DISASTER: State of emergency declared after crucial oil pipeline of the Colonial Pipeline Company ruptures and releases 250,000 gallons in Alabama

 

Posted 11:02 am, September 16, 2016, by CNN Wire

CNN has obtained photos of the oil spill in Shelby County, Alabama from the Colonial Pipeline Company based in Alpharetta, GA. In the aerial photos you can see a pond appearing to be full of gasoline, the pond has turned completely brown and according to Colonial Pipeline the oil is contained there. In the other photos you can see crews digging on a pipeline below the ground. Alabama and Georgia has declared a State of Emergency because of the oil spill.

A leak has caused the closure of a crucial pipeline that carries gasoline to the eastern United States, a disruption that threatens to drive up prices and leave service stations without fuel to sell.

A section of the Colonial Pipeline, which runs from Houston to New York, has been closed since Sept. 9 after a spill of roughly 250,000 gallons was discovered in rural Shelby County, Ala.

The major pipeline, one pipe of which has been severed, provides gasoline for an estimated 50 million people on the East Coast each day, according to company estimates. The cause of the leak has yet to be determined, according to the company’s most recent statement.

The pipeline’s operator has said full service will not be restored until at least next week. The closure has set off an industry-wide scramble as suppliers seek alternative ways to transport gasoline to the East Coast.

Prices have yet to move much. They’re are only up a penny or two in the last week in states such as Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to AAA.

But gas prices could spike by as much as 15 cents per gallon or more in those three states, as well as North Carolina and Virginia, in the next week according to GasBuddy.com analyst Patrick DeHaan.

Ships have already been dispatched to carry fuel from Texas to New York as part of the effort. There are also likely to be far more tanker trucks on the road carrying gasoline than normal said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst with the Oil Price Information Service. But pipelines are by far the cheapest way to move gasoline or oil, so any alternative will raise costs. And not every station will be able to get the gasoline it needs, he said.

“You’re going to see some places without gasoline,” he said. “It’s like a mini-hurricane.”

The pipeline operator said that based on its current projections, parts of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina will be the first markets to suffer potential supply disruptions.

The governors of Alabama and Georgia have already declared states of emergency.

The Northeast markets such as New Jersey at the end of the pipeline are less likely to see an impact because they can get gas from other locations, said Kloza.

Gas prices typically fall at this time of year. Thursday was the day that stations in most of the country could start using the cheaper winter blend of gasoline rather than the summer blend, which is formulated to combat smog.

“People are going to be seeing a 5 to 10 cent a gallon increase at a time they’re normally seeing a 5 to 10 cent a gallon price drop,” said Kloza.

Mansfield Oil, a fuel distributor, has warned its customers to take fuel savings measures and to place their orders early. The company said the supply of gasoline is currently very thin along the closed pipeline, and that it was trucking in supplies from the coast to meet demand.

The company said it was treating the situation “with the same importance and urgency as a natural disaster.”



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Alabama, Georgia declare state of emergency after pipeline spill

Aerial photo of two of the three mine water retention ponds at the site of a pipeline leak that spilled an estimated 250,000 gallons of gasoline in Shelby County, Ala. The retention pond on the right is where the gasoline has been contained. (Courtesy Colonial Pipeline)




By Dennis Pillion | dpillion@al.com

on September 15, 2016 at 3:43 PM, updated September 16, 2016 at 5:58 PM
Print
 


Gov. Robert Bentley issued an executive order Thursday declaring a state of emergency in Alabama over concerns about fuel shortages in the wake of a gasoline pipeline spill that released about 250,000 gallons of gasoline south of Birmingham and shut down a major pipeline connecting refineries in Houston with the rest of the country.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued a similar executive order for his state on Tuesday.




Gasoline pipeline spill could be 336,000 gallons

Colonial Pipeline employees and contractors began digging out the leaking pipeline Friday afternoon.

The pipeline operator, Colonial Pipeline, released the following information Thursday afternoon:

"Based on current projections and consultations with industry partners, parts of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina will be the first markets to be impacted by any potential disruption in supply."

