Banneker Site Remediation Project

The site of the former Benjamin Banneker School located at 701 S. Upland Avenue, River Ridge, LA will undergo soil remediation to remove “landfilled vegetative wood debris” and replace it with clean soil.

The project is estimated to begin December 8, 2025, with estimated completion within 180 days.

Public meetings to help keep community members and stakeholders informed will be held throughout the remediation process. Public meeting dates and information will be posted on this page.

Public Meeting #1

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

6 pm- 6:45 pm

Jesse Owens Playground Gymnasium, 11101 Newton Street, River Ridge, LA 70123

Public Meeting #2

Monday, November 3, 2025

6pm-6:45 pm
Jesse Owens Playground Gymnasium, 11101 Newton Street, River Ridge, LA 70123

Public Meeting # 3

Monday, December 1, 2025

6pm-6:45pm

Jesse Owens Playground Gymnasium, 11101 Newton Street, Rive Ridge, LA 70123

Project Documents

Hard copies of all project documents will be made available by appointment at GCHP’s office located at 1626 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, Ste. A, New Orleans, Louisiana 70113. Interested parties should contact Project Manager, Jenga Mwendo at mwendo@gchp.net to schedule an appointment.

Direct Questions and Comments to:

Jenga Mwendo, Project Manager

mwendo@gchp.net

FACT SHEET:

Banneker Site Remediation Project

Starting in October 2025, public meetings will be held throughout the remediation process so that residents’ and stakeholders’ questions can be answered.

Public Meetings held to date- October 11, 2025; November 3, 2025; December 1, 2025

Below is a summary of questions that have been asked at these public meetings related to the remediation project along with answers.*

Questions related to the Banneker Site Remediation project:

