FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
David L. Manning, Special Principal Associate
Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.
Federal Receiver
703-573-5800
www.guamsolidwastereceiver.org
Important Layon Landfill Milestone: Hydrogeologic Assessment Approved by Guam Environmental Protection Agency
(Guam, April 3, 2009) – Federal Receiver Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. (GBB) today announced that the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA) has approved the Final Integrated Hydrogeologic Assessment for the Layon Municipal Sanitary Landfill Site.
"This is an important milestone in the development of the new landfill at Layon,” noted Receiver Representative David L. Manning, "The Hydrogeologic Assessment is an important tool that clearly documents that the site of the new landfill is not the important drinking water resource for Guam that some have claimed.”
The Report states: "the capacity of the site to be used for water supply appears to be limited because the earth materials beneath many portions of the study area would not be expected to produce yields sufficient to sustain substantial domestic, commercial or agricultural water supplies. In addition, groundwater samples from several monitoring wells contained background concentrations of iron and manganese, and to a lesser extent arsenic, boron, barium, and nickel that exceed the U.S. EPA and/or the World Health Organization secondary drinking water criteria.”
The Integrated Hydrogeologic Assessment provides guidance for the designers of the new landfill to ensure that the water that is in the vicinity is protected in accordance with all applicable environmental standards. It is also a living document for the site in that its groundwater model will be continually updated and refined as operational groundwater monitoring data is gathered in accordance with GEPA regulations and permit conditions. The document also serves as the basis for all future Hydrogeologic evaluations to be performed at the site for construction of new cells in the years to come.
The assessment was conducted by AMEC Geomatrix Consultants, Inc. (AMEC Geomatrix) with the goal of developing the conceptual and numerical groundwater model in support of the design, construction and operation of the Layon landfill. AMEC Geomatrix is a recognized diversified technical consulting and engineering firm with offices throughout North America, and affiliates throughout the world. The firm has a professional staff of more than 500 engineers, scientists, and technical experts, and is part of AMEC’s Earth and Environmental division, which operates from 150 offices worldwide. AMEC Geomatrix was selected by TG Engineers, PC, with the approval of the Government of Guam, to conduct the study in 2006, prior to the Receivership taking effect.
About Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc., Receiver
In a Court Order dated March 17, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood appointed GBB to be Receiver with full responsibility for bringing the Guam Solid Waste Management Division into compliance with the 2004 Consent Decree for violation of the Clean Water Act. As Receiver, GBB’s objective is to work with Guam’s government, the Solid Waste Management Division, solid waste companies, the people of Guam, and the U.S. military to establish a long-term, financially viable and sustainable waste management system for Guam.
GBB is a national solid waste management consulting firm, headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, that works on solid waste collection, processing, recycling and disposal issues, and assists in planning, procuring, and implementing sound, cost-effective facilities and services at the local, state, and national levels for both the public and private sectors. Since 1980, GBB has planned and developed a wide range of integrated waste management programs that use the latest technologies to improve efficiency, save money, enhance customer service, and protect the environment. For more information on the firm and its products and services, visit www.gbbinc.com or call 1-703-573-5800.
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