GREENFIELD — The results of an audit conducted by the state Department of Environmental Protection show more work is needed with respect to the environmental cleanup at the former Lunt Silversmiths property.
In the audit report, the DEP found that the Phase II Comprehensive Site Assessment — completed in April 2020 — was incomplete, and did not adequately assess contaminant sources and the extent of contamination at the 298 Federal St. property. The audit began in mid-April.
“This is exactly the kind of information we’ve been waiting for,” said Mayor Roxann Wedegartner. “I’m not terribly surprised by what I’m reading here, but I’m glad to have it confirmed by DEP. We did ask them quite a while ago — maybe a little over a year ago — to do this, and they declined at the time.”
The city has 60 days from receipt of the Notice of Noncompliance to submit a conceptual Phase II scope of work for the DEP to review and approve. The city must also submit a Post-Audit Completion Statement within those 60 days. Wedegartner said she will work with Planning and Development Director Eric Twarog to ensure those deadlines are met.
Resident Glen Ayers, a former health agent with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, initiated the petition that launched the process to designate the former Lunt Silversmiths property as a Public Involvement Plan (PIP) site, and subsequently an audit of the site cleanup process. Ayers said the report ultimately validated the concerns that had been raised by the community, including several city councilors, over the last six months by residents.
“We’re pleased with the report — not to say we’re happy the site is contaminated,” he said. “We’re happy this shows that a lot more work needs to be done.”
The property on Federal Street — which the Springfield-based 401 Liberty St. LLC subleases to the Behavioral Health Network and Clinical & Support Options — has been the subject of controversy among residents and city officials who have expressed concern about the status of the environmental cleanup. The issue was raised late last year by Precinct 3 Councilor Virginia “Ginny” DeSorgher when the property was brought before City Council to declare it as surplus and authorize the mayor’s sale. In particular, there is concern for contamination levels of trichloroethylene (TCE).
“As a retired nurse, I am appalled that the city administration chose to ignore the health and safety questions of this community in favor of 401 Liberty Street’s interest in purchasing the property,” DeSorgher said in a statement. “The health and welfare of our residents should come before any tax benefits that the city may receive with this property’s sale.”
According to the report, the boundaries of the disposal site were “generally limited to the former Lunt property boundaries and to portions of Kenwood Street, adjacent to the former Lunt facility.” However, the report states, TCE was detected in areas outside these boundaries, and therefore should be included in the disposal site boundaries.
“It’s clear to me from this report that the interest of the citizens, especially in that neighborhood but also in the city in general, have not been represented,” Ayers said.
While DEP agreed that the stormwater system beneath Kenwood Street is a “preferential pathway” for TCE migration in groundwater, it also noted that other utilities within the area of groundwater contamination were not, but should be, assessed for contaminant migration.
The report also states that further analysis of risk characterization is required at each of the five soil exposure areas.
“This kind of cuts to the core of the issue,” Ayers said. “The city must hire an independent LSP (licensed site professional) to represent the interests of the neighborhood and the community.”
Ayers also expressed concern for the fact that O’Reilly Talbot & Okum (OTO), the LSP, was among four companies sued by Attorney General Maura Healey in 2019 for allegedly violating the state’s Clean Air Act during its cleanup of the former Springfield YMCA building.
“That’s definitely on my radar,” Wedegartner responded. “It’s irrelevant to this. OTO has been a consultant we’ve used many times on several different projects.”
Wedegartner said at this point, she isn’t considering hiring an independent LSP.
“I do want to have an opportunity to talk to (LSP Bruce Nickelsen) about his response and reaction to this,” she added. “I anticipate we’ll do that in the next couple of days.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne