The EPA has completed its review of site cleanups at 22 Superfund Sites across New England, including a Vermont one at the Old Springfield Landfill, by doing routine Five-Year Reviews of each site.
EPA conducts evaluations every five years on previously-completed clean up and remediation work performed at Superfund sites and Federal Facilities listed on the ‘National Priorities List’ (aka Superfund sites) to determine whether the implemented remedies at the sites continue to be protective of human health and the environment. Further, five year review evaluations identify any deficiencies to the previous work and, if called for, recommend action(s) necessary to address them.
In addition to a careful evaluation of technical work at the sites, during the Five Year Review process EPA also provides the public with an opportunity to evaluate preliminary findings and to provide input on potential follow up activity that may be required following the review process.
For the Springfield site, the EPA reports that construction activities for the landfill cap, leachate collection system, and the groundwater pump and treatment system were completed in 1993. EPA has found that the remedial actions are performing satisfactorily. The cap and leachate collection and treatment system are being operated and maintained by the potentially responsible parties. Oversight of their work will continue. SEEDETAILBELOW
The Superfund Sites where EPA has completed Five Year Reviews in 2013 are below. Please note, the Web link provided after each site provides detailed information on site status and past assessment and cleanup activity.
EPA Completed Five Year Reviews at 22 Superfund Sites in 2013:
Connecticut
Barkhamsted-New Hartford Landfill, Barkhamsted
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/barkhamsted
Beacon Heights Landfill, Beacon Falls
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/beacon
Laurel Park, Inc, Naugatuck
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/laurelpark
Yaworski Waste Lagoon, Canterbury Township
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/yaworski
Maine
McKin Co., Gray
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/mckin
West Site/Howe’s Corner, Plymouth
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/hows
Massachusetts
Iron Horse Park, North Billerica
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/ironhorse
Re-Solve, Inc., North Dartmouth
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/resolve
Sullivan’s Ledge, New Bedford
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/sullivansledge
Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, MA
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/plymouth
Otis, Falmouth, Bourne, Sandwich and Mashpee, MA
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/otis
New Hampshire
Kearsarge Metallurgical Corp., Conway
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/kearsarge
Keefe Environmental Services, Epping
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/keefe
Mottolo Pig Farm, Raymond
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/mottolo
South Municipal Water Supply Well, Peterborough
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/southmuni
Tibbetts Road, Barrington
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/tibbetts
Rhode Island
Central Landfill, Johnston
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/central
Picillo Farm, Coventry
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/picillo
Peterson/Puritan, Inc, Cumberland and Lincoln
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/peterson
Western Sand & Gravel, Burrilville
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/wsg
Davisville, Smithfield, RI
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/davisliquid
Vermont
Old Springfield Landfill, Springfield
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/oldspringfield
OLD SPRINGFIELD LANDFILL
Springfield, Vermont
Windsor County
Street Address: WILL DEAN RD
Zip Code: 05156
Congressional
District(s):
01
EPA ID #: VTD000860239
Site ID #: 0101437
Site Aliases:
Site Responsibility: Federal, Potentially Responsible Parties
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date 12/30/1982
Final Date 09/08/1983
Site Description
The Springfield Landfill site covers 10 acres of a 30-acre parcel of land. The landfill was operated by the Town of Springfield between 1947 and 1968 for the disposal of municipal solid waste and hazardous industrial liquid and semi-liquid waste. The site currently is owned by Springfield Mobile Estates, which operated a trailer park that once consisted of 38 mobile homes. Approximately 60 people resided in the trailer park, which was built on top of the landfill. All residents moved as of June 1990, after selling their trailers to the parties potentially responsible for the site contamination. Investigation of the site found volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in a spring and a residential well near the mobile home park. The EPA began investigations at the site in 1976, following a resident's complaint of foul-smelling water. Three areas of contamination have been identified at the site where industrial waste was either disposed of separately in trenches or mixed with municipal waste. Approximately 500 people live within a 1-mile radius of the site. Many area residences are hooked up to the public drinking water system. Residents upgradient of the site rely upon private wells for drinking water. The land use within a 1-mile radius is primarily low-density residential housing, light agriculture, undeveloped forest land, and commercial development. The site is located on a terrace above, and 1/4 mile west of, the Black River. Leachate from the site flows out of the side of the steep slopes next to the landfill and eventually reaches the Black River and Seavers Brook; however, neither is used as a drinking water source.
