EPA withdraws proposal of East Windsor, Conn. Site from the National Priorities List
EAST WINDSOR, CONN. – On Friday, April 30, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally de-proposed five Superfund sites from the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The Broad Brook Mill Site located in East Windsor, Conn., proposed to the NPL in 2000, was among the de-proposed sites. All five of the sites meet EPA's de-proposal guidance, meaning the cleanup goals have been attained, the site does not pose a significant threat to human health and the environment, and/or a state cleanup agency will oversee the cleanup.
"EPA's action today is in large part a result of CTDEEP's leadership along with the Town of East Windsor's and the Potentially Responsible Party's cooperation to fully investigate and clean up the Broad Brook Mill Site," said EPA New England Acting Regional Administrator Deborah Szaro.
"This is welcomed news," said the Town of East Windsor's First Selectman Jason E. Bowsza. "While there is still much work to be done to return the parcel to its highest and best use, the withdrawal of EPA from the remediation sends a strong signal that the efforts of Raytheon, CTDEEP and the Town are moving in the right direction. We appreciate the guidance and collaboration shown by EPA concerning this important work."
The request for Broad Brook's de-proposal was initiated because the Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), under oversight by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), have been successfully implementing the site cleanup activities. EPA believes that CTDEEP has and will continue to ensure all appropriate investigations and cleanup actions are performed pursuant to its state cleanup authority. Therefore, this de-proposal action affirms that the State of Connecticut be responsible for oversight of the cleanup and future remedial actions.
The site, located at 110 Main Street in East Windsor, Conn., was formerly known as the Millbrook Condominiums Site. When the site was proposed to the NPL, the site property was utilized for both commercial and residential purposes. Historically, the site was used for industrial purposes dating back to at least 1835, when a woolen mill was built by a manufacturing company, displacing earlier gristmills, sawmills, and a tannery. In 1849, the Broad Brook Company bought the mill and continued manufacturing woolen products until 1951. In order to provide power for the woolen mill, the Broad Brook Company operated a coal gasification plant on a portion of the site, which resulted in contamination of the site with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as coal gasification by-products.
In 1954, the Hamilton Standard Division of United Aircraft Corporation (later known as Hamilton Sunstrand Corporation) purchased the site property and owned it until 1977. From 1954 to 1967, the company manufactured printed circuit boards at the site. The processes used to manufacture the circuit boards released volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and metals into the site soils, groundwater, and possibly the brook.
Through a review of the site and discussions with CTDEEP, EPA has determined that significant progress has been and continues to be made in cleaning up the site. Although the remedy for the site is not fully implemented, the site poses no current risk to human health.
Background
EPA de-proposes sites from the NPL when listing on the NPL is no longer needed. De-proposing sites from the NPL reserves the NPL for EPA's highest priority sites and allows formerly proposed sites to get to productive use.
More information:
EPA Superfund Process: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-cleanup-process