EDB Public Meeting
Welcome and Introduction: Mr. Karson introduced himself and the panel, Mr. Tom Szymoniak of Jacobs Engineering, Mr. Marty Aker of Jacobs Engineering, and Colonel Craig Postlewait of the United States Air Force. Mr. Karson stated that handouts directly correlating with the presentation were available. He stated that the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) designed a "nuisance report" to provide the community an opportunity to express concerns about anything they perceive as being wrong. Mr. Karson encouraged the audience to sign up for the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) Site Mailing List if they had not already. He briefly explained the intent of the meeting which was to discuss the Fuel Spill 28 (FS-28) groundwater plume. FS-28 Plume Definition: Mr. Karson displayed a slide showing the location of the Fuel Spill - 28 (FS-28) groundwater plume, using Route 151 as a point of reference. He stated that this plume originates from an unknown source on the MMR. Mr. Karson stated that it extends in groundwater, below ground surface. He displayed a close up to show that the southern extent of the groundwater plume was just north of Thomas B. Landers Road. Mr. Karson stated that the map was drawn from data taken from numerous monitoring wells. Mr. Karson pointed to the supply well just on the western end of Coonamessett Pond, and stated that further south near Hatchville Road, the plume is well below ground surface. He stated that south of Hatchville Road the plume becomes influenced by the Coonamessett River, and upward movement begins to occur toward the surface. He stated that a portion of the plume rises up and discharges in the area where the Coonamessett River and the Broad River meet. Mr. Karson stated that ethylene dibromide (EDB) was an additive to fuel. Mr. Karson stated that EDB was found in nearly 50 of the test wells located south and southwest of Coonamessett Pond. Area Pond Testing-Spring 1997: Mr. Karson stated that AFCEE initiated several activities in the last ten months, one of which was pond testing done in the spring of 1997. He stated that EDB was not found in sediment and water samples taken from Round Pond. Mr. Karson also stated that EDB was not found in the conduit between Round Pond and the Coonamessett River. He stated that water samples taken from Deep Pond did not show evidence of EDB either. Mr. Karson stated that the Falmouth Board of Health tested Coonamessett Pond and they also did not find EDB. Private Well Testing-October 1996 to Present: Mr. Karson stated that over 30 residences had been tested twice a month since October 1996 and bottled water had been provided to them. He stated that in May, they had two detections of EDB in two separate Hatchville residences. Mr. Karson stated that the levels found were within the safe drinking water limits, and they have not had repeat occurrences of EDB since. He stated that EDB was not detected in any other wells. Mr. Karson stated that private well testing and bottled water will be discontinued once residences were hooked up to town water. Town Water Hookups: Mr. Karson stated that 118 residences would receive town water hookups, and added that the Air Force had an agreement with the Town of Falmouth. Mr. Karson stated that the initial phase of the agreement includes completed water mains for the area south and southwest of Coonamessett Pond by September 19, 1997. He stated that phase II, which includes Boxberry Hill Road west of Hatchville, Brady Drive and Wellington Way, was to commence shortly after they finish phase I. Mr. Karson stated that residents in the area wanted to know if they had to allow the Air Force to come in to abandon their well once they were on town water. He stated that the issue of well abandonment was being reviewed by legal staff and may not be required. Surface Water Testing: Mr. Karson stated that surface water from the area of the Coonamessett River between Hatchville Road and Route 28 had been tested frequently since October 1996. He stated that they had seen detections of EDB. Mr. Karson stated that the average detection was .2 parts per billion (ppb), and the highest detection was .36 ppb. He stated that the testing will continue twice a month, and they have no plan to end the testing at the present time. Air Quality Testing: Mr. Karson stated that three rounds of air quality testing had been conducted in the last four months. He stated that the first and last round showed measurable levels of EDB in the air near the river system. Mr. Karson stated that according to the risk assessment done by the Air Force as well as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MADPH), the levels they detected were very low and posed no health risk to area residents. Mr. Karson stated that the Air Force will be meeting with the regulatory agencies and public health officials in September to discuss all the results and future testing needs. Irrigation Wells: Mr. Karson stated that concern about the use of water that contained EDB for irrigation purposes, was brought up in April. He stated that the Air Force had installed nine irrigation wells for growers, to replace surface water as a source of water. Mr. Karson stated that irrigation wells were installed in clean areas and were tested to assure that they were safe to use. He stated that as a result, any potential threat from spray irrigation with surface water containing EDB had been greatly diminished. Plume Capture (Time-Critical Removal Action): Mr. Karson stated that several steps had been taken to protect the river, and assure that the private well users in the area