2024-11_VAPOR MITIGATION COMPLETION_BF0001383
t-rem-vic2-24 · LB 1683 · 8/18/22
November 26, 2024
VIA EMAIL
Steve Dunbar
Fridley Investments LLC
Willows Bend Senior Living LLC
323 Washington Ave N Ste 200
Minneapolis, MN 55401-2206
RE: Technical Assistance Letter: Completion of Vapor Mitigation for On-site Building
Approval of RAP Implementation Report
City of Fridley City Hall, 6455 University Ave NE, Fridley
MPCA Site ID: BF0001383
Billing ID: 47406
Re-platted PIN: 14-30-24-31-0102
Dear Steve Dunbar:
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff in the Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup
Program has been requested to provide confirmation that soil vapor assessment and vapor intrusion
mitigation activities at a portion of the City of Fridley City Hall site, located at the address referenced
above, have been successfully completed in accordance with MPCA’s Vapor Investigation and Mitigation
Decision and Vapor Mitigation Best Management Practices documents. Specifically, this letter applies to
the 6455 University Avenue parcel (the Site).
The MPCA staff has reviewed the information submitted for the Site. The Site consists of three parcels
(recently re-platted from 11 parcels) totaling 4.54 acres. From the 1940s until the mid-1960s, the
eastern portion of the Site was used for residential purposes. The Site was used by the City of Fridley for
various municipal services including a fire station, police station, indoor shooting range, jail, meeting
hall, and government offices from 1952 until the buildings were demolished in 2019. Only the garages
and indoor shooting range remained at the Site. Fridley Investments LLC recently redeveloped the Site
into a senior living facility with one level of underground parking.
The MPCA issued a No Association Determination to Fridley Investments LLC, dated May 21, 2020,
contingent upon Fridley Investments LLC redeveloping the Site in accordance with an MPCA-approved
response action plan (RAP). Based on data available to date, the Site appears to lie within a larger
undefined area of soil vapor impacts that is currently under evaluation by the MPCA’s Site Assessment
Program (MPCA Site ID SA0000787).
A limited environmental investigation was completed at the Site in October 2018 to investigate potential
impacts at the Site near two abandoned fuel oil tanks (Leak #8863). Five borings were advanced for the
collection of soil and groundwater samples. One soil sample was collected and analyzed for volatile
organic compounds (VOCs), polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and eight Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals. Only petroleum-related VOCs were detected in the soil
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November 26, 2024
samples and metals were within the range of typical background concentrations. One groundwater
sample was collected and analyzed for VOCs and PAHs. Only petroleum-related VOCs and PAHs were
detected in groundwater.
Soil vapor samples were collected at six locations at the Site in June 2019 (non-heating season) and
March 2020 (heating season) in the vicinity of the former fuel oil tanks. During the second round of
sampling, two soil vapor samples were collected along the southern boundary of the Site to rule out
possible impacts from a former drycleaner at the south-adjacent property. Several non-petroleum VOCs,
including tetrachloroethene (PCE), were detected in soil vapor at concentrations less than the MPCA
action level of thirty-three times (33X) their respective residential intrusion screening value (ISV).
A Response Action Plan/Construction Contingency Plan dated October 29, 2020, was approved by the
MPCA on January 29, 2021, for the redevelopment of the Site into a senior living facility.
Five additional soil vapor samples were collected from locations beneath the proposed building
footprint in March 2021 (heating season). Several non-petroleum VOCs, including PCE, were detected in
soil vapor at concentrations greater than the MPCA action level of 33X their respective ISV. A RAP
Addendum dated April 2, 2021, that described the installation plan for the vapor mitigation system in
the Site building was approved on June 9, 2021.
Vapor mitigation activities completed for the Site building are described in the Vapor Mitigation
Response Action Plan Implementation Report prepared by Braun Intertec and dated February 28, 2023
(Implementation Report). An active sub-slab depressurization system was installed during construction
of the new Site building. Post-mitigation confirmation sampling was completed in December 2022.
Measurement of pressure differential and analysis of confirmation samples indicate that the vapor
mitigation system in the Site building is working as designed.
The Implementation Report is approved. The MPCA hereby confirms that the vapor assessment
completed at the Site was conducted in accordance with MPCA’s Vapor Investigation and Mitigation
Decision Best Management Practices and that vapor intrusion mitigation activities for the existing Site
building, as described in the Implementation Report, were successfully completed in accordance with
the MPCA-approved Response Action Plan dated October 29, 2020 and the RAP Addendum dated
April 2, 2021 and the MPCA’s Vapor Mitigation Best Management Practices.
