Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire's executive director Tim Geller noted that these changes are “insubstantial” enough not to trigger another public hearing, as state regulations require it for “substantial” changes to the comprehensive permit, which was already granted last fall.
One of the conditions is that the CDC continues to accept public comments on its plan. And if changes are made as a result of those comments, the CDC will amend its plan.
Ward says he wants to stay alert to potential consequences of future remediation and construction work at 100 Bridge St. in case “disturbances to the site could lead to enhanced pollution” of the Sheffield water supply.
The highly contaminated site, having sat idle and an eyesore in a mostly residential area–and with groundwater contaminated with PCPs right next to the Housatonic River–is wearing patience thin.
The 8-acre parcel on the Housatonic River has sat for more than 20 years, scraggly and undeveloped, and is still loaded with chlorinated organic compounds like dioxins and PCPs. The site’s owner, Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire (CDC), will hold a public information meeting at the Mason Librarytoday (Wednesday, Jan. 4), at 5:30 p.m. to provide current plans for the site and gather public input.
In her letter to the editor, Sharon Gregory of Great Barrington writes: "Let us spend NO additional public dollars until a formal proposal has been presented and approved by the DEP. Full remediation is critical to the community."
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson Catherine Skiba would not comment on whether MassDEP has allowed this sort of partial capping in the past, or for a housing development.
“It is my observation that it’s too bad that [the affordable housing] is wedged between a sewer waste plant and a toxic waste field.”
--- ZBA member Michael Wise
If the state Department of Environmental Protection will allow it, Biopath Solutions is ready and willing to return to the Bridge Street site and finish the job.
“From a practical standpoint, and from a health and safety standpoint, if we cap rather than bioremediate, there is virtually no impact on development schedule. This project has an incredible benefit for the entire community and entire region."
--- Tim Geller, executive director, Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire
Any time a state agency performs such an abrupt about face, it’s reasonable to suspect the presence of an unseen actor. Who got to the DEP? Consider this: the Log Homes site has another neighbor, the Housatonic River, which as we all know is the special responsibility of a certain Fortune 500 corporation.
Great Barrington Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin said it will soon be a question of whether to continue the pilot bioremediation, cap the site, or do a combination of both. State Rep. Pignatelli said that it would be “great” if the pilot cleanup worked. “If not, we move on to the next thing.”
Bioremediation at the Log Homes site costs only a fraction of the traditional dredge-it-up and haul-it-away method of toxic waste management. Preliminary results should be available by the end of September.
