Southwest Operable Unit
Public Meeting
Agenda Item # 1: Welcome, Introductions and Briefing: Mr. Karson, Community Involvement Specialist for the Installation Restoration Program (IRP), welcomed the attendees and explained that the purpose of the meeting was to inform the public about the latest results of the Southwest Operable Unit (SWOU) investigation. He stated that Mr. Tom Szymoniak, the project lead for the SWOU, would provide a presentation on the investigation which would be followed by a question and answer session. Mr. Karson asked that everyone sign in on the sign-in sheet and asked them to please use a microphone when asking a question or making a comment. Mr. Karson then introduced Mr. Marty Aker, senior hydrologist for the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE), Ms. Lauren Foster of Jacobs Engineering Group, Mr. Jim Snyder Program Manager for AFCEE, and Ms. Virginia Valiela, Falmouth Selectman. He also stated that Mr. Bob Lim of the United Stated Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Ms. Cathy Kiley of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) were available for questions. Mr. Karson referred to a news release (see attachment #1) which stated that there would be additional town water hook-ups in the Boxberry Hill and Cloverfield Way areas. Agenda Item #2: SWOU Update - Mr. Tom Szymoniak: ( please see attachment #2 which includes all slides shown during presentation) Mr. Szymoniak displayed a map of the areas of concern in the SWOU and stated that last year the investigation started below Coonamessett Pond at Fuel Spill-28 (FS-28). He said that chlorinated solvents were detected during the FS-28 investigation which prompted the Air Force to create the SWOU which investigated a broader area in which the chlorinated solvents and contamination emanating from the base. He stated that the SWOU expanded out to Route 28, and north onto the base. Mr. Szymoniak referred to the Objectives of the SWOU:
Mr. Szymoniak then displayed a slide of the Overview of Activities:
Mr. Szymoniak stated that eighty monitoring wells covered the SWOU and that additional monitoring wells were to be installed at forty locations. He said that twenty-four wells had already been installed. He also stated that approximately sixty percent of the field work had been completed. He then said that the remedial investigation would lead to a report that would be given to the regulatory agencies by the end of September. Mr. Szymoniak referred to the Progress slide:
Mr. Szymoniak stated that a regional groundwater model helped with the initial particle tracking and indicated areas where there may be contamination. He explained that the computer modeling also assisted in the backtracking of water to its source. He then stated that the intention was to complete the field program by May 15, 1998. Mr. Szymoniak displayed a map of the monitoring wells in the SWOU that had been sampled in the past eighteen months. He explained that the existing monitoring wells were used to identify data gaps. He stated that the first investigation in October 1996 was used to track ethylenedibromide (EDB). It was determined from existing monitoring wells that the EDB was limited to the Coonamessett River. He also stated that extraction well-1 (EW-1) was installed in October, 1997, to try to intercept the higher concentrations of EDB and it was working very well. He then pointed to two vicinities where EDB has been detected. Mr. Szymoniak explained that EDB was a fuel additive. Mr. Szymoniak stated that trichloroethylene (TCE), a chlorinated solvent used for degreasing, had also been detected on the base. He commented that the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for trichloroethylene (TCE) was 5 parts per billion (ppb). Mr. Szymoniak then stated that PCE had also been detected in some wells. He explained that 24 out of the 40 proposed wells had been installed to help indicate the boundaries of the carbon tetrachloride and the EDB. He added that the results that were available were preliminary. Mr. Szymoniak then displayed a slide depicting the new monitoring wells in the SWOU area in the western section. He stated that there were not a lot of wells but that the particle tracking showed that there may be potential sources in that area. He stated that the particle tracking indicated where the water would flow. An audience member pointed out that the maps were difficult to read because there were no street names labeled. To clarify, Mr. Szymoniak pointed out Cloverfield Way, Sam Turner Road, and Route 151. Mr. Szymoniak reported that TCE was detected at a depth of about 60 feet in one location and was detected as deep as approximately 285 feet below ground surface. He stated that the highest level of EDB detected was 68 ppb. Mr. Karson explained that anything above 5 ppb for TCE and PCE were not acceptable for drinking water standards. Mr. Szymoniak displayed a slide which depicted the sampling locations for Coonamessett Pond which he anticipated would be completed by the following week. He stated that the plume was very deep in this vicinity and that it was possible that the plume underflowed the pond at some points. He explained that the surface water sampling would help to determine whether the plume stayed below ground surface. Mr. Szymoniak then referred to the Plans slide:
Mr. Szymoniak displayed the Project Schedule slide:
Mr. Szymoniak concluded his presentation and stated that he was available for any questions. Agenda Item #3: Questions and Answers: Mr. Ryan, an audience member, stated that he had a map produced by HAZWRAP in 1994 which showed plumes on the base and the directions in which they were headed. He asked if anything was being done to elevate hot spots to remedy the problem or was the extent of the problem still being evaluated. Mr. Karson replied that Mr. Ryan brought up an important issue. He said that he would try to summarize the activities of the last eight months regarding that concern. He reported that EDB had discharged into the Coonamessett River and that a system was on line south of Hatchville Road which was pumping 600 gallons per minute (gpm) at that portion of the plume. He added that a decision had been made on the Ashumet Valley Plume to install extraction wells in the center of the plume where the highest concentrations were detected. He stated that a decision had been made on Chemical Spill-10 (CS-10), which was a large solvent plume, to install extraction wells on Sandwich Road where the highest levels of TCE and PCE had been detected. He also explained that there was a dual track in place for Landfill-1 (LF-1) which was natural attenuation as well as the design of a system. He stated that there were several pump and treat systems on line, including one for Storm Drain-5 (SD-5) at the base boundary and the other for FS-12 in Sandwich. Ms. O’Brien of Spectacle Pond Drive stated that she had been following the activities on the base for twelve years. She said that her concern was that the plumes could not be "out-guessed" and that the Air Force had no way of knowing what direction the plumes would head. She also stated that town water should be provided to all of the families if there was a real concern about health risk. Mr. Karson agreed that risk was the most important issue. He again referred to the news release and stated that there would be town water hook-ups on Boxberry Road west to Route 151 and Cloverfield Way. He added that there was not a limitation on their ability to hook-up other areas but that information was still being gathered and were needed before further decisions were made. Ms. O’Brien stated that they had been gathering information for eleven years. Mr. Karson stated that the Town of Falmouth would discuss additional hook-ups at the next town meeting. He also said that there had not been any indications of problems associated with the plumes in the groundwater quality in the sampling that has been done in the last two years. He explained that there were wells that showed contamination that was a potential risk downstream and therefore the initial thrust was to get Boxberry Hill Road hooked-up because of the close proximity. He stated that the Air Force was planning on meeting with the Town of Falmouth and discussing other options that might lead to hook-ups. Ms. O’Brien asked if contamination had to be detected before anything could be done. Mr. Karson replied that the groundwater flow was known and that contamination did not have to be detected to justify a hook-up. Ms. O’Brien also stated that the idea that someone was "eligible" for town water hook-up was laughable. The audience applauded in support of Ms. O’Brien’s statement. Mr. David Dow of the Sierra Club asked about the schedule and how it would be determined where the source area was and how the source area should be treated. Mr. Karson replied that the drilling program was scheduled to be completed in May 1998 and would include the 60 wells that would be installed. He stated that the information gathered from the drilling program would hopefully provide enough chemical information in the groundwater to link it to source areas. Mr. Dow expressed his hope for acceleration in the process. Ms. Valiela stated that the Board of Selectmen were concerned about the whole area and felt that the private wells needed to be on town water. She said that she understood the timetable but that the Board of Selectmen were going to push that the water situation be addressed before the studies were completed. Mr. Karson stated that the Air Force was very willing to sit down with the Board of Selectmen and discuss the possibility of extending water hook-ups. He also stated that private well sampling was being offered in the Spectacle Pond area which was downgradient of the contamination and that anyone interested should call his office and set up an appointment. Ms. McRae asked Mr. Snyder why action had been taken on the cranberry bogs but not in this situation where peoples lives have to be put on hold. Mr. Snyder replied that last summer, work had been done in the Hatchville neighborhood at a fairly