Update #3
PSE&G Weekly Project Update – Week of April 15, 2024
This week, a contractor of Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) will begin to mobilize equipment and personnel to the John Fitch Way Project site, which is a portion of the state-owned parking lot near the New Jersey Department of Labor and Division of Taxation buildings and adjacent to a helicopter pad.
The current walkway to the Department of Labor Building will remain open until an alternative walkway can be established, currently anticipated to be May 15th.
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.
Anticipated Work to be Performed: April 15 – April 19
- Mobilize equipment and personnel to the site.
- Conduct Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey to confirm mark-outs for utilities.
- Set-up safety barriers, office trailers and security guard booth.
- Conduct additional sampling for classification and soil disposal purposes required by licensed facilities accepting the impacted soil.
- Saw cut the perimeter of the project site.
- Remove sections of asphalt and soft dig for fence installation.
- Begin to install temporary fence.
- Move temporary generators to work site to power office trailers until more permanent electrical connection can be completed.
- Meet onsite with local emergency responders in accordance with the site’s Health and Safety Plan.
- Securing guard will be posted 24/7.
Work Performed: April 8 – April 13
- Completed real-time monitoring to establish baseline air quality levels for the primary contaminants associated with the project.
- On Wednesday, April 10, posted temporary signage to notify pedestrians and visitors that the PSE&G work site will be cordoned off on April 13 in preparation for the April 15 project start.
- On Saturday, April 13, established safety barriers and cones to prevent parking and general access to the work area.
Community Outreach
- Issued second weekly update and posted it to the project website.
- 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. The first 12-16 weeks will focus on preparing the site for excavation. 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).