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EPA APPROVES CLEANUP PLAN AS WORK MOVES FORWARD ON THE PINE STREET SITE

Release Date: 10/01/1998
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Press Office, 617.565.4592

BOSTON - The United States Environmental Protection Agency adopted today the $4.38 million cleanup plan developed in collaboration with the Pine Street Barge Canal Coordinating Council for the Pine Street Canal Superfund site in Burlington, Vermont. After being sent back to the drawing board in 1992, EPA sought advice and council from community residents to jointly redraw a plan for the barge site cleanup. EPA's New England Administrator John P. DeVillars said that the consensus building model used in Burlington stands as a national model for community-based decision-making. EPA's decision follows a 60-day public comment period.

"This works a victory for common sense and community involvement," said DeVillars. "The hard work of the Coordinating Council was fully endorsed by Burlington's citizens. It was a tough few years to get to this point and today we can applaud the success of the Council in representing the broader interests of the Burlington community. The public overwhelmingly endorsed the plan that EPA and the Council have hammered out over the last five years."

EPA's next step in the cleanup is to conclude negotiations with the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) and to enter into a legally binding agreement for the PRPs to design and perform the cleanup work. EPA anticipates that design of the cleanup will be completed in 1999, and construction of the underwater cap and other cleanup work will begin spring of 2000. In addition to the cleanup work, the PRPs agreed in May to spend up to an additional $3 million for other environmental projects in the Burlington area.

Since being formed in 1993, the Pine Street Barge Canal Coordinating Council, a group of local community members, environmental activists, PRPs and representatives from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, United States Fish and Wildlife Service and EPA have worked together to examine technical data, evaluate cleanup options and ultimately formulate a cleanup plan that meets regulatory requirements and is acceptable to the community.

"After years of hard work, it is extremely satisfying to see the progress made this year at Pine Street. The Coordinating Council has been instrumental in developing this cleanup plan and has shown the difference active community involvement can make in environmental decision making." said DeVillars. "Rather than dictate what is best for communities, the EPA will continue to partner with community groups like the Council to find long term solutions to local environmental problems."

"I am pleased that EPA has formally adopted the cleanup plan announced earlier this year for the Barge Canal," said U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy. "This is an example of a federal agency listening to a community and demonstrating a willingness to work on an innovative solution. The resulting work product of the Coordinating Council is a Barge Canal plan and additional projects to benefit Lake Champlain with broad support."

Senator James M.. Jeffords commented that "the Coordinating Council has worked long and hard with the EPA during the last 6 years. They have produced a solid plan which provides a model of cooperation from which the rest of the country can learn."

"This is very good news for a community that has worked very hard to solve a difficult and frustrating problem," said Congressman Bernie Sanders. "I am particularly pleased that EPA has sought the active participation of Burlington residents, making this project an example of cooperative effort. I will continue to monitor the progress of the canal cleanup, and assist in any way I can to move this effort forward."

"This agreement proves that communities can play a crucial role in solving these difficult issues and that the federal government is willing to listen to the concerns of local residents. I applaud everyone who devoted countless hours of work toward moving this cleanup effort forward," said Governor Dean.

"I am extremely pleased with the cleanup plan arrived at by the Barge Canal Coordinating Committee. The Record of Decision (ROD) protects the environment, ensures public safety, and addresses the redevelopment potential of the Pine Street Corridor." said Mayor Peter Clavelle, "All this will be achieved at a reasonable costs, and was made possible only through diligent public process. Moreover, the ROD includes a site boundary definition that removes six important commercial properties in the study area. Once formally removed from the National Priorities List (NPL), these newly designated 'brownfield' properties will be redeveloped without the stigma of Superfund, turning liabilities into assets."

"The cleanup is the result of all parties setting aside differences and working together to create a common sense solution that is both environmentally protective and economically sound," said Lori Fisher, executive director of the Lake Champlain Committee. "We are especially pleased that the remedy includes funding for additional water quality restoration projects in the vicinity of the Superfund site."

The Coordinating Council reached consensus on the proposed plan last May. The EPA presented the plan to the public for comment in June. In sharp contrast to the negative reaction EPA received on the first cleanup plan proposed in 1992, and withdrawn after a 6-month public comment period, public response to this new plan has been overwhelmingly favorable.

The remedy selected by EPA to address contamination at the Pine Street site minimizes risks to public health, aquatic life, and birds by reducing potential exposure to site contaminants. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and metals are found in the site's groundwater, soils and sediments.

The key components of the cleanup plan include:
• Placement of an underwater cap over the canal sediments that present the highest risk to the environment;
• Covering several wetland areas of contaminated soil and sediment near the canal;
• Setting in place land-use restrictions to prevent residential use, unsafe contact with contaminated soil below five feet, use of water for drinking, and future use of the site as a children's day care.
• Redirecting stormwater inflow and monitoring surface water, soils and sediment at the site.
• Long term monitoring of site conditions, including monitoring of the canal and Lake Champlain, groundwater and sediments.
• Reviews of the remedy every five years to ensure that it continues to protect human health and the environment.

A copy of the cleanup plan will be available next week in Burlington at the Fletcher Library and the Baily/Howe Library .