Management Of Contaminated Soils Research Articles

Review of national contaminated land management frameworks in front of the new EU Soil Monitoring Law era-the case study of Greece.

The European Union (EU) currently addresses the issue of contaminated land management through the national frameworks of its member states, as there is no such EU legislation thus far. However, with the introduction of the new EU Soil Strategy and the anticipated Soil Monitoring Law, EU countries are poised to receive a unified legislative tool that is expected to enhance their soil policies significantly. These legislative developments are set to introduce key initiatives such as the establishment of a contaminated site registry and the imposition of restrictions on soil contamination using screening values and soil monitoring practices. Although these advancements are significant, disparities in contaminated soil management practices are likely to remain among countries following the implementation of the new legislation. Presently, Greece's approach to contaminated land management is deemed inadequate, lacking essential policymaking tools, like soil screening values. The primary aim of the study was to compile a database of good practices and lessons learned on contaminated land management as a practical policymaking resource for Greece and other EU member states as well as countries in the pre-accession phase, like the Western Balkans. To achieve this goal, an extensive review of EU and national legislations was conducted, complemented by a questionnaire survey that engaged a diverse group of local and international experts from the EU, the UK, and New Jersey (USA).

Biosurfactants Used in the Bioremediation of Soils Contaminated With Hydrocarbons - Overview of the State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

The increasing industrialization and hydrocarbon use have led to concerning soil contamination. Oil spills and improper disposal of oily waste pose threats to ecosystems and human health. The recovery of these environments is essential, but separating oily components from soil remains challenging. Current bioremediation strategies using synthetic surfactants can cause secondary contamination. Microbial biosurfactants, which are biodegradable and low in toxicity, emerge as promising solutions, and this study reviews methods for utilizing these biosurfactants in the environmental bioremediation of hydrocarbons. This study explores the efficient and eco-friendly use of biosurfactants for hydrocarbon- contaminated soil management, providing a market-oriented analysis of recent patents and trends, and highlighting the transition from academic research to industrial applications. The methodology involves an extensive literature review, careful selection of recent studies and patents on biosurfactants in hydrocarbon bioremediation, critical analysis of in-situ and ex-situ application methods, assessment of commercial viability, and synthesis of findings to contribute to sustainable solutions in contaminated environments. The present study demonstrates the extensive applicability of biosurfactants across various industrial sectors. The increasing interest in incorporating biosurfactants into industrial processes is driven by the pressing need for sustainable solutions to address tangible market challenges. Notably, the cosmetics industry exhibited the highest number of patents related to the use of biosurfactants, underscoring its significant role in advancing the adoption of these environmentally friendly agents. This trend highlights the critical demand for sustainable alternatives in product formulations and underscores the pivotal role of biosurfactants in fostering eco-innovation within the industry.

Overexpression of bacterial γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase increases toxic metal(loid)s tolerance and accumulation in Crambe abyssinica.

Transgenic Crambe abyssinica lines overexpressing γ-ECS significantly enhance tolerance to and accumulation of toxic metal(loid)s, improving phytoremediation potential and offering an effective solution for contaminated soil management. Phytoremediation is an attractive environmental-friendly technology to remove metal(loid)s from contaminated soils and water. However, tolerance to toxic metals in plants is a critical limiting factor. Transgenic Crambe abyssinica lines were developed that overexpress the bacterial γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS) gene to increase the levels of non-protein thiol peptides such as γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC), glutathione (GSH), and phytochelatins (PCs) that mediate metal(loid)s detoxification. The present study investigated the effect of γ-ECS overexpression on the tolerance to and accumulation of toxic As, Cd, Pb, Hg, and Cr supplied individually or as a mixture of metals. Compared to wild-type plants, γ-ECS transgenics (γ-ECS1-8 and γ-ECS16-5) exhibited a significantly higher capacity to tolerate and accumulate these elements in aboveground tissues, i.e., 76-154% As, 200-254% Cd, 37-48% Hg, 26-69% Pb, and 39-46% Cr, when supplied individually. This is attributable to enhanced production of GSH (82-159% and 75-87%) and PC2 (27-33% and 37-65%) as compared to WT plants under AsV and Cd exposure, respectively. The levels of Cys and γ-EC were also increased by 56-67% and 450-794% in the overexpression lines compared to WT plants under non-stress conditions, respectively. This likely enhanced the metabolic pathway associated with GSH biosynthesis, leading to the ultimate synthesis of PCs, which detoxify toxic metal(loid)s through chelation. These findings demonstrate that γ-ECS overexpressing Crambe lines can be used for the enhanced phytoremediation of toxic metals and metalloids from contaminated soils.

