The Site encompasses a residential area surrounding the former Temple Stuart Superfund Removal Site on Holman Street in Baldwinville, Town of Templeton, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Central geographic coordinates are approximately north 42 36' 54” latitude, and west 72 04' 33” longitude. The Site area is about 1/2 mile north of the village center and consists of 67 residential properties along Winchester, Holman, Harris, Edgar, Elm, Chestnut, Pine, Beech, Walnut, Forest, Fisher, Mason and Bridge Streets; Wilson Court; and Winchendon Road.
Residential surface soils were discovered to be contaminated when soil sampling for polychlorinated biphenyls at the adjacent Temple Stuart Superfund Removal Site was performed up to its property line; PCB concentrations still exceeded Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) regulatory concentrations for residential areas. Sampling of surrounding residential properties in 2003 (the “Phase 1 SI”) confirmed existing PCB concentrations in surficial soils above MADEP levels at 28 properties. Removal actions at these properties were begun in August 2004. A phase 2 round of sampling in 2004 indicated PCB concentrations existed above MADEP levels at 22 of 26 properties investigated. Removal at these properties began in April 2005. A phase 3 investigation was conducted in October 2005; of 36 properties sampled, 12 required removal. The Phase 3 removal began on April 17, 2006.
On September 14, 2005 an Action Memo Amendment to authorize work beyond 12 months and increase the project ceiling (for an amount beyond regional approval authority) was approved by EPA Headquarters.
On April 17, 2006 EPA and ERRS, START and ESAT contractors remobilized to the site. One additional property was sampled, which required removal. This discovery necessitated a further site investigation round (termed Phase 4). Fifteen properties were sampled, including portions of a property which had undergone a Phase 2 removal, but were not previously sampled due to the existing sampling rationale. Changes in local land use dictated a change in sampling strategy. Removal is required on 4 of these properties. Results of the Phase 4 sampling also indicated that no further investigation or removal should be necessary on the site, beyond that planned.
Samples taken to confirm successful cleanup of Phase 3 properties were analyzed by EPA lab personnel and ESAT in the on site lab trailer until June 16. Since the initiation of the Phase 4 sampling placed such a heavy and unpredictable workload on EPA’s Regional Laboratory, START then mobilized a field GC to the site, and is currently supporting the removal action sampling. All 891 Phase 4 investigation samples were run by the EPA lab with 2-day turnaround over the course of the investigation; in addition, 10 percent of all Phase 3 and Phase 4 removal samples are also being run at EPA’s lab. The support of the lab has been invaluable.
The 12 Phase 3 removal actions were begun in April 2006, and are now in the restoration phase. Restoration of trees and shrubs removed on Phase 2 properties began on July 19, 2006. In addition, replacement of plant material which did not thrive on Phase 1 properties was begun on July 18 2006.
Removal on the Phase 4 properties began on June 16, 2006. Extensive tree removal on two Phase 4 properties will begin on July 25, 2006.
Since April 2006, work has proceeded on final lawn restoration of properties excavated during Phase 2. Repair of sidewalks and driveways damaged during Phase 2 was completed in May 2006.
The excavation of contamination on the Phase 4 properties is expected to continue until September 2006, with restoration continuing throughout fall 2006. Since the general process of removal on these properties involves the removal of trees in areas to be excavated, three of the properties undergoing removal in Phase 4 are more technically challenging than those completed to date. Approximately 400 trees will be removed by ERRS or a subcontractor, and shipped off site. In addition, these three large properties are on a hill; some areas to be excavated are quite steep. Accessing these areas also has required building a road into the rear portions of the properties.
A modification to the ERRS task order of $500,000 has been approved to continue these removal actions; further modifications increasing funding will be necessary to complete all work at the site.
Secure funding adequate to complete the project.
Continue the excavation and restoration of Phase 3 and 4 properties.
Complete restoration of the Phase 1 and 2 properties, and document final conditions.
EPA’s regional laboratory provided invaluable and flexible support, and continues to do so.
Continued use of a field GC (first through NERL and subsequently through START) was key to obtaining quick, accurate sample results and supported the pace of excavation. Use of SCRIBE continues to enable the handling of large amounts of project data.
The Phase 4 investigation completes the determination of the project scope, in terms of finalizing the number of properties to undergo removal.
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