According to EPA's recent press release:

Release date: 01/25/2008

Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. - Jan. 25, 2008) - The U.S. District Court in Massachusetts on January 9 entered a settlement agreement (Consent Decree) for the 850 acre Groveland Wells Nos. 1 and 2 Superfund site in Groveland, Mass [see map]. Settling with the United States, on behalf of EPA, is Groveland Resources Corp. and Valley Manufacturing Products Co.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Settling Defendants will pay 100 percent of the Net Sale or Net Lease Proceeds in the event their property on the Site is sold or leased to reimburse the United States for costs incurred at the site. The Settling Defendants will also be required to impose certain deed restrictions or institutional controls on the Site in order to protect EPA's cleanup actions at the site.

The Groveland Wells Site is located within a residential area in the southwestern part of the Town of Groveland. Valley Manufactured Products Co. manufactured screw products as well as metal and plastic parts from 1963 until 2001. The site is contaminated primarily with trichloroethene (TCE) which was used to clean (degrease) finished parts. TCE was released into the ground from a variety of sources including, underground storage tanks, underground disposal systems and intentional dumping. The Groveland site was added to EPA's National Priority List in September 1983. EPA has been conducting cleanup actions at the site that address the contamination in the soil and groundwater.

The Beverly Citizen (MA) reports:

Treatment of groundwater pollution near Beverly Airport has begun and an environmental engineering company hired by the city expects the sites to be clean sometime next year.

But some residents expressed concerns about the assuring words from the engineers this week, calling for further investigations and a more extensive cleanup process at public meeting Tuesday night.

The cleanup work at the city-owned General Aviation, Nike missile and Casco Chemical sites has drawn increased public attention because Wenham Lake, the public water supply for Beverly, Salem and part of Wenham, is less than a mile to the east of the sites.

(read more)

[...]

Alliance Environmental Inc. of Cambridge took over work that had been started by Ransom Environmental Inc., a firm the city dumped after it was criticized for its work in the late 1990s.

Alliance president Richard Hittinger said the exact source of the pollution is unknown and does not appear to still be present. What is clear is that the pollutant that exceeds acceptable levels for trichloroethylene, or TCE, which likely came from degreasing operates that were conducted in the area by the military at least 50 years ago. Some of the degreasing may have even occurred outside the hangers, Hittinger said.

[...]

Hittinger said a “sparge system” has been installed to treat TCE in the ground water. That, combined with the fact that the TCE is degrading and showing very little movement, means the water supply is not threatened.

“We can confidently say the pollutants are not moving towards Wenham Lake and it is not a threat to Wenham Lake,” Hittinger said.

[...]

“The contaminants are degrading faster than it is moving,” Hittinger said. “It is a shrinking plume.”

[...]

But one attendee said another company should be brought in to do further analysis.

Rene Mary said the properties shouldn’t be declared safe until a company not connected to the Beverly city government or the Salem and Beverly Water Supply Board gets involved. She compared the situation to getting a second opinion from a doctor.

“I think we should get some unbiased opinions here,” Mary said.

(hide)

Read the full story here.

The Harvard Post (MA) reports:

Calling for "prompt action," a "Notice of Responsibility" from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Emergency Response section of the Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup has been sent to Mark Saxl, owner of 25 Depot Road, who agreed to immediate measures to protect residents and employees on the site from contaminated water found in May sampling.

At its June 13 meeting the Board of Health reviewed the five-page document, which threatens legal action if remediation is not undertaken. According to the Massachusetts Oil and Hazards Material Release Prevention and Response Act, and the Massachusetts Contingency Plan, the owner has "potential liability for response action costs and damages."

At issue for the owner is the rapid treatment of the chemical perchloroethylene (PCE), found in a May inspection by Saxl's Licensed Site Professional Richard Doherty, who notified the DEP on May 12 that an "imminent hazard [IH] condition" exists on the site. The PCE concentration in a well water sample was found to be 88 parts per billion (ppb), which is more than 10 times the DEP's acceptable level of 5 ppb.

Read more here.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA) tells us recently about former Superfund site Fisherville Mill's new lease on life.

In what may be the quote of the week, John Lynch, spokesman for the Holliston-Hopkinton Action Committee told the Holliston Zoning Board of Appeals:

"Affordable housing is like motherhood -- everyone’s for it. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t unfit mothers."

Lynch was expressing his concern over the development of a housing project on the polluted Marshall Street property.

