The Somers Plating, Inc. Site is located at 58 – 60 Springfield Road (Connecticut Route 83), in Somers, Tolland County, Connecticut. Geographic coordinates of the Site are 41.9897 north latitude, and 72.4475 west longitude. The Site is bordered to the east by a wooded area and a cornfield; to the south by residential properties; to the west by Springfield Road; and to the north by a cornfield, a portion of which extends onto the Site. The cornfield is leased and operated by an out-of-town farmer. There is a herb supplier/grower located immediately adjacent to the Site.
The Site, currently owned by two retirees, consists of approximately 3.62 acres of land with two unoccupied one-storey buildings in a mixed residential/commercial neighborhood. The Site was formerly operated as a metal working shop/plating facility, a gasoline service station, an ecumenical school, and a daycare center. Two known former metal hydroxide sludge lagoons associated with the plating operation are located on site. Underground storage tanks (USTs) were reportedly used by the gasoline service station. The status of the USTs is unknown.
An asphalt-paved parking area largely surrounds the western building, and borders the eastern building on the western and northern sides. Three discrete areas of grass surrounded by pavement are located adjacent to the eastern and western sides of the western building and north of the eastern building. The area of grass located north of the eastern building appears to be co-located with one of the metal hydroxide sludge lagoons. The eastern portion of the Site ranges from wooded near the southern boundary, to partially clear in the central portion, to cornfield in the northern portion.
The Site topography is generally level. The average depth to the groundwater table in the former lagoon area is 8 to 10 feet. The groundwater classification for the general area is GA. Fuller-Hurd Well, a public drinking water supply well owned by the Connecticut Water Company is located approximately 1,500 feet south of the Site. According to the Town Sanitarian, groundwater in the bedrock aquifer generally flows southerly through the Site. Access is unrestricted.
According to the 2000 census, approximately 1,692 people live within 1 mile. Three public schools are located within 1 mile, and the closest residence is located within 50 feet.
At the request of the CT Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP), the EPA Removal Program conducted a Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation (PA/SI) at the Somers Plating, Inc. Site in July 2004. The PA/SI included collecting surface soil, subsurface soil, and groundwater samples on site, and drinking water samples from nearby residences. The sampling results confirmed the presence of high levels of heavy metals including cadmium and chromium in surface and subsurface soil. The PA/SI was complete with the recommendation that a time critical removal action be conducted.
The removal action proposed in an action memorandum dated May 25, 2005 was approved by the Director of the Office of Site Remediation and Restoration authorizing a total of $1,496,800 for the extramural contractor costs.
Due to a local resident's report, EPA conducted extent of contamination investigations at lagoons 3 and 3A located in the wooded area at the northeast corner of the property. Portions of the lagoons 3 and 3A are wetlands which extend into the abutting properties located north and west of the Site.
Since the last POLREP, EPA and EPA contractors conducted the following activities:
- Completed property boundary survey on August 29, 2005.
- Completed clearing and grubbing of the lagoon areas on September 15, 2005.
- Due to hurricane responses and other workloads, OSC Tsang and OSC Allen Jarrell jointly managed the cleanup.
- Conducted extent of contamination sampling at lagoons 3 and 3A from September 15, 2005 to October 3, 2005.
- Coducted excavation of lagoon 2 from September 21, 2005 to September 30, 2005.
- Commenced excavation of lagoon 1 on September 7, 2005 and identified multiple leachfields with extensive piping systems from three septic tanks located in the paved area between the two buildings. As a result, the anticipated contamination volume in the lagoon 1 area increased 300 percents from the original estimate.
- Commenced transportation and disposal (T & D) of contaminated soil to Envirite of Pennsylvania and GSI in Quebec, Canada (Cd < 100 ppm) on September 27, 2005.
- Conducted an on-site meeting with an EPA Eco-risk assesser and CT DEP staff on October 4, 2005 to view lagoons 3 and 3A and begin discussions on potential cadmium cleanup level at these lagoons and the associated wetlands.
- Coordinated with CT DEP to drain, remove, and dispose of a 1000-gallon UST on October 7, 2005.
- Coordinated with ATSDR/CT DPH on October 7, 2005 to determine appropriate cadmium cleanup levels for the lagoons 3 and 3A.
- Conducted an on-site meeting with CT DPH staff and local public health official on October 12, 2005 to evaluate the public health risk exposure to cadmium in the wetlands area associated with lagoons 3 and 3A based on a trespasser scenario.
- As of October 21, 2005, an approximate total of 5000 tons of contaminated soil has been shipped to CERCLA-approved offsite disposal facilities.
- Complete excavation of lagoon 1 area.
- Commence excavation of lagoons 3 and 3A.
- Continue T & D of contaminated soil.
- Continue to coordinate with ATSDR, CT DEP, local public heath and CT DPH to address the cleanup level for cadmium in the lagoon 3 and 3A areas.
- As a result of the discovery of the leachfields and additional lagoons, the total soil contamination is estimated to be increased by 3500 tons. This additional soil contamination has increased the total cost of the cleanup significantly. The OSCs continue to evaluate cost effective cleanup options. The OSCs anticipate that an amendment to the Action Memorandum is necessary to address the additional soil contamination.
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