To ensure ongoing protection against vapor intrusion, the vapor mitigation system in the Site building
must be operated, monitored, and maintained in accordance with the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation System
Operation and Maintenance Plan prepared by Braun Intertec and dated February 28, 2023. Due to the
affirmative obligation to operate and maintain the vapor mitigation system, an Environmental Covenant
was filed on November 12, 2024, in the office of the County Recorder in and for Anoka County, as
document number 2425151.001. Please note that the Environmental Covenant requires submittal of an
annual compliance report/letter by July 1 of each year to document the status and condition of the
vapor mitigation system. The annual compliance report/letter should include supporting documentation
and be sent via electronic mail to instcontrols.pca@state.mn.us. Please include the MPCA project name
(City of Fridley City Hall site) and identification number (BF0001383) on the submittal.
This determination is based on the building-specific vapor mitigation actions completed at the Site, as
described in the Implementation Report. This letter does not address any conclusions or representations
regarding future structures or changes in land use at the Site, which may create new potential exposure
pathways for soil vapor contaminants. The MPCA recommends that future construction activities at the
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November 26, 2024
Site (e.g., potential addition, new building, new utility trenches, etc.) be preceded by a soil vapor
investigation within the footprint of the proposed construction area, so a vapor mitigation decision for
the new feature can be made based on concurrent data.
This letter does not address any conclusions or representations regarding soil or groundwater at the
Site, or regarding petroleum-related VOCs that may have been detected in soil vapor. Petroleum
contamination detected at the Site is under the oversight of the MPCA’s Petroleum Brownfield Program.
Please be advised that the determination made in this letter is subject to the disclaimers found in
Attachment A and is contingent on compliance with the terms and conditions set forth herein, including
ongoing operation, monitoring, and maintenance of the vapor mitigation system in the Site building, as
required by the Environmental Covenant. If you have any questions about the contents of this letter,
please contact Shanna Schmitt, Hydrogeologist, at 651-757-2283 or by email at
shanna.schmitt@state.mn.us.
Sincerely,
Amy K. Hadiaris
This document has been electronically signed.
Amy K. Hadiaris, P.G.
Supervisor
Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Unit
Remediation Division
Attachment
AKH/SS:df
cc: Mark Keefer, Braun Intertec, (electronic)
Jonelle Hubbard, Anoka County Environmental Services (electronic)
Melissa Moore, City of Fridley (electronic)
Christopher Goscinak, MPCA Site Assessment Program (electronic)
Attachment A
Page 1 of 1
Disclaimers
City of Fridley City Hall
MPCA Site ID: BF0001383
1. Reservation of authorities
The MPCA Commissioner reserves the authority to take any appropriate actions with respect to any
release, threatened release, or other conditions at the Site. The MPCA Commissioner also reserves the
authority to take such actions if the voluntary party does not proceed in the manner described in this
letter or if actions taken or omitted by the voluntary party with respect to the Site contribute to any
release or threatened release or create an imminent and substantial danger to public health and
welfare.
2. No MPCA assumption of liability
The MPCA, its Commissioner, and staff do not assume any liability for any release, threatened release,
or other conditions at the Site or for any actions taken or omitted by the voluntary party with regard to
the release, threatened release, or other conditions at the Site, whether the actions taken or omitted
are in accordance with this letter or otherwise.
3. Letter based on current information
All statements, conclusions, and representations in this letter are based upon information known to the
MPCA Commissioner and staff at the time this letter was issued. The MPCA Commissioner and staff
reserve the authority to modify or rescind any such statement, conclusion, or representation and to take
any appropriate action under the Commissioner’s authority if the MPCA Commissioner or staff acquires
information after issuance of this letter that provides a basis for such modification or action.
4. Disclaimer regarding use or development of the property
The MPCA, its Commissioner, and staff do not warrant that the Site is suitable or appropriate for any
particular use.
5. Disclaimer regarding investigative or response action at the property
Nothing in this letter is intended to authorize any response action under Minn. Stat. section 115B.17,
subd. 12.
6. This approval does not supplant any applicable state or local stormwater permits, ordinances, or
other regulatory documents.