Date: Fri 21-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Fairfield-Hills-contamination

Full Text:

State Apologizes For Lack Of Communication Over Fairfield Hills Contamination

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Town officials were alarmed last month after it was discovered that the state

had given Newtown a contaminated piece of land at Fairfield Hills. Now the

state has issued an apology, of sorts.

The state gave the 22.6-acre "gift" along Mile Hill Road to the town in 1997,

along with an old garage and the 32,000-square-foot Watertown Hall. At the

time, the state assured the town that the property was free of contaminants --

although there were no guarantees -- and that it was to be accepted "as is."

The state's Office of Policy and Management (OPM) said it would accept no

liability for any pre-existing conditions. The state did say that

approximately 130 tons of gasoline-contaminated soil was removed from that

area in 1995.

Last month's revelation that the state was aware of pre-existing contamination

left First Selectman Herb Rosenthal wondering why the state would pull such a

fast one. However, last week the state's Department of Public Works

Commissioner T.R. Anson sent a letter of what appeared to be an apology,

saying the mistake was due to a lack of communication within his department.

"Our property transfer division was not aware that there was contamination on

the site and the directive from OPM stated to transfer the property in `as is'

condition," he stated in a letter to State Rep Julia Wasserman (106th

District).

Mrs Wasserman knew it was a "lack of communication" all along and scolded the

DPW for creating a bit of a scare.

"While I understand that DPW is in the process now of contracting to remove

this contamination, my issue is one of communication," she wrote. "Whenever we

are dealing with major and sensitive issues, it is important that your agency

communicate its plans to the town and local representatives. This is

especially important in this case because after the tanks were removed, the

site was transferred to the town and the contamination is now on town

property."

Workers from Aaron Environmental Geoprobe were expected to clean up the

contaminated soil near the old garage -- a project that will be paid for by

the state despite the fact that it is now town-owned land.

Much of the contaminated soil and ground water from gas tanks was excavated

four years ago by the state. However, some soil close to the building

remained. The statewide services unit of Public Works had intended all along

to clean the mess, according to Mr Anson, but was not aware that the property

was being transferred to Newtown.

Mr Rosenthal discovered that the site was still contaminated last month after

reviewing a report from consulting engineers Fuss & O'Neil, Inc, of

Manchester, which indicated that residual levels of soil and groundwater

contamination still remained, including benzene and MTBE, which are found in

gasoline. Documents further showed that at least some in state government were

aware that these pollutants existed when it gave the property to the town.

Fuss & O'Neil, which recently took soil samples on the site as part of the

Board of Education's proposed 5/6 school project for the 22-acre site, also

conducted a study for the DPW in 1995. That report also indicated that some

pollutants did still exist in the soil. According to the report, some soil

could not be removed since the dissolved gasoline constituents existed beneath

the nearby garage. Those pollutants were expected to be removed this week.