Metro West Daily News (MA) reports:

Neighbors are pressing officials to cut down the proposed Cedar Ridge housing project because they worry the development could create new water woes in town.

Holliston-Hopkinton Action Committee members met last night with the Board of Water Commissioners to review what John Lynch said was a lack of data on where toxins may lie in the Marshall Street property eyed for a 200-unit development.

"The (Zoning Board of Appeals) is authorized to (order testing)," said Lynch, spokesman for the HHAC. "Why they haven't is a reason none of us can fathom."

But developer J. Michael Norton of Greenview Realty said water commissioners and the HHAC are against his project, and he won't pay for a hydrogeologic soil test -- to determine whether existing pollutants risk groundwater -- until he gets ZBA approval.

"I don't have to do it, I won't do it until the town issues me a permit," said Norton. "The studies will be done, but it will be done after a permit (is issued)."

Read more here.

The EPA Press Release says it all:

Clean Up Work and Environmental Investigations Continue at Groveland Wells Superfund Site in Mass.

Release date: 05/30/2006

Contact Information: David Deegan, 617-918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – May 30, 2006) – Beginning this month and continuing until September, EPA will be performing additional field investigations in Groveland related to the Groveland Wells No. 1 and 2 Superfund cleanup site.

Since May, 2000 EPA has operated a groundwater extraction and treatment system to address contaminated groundwater in both the shallow and deep aquifer. That ongoing work shows a continual decrease in the levels and extent of contamination of groundwater by TCE (trichloroethylene).

The field investigations and other site work taking place this summer at the former Valley Manufactured Products, Inc. (VMP) property will help EPA and the Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection understand how much contamination remains in the soil underneath and adjacent to the VMP building, and what the best approach may be to clean up the remaining contamination source.

EPA expects to compile results from this upcoming work, along with results from past field investigations, in a report targeted for release during the Fall of 2006. Based on this work, EPA will develop recommendations on potential cleanup options for the contaminated area(s). EPA will continue to keep the public informed about the investigation work and cleanup decisions.

More information on Groveland Wells Superfund Site: (epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/groveland)

# # #

Incidentally, we find it interesting that this site was contaminated with TCE at the same time Cheshire, CT's public water supply TCE contamination was discovered. Both are part of EPA Region 1. Yet the Groveland wells were shut down, and Cheshire's weren't. We wonder what criteria EPA Region 1 used for shutting down water supply wells in the late 1970's...

Town officials worry an unknown danger lurks under the Bird Property — and a proposed development could be calamitous for local drinking water.

"What’s at risk is about half the town’s water supply," Water Commissioner Jared Adams told the Zoning Board of Appeals last night.

[...]

"It’s a major problem" to not have enough data on the Bird property pollution, said Adams.

Read more in the MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA)

The MetroWest Daily News reports:

Neighbors battling a 200-unit housing project planned for the grounds of an old illegal dump say the proposed development threatens the town water supply.

"The more units, the more risk," said John Lynch, a Prentice Street resident with the Holliston Hopkinton Action Committee. "I'm sure something could be developed that would not pose a threat."

The Zoning Board of Appeals will continue its hearing on the proposed Cedar Ridge Estates project tonight at 7 in the [Holliston] high school library.

But project developer J. Michael Norton of Greenview Realty said there is no significant risk to residents. "We have the facts and they have opinions," said Norton.

Located at the 52-acre Bird property on Marshall Street, the project would include 200 housing units, a private wastewater system, plus hiking trails and tennis courts on land which once was an illegal dump.

[...]

An area of the property is contaminated with trichloroethylene, and some residents worry that chemical could be pushed into the town water supply with the use of a wastewater treatment system for the proposed project.

Officials should conduct a hydrogeologic study -- assessing any risk to the water supply -- before the ZBA makes a decision on the project, said Lynch.

"We think doing this without a hydrogeologic study borders on the reckless," he said.

Read more

The Metro West Daily News (MA) reports:

Ten years and $39.8 million later, the Natick Soldier Systems Center has reduced by 80 percent the concentration of contaminants in the groundwater of the Superfund site near Lake Cochituate. The long and complicated cleanup -- which faces stages in which chemicals will be harder to remove -- could still take 20 more years and at least $20 million.

[...]

A treatment plant has been cleaning [trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene] since 1998 by airing the chemicals into carbon filters and discharging clean water. TCE and PCE have been detected in three different areas of the 12 identified sites. The plant cleanup has cost between $2 million to $5 million per year over the last few years and the facility has pumped and treated 210 million gallons of water so far. The cleanup area of groundwater -- known as T-25 -- is about 2,200 feet from the Springvale Wells, which supply drinking water to Natick. Although 80 percent of the concentration of TCE and PCE has been removed, the remaining 20 percent will be the hardest to get rid of, raising costs even higher.

[...]

Things, however, could get complicated soon. If the town approves a state plan to put herbicides in the lake to control weed growth, state officials will have to be very careful on where they dump those chemicals, said Natick's environmental compliance officer Bob Bois. The removal of the weeds -- known as milfoil -- could make their roots break up the soil and spread the contamination into the water, said Bois. "We want to make sure this does not make the problem worse," he said.

Read the full story here

Note: Though the news reports that we've seen to date on Scott Township have focused on groundwater and well contamination, we have seen no discussion of the possibility of vapor risk. We can't help but wonder if this topic is being addressed or has already been ruled out. Regardless, the Scranton Times-Tribune (PA) reports:

At least a dozen private wells near the Ivy Industrial Park have exhibited elevated levels of industrial solvents, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The number of homeowners forced to abandon their well water may rise as health officials continue to investigate the scope and source of the groundwater contamination.

After detecting the solvents in its own wells, Metso Paper USA Inc. in late June conducted a groundwater survey within a 1,000-foot radius of its site in the industrial park. The small sample uncovered the presence of TCE and PCE, two common solvents, in three off-site wells. The environmental department received those test results Aug. 18, then directed the company to expand its survey by a half-mile.

[...]

“As we progress over the next several days, our goal is to define the area that is affected,” said DEP spokesman Mark Carmon. “We are working as fast as we can.”

The half-mile survey continues. Forty-seven wells had been sampled as of Monday.

Some residents so far untouched by the sampling caught wind by word of mouth. Others complained they had been kept in the dark.

The environmental department notified the neighboring townships and their elected officials of the investigation Aug. 19, a day after the results came in. State Rep. Jim Wansacz, D-Scott Township, issued a letter to township residents on Monday.

Read more.

The Metro West Daily News (MA) reported:

It is very unlikely that traces of the cancer-causing solvent TCE found on the Bird property could percolate into the public water supply, an engineer for the developer planning to build 200 homes there said [Tuesday].

Hoyerman was responding to concerns raised by opponents of the proposed 40B development and by the Board of Health, who worry that introducing treated wastewater into the contaminated Prentice Street property could push the contaminants closer to town wells.

In a recent letter to the ZBA, the board said the Bird property is an "unacceptable site" for the project. The ZBA, which is considering issuing a comprehensive permit for construction of the development, has said it values the input of other town boards.

Hoyerman and Norton have insisted the wastewater treatment plant is planned for a portion of the property far away from where TCE has been detected. Hoyerman said he will use a "tried and true methodology" to eliminate the cleaning solvent before families move into any homes.

Read the full story

Highlighting the power of citizen persistence in contamination inquiries, the Boston Globe (MA) reports:

The state Department of Environmental Protection is prepared to review years of soil and ground-water data collected from contaminated property in downtown Methuen to see if the land was properly tested, state officials and residents said.

The officials' comments at a meeting with residents last week came as the state Department of Public Health reported plans to expand its investigation into cancer cases and respiratory ailments throughout the city.

[...]

Last Friday, Suzanne Condon, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, ... told residents that her agency would greatly expand its Methuen investigation...to include all childhood cancers in the city, and all brain cancers as well.

Read more.

The Boston Globe (MA) reports:

After nearly four decades of listening to complaints about the odor-emitting metal-plating company on Hittinger Street, next to a densely populated neighborhood, the town has launched a multifaceted effort to get rid of the plant owned by Purecoat North LLC.

But there's one significant hang-up: The company shows no signs of going anywhere.

''What we would like are clearer signals from them about their intentions," said Noah Sachs. As chairman of the Purecoat North Committee, he spent the past year trying to figure out ways to entice Purecoat to leave town.

''The hope is that if we make it financially attractive for them, they would put the property on the market," he said.

Read more

...to keep people safer from TCE, please encourage them to contact:



Jody Milanese (millaneese) in Congresswoman Sue Kelly's office at 202-225-5441

The bad news, according to the Belmont Citizen-Herald (MA): It's not clear that TCE contamination at the Purecoat North LLC site is fully under control.

Purecoat North LLC needs to conduct more testing for contamination at its Hittinger Street property, according to an order issued on May 20 by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The DEP issued a new deadline to the metal plating company to present more data regarding toxic chemicals on its site.

[...]

Purecoat will also have to do some additional testing for TCE. The DEP letter stated that groundwater data from the two most contaminated wells indicates that the TCE is not consistently decreasing.

The good news, according to the same Belmont Citizen-Herald (MA): This appears to be a victory for citizen activism, as the review was seemingly thrust upon the DEP by members of the site community.

The order was issued following a meeting in January between [DEP's Jack} Miano, state Rep. Anne Paulsen, D-Belmont, and two members of the Purecoat Planning Committee about concerns over the LSP's initial report.

Purecoat Committee Chairman Noah Sachs and member Joseph Fiacco met with Miano and Paulsen after evaluating a series of reports written by Purecoat's LSP last fall, Sachs said.

Sachs and Fiacco analyzed the LSP report and concluded, in their own 20-page report, that the data was not adequate.

[...]

A copy of the letter was sent to both the licensed site professional and the DEP. At the meeting with Paulsen and Miano, the two committee members explained why they thought Purecoat had made an inadequate investigation.

[...]

"It's a wonderful vindication [for] laymen, who have been following so-called clean-ups, and professionals who have examined the data the company's consultants have put out," said committee member Brian Iler.

Iler said it confirms what residents have been worried about all along: "Either their consultant is not very good at what he does, or he's trying to put one over on us."

Honeywell International Corp. will hold a meeting May 26 to discuss how the public will be involved in the cleanup of trichloroethylene in groundwater around the former Besley-Bendix industrial complex on Laurel Street.

The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Newton School on Shelburne Road.

Neighbors petitioned the state Department of Environmental Protection to declare the plant a public participation site, making the meeting a necessity. The state granted that status March 30.

Read the full story in the The Republican (Springfield, MA).

The Daily Times Chronicle (Woburn, MA) reports:

The Environmental Protection Agency's Boston office recently hosted a forum at the White Elementary School to release its findings from its investigation into contamination at the former Industri-Plex site in the northeast corner of the city.

[...]

The next step, which is expected to occur sometime over the course of the next few weeks, will be to release a feasibility study and proposed plan "to address human health risks from the Industri-Plex Superfund site to the Mystic Lakes in Winchester and Medford."

[...]

In addition to arsenic and benzene, the study also shows concentrations of trichloroethene and napthalane in certain areas.

[...]

Copies of the "Comprehensive Multiple Source Groundwater Response Plan Remedial Investigation Report" [are] available on line at the EPA's Industri-Plex website

Read the full story here.

The Boston Globe reports on a controversy surrounding the redevelopment of a TCE and PCE- contaminated property in Methuen. Some residents near the contamination claim it may be responsible for a number of adverse health effects that have appeared in the community, including cancers and autoimmune diseases. They have reportedly argued in favor of abondoning use of the site altogether.

In seeming opposition to the residents above, the owner of the property, as well as several politicians, reportedly support attempts to clean-up and redevelop the site into residences, shops, and offices. They've claimed that abandoning the site does not make sense, and that residents have offered no realistic alternatives to the current plan.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Public Health has agreed to assess the cancer rates in the community to purportedly "determine whether industrial pollution in the city has any connection to cancer cases."

In light of the DPH's plan, we think it fair to ask: Has the MA DPH ever determined that industrial pollution in any MA city has a direct connection to cancer cases? If anyone knows the answer to this, please let us know.

The Associated Press reports (via the Tuscaloosa News) that:

Completion of a facility to treat contaminated groundwater on the Massachusetts Military Reservation is months behind schedule because military officials have had difficulty getting permission from some private property owners for use of their land.

The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence, which runs the Otis Air Force Base cleanup, has yet to work out all the agreements to build pipes and wells that will get the water to the plants. The easement agreements were supposed to be signed by December or January, center manager Jon Davis said.

The treatment plant, which contains 16 tanks that will remove volatile organic compounds and cleaning solvents, including perchloroethene, trichloroethene, and ethylene dibromide, from five million gallons of water a day, is scheduled to be completed by May.

Read more here.