"Colonial has briefed officials in these states and will continue to provide timely information to the public so that they can plan accordingly."
A map of Colonial Pipeline's Line 1, which carries gasoline from refineries in Houston to suppliers along the east coast and ends at New York Harbor. (Courtesy Colonial Pipeline)


The executive orders will allow fuel delivery truck drivers in each state to work longer shifts and exceed maximum hour limits established by the U.S. Department of Transportation in order to prevent gasoline outages.

The orders apply only to trucks that are transporting fuel to areas served by the pipeline.

In addition, some suppliers have begun shipping refined gasoline by water to New York from Houston while the pipeline is shut down.

The pipeline has been shut down since Friday and normally transports 1.3 million barrels per day of refined gasoline and other petroleum products from refineries in Houston to the south and eastern seaboard. The pipeline terminates at New York Harbor.

Colonial Pipeline spokesman Bill Berry said the pipeline delivered the products to tank farms like the one in Pelham, which sometimes have shorter "stublines" to pump gas to third party distributors.







A pipeline leak that spilled about 6,000 barrels of gasoline in rural Alabama means drivers across the eastern U.S. will likely be paying more at the pump.

Berry said he could not disclose how much refined gasoline from the pipeline normally went to Alabama service stations because it was proprietary information.

Colonial operates a second pipeline, Line 2, parallel to the damaged line that typically carries jet fuel, diesel or other non-gasoline products like home heating oil. According to Colonial's response information site, Line 2 is now transporting gasoline from Houston as far as western Alabama to alleviate supply concerns there.






Photos from the scene of a gasoline pipeline leak near Helena, Ala. Early estimates by the operator, Colonial Pipeline, place the volume spilled at around 6,000 barrels or 250,000 gallons of gas. (Photos courtesy Colonial Pipeline)

U.S. EPA personnel at the site of the spill in Shelby County say local residents are not in danger, and the spilled gasoline appears to be contained at the site and unlikely to enter the nearby Cahaba River, which is home to a number of endangered species and other sensitive wildlife.

Bentley concluded his executive order by reminding all Alabama residents "it is unlawful for any person within the State of Alabama to impose unconscionable prices for the sale of any commodity during the period of a declared State of Emergency."

Gasoline leak from the Colonial Pipeline landed Alabama in a state of emergency.

Gas leak stokes fears of fuel shortage in NC






A potential gas shortage that could impact North Carolina. (WTVD)

By Tim Pulliam
Friday, September 16, 2016 07:28PM
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- North Carolina could be the next state in trouble after a gas leak from the Colonial Pipeline landed Alabama in a state of emergency.

The leak is centered in Helena, Ala., about a half-hour south of Birmingham. The gas line snakes right through North Carolina, though, in both Charlotte and Greensboro.

Public Safety and Emergency Management officials met Friday to review their fuel contingency plans just in case the situation gets worse. Public Safety Secretary Frank L. Perry released this statement:

Our first priority is maintaining public safety. To that end, we are asking first responders to double check their vehicles to ensure they have adequate fuel supplies on hand to run their operations. We've seen fuel disruptions like this before and want to reassure people that there's no need for alarm at this time.

AAA expects the Colonial Pipeline leak to raise gas prices anywhere from 5 to 20 cents.

Peace University college student Susannah Sykes said she is already feeling the gasoline pinch without the hike.

"All my money is going to gas, when it needs to be going to school," Sykes lamented.

The 250,000-gallon leak in the pipeline's primary artery was discovered last week.

"For the most part, what we are going to see is a juggling of our supplies," said Tamika Wright of AAA.

Motorists' gas budgets may need to be juggled as well -- at least temporarily, AAA says, as the markets adjust to the knee jerk reaction.

That possibility doesn't sit well with driver Chuck Hefren.

"I don't know if the company should really have the right to transfer the costs of their malfeasance to the consumer, so it bothers me intrinsically that way," Hefren said.

The pipeline is used to send gasoline from the Texas Gulf Coast to states in the southeast and along the east coast.

Colonial Pipeline is utilizing another pipeline to make up for some of the shortfall. Analysts say the perceived fuel shortage could drive up prices as early as Saturday.

"I don't think folks need to be scrambling to get gas, you know, we don't need to create a panic here." Wright said.

Experts say this leak happened at a good time. Gas supply domestically is abundant and the summer travel season is done.

Friday, the average price of gas in the Triangle was up one cent from the day before. The price Friday was six cents lower than it was on Sept. 16, 2015.

AAA estimates once the uncertainty is mitigated, gas prices will drop even lower.

"The good news is that while we may experience this temporary spike, if you will, we've already made the switch over in the Carolinas to the winter blend, which is a cheaper blend of fuel," Wright explained.

AAA says drivers should just brace themselves for the next few days, but prices could stabilize in a week or so.

GREEDY DEVELOPERS, RECKLESS ENGINEERS ARE BEHIND THE SINKING SKYSCRAPERS OF SAN FRANSISCO

Foundation of SF skyscrapers to be examined following Millennium Tower tilting






The foundation of the city's best known skyscrapers such as the Embarcardero Center, the SF MOMA, the Marriott and 101 California will be inspected after learning that the exclusive residential Millennium Tower is sinking and titling.

By Vic Lee
Updated 45 mins ago
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The exclusive residential Millennium Tower sits at the corner of Mission and Fremont streets in San Francisco. The 58-story building is sinking and titling.

ABC7 News has learned that consultants hired by homeowners of Millennium Towers will begin their work two weeks from now.

The foundation of the tower is supported by piles deep into dense sand but not into bedrock like many other buildings here. It turns out, some of the city's best known skyscrapers are also built the same way including the Embarcardero Center, the SF MOMA and the Marriott and 101 California.


"We want to have an assessment from our building inspection department as to each and every building that has these types of foundations," said San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin .

That's the same concern from the Millennium's Homeowners Association, which has launched its own investigation.

ABC7 News has learned they've hired consultants, who'll begin seismic testing and sample drilling on their building September 26.


Earlier this week, Supervisor Peskin released a letter from city building inspectors written in 2009 - just a year after the building was completed.

They asked Millennium project engineers to address their concerns that the building was sinking more than expected.

Peskin says the response to the letter was missing from 1,600 pages of records he reviewed. But he tells ABC7 News a third party source just sent him a copy of that response from project engineers.

It confirms what he thought.

"Before the first unit was ever sold, we already had information that the building had sunk 8.3 inches and was projected to sink another two to four inches," said Peskin.

Now the residential tower is sinking 16 inches and perhaps more concerning, its tilting almost two inches.

Pilot killed after a Cessna A188 Agwagon 300 agplane crashed NE of Alapaha, GA

Friday, September 16th 2016, 2:17 pm EDT

By Kristen Pozar Keeter, Digital Content Manager

By Caitlyn Chastain, Reporter

ALAPAHA, GA (WALB) - The identity of the man killed in a plane crash this morning has been released.
Jason Watson was the pilot of that crop duster airplane. 
The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. near 1130 Daniel Griffin Road.
The FAA will be investigating the crash.
Some witnesses said they heard the plane make a sputtering sound and go silent.
Officials said this is leading them to believe it could have been a mechanical issue. However, they can't confirm that just yet. 
"Starting off I said, no I don't see him. I thought maybe he's out here somewhere, ya know. Sure enough, I rounded the plane and I was like, the pilot's in the plane, he's no longer, no longer alive," said witness James Davis.
The cause of this crash is still under investigation right now.

Date:

	16-SEP-2016
Time:	11:30
Type:	Cessna A188 Agwagon 300
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N3547Q
C/n / msn:	188-0497
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Unknown
Location:	Berrien County, NE of Alapaha, GA -   United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft impacted farm field terrain during an aerial application flight northeast of Alapaha, Georgia. The agplane sustained unreported damage and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.
Sources: http://www.wistv.com/story/33111421/officials-respond-to-fatal-plane-crash-in-alapaha
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=3547Q
http://www.elisanet.fi/~z638198/r4s2007/large-6.html
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.4384423,-83.1720775,19z/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-us

