The Exide Remediation Program
The Exide remediation program is incredibly complex. The department intended to clean up over 3200 properties in two years. This amounts to fully remediating 31 properties per week for two years. This work takes place on owner’s properties who were not planning on a construction project. The many processes and procedures that are necessary to complete this type of work were not well developed within DTSC. This is an environmental justice project. Specific project management tasks included implementing the Project Management Plan, program management support including project logistics support and contract scoping, project planning and support including reviewing property-specific work plans, reviewing Letters of Completion, and field oversight, contract management and project closeout.
Improving Processing and Procedures
DTSC contracted with Ghirardelli to support the Exide Project Team with program management, contract and specification development, construction project management, data management, and construction inspection services to support the affected properties within these communities and complete the program in accordance with Assembly Bill 118. This included reviewing current performance measures and updating processes and procedures using industry best practices to better align with DTSC’s organizational goals. In addition, Ghirardelli assisted with developing management systems and strategies for tracking cleanup work progress (including contaminated soil excavation and disposal, property restoration, and compliance with applicable plans, policies, and other requirements). The team also performed day-to-day oversight of contractor deliverables to ensure success of DTSC’s implementation of its Cleanup Plan.
Ghirardelli incorporated industry expertise through development of DTSC’s guidance documents, Project Management Plan (PMP) and Quality Management Plan. Ghirardelli also collaborated with DTSC to contracting process, improve change order procedures and identify cost savings that could be achieved while creating more efficient and robust practices. In an effort to enhance DTSC’s processes and procedures, Ghirardelli developed and implemented recommendations to improve the Letter of Completion review process, which was the closeout procedure for each individual property. These changes increased reviewer efficiency through enhanced workflows and comprehensive review checklists. To improve management of this project’s time and materials expenditures, Ghirardelli created a custom database which captures all DTSC’s property cleanup and management invoices. At the field operations level, Ghirardelli assessed the existing inspection and zone tracking systems and provided recommendations to revise existing survey form inputs to improve data collection and reporting. This resulted in improved inspector reporting, and a more effective documentation process.
Public Outreach
Ghirardelli’s public outreach services for this project ranged from in the field residential interactions to GIS-based project administration. Ghirardelli outreach coordinators and field engineers shared knowledge with property owners and tenants about soil lead levels on their property. Then, with GIS-based field survey technology, the team conducted processes and procedures to obtain access agreements from property owners. They scheduled soil testing appointments with property owners and coordinate with property owners and the contractor on soil sampling and cleanup schedules.
The team also planned and facilitated community events to share information about the lead cleanup program, created and distributed door hangers, banners, and yard sign programs to encourage neighbors to sign up for the cleanup program, canvassed properties, and conducted phone and email campaigns to educate property owners about the lead cleanup program and encourage them to enroll.
