2008-Jul-25 - Electrical Transformers to be Removed from Montville, Conn ...

Release date: 07/23/2008

Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, (617) 918-1027

Boston, Mass. – July 23, 2008) – EPA is working closelywith the Town of Montville, Connecticut and the ConnecticutDepartment of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) to oversee theremoval of electrical transformers containing polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCBs) from the Wisniewski Superfund Site on Route 163 inMontville. The trustees of the Site are undertaking the removalunder EPA oversight and have agreed to remove all eighttransformers and two associated capacitors from the property to alicensed off-site disposal facility.

EPA investigations of the property in November 2007 and January2008 concluded that several of the transformers contained oilcontaminated with PCBs. Testing of the soils in the vicinity of thetransformers did not reveal any PCB contamination aboveCTDEP’s most stringent residential cleanup criteria. Noleaking has been observed. Temporary spill containment will beconstructed prior to the removal as a precautionary measure.

The cleanup is expected to begin within the next several weeks andbe completed by the end of the summer. As part of the removal, someadditional testing of the transformers will be performed, followedby the removal of the equipment to an EPA-approved treatment anddisposal facility.

Safety measures, including temporary fencing to secure the workarea, signage and traffic control, have been developed jointly withthe Mayor’s Office, Uncas Health District, and Montville Fireand Police Departments. Such safety measures will be in effectthroughout the cleanup, with the traffic control measures in placeduring the approximately 6-hour period of road closure along Route163 while the transformers are loaded onto the transport vehicle.The road closure will be timed to avoid morning and eveningcommuter traffic.

Workers will be wearing personal protective gear while conductingthe transformer removal. This gear will include safety harnessesfor all work on the elevated transformer platform and impermeablewhite suits. This level of protection is mandated by federal laws.

Questions may be directed to either the EPA On-Scene Coordinatorfor the project, Melanie Morash, toll free at (888) 372-7341x81298, Mayor Jaskiewicz at Montville Town Hall at (860) 848-3030,or Janet Kwiatkowski of the state’s PCB Program at (860)424-3330.

Related information:

EPA’s Emergency Response Program (epa.gov/ne/superfund/er/index.htm)

EPA removal actions in New England (epa.gov/region1/superfund/basics/shrtterm)