Update #9
PSE&G Weekly Project Update – Week of May 27, 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.
The first 12-16 weeks will focus on preparing the site for excavation and all soil disturbance activities are outside the area of remediation.
Please note the walkway recently installed to the west of the helipad is for pedestrian use only.
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: May 27 – May 31
No work will take place on Monday, May 27th in observance of the holiday.
- Install signage to the walkway recently opened to notify drivers it is for pedestrian use only and also physically impede its use by vehicles.
- 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.
- Continue perimeter air monitoring.
- Maintain soil erosion and sediment controls.
- Security guard posted 24/7.
Work Performed: May 20 – May 24
- 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.
- Began 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.
- Completed installing crack and settlement monitoring targets around the helipad and Department of Labor building, outside of the excavation area. These targets will be monitored by survey equipment.
- Prepared the site for the long holiday weekend.
- Continued perimeter air monitoring
- Maintained soil erosion and sediment controls.
- Security guard posted 24/7.
Community Outreach
- Issued 8th 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).