The Old Bondsville Factory Site is the former location of a textile mill located in Palmer and Belchertown, Massachusetts. Covering about 12 acres, the Site is bordered to the north and west by residential properties, to the east by a dam across the Swift River, and to the south by Main Street in Palmer and Depot Street in Belchertown.
During an April 2008 Targeted Brownfields Assessment, EPA’s Brownfields program observed high levels of lead and arsenic in surface soils and referred the Site to the Emergency Planning and Response Branch (EPRB) in May 2008. EPA conducted a removal site investigation on July 8-11, 2008 which confirmed the presence of high levels of arsenic and lead in surface soils. The site investigation was closed on July 25, 2008 with the recommendation that a time critical removal action be conducted. See polrep 1 for additional site background information.
EPA and its contractors mobilized to the site on September 29, 2008 and began site preparation activities such as clearing vegetation, establishing a command post, and delineating work zones.
The Emergency Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor began excavating contaminated soil grids on October 9, 2008. Excavated materials are being stockpiled awaiting disposal. Excavation and stockpiling activities continue, and approximately 83 grids have been excavated to date.
Planned removal activites include the following:
1) provide Site security and install security fencing as needed;
2) conduct additional sampling as needed to define the extent of contamination in surface soils;
3) clear vegetation as needed;
4) excavate lead- and arsenic-contaminated surface soils;
5) cap in-place contaminated soils (if any) which may remain at depth or which cannot otherwise be safely excavated;
6) backfill and grade excavated areas;
7) dispose of hazardous substances at EPA-approved off-site disposal facilities; and
8) repair response-related damages.
Preparations are currently being made to begin shipping excavated soils offsite for disposal. Excavation activities will continue on the estimated 41 grids remaining to be excavated.
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