From unseen to seen in post-mining polluted territories: (in)visibilisation processes at work in soil contamination management

In line with EU recommendations, the potential ‘mining revival’ in France focuses on (re)opening mines. In this context, political discussions on post-mining areas have increased, driven by past mismanagements. Scientists are key in these regions, studying contamination, advising policy, and seeking solutions. Based on a case study of phytoremediation research in Saint-Laurent-Le Minier, we explore how lay and expert knowledge intersect. By examining what is hidden and by whom, we unveil research practices and stakeholder dynamics, sparking reflection on the research process while promoting a reflexive approach for researchers. We show research and its application spotlight specific topics (such as soil contamination), select, and make visible certain lay knowledge and local stakeholders and visibilises certain technological choices.

Remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil using self-sustaining smoldering

Self-sustaining smoldering is an emerging technology for nonaqueous-phase liquid remediation; however, it is rarely applied for Cr(VI)-contaminated soil treatment. In this study, self-sustaining smoldering using rice straw (RS) as a surrogate fuel was applied to remediate Cr(VI)-contaminated soil for the first time. Thirteen one-dimensional vertical smoldering experiments were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the smoldering method and the effects of key experimental parameters on smoldering remediation performance. Smoldering was observed to be self-sustaining within the range of RS particle size from <0.16 to 2.00–4.00 mm, airflow from 0.2 to 1 m3/h, and Cr(VI)-impacted soil/RS ratios from 2:1 to 6:1. The Cr(VI)-contaminated soil was effectively remediated, which was confirmed by lowered Cr(VI) contents in the treated samples (decreased by 52.22–86.57%) and the elevated fraction of Cr oxidizable and residual form (increased by 1.14–3.30 and 2.97–4.00 times, respectively), compared to the control. The reducing gases (CO and CxHy) generated during the smoldering played a crucial role in the remediation process. The contents of available P and K in the remediated soil containing the remaining biochar and ash increased, thus improving soil reusability. Hence, this study shows that smoldering with RS as supplemental fuel is a promising Cr(VI)-contaminated soil management technique without supplying substantial external energy.

Pig manure biochar for contaminated soil management: nutrient release, toxic metal immobilization, and Chinese cabbage cultivation

Pig manure could be an effective fertilizer source for soil, but with high concentrations of xic elements. It has been shown that the pyrolysis method could largely reduce the environmental risk of pig manure. However, the comprehensive analysis of both toxic metals immobilization effect and environmental risk of pig manure biochar applied as a soil amendment is rarely addressed. To address the knowledge gap, this study was carried out with pig manure (PM) and pig manure biochar (PMB). The PM was pyrolyzed at 450 ℃ and 700 ℃, the corresponding biochar was abbreviated as PMB450 and PMB700, respectively. The PM and PMB were applied in a pot experiment growing Chinese cabbage (Brassica rape L. ssp. Pekinensis) with clay-loam paddy soil. The application rates of PM were set at 0.5% (S), 2% (L), 4% (M) and 6% (H). With the equivalent mass principle, PMB450 and PMB700 were applied at 0.23% (S), 0.92% (L), 1.84% (M), 2.76% (H), and 0.192% (S), 0.7% (L), 1.4% (M), 2.1% (H), respectively. Parameters of Chinese cabbage biomass and quality, total and available concentrations of toxic metals in soil, and soil chemical properties were systemically measured. The main results of this study showed that compared with PM, PMB700 was more effective than PMB450, which induced the highest reductions of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd contents in cabbage by 62.6%, 73.0%, 43.9%, and 74.3%, respectively. Both PM and PMB increased the total contents of metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in soil, and PMB decreased the mobility of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd at high application rates (≥2%). Treatment with H-PMB700 reduced CaCl2 extractable Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd by 70.0%, 71.6%, 23.3%, and 15.9%, respectively. For Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd fractions with BCR extraction, PMB treatments, especially PMB700, were more effective than PM in decreasing the available fractions (F1 +F2 +F3) at high application rates (≥2%). Overall, pyrolysis with high temperature (e.g., 700 ℃) could significantly stabilize the toxic elements in PM and enhance PM’s effect on toxic metals immobilization. The marked effects of PMB700 on toxic metal immobilization and cabbage quality improvement might be attributed to high ash contents and liming effect.

