency response services, Terra Nova can provide a higher level of service on a programmatic and/or a high-volume basis.

Mechanical Site Development Services

The installation of new utilities often follows the demolition of former structures at remedial sites. Especially on brownfield sites or other development projects, the ability to “put the site back together again” is a valued asset of Terra Nova and part of our base service offering. We offer a full range of self-performed utility installation services such as storm drainage, sewer, water piping, steam and condensate piping, pump stations and vaults, oil/water separators, leachate collection, and conveyance systems site grading, concrete flatwork, retaining walls and general site development. The ability to self-perform these services results in fewer subcontractors on the site and simplifies administration efforts.