10/15/11 Public Update on GHS Fields

Please see attached for 10/15/11 Public Update on GHS Fields.

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Kim Eves
Director of Communications
Greenwich Public Schools
290 Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich, CT, 06830

www.greenwichschools.org

Phone: 203-625-7415
Fax: 203-869-8003

JOINT RELEASE

Greenwich Board of Education and Town of Greenwich, Greenwich, CT

Saturday, October 15, 2011

GREENWICH HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING UPDATE

Field 6 Opens This Weekend!

Site Status Recap:

West (back) Parking Lot – The west parking lot is open for use.

Fields 6 & 7 (Turf) – Field 6 will be open, with conditions for use, on Sunday, October 16, 2011. Field 7 remains closed and in order to use Field 6, additional adult supervision designated by Town officials, must be provided to restrict access to Field 7. Interim remediation efforts for Field 7 are nearing completion. The interim remediation included removing shallow soil (the top 6 inches), disposing of the soil at a permitted facility, and restoring the area with clean topsoil and grass. A report of activities will be submitted to EPA, DEEP, and DPH along with a request to open Field 7 for use.

Fields 3 & 4 (Turf) – Fencing has been installed around fields 3 & 4. Plans outlining the interim remediation efforts for these fields were submitted to the EPA, DEEP and DPH for approval. Once approved, the interim remediation will be implemented and a request to open fields 3 & 4 and the bleacher access will be submitted.

Original time estimates for opening these fields next week have been delayed.

Fields 2 &5 (Grass) –Interim remediation plans for field 2 were submitted to the EPA, DEEP, and DPH which details removing soil from a small area of shallow soil contamination. This work is tentatively scheduled to begin October 14, 2011, pending regulatory approval. This will allow for fall field maintenance to be completed before winter. At field 5, the results

of testing of shallow soil show no PCBs present in the field area and low levels of PCBs (less

than 1ppm) in the grass covered outfield.

Therefore, a request was submitted to the regulators to open field 5 for use.

Environmental Study Status Recap:

Immediate Next Steps: A comprehensive

environmental study of the soil beneath the

proposed MISA Auditorium began in early

October. Soil samples were collected and are in

the process of being analyzed. Draft study

findings will be available October 28, 2011.

Public Health: As described by the DPH at our

public meeting, to be exposed to health risks

associated with PCBs, one must come into

contact with the material (i.e., directly touching

it, breathing it, or ingesting it). The potential

risks will also vary by individual depending on

how often the contact is made, the general health

of the individual, age, etc. Areas of potential

environmental concern will be removed or

fenced (thus isolating people from contacting the

materials). All facilities will remained closed

until they are “cleared” for use by EPA, DEEP

and DPH.

Project Background and Future Plans

Since the discovery of PCB impacts during construction

activities, the Town has moved quickly to address this

issue. The Town has performed a site-wide

investigation of surface soil and is performing Interim

Remediation Measures (IRM) with approval by the

EPA, DEEP and DPH to allow utilization of athletic

facilities.

A full-scale environmental investigation and

remediation program is also being developed for the

entire site. The full-scale program involves three

phases. The first phase will include investigation of soil,

groundwater, and on-site surface water and sediments.

This investigation will be developed in conjunction with

state and federal regulatory agencies and then

implemented. The second phase will be to finalize

remedial plans to address impacted areas identified

during the site investigation. The remedial plan will

require review and approval from the state and federal

regulatory agencies. The third stage will be to

implement the approved remedial plans.

Middle School Interscholastic Sports Program:

The Interscholastic Sports Program at all three schools is up and running. The game schedule for all three schools will begin the week of October 17th.

Ongoing Communications:

Public Updates will continue on a monthly basis at a minimum, and more frequently as needed. The Public Updates are posted on the GPS Web Site, and are sent via email and/or Parentlink to GPS families, GHS neighbors, community officials, and the local media.

Also, the Town of Greenwich and its contractor AECOM will develop a Public Participation Plan (PPP) available beginning early November. This plan will outline our communications and outreach program for the project, which will include the schedule for full-scale environmental remediation.

For all information requests, please contact:

Kim Eves, Greenwich Public Schools Director of Communications

203-625-7415 or kim_eves@greenwich.k12.ct.us