The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has begun assessment and clean up operations at seven leaking underground storage sites throughout the state with $2 million received from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The stimulus funding is designed to identify, assess and clean up federally regulated leaking underground storage tank sites in the state.
Sites were chosen because each had documented leakage and the responsible party is unknown or unable to pay.
Sites include:
Schwartz property, 1124 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, the former Charles A-1 gas station with three underground storage tanks and an abandoned building with no current tenant. The DEP performed an expedited site assessment and the site was found to contain subsurface petroleum contamination.
Monti property, 680-690 East Main St., Waterbury, former HJ Carroll Company. Four underground tanks used to store gasoline or bulk heating fuel for resale, were removed in 1988. Several buildings are currently unoccupied. DEP consultant completed site assessment work and found a large heating oil free-product plume. Intent is to protect the nearby Mad River from being impacted.
Renner property, 666 East Main St., Waterbury, a former gas station adjacent to the Monti property (above). When the gasoline and diesel tanks were removed, gasoline free-product was observed. The property is currently being used for car sales and repairs. The current owners are financially incapable of paying for cleanup.
Pittman property, 3054 Main St., Hartford, former gas station, currently being used for car repairs (TDP Automotive). Assessment in July completed, removal of four underground storage tanks and 1,000 cubic yards of petroleum contaminated soil. Owner bought the property in foreclosure and was unaware that tanks were present.
Pitts Chapel property, 672 Dixwell Ave., New Haven. A local church purchased the property that had formerly been used as a gas station. Gasoline tanks and a waste oil tank remain on the property and the building is vacant. Site plan includes building an energy-efficient senior center and employing laborers from the surrounding urban community to perform the construction.
Fuller property, 142 Main St., Terryville, known as the Mayfair garage. In 2007, the DEP responded to the breakout of gasoline product along the banks of Pequabuck River adjacent to the site. The source was from the gasoline underground tanks. A clean up using Federal Coast Guard monies resulted. In order to complete the task, the DEP is using Federal Stimulus funds.
On Feb. 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Since then, more than $3 billion in funding has been used in Connecticut in the form of grants, loans, and entitlement benefits.