Randle Reef

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Pearlstreet

..and then what? Would there be potential of a leak from this structure they plan to contain all the sediment in? All the effort and cost, but no way to recycle or clean it?

I've had similar concerns. The best option would be complete removal, but I don't think cleaning/destroying the pollutants is feasible. In Sydney, they apparently "contained" the contaminants by making them a component of a concrete layer which was then capped.

Having a double-walled structure should help minimize risks. I suppose if further work is required in future it would involve additional barriers around the new pier, but those contaminants will still be locked in there.

This toxic hotspot seems to have been caused mostly by Stelco. I have to wonder if Dofasco's decades of operations have caused a localized problem too somewhere near their site, or was it just the way harbour currents interacted with the coal dust/runoff that produced the Randle Reef problem.

[SteelTown]

• Video Link

[ScreamingViking]

Aglukkaq: "...and in the main estimates this year we are committing even more."

Any bets this becomes a 2015 election promise instead of a 2015 budget item?


This was in the Spec letters section yesterday. Might be worth discussing, but I thought there was a risk that dredging into the worst of the sediments could stir and disperse the contamination farther into the harbour? (hence the idea to contain the highest concentrations with the structure first)

Clean up Randle Reef bit by bit
The Hamilton Spectator - June 20, 2014
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story...ef-bit-by-bit/

Costs puts Randle Reef project at risk (June 18)

There is another option besides tweaking the current engineering proposals and associated costs.

It is a more realistic strategy long advocated by environmental experts and activists, namely proceed incrementally, not all at one go.

This strategy was advanced in the Environmental Assessment done by Environment Canada in 1995 and then nixed by senior bureaucrats.

Incremental cleanup is designed to remove and, ideally, treat the wastes by feasible portions like the 30,000 cubic metres used as a "model" in the 95EA.

Similar portions would be removed on a regular (e.g. annual) basis. The costs would be defrayed removal by removal, ideally by gradually using up the current IOU donations.

If treatment were included, the clean waste could be placed back into the harbour, rather than trucked to an industrial landfill.

It would be sensible to swap the big visible legacy of the current plan for the different strategy of incrementalism.

Let's use our brains to solve this new problem!

Mark Sproule-Jones, Emeritus Professor and Copps Chair, McMaster University

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Are we up to 30 years on this story yet? Wake me when three-eyed fish start washing up on the shore.

[thistleclub]

1985: Hamilton's Remedial Action Plan for Hamilton Harbour begins.

Randle Reef: New, scaled-down plan to clean up toxic blob in Hamilton Harbour
(Hamilton Spectator, Mark McNeil, Feb 13 2015)

Government officials are looking for a contractor to take on a new, less ambitious, plan to contain the toxic blob at Randle Reef in Hamilton Harbour after an earlier tendering effort came up empty.

"After careful consideration of all information received from industry, the project partners have identified modifications to the current project design that should result in significant cost savings without compromising the environmental goals of the project, a statement from Environment Canada said today.

The new strategy is an effort to keep the project within its $138.9 million budget. It will see a smaller Engineered Containment Facility with fewer right angles and other modifications. A key component of the overall effort is to contain most of the contaminants -- from decades of coal tar pollution -- rather than removing the material.

The development is significant because the remediation effort is one of the last major hurdles in the decades' long cleanup of Hamilton Harbour, a body of water that is remains listed as an "area of concern" by the International Joint Commission.

Last June, a first call for tenders for the first stage of the project saw all bids come in over budget.

Environment Canada says the tendering process is expected to begin in "early 2015. Work is expected to commence this year in Hamilton Harbour with the reconstruction of a dock wall adjacent to the ECF, to permit contaminated sediments to be removed from this area."

[lucasmascotto]

Scaled-down Randle Reef cleanup put up for tender again
By: --
(The Hamilton Spectator: Thursday, May 07, 2015)

The Randle Reef project has been retendered.

The Randle Reef partners announced the retendering Thursday morning, after more than 20 years of scientific research, changing plans, shifting priorities, squabbling over responsibility and escalating cost estimates.

This current plan is a modified version of the original remediation project to clean up one of Canada's most polluted lake bottoms. The tender calls for "marine installation of a double steel sheet pile wall. Dredging between walls. The installation of rock fill between walls and other associated work."

Plans for the approximately $140-million project, which involves encapsulating contaminated sediments in a containment facility, were put on hold last year after all the bids in a first round of tendering came in above budget.

The plan will see a smaller engineered containment facility (EFC) with "fewer right angles" and other modifications and simplifications to the former proposal. Less severely polluted sediments will be left alone and covered over with some kind of barrier.

Environment Canada went back to the drawing board to come up with a less ambitious scenario.

Hamilton, the port authority and U.S. Steel Canada, the nearest steelmaker to the historical pollution, are expected to give $14 million each in cash or in-kind services. Burlington and Halton will provide $4.3 million combined, while the province and federal government committed $46 million each.

It's still unclear how the status of U.S. Steel Canada in bankruptcy protection will affect the project, since the beleaguered company had planned to provide most of its contribution in steel.