Construction and analysis of knowledge graphs for multi‐source heterogeneous data of soil pollution

AbstractThe decommissioning and overall relocation of urban industrial enterprises have generated a large number of decommissioned contaminated sites, and the leftover soil pollution is gradually becoming a major problem that restricts urban green development and damages human health. Deep mining and efficient management of site soil pollution information through digitization and informatization are needed to solve these problems more accurately and efficiently. Knowledge mapping for visual analysis of relevant pathways is a forward‐looking approach in soil contamination management that does not require complex testing instruments, thus saving research manpower, time and cost. Data associated with contaminated sites come from a wide range of sources and have different structures. Through the natural language processing technology of computer, suitable methods such as entity recognition, relationship recognition and knowledge fusion are selected to extract various types of information from contaminated sites and establish semantic networks for fast targeting of soil contamination sources, thus providing a more convenient solution. In this paper, we propose a knowledge graph construction method for multi‐source heterogeneous data of contaminated sites, find sulphide contamination sources through visual analysis of knowledge graph and explore the application prospects of natural language processing techniques such as knowledge graph in contaminated site management.

Effects of Acidic/Alkaline Contamination on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Silty Clay

Contaminated soil management and renovation is one of the major environmental geotechnical issues in China. Due to their special strength and stiffness properties, contaminated soil has attracted extensive attention in foundation and slope stability design. For the differentiated influence of acidic/alkaline contamination on the geotechnical physical and mechanical characteristics of soil, this study mainly introduced a remodeled silty clay sample contaminated by acidic and alkaline solutions in the laboratory and conducted research into its basic physical properties, compressive properties, shear strength, and microstructure. It was shown that when the hydrochloric acid concentration increased from 1% to 7%, the density and specific gravity decreased by 7.07% and 3.11%, respectively. The void ratio showed a descending trend with increasing concentration of acid. The acidic solution concentration was negatively correlated with the cohesion of the soil, but the internal friction angle remained constant with a concentration of 1–5%. Alternatively, when the sodium hydroxide concentration increased from 1% to 7%, the density and specific gravity increased by 1.88% and 2.67%, respectively. The void ratio decreased linearly with the increase in consolidation pressure. Alkaline concentration could affect the internal friction angle and cohesion in a positive correlation. Through the observation of microstructure, the surface of acidified soil particles was smooth and flat, while the surface of alkalized soil particles was rough and uneven. The results can provide reference for the evaluation of the mechanical properties of soil contaminated by acid and alkali.

Utility of an alternative method (to USEPA Method 1613) for analysis of priority persistent organic pollutants in soil from mixed industrial-suburban areas of Durban, South Africa.

This study evaluates the adequacy of a USEPA Method 1613 alternative analytical method for analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in soil from the immediate vicinity of industrialized areas in the eThekwini municipal area in South Africa. The objective of this study is in line with the Stockholm Convention Article 11 on research, development, and monitoring. Furthermore, it became imperative to find an alternative analytical procedure to USEPA Method 1613 that could cater to studies conducted in Africa where recent reviews have indicated that most African countries lack the technical and instrumental capacity for performing analysis of dioxin-like compounds according to USEPA Method 1613, which entails the use of high-resolution chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry instrumentation. The study aimed to ascertain the utility of an alternative two-dimensional gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry method for analysis of trace-level priority POPs in soil, along with a fast single quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The analytical methods were applied to the analysis of POPs on soil samples from industrial areas with oil refineries and a pulp and paper manufacturing company, while other samples were collected near the electricity substations and a landfill site. Analytical results showed BDE 209 as the dominant contaminating polybrominated diphenyl ether (concentration ranges from 0.006 to 5.71 ng g-1 ). Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) 9, 10, and 49 were the dominant PBBs detected in 78% of the sites tested, although their concentrations were below the limit of quantification (LOQ). Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls detected could not be quantified above their respective LOQs, indicating that the Durban area has low priority pollutant contamination levels compared to other regions around the world. The methods developed are a starting point thatwill inform considerations for routine evaluation and management of soil contamination, which plays a vital role in environmental management. IntegrEnviron Assess Manag 2023;19:749-762. © 2022 SETAC.

The Combination of Lime and Plant Species Effects on Trace Metals (Copper and Cadmium) in Soil Exchangeable Fractions and Runoff in the Red Soil Region of China

The water-soluble heavy metal ions in contaminated soil may enter aquatic ecosystem through runoff, thus causing negative impact on the water environment. In this study, a two-year in situ experiment was carried out to explore an effective way to reduce the runoff erosion and water-soluble copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) in a contaminated soil (Cu: 1,148 mg kg−1, Cd: 1.31 mg kg−1) near a large Cu smelter. We evaluated the ability to influence soil properties by four Cu-tolerance plant species (Pennisetum sp., Elsholtzia splendens, Vetiveria zizanioides, Setaria pumila) grown in a contaminated acidic soil amended with lime. The results show that the addition of lime can significantly reduce the exchangeable fraction (EXC) of Cu and Cd in soil (81.1–85.6% and 46.3–55.9%, respectively). Plant species cannot change the fraction distributions of Cu and Cd in the lime-amended soils, but they can reduce the runoff generation by 8.39–77.0%. Although water-soluble Cu concentrations in the runoff were not significantly differed and water-soluble Cd cannot be detected among the four plant species, the combined remediation can significantly reduce 35.9–63.4% of Cu erosion to aquatic ecosystem, following the order: Pennisetum sp. &amp;gt; Elsholtzia splendens &amp;gt; Vetiveria zizanioides &amp;gt; Setaria pumila. The implication of this study would provide valuable insights for contaminated soil management and risk reduction in the Cu and Cd contaminated regions.

MODEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT THAT ALLOWS TO OPTIMIZE THE CONTAMINATED SOIL OF THE SACHA FIELD

The oil industry is one of the greatest environmental pollutants, due to this, there is a need to carry out a study on an Environmental Management Model that will optimize the contaminated soil of the Sacha Field. From that, the methodology used is focused on a qualitative approach; that is, it focuses on understanding the phenomenon by exploring it from the perspective of the participants, and the research design is given under the action-research design. Under this background and in response to the problems highlighted, a model was designed with activities such as the active participation of the inhabitants, management of soils contaminated with hydrocarbons so that they can be reused and promote the monitoring and control of contaminated soil management

Evaluating Public and Regulatory Acceptance for Urban Soil Management Approaches.

Regulators ( = 14) and the public ( = 30) were surveyed to compare how they perceived contaminated soil management strategies, including bioavailability assessments, using a mental models approach. Both groups proposed similar soil contamination definitions and agreed laboratory tests were needed to identify contaminants. When responding to open-ended questions about management options, regulators emphasized the risk assessment process, whereas the public noted specific treatment options. The majority of the public (68%) and regulators (86%) were concerned about particular contaminants. The public emphasized general contaminant categories, such as petroleum products and chemicals. Regulators listed specific compounds, including arsenic and dioxin. Both groups mentioned lead. Public and regulators had similar levels of agreement for soil removal ( = 0.96) and allowing soils with low bioavailability to remain in place ( = 0.66). The public were most opposed (43% disagree or strongly disagree) to using soil capping. Both groups were willing to consider using bioavailability assessments for contaminated soils. All regulators had heard of bioavailability, whereas 21 of the 24 (88%) public had not heard of this concept. Across all soil management options, the public tended to have higher rates of strongly disagree/disagree and neutral responses compared with regulators ( = 0.01). The neutral responses may indicate public ambivalence or insufficient information to respond about treatment options. Communication and public education efforts should emphasize the analytical process used to justify site-specific treatments. Additional surveys should evaluate public and regulator definitions of successful soil management and contaminant remediation in specific situations (i.e., case studies with specific contaminants and receptors of interest).

