A manufactured gas plant operated on the property from approximately 1836 until the early 1930s, and some chemicals from the manufactured gas process are present at the site. Mobile Gas has a consulting team conducting a site assessment to determine what needs to be done about those chemical remnants, if the property were to be reused.   

 

From the early 1800’s to the mid 1900’s, gas was manufactured through a process of heating coal and oil in enclosed ovens and extracting gas for use in lighting and cooking - a very different process than the natural gas fuel we know today. Over 1,500 MGP sites operated across the U.S. during this period. One MGP site operated in Mobile.

 

Soil and groundwater samples will be taken through commonly used investigative activities. These activities will include minor investigative excavations with a backhoe (commonly referred to as test pits), extraction of soil samples from tubes pushed into the ground and then retrieved with equipment that bores below the surface and extracts a contained soil sample plug. Groundwater samples will be taken from small diameter monitoring wells installed in bore holes made with drilling equipment.  

Some of the chemicals commonly associated with manufactured gas operations can cause health problems, if people have prolonged and direct contact or exposure to the chemicals.  At the MGP site, there is no contact or exposure to the chemicals and no threat to public health since the site is restricted and there is no nearby use of groundwater. As long as there is no direct and prolonged contact with the chemicals on the site, there is no risk to health.

 

In simple terms, the chemicals in tar. Tar was a major byproduct of the manufacturing process and contains some chemical compounds that are considered to potentially cause adverse health effects upon long-term exposure. More specifically, the chemical compounds identified in previous studies at the site include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs, and volatile organic compounds or VOCs. Those previous studies did not identify any exposure pathways to these chemical compounds that would impact the surrounding community or the environment. More information on the chemical compounds associated with tar can be found at www.mobile-gas.com under the MGP Fact Sheet tab or by calling 251-476-8052.  

 

Safety is the most important consideration when it comes to the former gas plant location. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management and Mobile Gas conducted a targeted Brownfield study in 2003/2004 to assess potential environmental impacts and health risks. Nearby creek water samples are tested annually, and the company also has worked with the Mobile County Health Department and licensed environmental firms who have expertise in conducting site assessments of MGP locations to evaluate environmental and health risks associated with property. Most recently, the property was enrolled in the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. By enrolling in this program, Mobile Gas will manage the project under the guidelines of state and federal regulatory policies.   During the site assessment, safety and engineering controls will be used to minimize any potential airborne or underground releases of the chemical compounds. Additionally, a community advisory board comprised of local residents, educators, public officials, business owners, environmental professionals, and community advocates was created to oversee each step of the testing, evaluation, and planning process.   The community advisory board is working directly with Mobile Gas to provide additional community education surrounding the project.

The chemicals at the site pose a minimal concern for airborne release during each phase of the project. Air monitoring will be conducted through each phase of the project to support other safety and engineering controls to minimize pollutants and particles from becoming airborne.

The company is looking at potential new uses for the property. Using the property requires additional testing to determine what levels of remediation (cleanup) are necessary for a potential range of new use alternatives.   The final cleanup will be based on the results from the site assessment and the intended use of the property.

 

There are no sources of drinking water that have been found in the area of the site that could reasonable be affected by chemicals present in the groundwater at the site. Importantly, drinking water comes from the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System, a municipal system and is unaffected by the MGP property.

 

People visiting, living, or working near the site can expect to see vehicles, equipment, and crews working on the property, similar to a construction site. Vehicles will be marked with Mobile Gas or project consulting team logos, and access to the site will be restricted. Soil samples will be taken primarily with a geoprobe, a truck mounted drill that bores below the surface and extracts a contained soil sample plug. Some excavation in isolated areas may involve digging with a backhoe. Depending on the location of the excavation activities, some possibility exists that a slight odor similar to roofing tar may be emitted from an excavation area. Workers may be seen wearing typical construction-type equipment (i.e. hardhats, safety glasses, gloves or coveralls) and may be using electronic devices to monitor the atmosphere during the project.

It’s a long-term process the project is expected to be a 2 ½ year phased process of additional testing evaluation, planning, and construction. Mobile Gas will continue to provide community updates on the project from time-to-time, and information is updated routinely on the Mobile Gas website www.mobile-gas.com or more information can be provided by calling 251-476-8052.

 

We are optimistic about the future of the former manufactured gas plant property, but it is too soon to identify a specific end use at this point in the process. Enrolling in the cleanup program is a first and important step that must be completed before final outcomes are determined. Mobile Gas will continue working with the city, local officials, the community advisory board, and other stakeholders as future phases of the project take shape.