MATOC FY18 Demolition Tobyhanna Army Depot

Overview: Partnering with USACE Huntsville, we provided pre-demolition assessment, abatement, and removal of asbestos containing materials and other regulated materials. Additional services included the disconnection and capping of utilities, diversion and disposal of all debris, and restoration of the site to a specified condition. Following demolition, we restored all work sites with respect to grading and proper drainage. Structures that were demolished included facilities Building 1001-Admin General Purpose building (4,830 ft²); 1006-Youth Center (5,377 ft²); and S0093-Electrical Maintenance Depot (8,376 ft²). After final removal of facilities, we cleaned, restored, and backfilled the areas.

Project Details

The Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is located in the Coolbaugh Township of Monroe County which is nestled in the beautiful Pocono Mountains on the northeast region of Pennsylvania. Today, the Tobyhanna Signal Depot serves all branches of the military providing repair, upgrade and integration command, control, communications, intelligence, and surveillance and reconnaissance systems. The Army Depot covers approximately 2.2 square miles and is situated in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III.

This project award included the demolition of three structures: Building 1001 at 4,830 ft², Building 1006 at 5,377 ft² and Building S0093 at 8376 ft², for a total of 18,583 ft². Ultimately, Building 1006 was eliminated from the site tasks when TYAD base personnel demolished the structure ahead of our mobilization. A contract modification was initiated after mobilization to include the addition of Building 21 (1,400 ft²), and the de-scope of Building 1006 abatement and demolition activities while retaining and expanding the Building 1006 restoration activity. Gross square footage for the three buildings totaled 14,606 ft².

Following mobilization, abatement activities were conducted in Buildings 1001 and S0093 to remove a combined 5,783 ft² of asbestos containing materials. Other regulated materials were removed from all buildings, as well as other items which were delivered to the base environmental recycling program. A total of 800 gallons of fuel oil was recovered and recycled from two storage tanks.

Prior to demolition, Freon recovery was conducted in all refrigeration and air conditioning units associated with the buildings. Utility disconnects were initiated and confirmed before demolition. All three structures were demolished from the top down and materials were segregated into three categories: Construction and debris, metals, and masonry (brick/block/concrete). Construction and debris materials were transported to a local landfill, while metals were shipped to a recycling facility and masonry was either recycled or used as backfill. Pads, foundations, and other construction features were removed to a depth of four feet. With a 86.8% diversion rate, Perma-Fix exceeded the 60% diversion target at Tobyhanna, saving the government $182,988.

Restoration of each building site included backfilling to grade with either native soils or recycled masonry. Compaction testing was conducted at all of the sites with the exception of the Building 21 site where characteristics were not favorable to compaction. Site 1001 and 1006 were both finished with top soil and hydro-seeding, while sites S0093 and 21 were final graded with recycled masonry to specifications.

Common activities to all facilities included installing perimeter fencing; disconnecting electrical lines at the nearest service pole following coordination with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and the Department of Public Works (DPW); and removal, cutting, and capping the associated water, sewer, and drain lines at locations greater than 15 feet from the buildings.