NASA Environmental Compliance Services

Client: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Location: Greenbelt, Maryland

Services: Facility compliance, environmental/TSD audits, NPDES permit compliance, pollution prevention planning, environmental training, and human health and ecological risk assessments

As part of a $1 million Indefinite Quantity Contract for environmental services with NASA, KCI has provided numerous environmental compliance services for the proposed expansion of the Goddard Space Flight Center campus. KCI staff performed a comprehensive copper discharge study related to compliance with NASA’s NPDES permit, including a life cycle cost analysis for the preferred solution to copper concentration reduction. An extensive historic preservation and cultural resources eligibility evaluation was conducted to facilitate compliance with requirements of Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Archaeological Resource Protection Act. KCI staff provided facility compliance with all related federal regulations, including RCRA/CERCLA, CWA, CAA, EPCRA, TSCA, and NEPA.

Multi-Landfill Assessment Project – KCI evaluated previous investigations conducted at four landfills in support of the management of their closure. KCI reviewed these investigations to assess the nature and extent of chemicals of concern (COCs); to identify chemicals in surface water, which exceeded Federal Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) for fresh water fauna and USEPA Region III BTAG ecological screening levels; to identify chemicals in sediment/soil which exceeded USEPA Region III human health RBCs and USEPA III BTAG screening levels; and to identify chemicals in groundwater which exceeded RBCs and Federal Primary Drinking Water MCLs.

Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment – A variety of chemicals of concern were reported at concentrations above human health and ecological screening criteria in surface water, sediment, and soil. A human health risk based assessment was performed for COCs identified to be above RBCs, in soil, sediment, and surface water. The assessment considered potential exposure scenarios (e.g., occupational, residential), receptors (e.g., site employee, construction workers), and associated relevant pathways (e.g., inhalation, incidental ingestion) as per current federal guidance for risk assessments. KCI also performed an ecological risk analysis for COCs that exceeded the ecological screening criteria. Maryland Department of the Environment has reviewed and approved KCI’s approach to assessing risk at the four landfills.

Volatile Organic Compound Assessment, Center-Wide – KCI sampled 45 monitoring wells at GSFC to assess the extent of volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in the groundwater, specifically chlorinated VOCs, such as trichloroethane and 1, 2-dichloroethane. The scope of services included: preparation of a detailed Work Plan and Health and Safety Plan; collection of groundwater samples for VOC analysis from 45 wells; installation and sampling of two 2-inch monitoring wells; and draft and final report preparation. Ground water samples were collected in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) # 2007. The samples were analyzed for VOCs via USEPA method 8260A with a 25ml purge and an accompanying Level III USEPA Data Quality package.

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