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SAMPLING WORK BEGINS AT WEYMOUTH NECK

Release Date: 04/13/1999
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Community Affairs Office, (617) 918-1064 Jim Murphy, Community Involvement Coordinator, (617) 918-1028

Boston - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced today an integrated work plan with details of upcoming scheduled sampling activities for Weymouth Neck. Working together, the agencies will identify and address potential public health and environmental threats posed by industrial wastes at Weymouth Neck.

"Weymouth Neck is a beautiful place and we want to make sure that it's also a safe place for families to live and to enjoy Webb State Park, a wonderful and all too rare coastal park," said John P. DeVillars, EPA's New England administrator. "All three agencies (EPA, DEM, and DEP) are working in concert to understand the potential risks posed by a former fertilizer plant that had operated at the site before condominiums were built there."

Beginning today, EPA will collect sediment, surface and sub-surface soil, groundwater and particulate wipe samples at the Weymouthport Condominiums property, the East Bay at Weymouthport Condominiums, Lots # 24 and #25, and the undeveloped portion of Lot #1. Analyses of these samples will identify if any of the following chemicals or chemicals compounds are present: any of 33 volatile organic compounds, 64 semi-volatile organic compounds, 28 PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and pesticides, and 24 metals. Some samples will also be analyzed for cyanide, asbestos, flouride, extractable petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile petroleum hydrocarbons, and dioxin/furans.

DEM will assess potential hazards at Webb State Park, resulting from former industrial uses of the property. DEM has hired Stone & Webster Engineering to conduct a site evaluation. Beginning in May, Stone and Webster will begin sampling surface and sub-surface soil and groundwater for presence of industrial wastes including volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, and metals. Some of these samples will also be analyzed for cyanide, asbestos, flouride, extractable petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile petroleum hydrocarbons, and dioxin/furans.

Results of all sampling will be reviewed by the EPA, DEM and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection later this summer to determine future steps.