Panther Technologies - About Us

John Coffey

Technical Specialties

Wetlands Mitigation and Restoration, MGP Site Remediation, Hazardous Waste Management and Remediation, Landfill Cell Construction and Capping, Drum Handling, Demolition, AST/UST Services, Groundwater Extraction and Treatment Systems, Slurry Walls, and Soil Stabilization.

Experience Summary

30 years experience in hazardous waste management, site remediation, wetlands mitigation and construction management, including 20 years managing remedial action construction projects. Extensive experience preparing proposals and cost estimates, negotiating contracts and interacting with regulatory agencies. Prepared and implemented project plans on a variety of private and publicly funded projects. Throughout his career, John has worked with design engineers on design/build projects from conceptual phase through project closeout.

Credentials

B.S., Environmental Science, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1977
B.A., Liberal Arts, Syracuse University, 1977
1991, Competent Person, Excavation Training
40-Hour USEPA Hazardous Materials Training for First Responders, 1987 (29 CFR 1910.165)
40-Hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Response (29 CFR 1910.120)
8-Hour Supervisory Training, 1989 (29 CFR 1910.120)
8-Hour Annual Refresher Training
40-Hour Tank Car Transfer Training

Key Projects

Operations Manager for a $1.5-million MGP source removal project in Central New Jersey, which involved the excavation and disposal of 9,000 tons of benzene and PAH impacted MGP soils. All work was conducted in accordance with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection technical guidance regulations. Panther won the project based on its innovative approach of leap-frogging trench boxes to maintain excavation integrity without the use of sheeting. The services included the construction of an access road, installation of sedimentation and erosion control measures, 200 gpm well-point type dewatering system with onsite treatment and subsurface recharge gallery, excavation using trench boxes and load out of contaminated soil and transportation to an approved thermal treatment facility. In all, the project included the removal of over nine-thousand (9,000) tons of MGP impacted soils and treatment of over 1 million gallons of ground water, the installation of a geotextile barrier to minimize recontamination of the remediated area and restoration of the site with a geotextile, 18 inches of clean stone and topsoil and vegetated cap over the area.
Operations Manager for a large-scale in-situ chemical oxidation pilot test for MGP waste at a former Manufactured Gas Plant Site in New York State. The first in-kind testing of a co-solvent based in-situ oxidation program utilized 185,000 lbs of activated sodium persulfate in addition to a catalyst/co-solvent mixture targeting MGP impacted soil and groundwater from 10' to 50' bgs. The injection system was designed utilizing 12 vertical injection wells, in-line static mixing system, three (3) trailer mounted duplex pump stations with potentiometric pump controls for variable design flow rates, inline digital turbine flowmeters, inline pressure and temperature injection stream monitoring with multiple injectant stream sampling locations. Batch mixing and chemical storage system included multiple 21,000-gallon storage and mixing tanks, multiple stainless steel tankers for sodium persulfate stock solution containment with all storage vessels set within a lined containment area. Injection operations were completed in 2 phases working 24-hours per day, 7 days a week until all reagents were successfully injected.
Project Manager for Mill Creek Wetlands Mitigation Site, Secaucus, New Jersey. Regulatory compliance and cost/schedule control were primary responsibilities. The project received a "Best Projects Award for 1998" from ENR Magazine and was recognized by the State of New Jersey for achievements in quality; worked with the Hackensack Meadowlands development Commission (HMDC) to develop and implement the site-specific work plans; the work involved the re-establishment of tidal flow and the creation of more than 100 acres of marsh habitat by the mechanical excavation of over 45,000 cubic yards of spoils from the existing wetlands; due to low-level heavy metals contamination in the excavate material, all activities were in compliance with 29 CFR.
Project Manager Marsh Resources, Inc. Wetlands Mitigation Site, Carlstadt, New Jersey. Worked on the design and oversaw its implementation during construction. Had ultimate project responsibility in all areas but was most intimately involved in contract negotiation, cost and schedule control, and regulatory compliance; the scope of work for the design/build project was the restoration of a 120 acre degraded wetland site; the site is the first tidal wetlands mitigation bank in the Hackensack Meadowlands District.
Operations Manager for PSEG Salt Hay Farm construction project, Commercial Township, New Jersey. Provided on-site operations support for this design/build estuary enhancement project which involved the restoration of a 4,000-acre Salt Hay Farm. Worked with the design engineer to develop and implement the project work plan and prepared bid specifications and was responsible for the subsequent procurement and supervision of subcontractors; work activities included the hydraulic dredging of 500,000 cubic yards of material to create more than 50,000 linear feet of new tidal channels; spoils material was utilized to create high marsh habitat; more than 25,000 linear feet of internal berms were created using onsite materials; upland projective dikes were constructed by importing over 200,000 cubic yards of off-site material; public access facilities including boardwalks and bird observation platforms were constructed.