전국 토양오염실태 및 공공택지개발지구의 오염토양 관리

전국 토양오염실태 및 공공택지개발지구의 오염토양 관리

Panorama do gerenciamento de áreas contaminadas no Brasil após a resolução CONAMA 420/09

&lt;p class="Default"&gt;Nos países industrializados, a descoberta da dimensão do problema da contaminação dos solos e das águas subterrâneas levou à sistematização do gerenciamento de áreas contaminadas. Cerca de cinco anos após a publicação da Resolução CONAMA 420/09, que estabeleceu diretrizes para o gerenciamento de áreas contaminadas no Brasil, foi levantado neste estudo o panorama do país em relacão ao tema. Foram obtidas informações junto aos órgãos ambientais de cada Estado através de consultas aos seus sítios eletrônicos, contatos telefônicos e aplicação de um questionário. Os Estados das regiões sudeste e sul avançaram significativamente no gerenciamento da contaminação do solo. Por outro lado, nas demais regiões do Brasil o gerenciamento de áreas contaminadas ainda é incipiente, e a Resolução CONAMA 420/09 ainda está por ser atendida. Foi realizada uma análise qualitativa do risco causado pela contaminação de solo e água subterrânea em cada unidade da federação, que levou em consideração o nível de gerenciamento praticado e o potencial poluidor existente. Foi encontrado nível de risco alto no Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Espírito Santo, Distrito Federal, Ceará, Pernambuco e Bahia. Os Estados da região nordeste em acelerado processo de industrialização encontram-se em situação mais crítica, sendo preciso avançar rapidamente no gerenciamento de áreas contaminadas, sob pena de repetirem-se os injustificáveis danos ao meio ambiente e à saúde pública ocorridos nas regiões industrializadas do país em décadas passadas. O avanço do gerenciamento nos Estados brasileiros pode ser alcançado com a criação de leis estaduais específicas e com a evolução do nível técnico dos profissionais que atuam nessa área.&lt;/p&gt;

Crop Mergers: Management of Soil Contamination and Leaf Loss in Alfalfa

Abstract. Maximizing the capacity and subsequent efficiency of the forage harvester necessitates consolidation (raking or merging) of alfalfa cuttings. Although rotary rakes are in wide use, the use of continuous pickup belt mergers is trending upward in the Midwestern United States. Previous work on crop consolidation is limited to rakes and inverters available during the time period and, therefore, does not consider modern merger designs or harvesting practices. In this study, theoretical field capacity, headland time, leaf loss, and the efficacy of a tine-pickup belt merger to incorporate ash (soil) into windrows were investigated by on-farm observation and through a controlled experiment. The experimental portion employed a factorial design to study the influence of two moisture levels (65% and 40% w.b.) and three cutting heights (5.1, 7.6, and 10.2 cm) on the ash incorporation and leaf loss of a belt merger. In the controlled experiment, windrow ash content increased statistically but not practically with lower cutting heights and lower swath moisture. Managing windrow ash with cutting height resulted in an average yield loss of 0.16 Mg ha -1 cm -1 . Leaf loss was observed to increase with decreased swath moisture from 1.1% to 2.2% of total biomass. The on-farm survey included four operations comprised of two owner-operators and two custom-operators, as well as five separate machine-tractor-operator combinations. Here, a variety of merging practices were revealed, yielding a range of theoretical field capacities from 13.2 to 16.9 ha h -1 . Each operation managed tractor engine speed below rated PTO speed resulting in fuel rates between 1.7 to 1.9 L ha -1 , which were less than predicted by ASABE models. As with the experimental work, the use of a belt-type merger was not attributed to significant amounts of windrow contamination.

Multivariate statistical analysis and 3D-coupled Markov chain modeling approach for the prediction of subsurface heterogeneity of contaminated soil management in abandoned Guryong Mine Tailings, Korea

