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VT DEC Approves Corrective Action Plan Field Activities
for the Gerrish Motors / Woodstock East Site

Community Update #1

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

December 2001

The field activities described in the draft Corrective Action Plan for the Gerrish Motors / Woodstock East site that was presented to the Woodstock community at two public meetings held on October 3 and October 23 have received the approval of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC). The draft plan identified five areas of concern and proposed cleanup actions for each area. In summary, the areas of concern and cleanup actions are as follows:

Field Activities

Former Gasoline UST Area - an Air Sparging/Soil Vapor Extraction System will be installed to remove gasoline-related contamination from soil and groundwater. Former Fuel Oil UST Area - contaminated soil will be excavated and disposed of off-site. Groundwater will monitored to ensure contaminants are not migrating onto adjacent properties.
Former Oil/Water Separator and Former Waste Oil Tank Areas - these areas will be covered with an impermeable material (pavement) to prevent direct contact with residual contamination in soils.
Water Supply Well - the well will be closed by filling with cement grout.

Administrative Controls
In addition to the activities described above, the plan also provided for the imposition of land use controls on the property to prevent use of the site in ways that could cause an exposure to residual contamination. Many of the public comments focused on the nature and degree of these controls, and other administrative safeguards. The following administrative elements of the plan are still under review:

Institutional Controls: A number of commenters requested that any institutional controls allow the site to be used as it has been in the past, as mixed-use (both residential and commercial) development. The original use restriction would have permitted only commercial redevelopment and use. A revised version of the institutional control language (likely a deed restriction) that will allow for mixed use of the site is being developed for review and approval by the VTDEC.

Cleanup Fund Reserve: The settlement agreement between the site owner and the state provides for return of any unused portion of the settlement fund to the site owner. Commenters want to ensure that any supplemental engineering required to allow for mixed use of the site be paid for out of the existing settlement account, instead of by other private or public funds.

The parties are exploring how this might be accomplished under the existing agreement.

Insurance: Several commenters requested that an insurance policy be purchased that would provide funds for any required supplemental cleanup work that might be required some time in the future. Representatives of the site owner are exploring the availability and cost of this type of insurance.

Redevelopment Update

Negotiations are continuing between the site owner, Mr. Kurt Gerrish, and the prospective redeveloper, Mr. Ernie Pomerleau, regarding purchase of the property.

Current and Future Activities

The contract for performance of the field activities specified in the approved corrective action plan is planned to be put out to bid by Mr. Pomerleau. Once initiated, the solicitation and bid evaluation process should take approximately 8 weeks. Once a contractor has been selected, field activities should commence within 30 days. The town, village and site abutters will be notified prior to the start of filed activities.