fast track while at the same time extraction well-1 system was installed to control the hot spot. Ms. McRae stated that a treatment plant was in place to protect the cranberry bogs and that the Senate was appropriating funds to compensate the bog operators. She asked why such steps were not being taken for people. Mr. Snyder stated that TCE was not being detected in the private well sampling program. He also said that a program was in place and that last year at least two hundred homes were hooked-up between Mashpee and Falmouth. Mr. Snyder explained that the FS-28 treatment plant was not for the bogs but for the hot spot in that area. He also pointed out that that area was on town water. He stated that legislation was going on because of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) restrictions. Mr. Karson explained that CERCLA was the law under which the clean up is soverened and that the base was declared a Superfund site in 1989. He also said that all of the testing and sampling activities were coordinated with the regulatory agencies. He also pointed out that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) had an office on base that could address questions about risk of exposure. Mr. Baker of Brigantine Drive stated that a couple of months ago his neighbor was able to look out her back window and see water being installed on Boxberry Hill Road. He said that his neighbor telephoned Mr. Boyer and asked him why her home was not being hooked-up to town water as well. Mr. Boyer replied that there were too many houses in that area to consider putting everybody on town water. Mr. Michael White stated that he also witnessed town water hook-ups near his home and stated that obviously there was a concern and asked why something wasn’t being done about the problem now as preventative maintenance. The audience members applauded in support of Mr. White’s statement. Mr. Karson stated that the people who needed to hear those concerns were present tonight. Mr. White stated that something should be done about the problem. He stated that the Brigantine, Barque Drive area was a young neighborhood. He stated that he had two children and did not want to wait to receive a letter from the Air Force informing him that his water was contaminated. Mr. White also pointed out that the Air Force knew that there was the potential for contamination because drilling was taking place all around his neighborhood. Mr. Karson stated that the people that were closest to the contamination were being hooked-up to town water. He also said that the Air Force was going to meet with the Town of Falmouth to discuss the possibilities of more hook-ups. He mentioned that he was unable to commit to any other hook-ups at this time. Mr. Karson also stated that the testing of the past two years indicated that there was not any evidence of groundwater plumes in that area and that right now, there was no risk. Mr. White asked why there was drilling going on behind his house if there was not a risk. Mr. Karson replied that there was no risk right now, but that there was a potential future risk. Ms. Suzanne Cafarella asked what the cost comparison was to drilling the wells versus providing town water to the residents. She stated that she believed that it would be cheaper in the long run to hook the neighborhoods up to town water now and then perform the studies around the citizens. She stated that if the studies had to be done regardless, then hook the residents up to town water first to give them peace of mind. Mr. Salva of Caravel Drive stated that the plume was traveling directly by the east side of Sam Turner Road. Mr. Karson stated that the groundwater flow in that area was very diverse. He explained that groundwater started to bend and turn toward the west and the east. Ms. Cafarella asked what the average depth was of the private wells on Cloverfield Way. Mr. Karson replied that the wells were 120 feet on average. Mr. Johnson of Boxberry Hill Road asked if there was a specific measured distance that determined which houses would be hooked-up to town water. Mr. Karson replied that there was not a firm distance but that somewhere between 600 feet to 1000 feet was generally used. Ms. Caffyn, Mashpee Selectman, stated that the residences of Mashpee petitioned to receive town water and that the water district absorbed the full cost of hook-up. She also agreed that the health risk related to the stress felt by the residences. She stated that the military should not spend so much concentration proving that a well was contaminated but should in fact understand that people can not live with this kind of pressure. She stated that the quality of life of the concerned residents was being affected. She also said that it did not seem reasonable that these people had to beg to have a sense of comfort. The audience members applauded in support of Ms. Caffyn’s sentiment. Mr. Steve Pereths of Braeburn Court stated that his well was recently tested and that he did not know what the results were. He also said that he was a veteran and knew how long it