Site Manager for W.A. Cleary Corporation Site, Somerset, New Jersey. The project involved the closure of a 10-acre lagoon used during the manufacturing of fertilizer; The major components of the work were the excavation, transportation and disposal of more than 20,000 tons of soil contaminated with heavy metals and the removal, transportation and disposal of 200,000 gallons of contaminated ground water.; Mr. Coffey developed and implemented the Work Plan, Health and Safety Plan and the Sampling and Analysis Plan for the site and supervised all work activities.
Operations Manager for a private lake dredging project. Panther was awarded a contract to dredge and restore the lakes to their original condition. Our group performed the necessary clearing and stabilization to allow the construction of twelve (12) truck access ramps into the lake areas and implemented all of the soil erosion and sediment control measures required by the various approving authorities. The access ramps allowed for the safe ingress and egress of tri-axle-dump trucks. Using five (5) 60' long reach excavators, two (2) standard excavators and crane mats & plank roads, Panther excavated a total of 78,000 cubic yards of lakebed sediment, which was beneficially re-used as sub-grade material for the construction of new athletic fields. Excavation was performed up to the limits of residential bulkheads, docks, bridges, culverts and other structures. All excavation activities were controlled by daily and final elevation surveys. During the sediment removal, Panther continually segregated the active work areas by diverting the base water flow through the lakes. In addition, Panther dewatered the areas being dredged and performed gravity draining of the sediment via "high piling". Rock check dams, floating turbidity barriers and silt fence were installed to minimize the discharge of sediment-laden water downstream of the project site. Upon the completion of all excavation activities, new plants and vegetation were installed at the truck load-out locations and at wetland & upland portions of the park area. Project duration was eight months with a contract value of $2.5 million.
Project Manager for Honeywell LCP Superfund Site in Solvay, New York. Excavation and stabilization of nearly 100,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil sediment from various areas of concern; Consolidation of the stabilized material within an area to be capped; Demolition of remaining structures in the areas of concern; Pre-trenching 3,400 linear feet of slurry wall alignment and construction of a slurry wall totaling 200,000 square feet to depths as great as 65 feet below grade; Backfilling and seeding of all excavated areas; Construction of a groundwater extraction and conveyance system; Installation of an interim cap consisting of a reinforced 10-mil polyethylene liner and cover soil over an area of 16.5 acres; Restoration of over 10 acres of wetlands areas; site restoration activities including fence installation and seeding.
Project Manager for Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Former Manufactured Gas Plant Superfund Site, Saratoga Springs, New York. Projects costs and schedule; Negotiated all subcontracts and interacted with US Army Corps of Engineers, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Cleanup of 85,000 tons of coal tar contaminated soil; Excavation, Transportation and Disposal of the contaminated soil; Construction of temporary and permanent water treatment systems; Over 1 mile of stream diversion and wetland mitigation work; demolition of several buildings; relocation of a National Historical Building; Perimeter air monitoring; construction/installation of over 60,000 square feet of watertight steel sheeting; Installation and relocation of affected utilities.
Project Manager for Brooklyn Commons Former MGP Site, Brooklyn, New York. Directed the daily operations at the site and had overall responsibility for daily production as well as for cost and schedule control; the primary point of contact with the client and interfaced with the NYS DEP daily and was responsible for procuring all permits; Negotiated all change orders with the client and all subcontracts with vendors; involved with the design and approval of the remedial action work plan, health and safety plan and all related project documents and was responsible for their implementation at the site; excavation and off-site transportation and disposal of 33,000 tons of impacted soil; on-site treatment and subsequent discharge to NYC sanitary sewer system of 750,000 gallons of contaminated water; all work was performed within temporary enclosures equipped with Vapor Management Systems.
Project Manager for New Jersey Natural Gas Former MGP Project, Long Branch, New Jersey. Responsible for daily operations at the site and had full responsibility for cost and schedule control. Responsible for negotiation of all change orders and worked with the client to resolve several issues resulting in significant savings to the overall project budget; excavation and segregation of 50,000 tons of contaminated soil for off-site recycling; the installation of 25,000 square feet of water-tight steel sheet piling and 30,000 square feet of temporary steel sheet piping; Installation of a cover/capping system in select areas; Construction of a storm water management system; Installation of groundwater dewatering and temporary treatment system to treat more than 17,000,000 gallons of impacted water; Installation of a temporary enclosure with vapor management system where soil handling activities were performed; odor and vapor suppression activities.