hooked up to town water. He stated that they were now trying to focus on capturing the plume. Mr. Karson displayed a cross section of the FS-28 plume and stated that their goal was to deal with the area of higher levels of EDB waiting to surface. Mr. Karson stated that an extraction well had been installed in the area of the FS-28 plume just before it begins to rise to the river system. He stated that in the area of high concentration, the levels of EDB were in the 10 to 16 ppb range. Mr. Karson stated that the extraction well would extract 600 gallons per minute (gpm), filter the water with granular activated carbon, and return the water to the river system. He stated that the long term solution was to reduce the higher level of EDB. Consequently as it begins to move upward toward the river system, it would be much reduced. Mr. Karson pointed out the location of the extraction well on the map, and stated that additional wells may be installed at a later date. Fall Harvest Plan: Mr. Karson stated that the Fall Harvest Plan was undertaken by the Air Force to protect public health, including the workers in the bogs during the harvesting of cranberries. Mr. Karson stated that prior testing has found that the cranberries were not affected by the presence of EDB. He stated that testing was done by both Ocean Spray and the Massachusettes Department of Public Health (MADPH). Mr. Karson stated that the system they were proposing would ensure that safe water would be used in bogs south of the treatment system. Mr. Karson stated that they were scheduled to begin the system on September 1, 1997. He stated that that did not happen due to concerns raised by various individuals and organizations including the Falmouth Conservation Commission, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (UEPA), and the Everyone Deserves Better (EDB) homeowners group. Mr. Karson stated that the Falmouth Conservation Commission was meeting September 4, 1997 and this issue was on the agenda. Mr. Karson stated that the Fall Harvest Plan uses carbon units to filter surface water from the Coonamessett and Broad River areas, where they have the EDB flow rising to the surface. He stated they want to gather the water, purify it with the carbon filters, and put it back into the river system. Mr. Karson stated that the water will be piped a short distance down stream and discharged to surface water. He stated that Pond 14 would be lowered by a foot initially and then filled with cleaned water. Mr. Karson stated that a concern about the herring was raised. He stated that AFCEE made a modification to their original plan, which was to operate the system continuously for about six to eight weeks. Mr. Karson stated that they now propose to operate the system for a two week period and shut it off for a week to allow the herring to come down from Coonamessett Pond. He stated that the system would then be turned on again for the second phase of harvesting of cranberries. Mr. Karson stated that they had also installed a river bypass, which is a pipeline used to divert a portion of the river. He stated that the whole operation is a short term project, and would only be in operation for a six to eight week period. Mr. Karson stated that they would hopefully begin operation of the system within the next two weeks. He stated that they would operate the system through October or upon completion of the cranberry harvesting, at which point it would be removed. Mr. Karson stated that there was a concern about lighting in the area. Mr. Karson stated that they recently had an incident of vandalism at the site. He stated that they will provide 24 hour security at the site, which will mandate lighting. Mr. Karson stated that they would be using low intensity lights, similar to those used on highways, and facing them away from area residences, to be as least obtrusive as possible. Mr. Karson stated that an issue about noise had also been raised. He stated that generators would be used for power and there would be some noise associated with the system. Mr. Karson stated that they were considering using hay bales around the pumps to minimize the noise. He stated that noise testing would be done to determine a base line and what impact the noise might have on the residences. Mr. Karson encouraged the community to page him if they had concerns about any of the issues mentioned. Mr. Karson stated that their goal was to implement the system within the next few weeks. He stated that they were waiting for final approval from the Falmouth Conservation Commission. Issues Raised at the September 3, 1997 Meeting in Boston: Mr. Karson stated that he attended a meeting concerning the Fall Harvest Plan, held by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier that day in Boston. He summarized the issues regarding treatment of surface water in the bogs, that were raised at the meeting:
Mr. Karson stated that in the worst case scenario, the risk to workers is right at the threshold, when it just starts to become a concern. He stated that AFCEE wants to make sure that if there was any potential risk to the workers, they would be taken care of. Mr. Karson stated that the issue of buying the bogs was brought up at the meeting. He stated that AFCEE could pay for the cleanup of the plume, and protection of public health, but they do not have the legal means to take the bogs out of commission. Mr. Karson stated that the long term solution was to implement strategies to protect public health and eventually allow the bog to operate without the systems being discussed. He stated that a consensus was not reached at the meeting in Boston. Mr. Karson stated that a meeting was set up for the following morning to continue the discussion on these and other issues. He stated that AFCEE’s goal was to get support from the regulatory agencies, implement modifications to existing plans, and go forward with the plan pending the approval of the Conservation Commission at the public hearing the following evening. Mr. Karson stated that AFCEE was on tomorrow nights’ agenda at 8:35 P.M. Mr. Karson displayed slides of extraction well 1, which was installed in the areas with the highest levels of EDB. He stated that they wanted to reduce the amount of EDB before it surfaces into the river system. Mr. Karson displayed a slide of a foundation being poured for the carbon infiltration units. He stated that water would be pumped to that location, where granular activated carbon vessels would treat the water. He also displayed slides of the piping from river systems in the cranberry bog area. Mr. Karson stated that the system was ready to go and they were seeking support from the regulatory agencies, the Conservation Commission, and from the homeowners in the area. He stated that AFCEE was trying to do something appropriate while working within the guidelines they have. Mr. Karson stated that if the system did not make sense they would not go forward with it. Questions and Answers: A member of the audience asked what portion of the river would be diverted. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the area near Hatchville Road where they had 3 cubic feet per second (cfs) would be diverted. He stated that the water coming from the Coonamessett Pond to this area, was clean. He stated that rather that try to treat that, they wanted to move to and treat the area of contamination. They decided to put in a river bypass system to bypass the area of potential contamination. He stated that they would bypass the whole river. Mr. Szymoniak pointed out the portion of the stream that basically was not a "gaining" stream, but a "losing" stream. He identified a portion of the river from south of Coonamessett Pond to Thomas B. Landers Road, and stated that the river increases about three fold in that area on account of the upwelling that was occurring. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they were trying to take the portion of clean water and deposit it in an area of the river further south. He stated that as of last week, the Shellfish Board blocked the flow of Coonamessett Pond lowering the flow to less than one cfs. Consequently there was no reason to bypass that point because they need some water to stay in the system. He stated that when the Coonamessett Pond was blocked to keep the herring in the pond, there was an overflow. He stated that if that was implemented under the Fall Harvest Plan, there would be no need to bypass that area. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the system was presently in place. Ms. MacRae asked how many years the system would be in place. Mr. Karson stated that once the extraction well was running and they were able to monitor it, they could determine a time frame. He stated that presently this was just a temporary system intended to run through October and the harvesting of the cranberries. Mr. Karson stated that depending on the benefits of this system, implementing the system for one more season may derive the benefit they were intending to achieve. Ms. MacRae asked if the berries that were wet picked had been tested. Mr. Szymoniak stated that all the bogs had been tested. Mr. Karson stated that the main concern was testing the berries that were wet harvested due to the fact that they came into contact with water. He added that the cranberries that were dry picked had not come into contact with water that contained EDB. Ms. MacRae then asked if the pond testing included surface water testing. Mr. Szymoniak stated that samples from Round Pond and Deep Pond were all taken at depth. He stated that they did random sampling and tried to sample across the entire depths of the ponds. Ms. MacRae stated that she was opposed to the Fall Harvest Plan. She stated that with the amount of uncertainty as to what was going on, it was ludicrous and unfair spending so much money on harvesting the cranberries. Mr. Karson responded that the issue of appropriate use of funds was discussed at the meeting earlier in the day. He added that the regulatory agencies would continue the discussion the following day. A member of the audience asked what the saturation point of the soil was for EDB. He also asked if the carbon filter pumps clean the soil. Mr. Karson stated that this was a groundwater treatment process. The audience member asked if there were any alternatives to carbon pumps and if they were cost effective. Mr. Karson stated that carbon filtration system was the standard technology used for removing volatile and semi-volatile compounds such as EDB. He stated that due to the effectiveness of the carbon treatment, they could easily detect non-detect reading for EDB after treatment through a carbon filter. Mr. Karson stated that they were not treating the soil because EDB was flowing in the water. The audience member asked, if the water was being cleaned would the soil in turn be clean. Mr. Karson concurred that once they treat all the water containing EDB, the aquifer would eventually become clean. The audience member asked if they had an alternative if the pumps failed. Mr. Karson stated that extraction wells were a proven and standard technology for treating groundwater contamination. Mr. Szymoniak reiterated that granular activated carbon was the standard treatment for EDB. He added