IMPORTANCE OF A HISTORICAL USE ASSESSMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION AND REMEDIATION OF THE OLDEST OPERATING RETAIL GAS STATION IN THE UNITED STATES, REIGHARD’S GAS STATION, LOCATED IN ALTOONA, BLAIR COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Mountain Research and Innovative Technologies utilized historical use assessment techniques to successfully characterize and remediate petroleum impacts in a cost effective manner resulting in regulatory compliance for the oldest operating gasoline station in the country, Reighard’s Gas Station (Reighard’s) located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Reighard’s began retail sale of gasoline in 1909.

Underground storage tank (UST) removal and replacement was conducted between 1995-1996. During this regulatory upgrade, petroleum impacted soils and groundwater were observed. Consultants were retained to perform site characterization to determine the extent of petroleum impacts. In 2007, PADEP issued a Notice of Violation indicating inadequate characterization of the petroleum impacts at the site. In 2009, Mountain Research and Innovative Technologies were retained by Reighard’s to address the violations and complete the characterization and remediation.

Upon review of the existing site characterization data, the previous consultants failed to take historical site usage into consideration. Mountain Research and Innovative Technologies determined that the original layout of the gas station included above ground storage tanks (ASTs), railroad spur used for deliveries, and underground fuel oil and waste oil tanks. The presence and location of the site features were determined through review of old photos, aerial photos, interviews from employees, and geophysics. Additional characterization included soil sampling, monitoring well drilling, and groundwater sampling. The results of the revised site characterization identified several feet of weathered gasoline on the groundwater, originating from multiple sources, including the former ASTs, railroad spur, and abandoned USTs.

Remediation included removal of the weathered gasoline to the practicable extent possible, statistics, and numeric fate / transport modeling. As a result of these remediation efforts, the Reighard’s property received a PADEP risk based regulatory closure and release of liability in 2017. The importance of incorporating former site use features during site characterization, especially for older gas stations and industrial properties, is illustrated through the remediation and regulatory closure of the Reighard’s property.