Information provided by Sesco group.

Sesco Group was founded in 1996 and has established a reputation for excellence in providing environmental consulting and brownfield redevelopment services. Sesco’s approach allows businesses and municipalities to focus on their core operations while Sesco assesses the environmental conditions, responds to immediate environmental needs, assists in researching and implementing funding options, provides strategic advice and develops plans to mitigate liabilities down the road.

The company’s mission is to provide strategic support and environmental services that are high quality, cost effective and scientifically sound. Sesco’s philosophy enables clients to achieve their environmental compliance and restoration goals while protecting the environment and reducing their long-term liability. The core of the company’s accomplishments is the lasting and valuable partnerships it builds with its clients.

Project highlight: Kokomo Yard Waste Recycling Center

Sesco is currently implementing the waste pile sampling plan at the Kokomo Yard Waste Recycling Center in Indiana, a former dump and incinerator for household waste. (Photo provided)

The Kokomo site was owned and operated by the city of Kokomo as a former dump and incinerator for household waste in the 1960s. It was closed in 1970 when a landfill opened nearby. The site is currently operating as a yard waste recycling facility.

While investigating a surface spill on an adjacent property in 2011, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management discovered drums exposed in what was described as a creek bank near the site. idem and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team collected samples and identified concentrations of lead, chromium, arsenic, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls. Based on these findings, the EPA determined that conditions at the site met the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan criteria for a time-critical removal action and subsequently issued a general notice of potential liability to the city in 2012. The city, its affiliates and its legal counsel reached out to Sesco for environmental consulting services. The company quickly responded by assembling a team of highly qualified individuals who have the technical knowledge, experience and sense of urgency to find cost-effective solutions for all of the impacts at this site.

Sesco helps clients get “market ready” by addressing environmental issues standing in the way of property transactions. (Photo provided)

As of Sept. 1 Sesco has completed, submitted and received EPA approval of a quality management plan, detailed work plan, quality assurance project plan, health and safety plan and a waste pile sampling plan. Activities completed to date include a site boundary survey, Phase I environmental site assessment, brush/yard waste removal, removal of previously identified drums, a geophysical survey and surface/subsurface soil and groundwater sampling. Sesco is currently implementing the waste pile sampling plan, which will determine if brush/debris piles located onsite must be disposed of as solid or hazardous waste or can be relocated on the site. Remaining activities in the work plan are scheduled to be completed no later than March 31, 2015.

MCCOG assessment grant procurement

In May 2014, Sesco secured a Brownfields Assessment Grant for the Madison County Council of Governments, which was awarded $200,000 for petroleum and $200,000 for hazardous substance assessments. The grant intent letter, grant application/proposal, EPA correspondence, Indiana Brownfields Program correspondence and support letters were just a few of the tasks that the Sesco team managed and assembled throughout the grant writing and submittal process.

Work begins on brush/yard waste removal at the Kokomo Yard Waste Recycling Center in Indiana. (Photo provided)

The MCCOG will now use the grant funding to assess environmental-related conditions of brownfield sites throughout Madison County, Ind., in hopes of protecting the health of the community, improving quality of life for the residents living in the area, and stimulating redevelopment and economic growth.

Sesco is committed and dedicated to providing a long-term solution to the environmentally impacted properties in any municipality in Indiana. Its team of technical experts are more than qualified and prepared to assist municipalities in the procurement and oversight of additional funding and services as needed.

Company vision The Sesco company vision is threefold:

• To be a leader in the environmental industry through the use of scientific and regulatory knowledge and innovation and by passing the benefits of acquired experience on to clients
• Provide a supportive, team-oriented work environment for employees that fosters innovation and growth and is both personally and professionally rewarding
• Provide services that result in a social benefit and improve the environmental quality and integrity of communities

Focus

Sesco specializes in the characterization and remediation of environmentally impacted properties, as well as the complicated aspects of property transactions and brownfield redevelopment. Its exceptional technical staff includes:

• Licensed professional geologists
• Certified hazardous materials managers
• A licensed professional engineer
• Environmental scientists
• A health and safety officer

Sesco’s depth of experience and proven performance ensures that it will be able to meet clients’ environmental consulting needs within a reasonable time and budget.

Services

Sesco is pleased to offer turnkey solutions for clients. Its devotion to providing innovative solutions and its network of professional relationships allows it to help clients “Keep the Deal on Track.” Sesco takes care of the details while municipalities continue to take care of business as usual. Following is a comprehensive list of Sesco’s services:

Real estate due diligence

• Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments
• Environmental transaction screens
• Unified assessments
• Regulatory file examination
• Environmental finance auditing
• Environmental lien search
• Vapor intrusion tier I assessment
• Obtaining brownfield comfort letter
• Site investigation
• Site characterization (nature and extent delineation)
• Chlorinated solvents
• Petroleum
• Metals
• PCBs
• Conceptual site model development
• Data evaluation and statistical analysis
• Vapor intrusion evaluation and mitigation
• Site-specific risk assessments
• Groundwater modeling

Remediation

• Corrective action planning, reporting and implementation
• Remediation system design
• Soil vapor extraction
• Bioventing
• Air sparging
• Dual-phase extraction
• Internal combustion engine technology
• Non-default, risk-integrated system of closure program
• Remedial system installation, operation and maintenance, and decommission
• Soil excavation and disposal
• In-situ chemical oxidation
• Enhanced bioremediation
• Underground storage tank closures and reporting
• Exposure assessments
• Litigation support
• Pilot testing
• RCRA corrective measures studies
• Aboveground storage tank removals
• Waste removal, characterization and disposal, hazardous and nonhazardous
• Voluntary remediation program projects
• Leaking Underground Storage Tank program
• Underground Storage Tank program
• State cleanup program projects
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
• Indiana Brownfields Program
• Brownfields redevelopment

Funding solutions — cost recovery

• Insurance/historical insurance cost recovery
• Excess liability insurance cost recovery
• Excess Liability Trust Fund reimbursement
• Grants and low-interest loan assistance
• Site assessment grants and petroleum remediation grant incentives