Selectmen Order More Environmental Testing At Fairfield Hills

The Board of Selectmen has voted to spend as much as $32,700 for further environmental testing at Fairfield Hills.

The selectmen made the decision following a 30-minute executive session at last week’s meeting in which First Selectman Herb Rosenthal reportedly gave the group an update on his negotiations over the sale of the campus.

R.W. Bartley & Associates, Inc., of Tolland will continue testing it has already done at Fairfield Hills, this time increasing the overall scope of the work.

Fairfield Hills is said to have several million dollars worth of environmental problems, whose responsibility for cleanup is now being discussed with the state. Last year, the state offered to sell the property to the town for $5.5 million “as is.” However, many in Newtown say the town should refuse to “indemnify” the state for 70 years worth of environmental damage.