that this method of treatment had been very successful in the remediation of a similar groundwater contamination site in Springfield, Massachusetts. The audience member asked if there were other chemicals more toxic than EDB in this plume. Mr. Szymoniak stated that there were very low levels of volatile organic compounds in this plume. He added that in terms of contamination this plume was strictly limited to EDB. The audience member asked how they treated surface water, and if the marine life absorbed the chemicals being discussed. Mr. Karson stated that the cranberries tested last Fall showed no evidence of uptake. He stated that there did not appear to be any potential risk to fish, however the Air Force would be doing studies on them. The audience member asked if EDB was biodegradable and if it accumulated in the body. Mr. Karson stated that a risk calculation would be done if a person was exposed to EDB through drinking water, showering in it, or breathing in the vapors. Mr. Karson stated that they would calculate the risk by assessing the levels of EDB, the level of exposure, and the length of exposure. Col. Postlewait stated that EDB does not accumulate in the body, in the fish, or in animal tissue. He added that the Air Force would fund additional studies to substantiate that statement. Col. Postlewait stated that if a person was exposed to EDB on a daily basis, it could be dangerous to people. A member of the audience asked if it would be dangerous if EDB was atomized in the air he was breathing. Col. Postlewait stated that if he were breathing it all the time, at high levels, it could be dangerous, and added that a one time exposure did not indicate that it would lead to a significant risk. A member of the audience wanted to clarify that there was no question that they were going to turn on the extraction well the following day. Mr. Karson concurred. Mr. Szymoniak added that it was part of the notice of intent, and the issue was on the agenda for the meeting the following day. A member of the audience asked where they were taking air samples. Mr. Szymoniak stated that four rounds of air sampling were being taken. He stated that well 14 had the highest level of EDB occurrence. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they had set an air transfer right above the surface at that location. He added that before the well was turned on they did a spray irrigation and had higher detections in that area than in areas further up stream. A member of the audience asked if they had controls in other areas. Mr.Szymoniak stated that the only controls they had were the canisters, and they had not set any up in other areas. The audience member asked if it would be logical to set up canisters in areas where contaminants were not expected. Mr. Szymoniak stated that as long as they were doing the spray irrigation, that was an unlikely. He added that they wanted to focus on the higher levels of contamination. The audience member asked why they did not put the canisters in areas where they wouldn’t expect to find EDB. Mr. Szymoniak stated they could discuss that. Mr. Karson added that they would raise the issue in future meetings with the Remedial Project Managers (RPMs). A member of the audience expressed concern about the width of the plume and asked if reinjecting treated water into the groundwater would spread the plume. He asked if it would be better to put treated water into the Broad River, then it would eventually go into the pond. He also asked if lowering Pond 14 would keep the high elevation in the Coonamessett River. Mr. Karson stated that the ultimate solution would be a row of extraction wells across the full width of the plume. Mr. Szymoniak added that the plume was about 1000 feet wide at that location, and their modeling was pumping 600 gallons per minute (gpm) capturing about 80 percent of the plume. He stated that about eight percent of the plume gets lost in the silt layer. Mr. Szymoniak added that the draw down on that well was about six feet. He stated that a row of axial wells would achieve full containment as well as remediate the areas at much higher depth. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they would remove the water and place it back in the surface water not reinjecting. He stated that an option they were considering in the long term solution would be reinjecting the water outside the plume. Mr. Szymoniak stated that there was so much upwelling already occurring, it may not be productive to add more water. A member of the audience stated that the obvious answer seemed to be letting it flow into the river as much as possible. Mr. Szymoniak stated that that may happen, however other constituents entering the well need to be addressed to assure they are not adding additional pollutants into the river. He stated that they were looking into what actual draw down and capture they achieve from extraction well #1 (EW1). Mr. Szymoniak stated that there was a connection to Flax Pond and added that hopefully it would be blocked off when Pond 14 was lowered. He stated that they had taken samples and the results indicated that EDB stays on the surface. Ms. Wyatt stated that it was important for the public to know what may happen if the Conservation Commission approves of the Fall Harvest Plan. She stated that the pumps would require 100 gallons of fuel per day, consequently a means to transport the fuel onto or near the bogs would be necessary. Ms. Wyatt stated that having fuel delivered to the pumping sites was an added risk. Ms. Wyatt said that the paperwork she was given prior to tonight stated that Pond 14 would be lowered up to three feet which did not coincide with the present information that stated the pond would be lowered by one foot. She also asked what information they had regarding what impact holding the herring would have on their migration patterns. Ms. Wyatt stated that a holistic picture needed to be taken. Ms. Wyatt stated that she felt the concerns of the citizens were being minimized by the conversations taking place that evening. She stated that low levels of contaminants were unacceptable. Ms. Wyatt added that any levels were unacceptable. Ms. Wyatt stated that she did not want to hear remarks that the levels were "not too bad". Ms. Wyatt also expressed concern about the money being spent to salvage the cranberry crop. She stated that it was "insanity to pour money into a crop and not take care of the plume itself". Ms. Wyatt stated that they were taking care of business and not taking care of the people. She expressed her disappointment and submitted her disapproval of the proposed Fall Harvest Plan. Mr. Szymoniak stated that two diesel pumps would be operating, and they would each use approximately four gallons of fuel per hour. He stated that they would have a six inch high rubberized material referred to as a geomembrane, which would contain any leaks that could occur. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the tanks on the pumps hold 100 gallons each, therefore they would have approximately a twenty hour operating time. Mr. Szymoniak stated that a pick-up truck would be used to carry fuel to the site and it would have a maximum carrying capacity of 100 gallons. He stated that the truck would have a spill containment kit on board. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the other diagram Ms. Wyatt referred to was a portable septic tank, referred to as an infiltration basin, to be used as a way to lower velocities to prevent any turbinity of any sediments in the treatment center. Mr. Karson stated in regard to Pond 14, that modifications of the original plan included a proposal to reduce the draw down of the pond to no more than one foot. He added that this issue was on the following morning’s agenda with the regulatory agencies. Mr. Szymoniak stated that in 1990 they had done an intensive recreation survey on the fish in Pond 14. He stated that there was a concern about what impact lowering the pond more than a foot would have on the recreational fish. Mr. Szymoniak stated that a big difference would probably not be seen in the other reaches of the river in terms of water level. Mr. Karson asked Mr. Szymoniak to address the herring that would be held in Coonamessett Pond for a two week period. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they were working out a compromise with the Marine Fisheries and he felt that two weeks would be an acceptable amount of time. Mr. Karson stated that that had changed from the original proposal. He added that this was not covered in the original notice of intent. Mr. Karson addressed Ms. Wyatts’ statement that the publics concerns were being minimized and her feeling that any level of EDB was unacceptable. He stated that they were trying to implement strategies to eliminate the problem of EDB. He stated that their ultimate goal was to effectively capture the plume to eliminate the detections of EDB. He stated that their short term goal was to make sure that they keep the risk away from the residents and workers. Mr. Karson stated that a lot of money was being spent on this project to protect public health and to allow the berries to be harvested. He stated that the Air Force was not authorized to buy the cranberry bogs. Ms. Wyatt stated that she was not referring to buying the cranberry bogs. She stated that she was referring to compensating the growers for contaminated crops. Mr. Karson stated that it was essentially the same answer. Ms. Wyatt stated that the Air Force had already compensated the growers to the tune a half million dollars. Mr. Karson stated that action could be taken, to protect public health when there was potential threat from a hazardous waste site, based on superfund law. He stated that the Air Force has authorization to spend taxpayers money to implement extraction wells in areas of contamination as well as surface water treatment due to the fact that there are people in the area, the cranberry growers, being exposed to surface water. Ms. Wyatt stated that the Air Force was spending $500,000.00 to protect the workers, when Mr. Handy has his workers in the river. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they were not actually exposed to the water. Ms. Wyatt disagreed and stated that she had seen them standing in the river. Mr. Karson reiterated that the goal was to eliminate the risk, and that would be accomplished to the best of their ability through surface water treatment. Ms. Wyatt asked what the correct dollar amount was. Mr. Szymoniak stated that one number refers to the amount needed to mobilize the equipment. He stated that the $500,000.00 refers to the operation of the system through the harvest and the third dollar amount would finance the ecological sampling scheduled to occur through December. Ms. Connolly stated that Mr. Gorges from Jacobs Engineering had not answered a fax she had sent to him in July. She gave a copy of the letter to Mr. Karson to deliver to Mr. Gorge. Ms. Walker stated that the figure $1.1 million mentioned this evening, however the figure $1.2 million was mentioned at the Joint Process Action Team (JPAT) meeting. She stated that the cranberry crop was worth about a half a million dollars, therefore they were spending twice as much as the bogs are worth. Ms. Walker stated that the Fall Harvest Plan was incomplete in that it would only capture 80 percent of the plume. She stated that the Pond 14 issue was a "no win" situation in that if it was not lowered the original amount there would be more EDB in the pond. Ms. Walker stated that the trade-off would be ecological harm versus how much EDB was left in the pond. Ms. Walker stated that the system was also incomplete in that a hurricane could blow it out of the water and then asked if in fact it would work in a hurricane situation. Ms. Walker expressed concern about accidents and vandalism. She stated that there was nothing in writing stating that the public would be informed in the instance of a fuel spill, vandalism, or a system breaking down. Ms. Walker asked how the public would be notified. Ms. Walker stated that on August 2, 1997 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asked to shut down the bogs. She stated that the negotiations concerning that issue were still going on. Ms. Walker stated that turning the system on and off did not remediate the problem. She also expressed concern about the herring not being safe in the Coonamessett Pond. Mr. Karson stated that the issue of money spent and cranberry growers willingness to market those cranberries based on public perception was an important issue. He stated that the present plan was to go ahead and market the cranberries based upon some things that the Air Force hopes to implement with the Fall Harvest Plan and still can upon approval of the plan. He stated that would assure potential buyers of cranberries, that the water used in the harvesting process was clean, and the berries never came into contact with water containing EDB. Mr. Karson stated in regard to the issue of percentage of capture, that Jacobs was predicting 80 percent capture. He stated that installation of one extraction well in the area of highest concentration would capture a significant amount of the plume. Mr. Karson stated that additional testing and monitoring would be done, and an additional well could possibly be installed to get closer to 100 percent capture. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the levels seen in Pond 14 were limited to the upper three feet of the pond. He stated that the results were based on the fourteen samples they tested. Mr. Szymoniak stated that there was an abandoned bog that was about a foot and a half deep. He stated that most of the EDB contamination found was limited to that area. Mr. Szymoniak pointed out the areas where they had several non-detects. Mr. Szymoniak stated that lowering the pond a foot would lower the necessary areas without impacting the ecological system. He added that they had done a thorough evaluation of the habitat in that area, and this was a compromise they were willing to make. A member of the audience asked who did the evaluation. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the notice of intent included looking at Pond 14. He stated that Mr. Shaw , one of the Air Forces sub-consultants, did a thorough study in 1990 on the habitat near Pond 14. The audience member stated that they were using a seven year old study. Mr. Szymoniak responded that they were using the study in conjunction to the information they currently have. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the carbon filters were designed to withstand a wind force of 125 miles per hour (mph). He added that the design standards on Cape Cod were 125 mph. Mr. Szymoniak stated that that the maximum water flow was 3000 gpm. He stated that presently the river was running at about 1500 gpm, therefore they would only be using about half of the systems capacity. Mr. Szymoniak stated that in the instance of a torrential rain storm, there were several back-ups to hold the water at different locations. He stated that if they could not hold the water, they would have to wait out the storm. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they had been measuring stream flow since early January, and they have found that the river basin is very sensitive to groundwater, and not as sensitive to rain. He stated that the river was predominately driven by surface water. Mr. Karson stated that access was being controlled and there would be 24 hour security at the site to address the vandalism issue. Mr. Szymoniak stated that there would be two people posted at the site when it is in operation. Mr. Karson stated that in the instance of a catastrophe, the public would be notified in the quickest method possible. He stated that door to door notification would be possible as well as mailing notices to the surrounding homes. Mr. Karson again stated that the Air Force cannot expend money for compensation, however they can expend money to protect public health. Ms. Walker submitted that she was against the Fall Harvest Plan. She stated the next step that should be taken, would be going to Senator Kerry, Senator Kennedy, and Congressman Delahunt, and asking for a special legislation to take care of this problem. Mr. Karson stated that an official record was being taken and he encouraged everyone to attend the public meeting being held the following evening. A member of the audience asked why they could not use treated water to keep the level the same in Pond 14. He also expressed concern about the use of the term "non-detect". He stated that they should compare the levels of EDB found to those which are permitted by the EPA. He asked why EDB heads toward the surface. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they were trying to lower the level of Pond 14 to try and take it out faster than they put it back in while adding clean water at the same time. He stated that the level may not be dropped for a dramatically long period of time due to the fact that they would be trying to fill it at the same time. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they had discussed the possibility of raising the pond level. He stated that raising the level had less ecological effect than lowering it, and they may consider that option. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the pond could be raised several feet to dilute the current concentration. He added that the key was to stop the EDB from coming down. Mr. Szymoniak stated that given the half life of EDB, about 5 days , and enough time, it should clean up on its own, if the flow is stopped. He stated that the intent was to stop the flow first, provide treated water and at the same time flush out what is already there to try and expedite the system. Mr. Karson stated that the EPA’s acceptable level of EDB in drinking water was .05 parts per billion (ppb). He stated that at that level or above was considered a public health risk. Mr. Karson said that the Air Force uses the States more conservative number, which is .02 ppb. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the lowest level of EDB in groundwater found in the on-site lab was .005 ppb, and detections at the off-site lab were .0039 ppb. Mr. Karson pointed out that the levels detected were significantly lower than the acceptable levels. Mr. Szymoniak stated that in terms of the method itself, what would actually be quantified was called the recording limit. He stated that they were very confident in the practical quantitation limit for this lab being .01 ppb. Mr. Szymoniak stated that anything between the detection level, .0039 ppb and .01 ppb was estimated. He stated that the chemists cannot reliably determine that number, hence the term estimated value. Mr. Szymoniak stated that anything reported above .01 ppb was the natural value that they accept with the qualifiers that they have. A member of the audience asked if the largest number was .36 ppb. Mr. Szymoniak stated that surface water sampling done last October, showed a level of .36 ppb. He stated that the number has since climbed at station 14, the highest number being .25 ppb. Mr. Szymoniak stated that coming out of Pond 14 it has presently been .01 ppb or below. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the Coonamessett River creates a positive vertical gradient that wants to bring water particles up to the surface. He stated that the natural salt water intrusion forces the water to try and escape, causing tremendous vertical gradient. Mr. Szymoniak stated that due to the influence of the Coonamessett pond and it’s relationship to the river, the Broad River acts like a horizontal well. A member of the audience asked how much effort would be left if the cranberries were not a concern. Mr. Karson stated that once the cranberries were harvested, the work in the area of EW1 would continue, surface water sampling would continue, air quality testing would continue, and private well sampling would continue. A member of the audience asked what would happen if nothing was done about the plume. Mr. Karson stated that the plume was fairly sizable. He added that the northern part of the plume has yet to be defined. Mr. Karson stated that work was planned to start in October to investigate that area and help locate a source. He stated that the plume was fairly long and thick. Mr. Karson stated that the migration would take many years. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the United States Coast Guard (USGS) had done carbon dating and the water found in that area dates back to the 1950’s. He stated that the plume traveled at about a foot per day. A member of the audience asked if the plume would ever dissipate. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the plume would detach, indicating that the source was probably eliminated. He stated that the plumes with EDB may have multiple sources. The audience member then asked if it made sense to put a pump in front of the plume. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they were trying to extract the "hot spot". He added that at 1500 feet, the depth of the plume changes and it starts to come way up due to a tremendous vertical gradient. He stated that they were trying to cut off the plume at extraction well #1 before it migrated up. The audience member asked if they had wells around station 14 and after station 14, wouldn’t that protect the rest of the environment. Mr. Szymoniak stated that they had plans with extraction well #2 to stop the contaminants before they migrate south. The audience member asked how, when, and where the plume started. Mr. Karson stated that they do not know for sure where the source area was. He stated that the main focus over the last eight months had been to make sure they knew what was in the area being discussed. Mr. Karson stated that they may never know where the exact source area is and that there could possibly be several source areas. Mr. Karson stated that they have found that EDB moves quicker than other contaminants and added that it may have already moved on from the source. Mr. Szymoniak stated that the contamination could have began in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Mr. Szymoniak added that EDB was water soluble. Mr. Aker stated that EDB goes straight to the water table, and they had never been found in the soils. Mr. Karson thanked everyone for attending and adjourned the meeting at 9:00 P.M.
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