The second year of a project to clear coal tar from the Congaree River is in full swing.

Dominion Energy and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control have been working together on the Congaree River Sediment Cleanup, a project to clean up tar in the Congaree River that was discovered in 2010.

“You have 40,000 [metric tons] less toxic coal tar in the river.” Bill Stangler, Congaree Riverkeeper, told the Chronicle. Stangler holds the title and leads the organization of the same name, which looks to safeguard the health of the area’s rivers.

"It would be beneficial to the river and really, most importantly, you're not going to have people stepping in this hazardous material.”

DHEC posted an update on April 26 that the first few weeks of the second year of the project will be used to install a berm in the center of the Area 1 cofferdam, located next to the Gervais Street Bridge.

Other goals for the second year include sealing leaks in the cofferdam, dewater the area, remove sediment and coal tar from the area, and, if time permits, build the second and final cofferdam near the Blossom Street Bridge (about 2,000 feet downstream from the current site).

“Dominion Energy is committed to following the modified removal action plan developed by stakeholders to clean up tar-like material in the Congaree River,” Dominion Communications Specialist Matthew Long said. “We will continue to work with the appropriate agencies and communicate with the public as we move forward with this complex project.”

According to DHEC’s website, the tar-like material was found within sediments of the Congaree River in June 2010. The main affected area is about 200-300 feet into the river from the eastern shoreline south of the Gervais Street Bridge. The other affected area is set to be addressed with the next cofferdam.

When tests of the material were conducted, the results were similar to the chemical and physical characteristics of coal tar, a by-product of manufactured gas operations common in cities from the late-1800s to the 1950s. Once the gas was produced, the coal tar by-product was discharged into a former stream that led into the Congaree River.

Stangler said he was getting routine calls from residents that this material was getting on them and their stuff as they recreated on the river.

“The removal was what had to happen.” Stangler said, “to move forward these riverfront development concepts and really to let people go and enjoy their river with peace of mind knowing that they're not standing in somebody's legacy of toxic waste.”

The tar removal isn’t the only need that’s being addressed during the clean-up project. 

Berresford told the Chronicle that any magnetic anomalies within Area 1 are being flagged due to the chance that they are potentially dead or live Civil War munitions from the armory that was located in the area. He said that more than 100 live munitions were discovered during the construction of the cofferdam.

“Given the timeframe, there's a chance that once we actually start getting into the excavation, they may discover more,” Berresford said, “because there's a lot of sedimentation and then the coal tar and then more sedimentation on top. So some of these may be deeper, that won't come out until after the excavation begins.”