Last Action Date

	2016-07-12
Airworthiness Date	2001-06-09		Expiration Date	2019-08-31
Manufacturer_Name	CESSNA		Model Name	A188
Registrant Name	WATSON JASON E		Street	2741 HERBERT WATSON RD
Registrant City	NASHVILLE		Registrant State	GA
Registrant Zip Code	316394246		Country	UNITED STATES
Region	Southern		Registrant Type	Individual
Fract Owner			Certificate Issue Date	2013-08-19
Status	N-Number Assigned and Registered
Serial Number	188-0497		Aircraft Type	Fixed wing single engine
Mode S Code	50773405		Year Mfr	1969
Aircraft Category	Land		Builder Certification	Type Certificated
Number Engines	1		Number Seats	1
Aircraft Weight	CLASS 1		Aircraft Cruising Speed	96
Airworthiness Classification	Standard		Approved Operation Codes	Normal
Engine Manufacturer	CONT MOTOR
Engine Model Name	IO 520 SERIES		Engine Type	Reciprocating
Engine Horsepower/Thrust	0		Fuel Consumed	0.00

The Arctic’s ice cover appears to have reached its minimum extent on September 10, 2016, according to scientists at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center

Seasonal Low in Arctic Sea Ice Reached


By MarEx 2016-09-15 21:22:51

The Arctic’s ice cover appears to have reached its minimum extent on September 10, 2016, according to scientists at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

Arctic sea ice extent on that day stood at 4.14 million square kilometers (1.60 million square miles), statistically tied at second lowest in the satellite record with the 2007 minimum. The 2007 minimum occurred on September 18 of that year when Arctic sea ice extent stood at 4.15 million square kilometers (1.60 million square miles).

Arctic sea ice cover grows each autumn and winter and shrinks each spring and summer. Each year, Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum extent in September. The record lowest extent in the 37-year satellite record occurred on September 17, 2012, when sea ice extent fell to 3.39 million square kilometers (1.31 million square miles).

“It was a stormy, cloudy, and fairly cool summer,” said NSIDC director Mark Serreze. “Historically, such weather conditions slow down the summer ice loss, but we still got down to essentially a tie for second lowest in the satellite record.”

During the first ten days of September this year, the Arctic lost ice at a faster than average rate. On average, the Arctic lost 34,100 square kilometers (13,200 square miles) per day compared to the 1981 to 2010 long-term average of 21,000 square kilometers (8,100 square miles) per day.

The early September rate of decline also greatly exceeded the rate observed for the same period during the record low year of 2012 (19,000 square kilometers, or 7,340 square miles, per day). By September, the air is cooling and there is little surface melt. This argues that that the fairly rapid early September ice loss was due to extra heat in the upper ocean. Recent ice loss was most pronounced in the Chukchi Sea, northwest of Alaska.

NSIDC scientists said ice may also relate to the impact of two strong storms that passed through the region during August. The scientists said there was a lot of thin ice at the beginning of the melt season. Because thinner ice does not take as much energy to melt away, this may have also contributed to this year’s low minimum extent.

More information is available here.

 

========



2016 ties with 2007 for second lowest Arctic sea ice minimum
September 15, 2016

Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its seasonal minimum extent for 2016 on September 10. A relatively rapid loss of sea ice in the first ten days of September has pushed the ice extent to a statistical tie with 2007 for the second lowest in the satellite record. September’s low extent followed a summer characterized by conditions generally unfavorable for sea ice loss.

Please note that this is a preliminary announcement. Changing winds or late-season melt could still reduce the Arctic ice extent, as happened in 2005 and 2010. NSIDC scientists will release a full analysis of the Arctic melt season, and discuss the Antarctic winter sea ice growth, in early October.
Overview of conditions


Figure 1. Arctic sea ice extent for September 10, 2016 was 4.14 million square kilometers (1.60 million square miles). The orange line shows the 1981 to 2010 median extent for that day. The black cross indicates the geographic North Pole. Sea Ice Index data. About the data

Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center


On September 10, Arctic sea ice extent stood at 4.14 million square kilometers (1.60 million square miles). This appears to have been the lowest extent of the year and is tied with 2007 as the second lowest extent on record. This year’s minimum extent is 750,000 square kilometers (290,000 square miles) above the record low set in 2012 and is well below the two standard deviation range for the 37-year satellite record. Satellite data show extensive areas of open water in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, and in the Laptev and East Siberian seas.

During the first ten days of September, the Arctic lost ice at a faster than average rate. Ice extent lost 34,100 square kilometers (13,200 square miles) per day compared to the 1981 to 2010 long-term average of 21,000 square kilometers (8,100 square miles) per day. The early September rate of decline also greatly exceeded the rate observed for the same period in 2012 (19,000 square kilometers, or 7,340 square miles, per day). Recent ice loss has been most pronounced in the Chukchi Sea. This may relate to the impact of two strong cyclones that passed through the region during August.

