After a three-year hiatus, cleanup activities at the Gerrish Motors/Woodstock East site recommenced October 22 2007 when the remediation contractor, Matrix Environmental Technologies, Inc of Orchard Park, NY (Matrix) mobilized to the site to begin executing the approved supplemental corrective action plan to address contaminated soil and groundwater associated with the former underground storage tank system at the site.

Matrix excavated 471 tons of petroleum-contaminated soil from the Route 4 entrance to the site and shipped it off-site to a licensed disposal facility. During excavation activities the water supply line located adjacent to Route 4 was inadvertently struck by the excavating equipment, resulting in a leak and a temporary local loss of water service. The water line was located 24 feet east of its marked location. Following backfill of the excavation with clean soil and regrading of the excavated area, the first components of groundwater remediation system were installed.

This system will inject oxygen into the groundwater at a low flow rate through a network of 42 subsurface injection points. Oxygen will dissolve into groundwater and become available to the naturally existing aerobic (oxygen using) bacteria that utilize petroleum hydrocarbons as a food source. Under the

enhanced oxygen conditions created by the system these bacteria will multiply and increase the rate of petroleum degradation. The by-products of this process are carbon dioxide and water. The system also includes a “biobarrier”, which is an area beneath the ground near the Route 4 entrance where additional petroleum-degrading bacteria will be introduced to provide an additional level of treatment to groundwater leaving the site.

Once the oxygen injection system is installed and operating properly, Matrix will visit the site at least monthly to monitor system performance. Matrix will also collect groundwater samples every six months to measure the progress of the cleanup effort.

Once cleanup goals have been reached in the five (5) compliance monitoring wells that measure groundwater quality as it leaves the site, the oxygen injection system will be operated for an additional three months before being shut down. Groundwater samples will then be collected every two months for one year to demonstrate that the cleanup goals are maintained without active remediation.

Site Redevelopment
As the supplemental cleanup work proceeds, the prospective redeveloper of the site, Ethan Allen Environmental (EAE), has continued discussions with state officials regarding potential funding assistance for the redevelopment project. The contract with Matrix for the supplemental corrective action is structured to complete the cleanup for a fixed price ($390,000.00). This contract structure will allow the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to issue EAE a Redevelopment of Contaminated Properties Program Certificate of Completion upon demonstration that the remediation system is installed and operating properly. The Certificate of Completion documents that the redeveloper has fulfilled their obligation for corrective action. Once issued, this certificate will allow EAE to begin pursuing financing for the design, development and construction of the proposed redevelopment project, which is currently envisioned to be a multi-unit residential community.