  • When will the remediation work start?
    • We expect to select the contractors in October, and the remediation work will start shortly after.
  • How long will the remediation take?
    • The estimated timeline for the site remediation is 3-4 months, followed by a confirmatory sampling, lab analysis, reporting and approval period of approximately 60 days. So, approximately 6 months in total.
  • What will the remediation process involve?
    • The remediation work will involve excavating the site up to 10 feet in some areas, properly disposing of the debris and replacing it with clean soil.
  • Will the remediation work be harmful to residents?
    • No. Analytical testing has shown that the soil itself is not contaminated. The debris that is the concern consists mostly of decaying vegetation waste (wood waste) and construction & demolition debris (bricks, glass) and the excavation of that material would not produce any harmful conditions to the surrounding neighbors. The contractor will take measures to control dust during the soil excavation.  Additionally, stormwater controls will be in place to prevent stormwater runoff from leaving the site and the perimeter fencing will remain intact to limit access to the site to only the contractors and personnel.
  • When you purchased the site, did the owner tell you what you were buying?
    • The owner was Jefferson Parish School Board. Nothing related to potentially harmful soil conditions was disclosed in the public bid documents. Additionally, we conducted a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) prior to purchase. A Phase 1 ESA is commonly used to assess the possibility of environmental contamination and is typically performed prior to purchase. The Phase 1 ESA showed that there were no “Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs)”.
  • When you start hauling concrete, will it destroy the streets?
    • Trucks hauling concrete will operate within allowable limits for weight. The weight of the trucks will be tracked on a constant basis.
  • What was tested and what was found?
    • The soil was tested for over 100 different compounds. Test results revealed that the soil didn’t have any compounds at concentrations above the acceptable levels. Soil vapor was also tested and test results revealed levels of methane, which is a common landfill gas. The main concern is getting the vegetative debris that is decaying out of the ground to remove the source of the soil vapors. The groundwater was also tested and test results revealed that the groundwater had metals and petroleum hydrocarbons that were elevated. However, the groundwater is not a source of drinking water and is not a danger to humans.
  • Were carcinogens also found?
    • Carcinogens found were within acceptable levels.
  • Will the new utilities go through the contaminated materials?
    • There are no contaminated materials in the ground. Additionally, all the vegetative debris will be removed and the new utilities will be installed in fresh soil.
  • How far will you excavate?
    • In some areas, excavation will be to a depth of 10 ft.
  • What about exposure to the water during the flooding?
    • The remediation contractor will dig the excavations in a phased approach. With that approach, we anticipate that there will not be large holes left in the ground for any long period of time. If water does fill in those holes, it will be disposed of properly. Additionally, the remediation contractor will be required to acquire a stormwater permit and implement an approved Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).
  • How will you prevent stormwater pollution during a rain event when there’s an open ditch?
    • The remediation contractor will use a combination of silt fences, hay bales, witch’s hats and other stormwater control best management practices to prevent sediment runoff during rain events. It is important to note that there will be more greenspace open to absorb rainwater after the homes are developed than there is now.
  • Were you required to get a permit from the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East?
    • The site is just beyond 1500 ft from the levee. Therefore, a permit is not required.
  • What about the exposure to the neighborhood?
    • The remediation work will be done in accordance with Louisiana’s Residential standards for the Risk Evaluation / Corrective Action Program (RECAP), which are the most stringent of all RECAP standards. Therefore, standards that apply to the site will also apply to the surrounding neighborhood.
  • Has there been leaching into the drinking water?
    • No.
  • When the methane is exposed, will neighbors be exposed to it?
    • No, the released methane will dissipate quickly once it is exposed.
  • Who is the remediation contractor?
    • SEMS, Inc.
  • Who is providing oversight?
    • Leaaf Environmental will serve as the Qualified Environmental Professional and will provide oversight. Additionally, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide oversight.
  • How elevated are the petroleum hydrocarbons in the groundwater?
    • In the tested samples, there were exceedances of levels above the screening standards established by the State of Louisiana. Once identified, potential for risk to human health to the current and future site occupants was evaluated following the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality risk evaluation requirements.  Several exposure pathways and site-specific conditions were evaluated to determine actual harm to human health (such as groundwater access, use of groundwater, potential well installation, use of the site, etc.). These assessments concluded no harm to human health due to the presence of the petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater.  The risk evaluation was reviewed and approved by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
  • What is the source of the hydrocarbons and the metals in the groundwater?
    • The metals include arsenic, lead and vanadium. These are all naturally occurring. The petroleum hydrocarbons are most likely coming from the decay of the vegetative debris itself. Potential sources of contamination were identified during previous assessments at the site. The onsite source of the hydrocarbons will be removed via removal of the debris. Following completion of the remediation, additional groundwater samples will be collected to confirm that concentrations of the metals and hydrocarbons remain below the established site-specific standards.
  • Are the petroleum hydrocarbons leaching into the groundwater?
    • Evaluation of the pathway of soil leaching into the groundwater was done, as well as risk evaluation including volatilization from soil to air, groundwater to air, soil vapor testing, direct contact of soil, ingestion of soil, and direct contact with groundwater. In the unlikely event that petroleum hydrocarbons are leaching into the groundwater, there is no risk to human health given that the groundwater is not used for drinking and is very unlikely to come into contact with humans. Additionally, there is oversight from the State via the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and the federal government via Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on this project. All work will be done in accordance with the most stringent standards to ensure safety to human health.
  •  Is the groundwater not useable because it is contaminated?
    • The metals include arsenic, lead and vanadium. These are all naturally occurring. The petroleum hydrocarbons are most likely coming from the decay of the vegetative debris itself. Potential sources of contamination were identified during previous assessments at the site.   The onsite source of the hydrocarbons will be removed via removal of the debris. Following completion of the remediation, additional groundwater samples will be collected to confirm that concentrations of the metals and hydrocarbons remain below the established site-specific standards.
  • How are you going to make sure that the work was completed and when will we get the information?
    • Once the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality confirms the work was completed, they will issue a “No Further Action” letter. Relevant information will be made available.
  • Is the excavation depth 16 feet or 10 feet?
    • The site was sampled to a depth of 16feet. Excavation depth will be up to 10 feet in certain areas of the site.
  • What are the dust control measures?
    • There will be water trucks on site as needed. Water will be used as needed to control airborne dust during operations.
  • What is the source of the clean soil?
    • A couple of options are being sampled. The location will be approved by an engineer once selected.
  • What permits have been procured?
    • The primary permit needed for this project is the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). This will be submitted to Jefferson Parish prior to the start of the work. Any other necessary permits will be applied for.
  • Will the signage include information about work opportunities?
    • No. All work will be done by SEMS, except for one subcontractor. All workers on site must have 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training.
  • What are the construction operation times?
    • Within Jefferson Parish, 7am to 7pm Monday through Saturday is allowed.
  • Who will monitor to ensure debris doesn’t fall off the trucks while being transported?
    • SEMS will follow Best Management Practices and trucks will be covered to limit the risk of anything falling off.
  • How often will confirmatory sampling be performed throughout the remediation period?
    • The purpose of confirmatory sampling is to ensure that the remediation work has been completed and that there is no evidence of the previously identified contamination. Confirmatory sampling will be performed at the end of the remediation period.
  • What kind of bond and insurance do you have in place?
    • The primary remediation contractor, SEMS Inc., is bonded and licensed to perform the remediation work.

The information above is related only to the Banneker Site Remediation Project.

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 02F88401 to Gulf Coast Housing Partnership. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the Page 25 of 44 Environmental Protection Agency endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document, as well as any images, video, text, or other content created by generative artificial intelligence tools, nor does any such content necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency.