Mittal Steel and Vista Pointe Projects

In early 2006, Mittal Steel (formerly ISG) awarded a contract to Independence Excavating to construct a 20 acre landfill off of Harvard Avenue adjacent to the existing landfill C at the "mill". Quick completion of this project was critical because it was costing Mittal Steel hundreds of thousands of dollars a month for off-site disposal of the waste. The Independence team worked countless hours providing a number of options to Mittal Steel with the best possible option using slag, c-fines (another steel manufacturing by-product), on-site clay, off-site clay and structure fill to fit both cost and schedule for this important project. This process took several months.

The project scope is as follows:

Creation and implementation of a SWP3 plan to cover the 20 plus acres

Grading and compaction of over 200,000 CY of slag processed by Indy Recycling and delivered by Stein Inc.

Loading, hauling, placement, and compaction over 100,000 CY of C-Fines

Loading, hauling, and compaction over 30,000 of both on-site and off-site clay

Supply and installation of over 2 million SF of geosynthetics

Supply and installation of a leachate collection system including 17,000 CY of sand

Supply and installation of over a half mile of a 36" RCP storm sewer system

Independence, Mittal, and URS formed a "partnership" working through issues relating to this project. As time went on, scheduling (based on a late start and the lack of on-site clay for the landfill) became a major issue. We worked with our geosynthetics subcontractor (Cetco out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) to complete as much of the contract as possible before winter. November of 2006 came in like a lion and the team decided to split the job in two phases and strived to complete the southern phase by the end of the 2006 construction season. Phasing the project over two seasons included a winterization plan that had to be approved by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). This task was unprecedented in the northeast region of the OEPA. The southern phase is scheduled to tentatively open May 7, 2007. Opening this phase will save the mill the hundreds of thousands of dollars they would have to spent each month for off-site disposal. In December of 2006 we added a leachate line of two 12,000 fiberglass tanks. This project included approximately a mile of 10" sewer pipe, 21 manholes, and excavation of depths over 24 feet. This work also included an elevation change of over 50 feet, going under 3 active railroad tracks, and countless existing unmarked utilities including high pressure BP gas and fuel lines. The Independence team performed this project well. Thanks to Ron Hager, Todd McDaniels, and Steve Putrich from URS. Our working relationship with them on a daily basis helped provide a seamless management approach for Mittal Steel. Finally, we thank Mike Ritz, John Sech, Bill Schroder, and Steve Foster from Mittal Steel for believing in our ideas and our ability to get the job done. Thanks to all and a job well done.