took the military to do anything. Mr. Karson replied that the results from that particular well were non-detect. Ms. O’Brien asked how many chemicals were tested for. Mr. Karson replied that approximately 55 chemicals were tested for which were called volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Mr. Salva asked what the depth of the drilling was. Mr. Karson replied that testing began at about forty or fifty feet but that the drill went down until it could not go any further. An audience member asked how the test wells were monitored and if they were sampled only every six months. Mr. Karson replied that certain wells within the FS-28 plume would be sampled more frequently. The same audience member asked how sampling was done at different depths. Mr. Karson explained that samples were taken every ten feet and therefore the levels of contamination at different intervals was known. He stated that from that information, the location of the highest level of contamination could be identified and that was where the well was set. An audience member asked if the contamination moved vertically. Mr. Karson replied that based on what they have seen groundwater flowed horizontally. An audience member asked if groundwater flowed horizontally then how were the cranberries contaminated in the surface water. Mr. Karson replied that there was a great upwelling where the Broad River and the Coonamessett River met which would explain the contamination in the surface water. Ms. Swords asked what kind of system the Air Force used to clean the water and whether individuals could install something comparable in their own homes. She also asked about the safety of the ponds for swimming considering the fact that there was surface water contamination. Mr. Karson replied that Sear’s sold a carbon filtration unit which removed VOC’s from drinking water. He explained that the Air Force used a granular activated carbon system and stated that Sear’s offered a carbon filtration unit that would remove VOC’s from drinking water. Ms. Swords asked if the unit was effective. Mr. Karson replied that it was. Mr. Karson stated that testing had been done last fall by the Air Force as well as the Town of Falmouth on sediment in the recreational ponds and there was no evidence of plume constituents. Mr. Snyder stated that the Air Force provided the MA DPH with surface water data before the recreational season started last and that the MA DPH had generated a fact sheet. Ms. O’Brien pointed out that the water table changed when the tourist season kicked in and asked if testing should be done in the middle of the summer. Mr. Snyder replied that the health agencies tested the water during the summer. Ms. Musgrave stated that the ponds were tested last summer by the health agencies and updated information was provided to the public. She also stated that the health agencies were planning to test before and during the season again. Mr. Ryan of Braeburn Court stated that the base was a Superfund Project and asked if it was a money issue that was preventing town water hook-ups or whether there was not enough water to supply the areas. He felt that the Superfund monies were being spent on Jacobs Engineering, the Air Force, and the US EPA and not on providing town water. Mr. Karson replied that the town water connections that were decided earlier today would use the existing budget. He also stated that it was yet to be determined how the additional funds would be spent. Mr. Ryan asked if there was enough water. Ms. Valiela replied that there was enough water to supply them. She also stated that there was a bigger picture and that the town was short on water due to the contamination over the years due to the loss of one well, several proven well sites, and several potential well sites. She stated that the "big picture" indicated that the Town of Falmouth did have a water deficit and the military had been approached about looking for potential areas on the base to replace the water that had been lost. She explained that the difficulty would be in the summer when there was a heavy demand on the storage tanks over the weekends. She said that a more viable water supply was needed for those hot summer days. An audience member asked how many well sites were lost. Ms. Valiela replied that Ashumet Valley well was lost which was four million gallons of water a day as well as four proven wells sites which would have been another four million gallons. She added that three other potential sites were also lost. Mr. Ryan asked what was protecting the main water supply on Long Pond from getting polluted. Mr. Karson replied that was part of the long term remediation plan to try to stop the contamination before it reached that area. Ms. Bone asked about cost effectiveness. She asked how much it would cost to hook everybody up in the triangle area from Coonamessett Pond northwest. Mr. Snyder replied that it would cost approximately two and a half to three million dollars. Ms. Bone then asked what the cost of the studies was. Mr. Snyder replied that the studies were