Parcel C Update – 6/25/2010

Posted by Bob on June 25, 2010 under Daily Blogs | Read the First Comment

For the better part of fifteen (15) years, numerous Naugatuck administrations have sought to remediate the former Uniroyal Rubber property known as Parcel C.  Two (2) unsuccessful attempts over the past fifteen (15) years have left many longtime Naugatuck residents skeptical about the current effort to finally clean Parcel C and prepare it for redevelopment.  Remediation began this spring in what everyone plans will be the last time.

The current remediation effort is being undertaken pursuant to an agreement between the Borough and Manafort Brothers, Inc., a site development with a primary office in Plainville, CT.  Manafort Brothers, Inc., was the successful bidder for the clean-up and the agreement was approved by the Board of Mayor and Burgesses.

The project is operating under a demonstration permit authorized by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (”DEP”) which allows contaminated soil to be treated on-site and reused.  While the traditional and more expensive method of soil remediation requires contaminated soil to be removed and replace by clean fill, the current process cleans the soil by injecting an oxidizing agent into the soil.  Once the agent reacts, the soil is cleaned and can be replaced on the property.

Like a bad weed that refuses to leave the garden, Parcel C continues to present challenges.  The current obstacle is that certain particles in the soil, particularly in the form of coal and coal ash, have not responded to the cleaning agent.  The delay in activity at the site is due to the time required to test and re-test the samples and adjust the mixture of chemicals being injected into the soil.  While there are certain challenges we are facing, the project has by no means stopped and preparing the property for redevelopment is still the ultimate goal.

Different standards and degrees of remediation exist in each state.  Connecticut requires different standards depending upon what the intended reuse of the property will be.  Simply encapsulating certain contaminants may be all that is required if a parcel will serve as a parking lot or be used commercially with on-grade or slab construction.  The highest standard would be required for residential purposes.

It has always been the Borough’s goal to remediate Parcel C to the highest standard possible.  This increases the market value of the property as no environmental land use restrictions (known as “ELUR’s”) would be filed on the land records.  Such an objective is also consistent with the “green” nature of the Renaissance Place Project.  We must balance such an ambitious goal, however, with the reality of limited resources and the long-term plan for the property’s redevelopment.

While we all hope that such a project would be completed without any complications, most such undertakings inherently present obstacles.  To think that there would be no issues cleaning a former rubber-producing, industrial site that was demolished years before modern remediation standards were enacted would be wishful at best.  That being said, we need to complete the remediation process in the most sensible and cost-effective manner possible and ensure that the property is able to generate badly-needed tax revenue in the very near future.  Calling it quits and using the property one (1) day a year as a staging area for the Duck Race is not an option.

All stakeholders have met this week to discuss the various options.  They include myself, Director of Public Works Jim Stewart; Borough Engineer Wayne Zirolli; Borough consultant Al Kovalik from GeoDesign, Inc.; President and CEO Dave Prendergast from the Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation; as well as representatives from Manafort Brothers, Inc., and our Renaissance partner Conroy Development Company.  The contractor will return next week to perform additional tests to determine whether or not it is likely that the composition of soil already excavated is likely to be found in other locations on the parcel.  Other industrial by-products not able to be treated on-site will be properly removed.  Options will be discussed to integrate site-specific plans for Parcel C’s reuse with alternative remediation options.  While nothing will happen has quickly as anyone would like, this is the nature of such a project where much time is required to test and re-test soil samples at laboratories and wait for results.  The recent inactivity at the site is largely due to this.

The remediation of Parcel C is a significant priority for the Borough, and time and diligence is being devoted to that effort accordingly.  Updates will be presented here when information becomes available.