Satellite passive microwave data and images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) suggest that the southern Northwest Passage routes are still open. While the passive microwave data show that the Northern Sea route is open, MODIS data reveal a narrow band of scattered sea ice blocking the passage near the Taymyr Peninsula.
Conditions in context


Figure 2a. The graph shows Arctic sea ice extent as of September 12, 2016, along with daily ice extent data for four other record low years. 2016 is shown in blue, 2015 in green, 2012 in orange, 2011 in brown, and 2007 in purple. The 1981 to 2010 average is in dark gray. The gray area around the average line shows the two standard deviation range of the data. Sea Ice Index data.

Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center



Figure 2b. This plot shows Arctic air temperature anomalies at the 925 hPa level in degrees Celsius and sea level pressure anomalies for two periods: July 1 to August 31, and September 1 through September 11. Yellows and reds indicate higher than average temperatures and pressure; blues and purples indicate lower than average temperatures and pressure.

Credit: NSIDC courtesy NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory Physical Sciences Division
 

Weather in early September was warm along the Siberian coast (up to 9 degrees Celsius or 16 degrees Fahrenheit above average), with high pressure over the same region and strong winds across the central Arctic. However, as discussed in previous posts, weather over the Arctic Ocean this past summer has been generally stormy, cool, and cloudy—conditions that previous studies have shown to generally limit the rate of summer ice loss. That September ice extent nevertheless fell to second lowest in the satellite record is hence surprising. Averaged for July through August, air temperatures at the 925 hPa level (about 2,500 feet above sea level) were 0.5 to 2 degrees Celsius (1 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit) below the 1981 to 2010 long-term average over much of the central Arctic Ocean, and near average to slightly higher than average near the North American and easternmost Siberian coasts. Reflecting the stormy conditions, sea level pressures were much lower than average in the central Arctic during these months.

Why did extent fall to a tie for second lowest with 2007? The 2016 Arctic melt season started with a record low maximum extent in March, and sea ice was measured at record low monthly extents well into June. Computer models of ice thickness, and maps of sea ice age both indicated a much thinner ice pack at the end of winter. Statistically, there is little relationship between May and September sea ice extents after removing the long-term trend, indicating the strong role of summer weather patterns in controlling sea ice loss. However, the initial ice thickness may play a significant role. As noted in our mid-August post, the upper ocean was quite warm this summer and ocean-driven melting is important during late summer. The science community will be examining these issues in more detail in coming months.
Ice loss primarily in the northern Chukchi Sea


Figure 4. This figure compares Arctic sea ice extent for September 1 (orange) and September 10 (blue), with overlap areas in purple.

Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center


The late season ice loss appears to have been greatest in an extended area of patchy ice reaching from the eastern Beaufort Sea to the northern Chukchi Sea. This is in the area influenced by the two strong cyclones discussed in our August posts—the strong winds appear to have compacted the ice cover and may have led to an upward mixing of warm ocean water.


Second opinion


Figure 5. This graph compares Arctic sea ice extent trends from August 15 to September 10 for the years 2007 (F-17), 2012 (F-17), and 2016 (F-17 and F-18). The NSIDC Sea Ice Index currently uses data from the F-18 satellite.

Credit: W. Meier, NASA GSFC, NSIDC


The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F-17 satellite, which NSIDC ceased to use in May as its primary source for sea ice extent due to erratic data, has since re-stabilized and is providing more consistent day-to-day readings. While NSIDC will continue to use the DMSP F-18 satellite for data processing, it is instructive to examine the F-17 record. Early September extent from the F-17 record is slightly higher than from F-18. Both sensors indicate that the minimum extent for 2016 is slightly lower than the 2007 minimum, which was 4.15 million square kilometers (1.60 million square miles) and reached on September 18. However, the measurement accuracy is about ±25,000 square kilometers (±9,600 square miles) for a five-day trailing average daily extent measurement. This means that at the present levels, 2016 is a statistical tie for second lowest sea ice extent.



Note that the dates and extents of the minima have been re-calculated from what we posted in previous years. In June 2016, NSIDC transitioned to using data from the DMSP F-18 satellite, due to issues with the F-17 satellite. Data beginning April 1, 2016 are from F-18. In July 2016, Sea Ice Index data were updated to Version 2. These changes do not significantly affect sea ice trends and year-to-year comparisons, but in some instances users may notice small changes in values from the previous version of the data. Details on the changes are discussed in the Sea Ice Index documentation.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services. Construction, Investigation, Remediation and Forensic Expert Engineers

 Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services.

Construction Defects, Construction Claims, Engineering, Property & Casualty Investigations, Assessment, Site Investigation, Remediation, Litigation and Indoor-Air Expert Engineers

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Firm Overview

The engineering and forensic firm of Metropolitan Forensics and Consulting Engineering and Environmental Services was established for the purpose of providing a high value service to the insurance industry and to the insured companies or individuals. Our founding principal (Bill Stephan) is a licensed professional engineer in several states, including, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

We specialize in the in-situ remediation of petroleum and chlorinated spills, the defense of liability claims, the investigation and defense of first or third party insurance claims and the handling of subrogation claims.  We are also experts on oil and gas energy sector issues (design, investigations, construction oversight), renewable energy sector (wind turbines, solar panels, biofuels, etc), vapor intrusion evaluation, vapor phase and transport and in design on vapor mitigation systems.  Additionally, we offer forensic engineering services, including age-dating of contaminant releases, construction defects, oversight, evaluation of remedial alternatives, sub-slab ventilation system design and installation.  The list of our core services is:

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Our mission is to work as an extension of our clients to expeditiously achieve the most economically favorable resolution of claims on their behalf and on behalf of their insured. We have developed and will continue to create new solutions to the technical problems and issues which are facing the insurance industry and the insureds today.  

Metropolitan provides forensic engineering work (age-dating or fingerprinting), site remediation, auditing, cost control and litigation support services to insurance carriers, their insureds and to private or public companies.  In its risk management role, examines, manages and audits environmental claims to ensure that assessment and remediation services provided to both carriers and policy holders are reasonable and necessary, properly rendered and appropriately charged. 

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There are many issues associated with disputes over responsibility for cleanup. Who, what, when, where, and how chemicals were released can be investigated. The tools of forensic investigation include mathematical models, statistical models, fate and transport calculations, chromatography, lead isotope analyses, time of travel assessments, library search site characterization, tracer additives, and recently developed software applications.

Effective forensic project management should include an evaluation of multiple forensic tools based on site specific circumstances. The process of evaluation and the ultimate selection of the forensic tool are critical to a successful outcome. When project budgets allow, combining forensic methods for corroborative evidence can substantially strengthen your client’s position in an effort to prevent or support litigation. The effective forensic consultant must be well acquainted with an ever expanding list of analytical methods, environmental regulations, assessment procedures and remedial technologies.

The forensic field is one that utilizes a wide range of scientific tools to identify and characterize complex adverse environmental events. Some of the scientific disciplines involved in forensics include engineering principles (biological, physical and chemical), hydrology, lithology, geology, site history, site practices, mathematics, and statistics. These areas may be combined with technologies such as respiratory analyses, chromatography/mass spectrometry and chemical fingerprinting methods to answer complex questions with the ultimate goal of establishing responsibility for a particular event. Accurate, defensible forensic analyses are an essential component of any strategy that attempts to resolve the extent of the insurer or insured client responsibilities in the cleanup of contaminants.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our forensic services.

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Metropolitan assists property owners, claims professionals, businesses, and attorneys in   the assessment of the cause & origin (C&O), extent of damage and required restoration after pipe bursts, settlements, manufacturing and construction failures, fire, flood, earthquake, or storm damage.  Our teams of engineers have extensive experience in the many systems that make up a building including structural, mechanical and electrical systems.   We also have the necessary background to evaluate property damage to items such as communications towers or solar panels. We can help determine alternative, appropriate, and cost effective solutions for repair or restoration of any damaged property, both commercial and residential. 

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Our Fast Track Investigation and Uniform Format Reporting systems allow us to conduct and deliver a comprehensive response to the assigned claim.  In most cases, we will obtain findings based on a site visit, visual observations, photographs, interviews, and field measurements.  Further investigations and testing will be provided upon request and approval by the client.

Forensic Investigation of Property Damage Claims

Metropolitan Consulting, Engineering & Forensics understands your need to complete a claim investigation accurately and efficiently as possible.  Whether it is accident reconstruction, damage due to environmental forces such as wind, water, hail, snow, tornado, etc.; fire origin & cause investigation or any other claim, the engineers at Metropolitan understand both you and your client want to resolve the claim.  The analysis you receive from Metropolitan will be accurate and complete, giving you the information needed in the claim adjustment and analysis.

Our services have extended beyond the forensic analysis phase into the remediation and repair phase of many large loss claims.  Upon the completion of the cause and origin (C&O) investigation, Metropolitan can provide our clients with complete working drawings and specifications needed to repair or rebuilt damaged buildings or other structures.  Metropolitan Consulting & Engineering’ staff possesses many-many years of experience in rehabilitation design, construction management, and project oversight to ensure the loss is restored in a timely and cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality.  Building code knowledge allows us to identify possible code upgrades as needed.  Metropolitan understands constructability and realizes making an insured whole goes beyond forensic investigation and design. We pride ourselves in providing practical solutions contractors can understand and follow.

At the forefront of available technology, we provide professionals and staff capable of handling a variety of engineering evaluations.  Our reports are clear, concise, complete and efficiently produced.  Our engineering objectives are achieved in an ethical manner consistent with the traditions and character of engineering professionals.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our property damage services.

Extensive Experience helping Sureties

Metropolitan also has extensive experience helping sureties fulfill their bond obligations resolve disputes after a contractor has defaulted.  This work includes the evaluation of contractor bid pricing, evaluation of the contractor’s ability to perform work, risk assessment, evaluation of termination, construction completion services, claim and litigation support services, loss recovery services, evaluation of payment bond claims, negotiation and settlement of payment bond claims, and construction defects investigation services.  Metropolitan has provided these services for commercial, development, educational, and assisted living projects.

Construction is a business fraught with risk.  Disputes over even the smallest of issues can quickly escalate, with crippling consequences to the project and the parties.  Over the years, the construction industry has developed various methods of contractually allocating the risk of project delay and disruption.  Some of these methods include liquidated damages provisions, "no damages for delay" clauses, mutual waivers of consequential damages, provisions that limit liability, claims notice provisions, and provisions addressing responsibility for the adequacy of the construction plans and specifications.  Parties frequently litigate the sufficiency of these risk-shifting efforts in conjunction with the underlying merits of delay and disruption disputes.

Construction Claims & Disputes

The most frequently encountered claims include:

1.            Construction Delay Claims

2.            Disruption and Loss of Labor Productivity Claims

3.            Design and Construction Defect Claims

4.            Force Majeure Claims

5.            Acceleration or Compression of the Schedule Claims

6.            Suspension, Termination and Default Claims

7.            Differing Site Conditions Claims

8.            Change Order and Extra Work Claims

9.            Cost Overrun Claims

10.         Unacceptable Workmanship or Substituted Material Claims

11.         Non-payment Claims (stop notice (or Notice to Withhold) claims, mechanics’ lien (only for private construction projects) and payment bond claims)

Forensic Engineering Experience Case Studies

Metropolitan staff has developed and utilized scientific methods to assist clients in a variety of ways related to their claim issues. The following is a partial list of such projects:

