The Living River Trust (LRT) mitigates the impacts of development by cleaning up polluted areas of the Elizabeth River Watershed. Their latest project began in earnest on October 1, 2021. Paradise Creek in Portsmouth, a tidal tributary of the Elizabeth River, will be cleaned up and containments removed. This creates a healthier creek and an enhanced shallow water habitat.

Working closely with the University of Maryland, LRT learned of a new technology where small pellets of activated carbon, about the size of a kernel of corn, may be put in place and will purify the creek bottom. The work on the creek will consist of the removal of polluted creek bottom by dredging (a crane as seen in the photo) and then the addition of clean sand and the activated carbon pellets (from a small boat).

The project is scheduled to be completed by Spring of 2022.

Fact Sheet

How did the contaminants end up in Paradise Creek and what danger do they pose to the water, the organisms in it and the people nearby? What’s the benefit of doing this clean up?

• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were once widely used as dielectric and coolant fluids in electrical apparatus, carbonless copy paper and in heat transfer fluids.
• Wastes from the manufacturing process that contained PCBs were often placed in dump sites or landfills.
• PCBs are highly toxic industrial compounds. They pose serious health risks to fetuses, babies and children, who may suffer developmental and neurological problems from prolonged or repeated exposure to small amounts of PCBs. These chemicals are harmful to adults as well.
• PCBs accumulate in the sediments at the bottoms of streams, rivers, lakes and coastal areas. These chemicals can build up in the fatty tissues of fish and other animals, and in high concentrations pose serious health risks to people who frequently eat contaminated fish.
• PCBs often end up in our waterways through stormwater runoff and atmospheric deposition.
• PCB sediment restoration reduces concentrations of PCBs in fish, crabs and other marine wildlife and resulting in a healthier marine food chain.

Have steps been taken to limit further contamination?

PCBs were banned in the late 70s so a no longer actively used in society. PCB contaminated areas identified in near-by industrial facilities om Paradise Creek have either been or are currently being addressed by state and federal environmental regulatory agencies. Upland source control is an important component of the sediment restoration process.

How are projects like this funded? Are other organizations involved?

• LRT is an In Lieu Fee mitigation organization that offers mitigation credits to permit applicants that provide an off set for unavoidable environmental impacts related to marine construction projects.
• The sale of mitigation credits funds the mitigation work being conducted in Paradise Creek.

Could you walk through the steps of the clean-up process?

1. First – Identify the nature and extent of contamination in the Paradise Creek sediment
2. Then – Develop an effect restoration plan and obtain regulatory approval of the plan
3. Paradise Creek Restoration Step 1: Remove contamination “hot spot” areas in the creek.
4. Paradise Creek Restoration Step 2: Back fill “hot spot” areas with clean sand backfill
5. Paradise Creek Restoration Step 3: Apply a thin layer activate carbon over the entire creek bed to absorb and lock-up the remaining PCBs and other organic contaminates.

This is the fourth sediment hot spot that’s been addressed — where were the previous spots, and are there more to get to after this?
The four addressed river “Hot Spot” areas are identified in the Elizabeth River Watershed Action Plan. They include:

1. Money Point Phase 1 and 2 (former Eppinger and Russel wood treatment facility)
2. Swimming Point (former coal gasification plant)
3. Atlantic Wood (Wood treatment facility)
4. Paradise Creek (Legacy storm water impact area)

What does the “goo must go” slogan mean– what’s the goo consist of and where does it go?

• The “goo must go” slogan was coined by the Elizabeth River Project, LRT and public stakeholder group during development of the Money Point Mitigation Plan. The slogan was developed to provide a public message that was simplistic and understandable.
• The Money Point “Goo” was oil saturated, highly contaminated sediment found at Money Point. It was removed, amended and transfer to a licensed landfill.