Project Manager for KeySpan Bayshore/Brightwaters Yard Former MGP Site, Bayshore, New York. This site is an active gas construction and maintenance (GC&M) operations base; the former Bay Shore/Brightwaters MGP site manufactured gas for lighting and heating from solid and liquid fuel such as coal, coke and oil; the focus of the remedial activities at the site was to remove the source of the contamination and to restore the site for on-going utility operation; Responsible for daily operations at the site; excavated and transported for off-site disposal approximately 1,200 tons of contaminated soil; sheet piling adjacent to an active rail line; all work was performed inside a temporary enclosure using Level B PPE.
Project Director for Square D Yates Site, Bordentown, New Jersey. Removal, HazCat, transportation and disposal of approximately 1000+ containers of chemicals from an 8-acre manufacturing building; chemicals include but not limited to Picric, Sulfuric, Nitric, Hydrochloric, Arsenic Acids, Copper, Hex Chrome, Zinc, Lead and Cobalt Sulfates and miscellaneous Oxidizers, flammables, and bases; removal and disposal of 3 miles of fluorescent bulbs and 2 tons of ballasts; containerized 40+ tons Zero (0) pH Copper, Lead and Hexavalent Chrome Sulfate sludge; performed selective decontamination and demolition on extremely hazardous tanks and/or process equipment; prepared facility for decontamination and demolition.
Project Manager for American Cyanimid/American Home Products Superfund Site, Bound Brook, New Jersey. Responsible for project costs and schedule and the implementation of all site-specific plans; excavation, on-site ex-situ stabilization, and subsequent placement in an on-site containment cell of 25,000 cubic yards of impacted soils, sediment drum carcasses, and debris; all excavation and stabilization activated were performed in Level B PPE, the excavated material exhibited low flash point characteristics and had a very low odor threshold; excavation activities required the use of Vapor Suppression foam and continual point source and perimeter odor control measures to mitigate the deflagration hazard and eliminate fugitive vapors; stabilization was performed inside a temporary enclosure equipped with air handling and treatment systems utilizing a modified pugmill treatment system outfitted with negative air odor control systems.
Project Manager Contract with the Connecticut Resources Authority, Hartford, Connecticut. The work was a design/build project involving the final design, construction and installation of a 220,000 square foot soil bentonite slurry cutoff wall and the maintenance and operation of the groundwater flow control system. Developed and implemented all project related plans and specifications and was responsible for cost and schedule control.
Project Manager for Williams Road Landfill Closure, Uncasville, Connecticut. The design/build project involved the closure of a 5 acre landfill which was used for the disposal of process generated, non-hazardous waste; developed and implemented all project related plans and specifications and was responsible for cost and schedule control; initial sit grading, relocation of existing waste, creation of drainage swales and perimeter berms; placement of an 18 inch clay barrier layer; Installation of a passive gas collection system; placement of 6 inches of topsoil; and reestablishment of the vegetative layer.
Site Manager for Occidental Chemical Corporation Site, Niagara Falls, New York. The scope of work was the cleanup of soil and river sediment contaminated with various solvents and NAPL .Was directly responsible for the day-to-day activities at the site including scheduling activities for company crews and subcontractors, QA/QC, regulatory compliance, and implementation of the site-specific Health and Safety Plan; excavation and stabilization of over 12,000 cubic yards of soil and sediment from a riverbed; onsite treatment of over 100 million gallons of contaminated water.
Operations Manager as part of a contract with the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) and at 20 sites nationwide, the scope of work involved the removal of USTs and the associated contaminated soil; coordinated resources between the site and for oversight of all operations; designed and prepared bid specifications; responsible for the procurement and supervision of all subcontractors; involved in the development and implementation of all site-specific plans and interacted with the regulatory community on a daily basis; more than 400 USTs and 50,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil were removed as part of this contract.
Site Manager for American Home Products Corporation Site, Cranford, New Jersey. Directed the field operations during the removal of 25 USTs and the transportation and disposal of more than 12,000 tons of associated contaminated soil; The site was a former pesticide manufacturing plant; Designed and built a water treatment system capable of treating up to 15,000 gallons of contaminated ground water per day. Responsible for all field activities including regulatory compliance.
Site Manager for Swope Oil Superfund Site, Pennsauken, New Jersey. The work involved the removal/closure of more than 60 aboveground and underground storage tanks, decontamination and demolition of 3 buildings, the closure of 2 lagoons, and the transportation and disposal of 24,000 tons of RCRA and TSCA wastes, provided onsite project management.
Project Manager for NJDEP Storer Drum Dump Site, Marlboro, New Jersey. The scope of work included the excavation, sampling/characterization, and off-site disposal of over 850 drums of paints, resins, and unknown solvents; after the drums were characterized, the wastes were consolidated and transported to a fuels blending facility for reuse; all work activities were completed utilizing Level B protection and were performed under the direct supervision of the NJDEP as part of the X350 New Jersey Small Cleanup Contract; Directed all field operations and administered the X350 contract; Interacted with the NJDEP daily was and was responsible for all aspects of the project including operation, cost and schedule control and regulatory compliance.
Site Manager for Syncon Resins Superfund Site, Kearney, New Jersey. Directed on site operations during the inventory and removal of unknown chemicals/drums from an abandoned warehouse, including characterization and consolidation of the wastes prior to transportation and disposal at a subtitle C facility; All work activities were performed in Level B PPE; Directed all field operations; the project was performed for the NJDEP under the X350 New Jersey DEP Small Cleanup Contract.

<< back to top

Sitemap