• Provided expert witness services for plaintiff seeking remediation of contaminated groundwater that caused indoor air inhalation problems;
• Testified that engineering and scientific evidence was improperly collected and analyzed and was inadequate to show the age of the release;
• Origin and cause of retaining wall failures.  
• Lightning damage to structures or electrical systems and equipment
• Roof failure or collapse as a result of accumulated load, additional weight and snow drift at hundreds of commercial and residential properties.
• Demonstrated that solvents in groundwater at client's property originated from off-site dry-cleaner and that client's site actually provided remediation for the off-site release of dry cleaning solvent;
• Expert witness for property owner impacted by industrial waste disposal from industrial manufacturer;
• Demonstrated that environmental analysis by a previous consultant for a manufacturing site was inadequate; as a result, the lender's concerns were alleviated and financing proceeded;
• Chemical "age-dating" and contaminant transport analyses of petroleum in groundwater at a gas station showed that contaminants originated from other parties;
• Age-dated petroleum release at a former gas station to show that the previous owner of the gas station caused groundwater contamination;
• Age-dated petroleum releases at an industrial facility to show that the on-site plume was the result of an off-site source;
• Prepared age-dating reports for over one-hundred residential fuel oil spills;
• Assisted insurance companies attorneys in defending subrogation claims; was able to demonstrate that the forensic data collected by the first party consultant were collected and analyzed using invalid methods;
• Demonstrated that structural damage to a residence was from a source other than the alleged high lake level
• Collected evidence (for the primary responsible party) that identified other responsible parties to share in the cost of a Superfund cleanup;
• Review of the site data at a bulk petroleum facility indicated that the site releases were not the result of regular oil transfer operations and that they were caused by the negligent actions of the insured’s agents; the case was settled in favor of the insurance company;
• Was able to demonstrate that the majority of the removal actions at petroleum release sites were neither reasonable nor necessary; as a result of our opinion, the insurance client settled the claim in favorable terms;
• At several drycleaner sites we were able to demonstrate that the age of the release was much earlier than the parties originally believed; as a result, the insurance client settled the claim at a fraction of the alleged liability;
• We performed numerous flood and wind damage assessments at commercial and residential properties.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our forensic engineering services.

Site Remediation Services

 Characterizing and remediating contaminated sites involve some of the most complex and difficult issues for environmental lawyers and their clients. Problem areas include responding to regulators; negotiating enforcement settlements; negotiating or litigating cost allocation and recovery claims; working with the insured or insurer client, lawyers and regulators to develop efficient, cost-effective remediation approaches; and selling, buying, or developing contaminated properties.

Metropolitan staff has developed and applied an innovative approach to the use of sodium persulfate for the sequential in-situ treatment of subsurface contaminants through chemical oxidation followed by enhanced biological degradation through sulfate reduction. This approach has broad applicability to a wide range of contaminants, and shows strong cost-saving benefits through reducing the initial volume of chemical oxidant necessary and enhancing the in-situ biological degradation of contaminants.

Through proper subsurface geochemical characterization and chemical dosing design, the approach focuses on utilizing the oxidant for immediate mass reduction at the source area, followed by degradation or polishing of the residual contamination using sulfate reducing bacteria.  Depending upon the oxidant activation method, this approach is applicable to petroleum hydrocarbons including both volatiles and PAHs, chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) including chlorinated ethene, ethane and methane groups, as well as PCBs.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our Site Remediation Services.

Vapor Intrusion and Indoor-Air Studies

Vapor intrusion has received increased attention over the last few years near contaminated sites because some contaminants have the potential to migrate into nearby buildings and negatively affect indoor air quality. The accumulation of these volatile vapors in buildings can result in significant safety and health concerns.
To properly evaluate vapor intrusion a thorough evaluation of the building's ventilation system and subsurface conditions needs to be conducted by a knowledgeable professional in accordance with state and federal established procedures. 
The evaluation process typically includes a thorough building chemical inventory, the advancement of soil gas probes and the collection of soil gas samples. When indoor air quality problems are identified they can normally be resolved through the modification/installation of a properly designed ventilation system.
Metropolitan is well experienced with U.S. EPA and State vapor intrusion investigation techniques. We have completed numerous vapor intrusion and indoor air quality studies at commercial and residential properties. We have the experience to identify and resolve indoor vapor intrusion problems and the practical know-how to resolve indoor quality issues in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our Vapor Intrusion and Indoor Air Studies.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services.

Construction, Investigation, Remediation and Forensic Expert  Engineers

P.O. Box 520

Tenafly, New Jersey 07670-0520

Ph.: (973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440

metroforensics@gmail.com

Contact: Dr. Bill N. Stephan, PhD, PE, JD, CIH, MBA, CHMM

Insurance claim examiners, insureds, insurers, insurance adjusters and risk managers use Metropolitan for determining cause, evaluating the extent of damage, determining the age of the release, separating unrelated damage, analyzing loss scopes and managing restoration data, determining costs to repair, restore or replace, and preparing for insurance appraisals.

Attorneys call on Metropolitan for help when preparing for Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution such as arbitration and mediation