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater, surface water, and sediments are contaminated with VOCs including benzene and vinyl chloride. The on-site soil is contaminated with VOCs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). On-site workers and residents were at risk by coming into direct contact with or ingesting contaminated groundwater, surface water, soils, or sediments.
Cleanup Approach
The remedy selected by the EPA for the cleanup of contaminated groundwater and leachate included the construction of a groundwater pump and treat system, with discharge of the treated water to a publicly owned treatment works. This remedy also calls for regular monitoring of groundwater and leachate, as well as institutional controls to restrict land use at the Site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions In 1984, the potentially responsible parties connected area residents to the public water supply. In a separate action in 1987, the EPA temporarily relocated 42 families while testing was conducted on the site. The families were returned to their homes within a few weeks.
Leachate and Groundwater
The remedy selected by the EPA for cleanup of leachate and groundwater includes: constructing an underground system to collect leachate passing through the site; installing wells to extract contaminated groundwater; treating the collected leachate and groundwater on site or possibly removing the leachate and groundwater to a publicly owned treatment works; monitoring the site; and performing additional studies to determine how to isolate the landfill waste materials from the groundwater. The EPA also plans to place restrictions on future use of groundwater underlying the contaminated area. The potentially responsible parties completed the technical specifications and design for the selected cleanup plan in 1992. Shortly thereafter, the potentially responsible parties began building the leachate collection and groundwater extraction and treatment system. Construction was completed in early 1993. The systems have been operating successfully since startup. Routine operation and maintenance activities will be performed to ensure the continued effectiveness of the cleanup remedy.
Source Control
The potentially responsible parties conducted additional studies to determine alternatives for preventing waste materials from entering the groundwater. The investigation was completed in 1990. In late 1991, the potentially responsible parties began design of a variety of methods to control the source of site contamination. These methods include capping Waste Areas 2, 3, and 4; collecting groundwater and surface water in french drains for off site disposal; extracting groundwater in Waste Area 3 with source control wells; collecting and venting landfill gases; stabilizing side slopes; conducting operation and maintenance activities; limiting use of the site via institutional controls; and submitting the area to review every five years. Construction activities were completed in the fall of 1993. The cap is inspected periodically and maintained to ensure its continued effectiveness.
Enforcement Highlights
An Administrative Order was issued in 1984, requiring the potentially responsible parties to supply an alternate water supply. A second Administrative Order was issued in 1989, requiring the parties to perform a study for a second long-term remedial phase. A partial Consent Agreement was signed in 1990 requiring that the potentially responsible parties conduct cleanup of the leachate and groundwater. A second partial Consent Decree was signed in 1991 requiring that the potentially responsible parties conduct cleanup activities to address the source of contamination.
Environmental Progress
Construction of all site remedies has been completed. Provision of a safe drinking water supply, cleanup of the leachate, and ongoing groundwater treatments have reduced the risk of exposure to contaminated materials at the Old Springfield Landfill site. The site will continue to be monitored for several years to ensure the effectiveness of the cleanup actions taken. In 1998 EPA completed the first five year review of the remedial actions at the site. EPA found the remedial actions to be performing satisfactorily and that public health and the environment are being protected. EPA completed a second Five Year Review in 2003 and a third Five Year Review in 2008. Monitoring, maintenance, and inspection activities continue at the Site.
Boston, Mass. ‘ (January 30, 2014) -- EPA