Hi Ms. Herman,
Thank you for stopping by the Site earlier today. As I indicated earlier, I was hoping to be able to gather more information to provide to you before responding to your emails. However, you requested that I respond to your email even though I only have limited information at this point. I just want to provide some context on how my branch (EPA’s Removal Program) got involved. My understanding is that the Town of Templeton had requested assistance from EPA’s Brownfields Program to conduct a targeted brownfields assessment at the Temple Stuart Site. During the course of the brownfields assessment work, elevated levels of PCBs were identified in surficial soils in certain areas. When these areas were identified, the EPA’s Brownfields Program and MassDEP referred the Site to EPA’s Removal Program for evaluation. EPA’s Removal Program primarily addresses releases or threat of releases of hazardous substances to the environment that pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health and the environment. The Removal Program performs time-critical removal actions to conduct response actions to minimize or reduce acute exposure to such releases. The Removal Program evaluated the data collected by the Brownfields program and determined that a time-critical removal is warranted to address the contact threat that exists due to the PCB concentrations located in the surficial soils. With the Action Memorandum dated May 8, 2024 that you have referenced, our program documented the need for a removal action and seek approval and funding to conduct the removal action to address the PCB contaminated surficial soils. As you had requested, I have attached the data that was provided to us from the Brownfields Program regarding their PCB sampling efforts.
I have reached out to Jim Byrne, EPA Brownfields Project Officer, to check on the status of the Phase II environmental assessment report that is being generated as part of their targeted brownfields assessment. Unfortunately, I do not know the current status of that report at this point. That Phase II assessment report is a very comprehensive report and does take a significant level of effort to generate. The data set attached to this email will also be in the Phase II report. I do believe that Phase II report should address many of the questions that you have raised. Jim did indicate that he would be willing to discuss with you the work that is being done for the targeted brownfields assessment if that is something you would like.
I have also spoke with Adam Lamontagne, the Town Administrator, briefly yesterday and he did offer work with us to put information onto the Town’s website regarding this Site. Liz McCarthy from our front office has been assigned to work me on this project. I will work with Liz and Adam to post information regarding EPA’s removal action (factsheet/periodic updates) and when available, the Phase II assessment report onto the Town’s website so residents can easily obtain the information.
After the Removal Program completes its removal action, the Site will be returned back to the Brownfields Program to allow them to continue their work; and referred back to MassDEP for any future environmental regulatory oversight.
Wing
Wing Chau, Federal On-Scene Coordinato
