Environmental Site Assessment

Services provided:

  • Establishing data quality objectives
  • Soil assessment programs
  • Groundwater assessment and monitoring programs
  • On-site screening
  • Soil gas assessment and monitoring programs
  • Methane assessment and monitoring programs
  • TCE, PCE and DCE (DNAPL) assessment programs
  • Refined petroleum hydrocarbons (LNAPL)
  • PCB assessment and monitoring programs
  • Metals assessment and monitoring programs
  • Cresols and Pentachlorophenols assessment and monitoring programs
  • “Plume” modelling
  • Hydrogeological assessment
  • Exposure pathway assessment
  • Fate and transport modelling
  • Specialized sampling services

It’s no secret that a well planned and executed environmental assessment program with clearly defined goals and objectives is the cornerstone of any subsequent risk assessment and risk management plan.  The information collected may also form the basis for subsequent remediation planning and budgeting; as a result, balancing data collection costs with data quality objectives is paramount.

Developing and executing assessment projects for a single site, or across numerous sites, is one of our core competencies and an area where we have built a solid reputation as a leader in data collection. Rigorous QA/QC programs, training and experienced personnel ensure that we collect data you can rely upon to make critical decisions.

Since 1995, Cirrus has assessed hundreds of diverse sites - ranging in scale and scope - across western Canada.  Some of these include: bulk petroleum fuel storage and distribution facilities, gas compressor stations, refineries, heavy industrial facilities, landfills, commercial properties, firing ranges, wet lands, power generation and transmission facilities, large-scale Brownfield developments and even such sensitive areas as elementary schools and playgrounds.

The first step in this process is to deploy a team of experienced professionals to perform a Phase I ESA that conforms to industry accepted standards and specific requirements required by the Client. Where potentially significant, negative environmental conditions are identified, we use those findings to develop a scope of work, identify potentially impacted areas, contaminants of concern (CoC), possible exposure pathways as well as transport mechanisms for the various CoC.

Once this is complete, a clear and concise strategy for delivering a Phase II ESA, which meets specific end-points, can then be developed by our team of hydrogeologists, environmental engineers and scientists. Again, our experience at a wide range of sites can provide real value to a client by understanding how to optimize a sampling program to delineate a certain contaminant zone within specific soil or groundwater conditions.

Specialized Sampling and Testing Assessment Equipment

In 2004, responding to the decreased availability and rising cost of environmental drilling services, Cirrus purchased its own track-mounted environmental sampling and testing rig, equipped with state-of-the-art tooling which allows it to perform traditional solid-stem sampling, as well as continuous and direct push sampling techniques. The effect of having our own testing and sampling rig was immediate and profound - we are now able to provide our clients with faster turnaround times and reduced costs. In fact, we have effectively reduced the “wait times” for our clients from the typical 10 days to less than 2 days.

In addition, by controlling our own sampling and testing equipment, we have eliminated the “standby charges” and handling fees, normally charged when a consultant retains the services of an external environmental drilling company. Combined with low hourly equipment rates, Cirrus can typically help our clients achieve savings of over 20% - when compared to the traditional “consultant-hires-driller” model.