10-10-1988 - Agenda Packet City Council - regular meeting

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Zoning File #1340 September 27, 1988 Page 2 of 5 Review of Application - As with all industrial type operations within this State, WSI is under a continual monitoring program of operations under the P.C.A. guidelines. In May of 1987, Pace Laboratories was asked to sample soil borings conducted on the WSI site for construction of a new parking lot for the facility. In the process of analysing those soil borings, the findings indicated the potential for contamination cf soil and perhaps ground water with volatile organic compounds. In the Summer of 1987, WSI contracted with Delta Environmental to conduct a full scale program of sampling, analysis and investigation for the purpose of correcting the problem and with a recommendation for remedial action. Review Exhibit L, Delta's Remedial Action Plan, to the rear you will find several site plans. In those site plans, note the location of various monitoring wells that have been installed on the site in addition to locating the contaminated area to the south cf the parking lot and on another, the propos3d location of the filtering trench. The contaminate has been classified as organic solvent. In discussions with 1•. . Pallansch, it would appear that the hazardous substance was found in possibly the chemicals used by the company years ago, and twenty to thirty years ago, it was the misguided practice to throw these out into the adjacent field. There is no other explanation for it as the substances do not exist naturally in soils. WSI has worked closely under the direction of the M.P.C.A. Please review the coorespondence enclosed in your packets (Exhibits E through K). They briefly define the many interactions between the agencies that have taken place since 1987. The M.P.C.A. has approved Delta Environmental's recommendations which involve the installation of monitoring wells to determine the extent of the contamination on the site and through the groundwater. Note monitoring wells have been placed on St. George's cemetary property to the east of the subject property. The City of Orono's formal responsibilities entered the scene as a result of the land alterations involved. The trench construction will allow a slow filtering ;rocess of the groundwaters and a flushing system that will be closely monitored by the M.W.C.C. and as both letter from Mr. Cook and M.W.C.C. (Exhibits D 6 K) ruggest, it must also be monitored by the City of Orono before it enters the sewer system. In that same packet prepared by Delta Environmental, you will find engineering diagrams of that trench, pumping chambers, filtering systems, etc.