Randle Reef, just west of the Stelco property on the harbour, is the worst coal tar-contaminated site in Canada and its remediation is expected to take years. The plan involves building a steel containment structure over the worst part of the polluted area. Water will be removed from the captured sediment, and the structure will be capped and made into a port facility with green space. The containment facility is capable of holding enough coal tar sediment to fill FirstOntario Centre (formerly Copps Coliseum) three times.

[NortheastWind]

CBC indicates that "companies have one month and one day to bid on the tender, which closes on June 16". I hope a local company wins the bid.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...back-1.3065003

[interr0bangr]

New site launched specifically for this project: http://www.randlereef.ca/

Also, it was announced a few days ago that a Hamilton firm got the job: http://www.thespec.com/news-story/57...reef-contract/

[thistleclub]

Hamilton Harbour cleanup a 'joint responsibility,' says Burlington mayor
(Burlington Post, Michael Gregory, July 17 2015)

The restoration of Hamilton Harbour is a “joint responsibility,” says Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring, as the federal government announced Friday that contracts had been awarded for the Randle Reef clean up effort.

“Burlington is proud to be a part of a government and private sector team that shares the common belief that cleaning up the Hamilton Harbour is a joint responsibility and the right thing to do,” Goldring said.

“Preserving our natural environment is something we take very seriously in Burlington.”

Hamilton’s McNally Construction was awarded the $138.9-million contract for the first stage of construction to clean up Randle Reef, located just offshore from U.S. Steel Canada and the worst coal tar-contaminated site in Canada.

Burlington has committed $2.3M, with another $2M coming from Halton Region, to remediate the site, located across from LaSalle Park.

Another $46M is coming from the federal government and province, while Hamilton is contributing $14M.


Read it in full here.

[NortheastWind]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

Hamilton Harbour cleanup a 'joint responsibility,' says Burlington mayor
(Burlington Post, Michael Gregory, July 17 2015)

Hamilton’s McNally Construction was awarded the $138.9-million contract for the first stage of construction to clean up Randle Reef, located just offshore from U.S. Steel Canada and the worst coal tar-contaminated site in Canada.
Read it in full here.

McNally's head office is in Hamilton but are owned by Weeks Marine of New Jersey, who are the largest marine construction company in the US.

[ScreamingViking]

The Spec's story notes the work will begin next year, with completion expected in 2022. Hopefully the ongoing U.S. Steel issues will not fuddle this up and cause more delays -- most of their commitment was to supply the steel.


Randle Reef construction starting in spring
By Mark McNeil, Hamilton Spectator (July 21, 2015)

After years of delay, the harbour toxic blob will be encapsulated at a cost of almost $140M

The Hamilton company that will take on the first phase of the long awaited Randle Reef Remediation Project won't be starting construction until the spring of 2016.

Environment Canada says it's too late this year to begin work encapsulating the giant toxic blob in Hamilton Harbour. As well, it will take several months for steel to be made for the containment walls.

The $138.9-million project to deal with the worst coal tar contaminated site in Canada had been snarled for years in delays, technical studies, funding disputes, and legalities. Then in February 2014 a call for bidders was issued with expectations of construction beginning that summer.

But that was dashed when all the bids came in over budget and government officials had to go back to the drawing board. A second request for proposals was issued in the spring of 2015, with hopes of construction beginning this summer.

But now—with the awarding of the contract to McNally Construction of Hamilton taking until last week – actual construction has been put off again.

"I had a feeling this would happen," said Lynda Lukasik, of Environment Hamilton. "It is par for the course. We have been waiting a long time."

read more

[thistleclub]

Randle Reef project getting a spring boost
(Hamilton Spectator, Joel OpHardt, Mar 21 2016)

Construction of the containment box in the Randle Reef cleanup project is set to begin this spring.

Bay Area Restoration Council executive director Chris McLaughlin, scheduled to hold several information sessions on the project, has been in a good mood about the coming changes to the Hamilton Harbour.

"Unequivocally, BARC is thrilled that things are moving ahead," said McLaughlin, but added that the process is complex and the community needs to understand what is at stake.

"Environmental restoration is always going to be relative," McLaughlin added.

"Sometimes, there is a tendency to play down the accomplishments of a really good compromise."

That compromise involved the final approval of a $138.9-million remediation effort, with Hamilton's McNally Construction awarded $32 million for the first stage of the construction.

All in, the federal government, the province, and local funding partners (Hamilton, Burlington, Halton, the Hamilton Port Authority and U.S. Steel) are contributing just over $45 million each.

The Spectator checked in with McLaughlin to see where things stand with Randle Reef remediation.

Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity....

Q:What is the current timeline for the project?

A: The whole project will take until 2022, and is split up into three phases. Construction began in the fall to rebuild the sea walls at Pier 15, which is the base of operation for construction in the water.

The first phase (2016-2017), begins this spring with the construction of the 6.2-hectare environmental containment facility (ECF) — essentially a big steel box that will house the contaminated material at the most contaminated site. Big sheets of interlinking steel will be driven down to the bottom of the harbour with something called a vibratory hammer, which will literally just hammer them into the ground.