Various geological materials on the ground surface can be natural or artificial sources of pollutions. The spatial distribution of tailings is required to investigate the geological material pollutions. The objectives of this study were to determine the main factors influencing tailing zonations using a factor analysis, to determine the zonation of tailings with a cluster analysis, and to simulate zonations with three-dimensional coupled Markov chain (3D-CMC) modeling. The database was composed of 12 excavated exploratory holes in the Guryong mine tailings, for which there were analytical data covering the physical, chemical, and mineralogical aspects. The principal component analysis indicated that the tailing composition was mainly affected by three factors out of 21 variables: pH, cation exchange capacity, and mineral composition. Based on these main factors, the tailings were classified into five groups using a cluster analysis. Group I was approximately 50 cm deep from surface and had secondary gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) and jarosite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6). Group II had low pH values caused by strong pyrite oxidation and the greatest amounts of the secondary minerals. In group III and IV, the quantity of the secondary minerals decreased. Group V was characterized by primary calcite (CaCO3) composition. These results were applied to the CMC modeling, and the quantitative 3D distribution of tailing was verified. For the cost-saving prediction of subsurface heterogeneity, 3D-CMC modeling was executed using the selected eight holes data among twelve holes. The unknown four holes, GS3, GS6, GS8 and GS11, are identified as 89.7, 88.6, 80.7 and 81.1 %, respectively. They are recognized as 85.0 % of the total zonation. The zonation method of tailings executed in this study can be utilized in predicting the 3D distribution of the pollution factor. This may be a useful and economical method to identify the environmentally hazardous materials in underground systems.

Measuring eco-efficiency of contaminated soil management at the regional level

Eco-efficiency and sustainable development are the key environmental topics and goals for today’s society that we should strive for in all activities, including contaminated soil management (CSM). However, particularly at the regional level, CSM is studied to a lesser extent from this perspective and practical means to monitor and assess sustainability or eco-efficiency are not widely available. This study aims to fill this gap by developing indicators to measure and monitor the development of regional eco-efficiency of CSM. The indicators can be used to support decision-making at the regional level since many CSM decisions, such as prioritisation of sites and the number of soil treatment and storing facilities, are made regionally. To start with, we surveyed the methods available for determining eco-efficiency and suitable indicators to monitor and measure the development of CSM regionally. We used life cycle analysis (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA) to identify factors that the environmental indicators should cover, and also involved economic indicators. We ended up with a selection of 28 indicators, which can be classed into three different categories: background indicators, environmental indicators and economic indicators. We further demonstrated the use of the indicators by applying data from three different regions in Finland, and evaluated their suitability. On the basis of the results we recommended 15 indicators for continuous follow-up and decision-making purposes. Even though these indicators are suitable for monitoring and measuring the eco-efficiency of CSM at the regional level, unfortunately we found several data gaps related to the actual remediation projects which impede their use in practice. The data collection practices therefore need to be regionally developed.

A fuzzy expert system for soil characterization

As soil is a natural resource not always renewable, the risk characterization of contaminated soils is an issue of great interest. Artificial Intelligence (AI), based on Decision Support Systems (DSSs), has been developed for a wide range of applications in contaminated soil management. Decision trees have already shown to be easy to interpret and able to treat large scale applications. Fuzzy logic gives an improvement in the perturbations and the variance of the training data, due to the elasticity of fuzzy set formalism. In this study, we have developed a classificatory tool applied to characterize contaminated soil in function of human and environmental risks. Knowledge engineering for constructing the Soil Risk Characterization Decision Support System (SRC-DSS) involves three stages: knowledge acquisition, conceptual design and system implementation. A total of 26 parameters were divided into three groups to facilitate the configuration of the expert system: source attributes, transfer vector attributes, and local properties. Sixteen case studies were evaluated with the SRC-DSS. In comparison with other techniques, the results of the current study have shown that SRC-DDS is an excellent tool to classify and characterize soils according to the associated risk.

Contaminated Soil Management at Construction Sites

New Jersey Transit (NJT) is constructing a 34 km long dual-track Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit System (H-BLRTS through restoration of contaminated and abandoned sites and along the Hudson River water front in New Jersey to ease local traffic congestion and to improve the region's economy. The proposed development includes the construction of various passenger stations and park-and-ride facilities. Among many environmental issues that posed challenges during the planning and construction of the project were the appropriate remedial alternatives for the management of contaminated soil and ground water. A soil reuse plan (SRP) was proposed under which low-to-moderate level contaminated soil excavated during construction was reused on-site under paved areas and engineered structures where they would pose no risk to the public. The SRP has been successfully implemented at one of the proposed park-and-ride facilities, known as the Gateway Transit Hub, located within the H-BLRTS, in Jersey City, New Jersey.