Update #11
PSE&G Weekly Project Update – Week of June 10, 2024
A contractor of Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) will continue to mobilize equipment and personnel for the John Fitch Way Project and prepare the site for remediation. The Project site is located in the portion of the state-owned parking lot near the New Jersey Department of Labor Building and Division of Taxation Building and adjacent to the helicopter pad.
Work began the week of April 15th. The first 12-16 weeks will focus on preparing the site for excavation. All soil disturbance activities are part of this preparation and outside the area of remediation.
Weekly updates are posted to the project website: https://jfitchwayproject.com/
Questions? Concerns? Call the Project Information Line at (855) 356-2383 or email us at comments@jfitchwayproject.com.
In response to an employee’s concern (reported on June 6th) unrelated to the PSE&G John Fitch Way project, the State directed PSE&G to close and block access to the walkway using barriers. PSE&G is currently awaiting further direction from the State. Affected employees should direct any concerns about interim walking routes to their Department managers.
On Tuesday, June 11th, 21 parking spots outside of the excavation area near Market Street will be unavailable while a sanitary sewer line for the water treatment system discharge is being cleaned. The work will take approximately one day.
Anticipated Work to be Performed: June 10th – June 14th
- Continue to mobilize equipment and personnel to the site.
- Continue to remove asphalt, soft dig and pre-trench excavation limits (outside area of remediation).
- Load out asphalt as needed.
- Continue to install piping for establishing a belowground freeze wall. This will provide necessary support for the future remediation. For more information, https://jfitchwayproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/freezewall.pdf.
- Install diversion equipment for stormwater system.
- Clean line for sanitary sewer line for water treatment system discharge.
- Construct water treatment system.
- Continue perimeter air monitoring.
- Maintain soil erosion and sediment controls.
- Security guard posted 24/7.
Work Performed: June 3rd – June 7th
- Continued to mobilize equipment and personnel to the site.
- Continued to remove asphalt, soft dig and pre-trench excavation limits (outside area of remediation).
- Loaded out asphalt as needed.
- Continued to install piping for establishing a belowground freeze wall. This will provide necessary support for the future remediation. For more information, https://jfitchwayproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/freezewall.pdf.
- Installed water treatment system discharge line outside of the project area. The work took place in the evening after normal business hours.
- Installed equipment necessary for providing electric for the freeze wall, including transformer and switch gear.
- Continued perimeter air monitoring
- Maintained soil erosion and sediment controls.
- Security guard posted 24/7.
Community Outreach
- Issued 10th weekly update and posted it to the project website.
- Weekly updates emailed to: NJ Department of Treasury (which in turn distributed to the NJ State Department of Labor, Division of Taxation, Hughes Justice Complex, Office of the Governor); City of Trenton officials; Mercer County Officials; community and neighborhood organizations.
Background: The project will remediate impacts to soil from the operations of a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) operated by a predecessor company of PSE&G in Trenton from the late 1840s to late 1890s. Approximately 100,000 tons of MGP-impacted soil will be excavated. Any infrastructure related to the former MGP operations that remain underground also will be removed. Most of the work will be performed within a temporary sprung structure (i.e., tented enclosure). Excavated soil will be transported to a permitted off-site soil treatment and disposal facility. The excavated areas will be backfilled with certified clean fill and restored to the pre-existing conditions. Groundwater encountered during soil remediation activities will be treated and conveyed off site in accordance with permitting.
The project is anticipated to take approximately 18 months to complete. All work is being performed in cooperation with and under the oversight of the Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP), and in accordance with the requirements and guidance of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).