The second phase (2018-2019) is where the dredging happens. In the first phase they built the box on the most contaminated area, and in the second phase they fill the box with surrounding contaminants. That means they dredge a 60-hectare zone, place that contaminated material in the ECF, and then top it off with uncontaminated sediment.

The third phase (2019-2022) is the construction of the cap and finishing the surface of the ECF so it can be used for shipping and industrial purposes. They have to be able to construct a surface that has enough stability to withstand rail cars and things like that. The port authority will be responsible for its maintenance over its 200-year lifespan.

Q:Is there any cause for concern?

A: There will be extensive air and quality monitoring during the construction. The dredging, in particular, will be stirring things up. BARC is already talking with our federal colleagues on how to best disseminate the air quality data and display it on randlereef.ca. It's about ensuring the safety of the site for workers, residences and schools in the area. We want to make sure there are no adverse effects to people in the area.

That being said, the technology is constantly improving, and has already been tried and tested. The agencies involved have a high degree of confidence in this techniques

Q:Will the dredging be sending toxic debris into Lake Ontario?

A: No, there is a temporary containment of the area. Something like a pool rope or a drape that hangs down around the area being dredged works to prevent spreading.


Read it in full here.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Q: Will the dredging be sending toxic debris into Lake Ontario?

A: No, there is a temporary containment of the area. Something like a pool rope or a drape that hangs down around the area being dredged works to prevent spreading.

Uh huh...

[thistleclub]

Randle Reef cleanup in Hamilton Harbour set to begin
(Hamilton Spectator, Joel OpHardt, Apr 18 2016)

The steel is here.

On Saturday morning the barge with the first set of metal sheet piles used to form the outer wall of the Randle Reef engineered containment facility (ECF) arrived.

"This might be the most famous steel shipment coming in or out of Hamilton in the last 100 years," said Bay Area Restoration Council executive director Chris McLaughlin.

This moment signals "the beginning of the end of Randle Reef," after years of speculation from within the community that the $138.9-million Hamilton Harbour remediation project would never actually be started, said McLaughlin.

Randle Reef is a 12-hectare area in Hamilton Harbour, considered the biggest toxic coal-tar deposit in Canada; a byproduct of more than 100 years of industrial waste.

The 6.2-hectare containment area will be built next to Pier 15, , with surrounding contaminants being sucked up through hydraulic dredging and placed in the box.

The steel used for construction was produced in Nanticoke's U.S. Steel Canada facility. The sheet piles for outer and inner walls were produced in Iuka, Miss. and in Cambridge by a company specializing in environmental barriers, said Roger Santiago of Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Construction of the seven-year project, which will eventually house three "major sporting arenas worth" of contaminated material, is set to start at the end of April or early May, said Santiago.

In a change from recent plans, a structural sheet running through the middle will be used to stabilize the box as it's constructed in two phases — the western half this year, and the eastern half the following year.


Read it in full here.

[ScreamingViking]

Aerial pic of construction progress, by Bermingham Foundation Solutions via the Bay Area Restoration Council on Twitter (@HamiltonHarbour)


Source

[ScreamingViking]

Phase 2 contract has been awarded -- the dredging portion of this project, $33 million (and delays finishing the containment structure due to water levels)
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/7...tract-awarded/

A current photo from federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna's Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/cathmckenna/stat...14550726504449

[ScreamingViking]

Latest update, from last week (including nice reminder that it's still fun for adults to play with LEGO ):

Randle Reef project enters new phase
This summer contaminated sediments around the site will be dredged and placed inside a walled-off, rectangular section of the harbour that will eventually be capped

by Mark McNeil
The Hamilton Spectator -- Jun 28, 2018






The second phase of the massive $138.9 million Randle Reef remediation project is set to begin as the multi-year project moves closer to being half completed.

Starting in mid-July and through the rest of this year and next, contaminated sediment will be dredged and placed inside a walled off-area of the harbour, known as the Engineered Containment Facility that was constructed as part of the first phase of the project.

The enclosure — that encapsulates a 6.2 hectare area (about the size of seven football fields) — will ultimately be capped over and used for docking facilities. The facility has a double steel wall — with rock in-between — constructed around a section of the harbour where sediments are most contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and heavy metals.

Now less contaminated material from around the site will be dredged and pumped into the facility.

"It's basically like an underwater vacuum that vacuums the sediments into the facility. Then the excess water is pumped into a treatment facility where it is treated and pumped back into the harbour," said Matt Graham, a sediment remediation specialist with Environment Canada.

...

full article here

[realcity]

I didn't know they were dredging too. This is good to hear. I like the 'vacuum pump' from the surrounding area and not just capping the reef.

[realcity]

thats great lego building. as a kid I built skyscrapers with my lego as tall as I could.

[ScreamingViking]

I used to do that too. And I'd build cities, with towers made of the smaller bricks.

My nephew inherited all my LEGO, plus he's been getting new sets every year (though almost all their sets today are geared to building a specific thing: vehicles, Star Wars ships, etc.... nice business model they've tapped into $$$)