costing about three and a half million dollars but that it was not an either/or situation and that the studies had to be done. Ms. Bone stated that it sounded like the Air Force was short changing the people who deserved to be hooked up. Mr. Snyder replied that he was sorry that it seemed that way but that both had to be done. He explained that he could not justify hook-ups if the contamination was not known. Ms. Bone suggested that the attendees should start a petition, contact state representatives, and make some noise. Ms. O’Brien stated that she had been making noise for twelve years and that her two children grew up in the meantime. Mr. Snyder stated that he had received a letter from Mr. Peter Boyer, Town Administrator, stating that he would like to discuss town water hook-ups. Mr. Ryther of Cloverfield Way stated that he installed his own treatment system in his house and asked if the Air Force would monitor his water to ensure that the system was working properly. Mr. Karson stated that the system had been tested. Mr. Wryther asked if the testing could be done routinely. Mr. Karson replied that the Air Force was not planning to do so and that the idea was to get everyone hooked-up to town water. Mr. Wryther stated that it was too late for that now. Mr. White asked Ms. Valiela about the deficit of water and felt that tax payers in Hatchville should be taken care of before subsidizing Mashpee with Falmouth water. Ms. O’Brien stated Cape Cod was a sole source aquifer and that the water had to be shared. Mr. White stated that it was fine to share but that he did not understand why his own community was not being supplied with water when another community was. Ms. Valiela stated that there was an intermunicipal agreement between the towns of Mashpee, Falmouth, and Bourne. She explained that the real need was for additional water supplies which either had to come from the base or the original well sites had to have a granular activated carbon systems installed in order to be used. Mr. Forbes stated that when Ballymeade was under construction, it was indicated that they would bring in water. Ms. Valiela stated that Ballymeade had a well site but that it was never developed. Mr. Forbes asked about the booster pump outside of Ballymeade. Ms. Valiela replied that the booster system was for additional water pressure. Mr. Murphy asked about the timeframe on the negotiations. Ms. Valiela said that the EDB negotiations took about four months but that they were taking less and less time. She stated that the hook-ups would be a large public works project and that it would be done as fast and smart as could be. Mr. Murphy asked if it would take fifty to sixty years for the plumes to flush through. Ms. Valiela replied that sounded like the right amount of time and therefore town water should be provided right now. Mr. Murphy asked if the ponds would be an affected if the whole town were to have town water. Ms. Valiela stated that the ponds would have to be monitored but that she did not believe that there would be a problem. Mr. Murphy asked how to sign up for private well testing. Mr. Karson stated that he would take his address after the meeting. Mr. Murphy asked how often the testing would be done and how long before the results would be available. Mr. Karson stated that testing was done on a semi-annual basis and test results were received by AFCEE twenty-one days after being taken. Results would then be mailed to residents in the next few weeks. Mr. Murphy asked if he could request more frequent testing. Mr. Karson stated that right now testing was being done on a semi-annual basis and that the public health agencies would have to make that decision. He also said that he did not believe that would happen right now. An audience member asked how fast the plume was moving. Mr. Karson replied that groundwater flow was normally a foot and a half per day. An audience member asked why contamination was not being detected at the town well at FS-28. He also asked Mr. Karson if there was a map available which depicted the future progression of the plumes. Mr. Karson replied that the reason that contamination was not showing up in the Coonamessett well was because the plume was about 140 feet below the surface of the ground. He explained that at forty feet from the surface it was dry and then there was the water table where there was approximately 100 feet of clean water. He stated that the well screen for the Coonamessett well was in the area of the clean water and not in the plume. Mr. Karson also stated that often modeling was used to project the pattern of the plumes. He also said that fate and transport modeling would be used which was computer modeling which showed where the plumes were now and where they would be in the next several years. Ms. O’Brien asked if it were true that plumes had "surprised" the Air Force in the past and showed up where they were unexpected. Mr. Karson replied that groundwater plumes have surprised them in the past and that was why it was important to get a good understanding of the area. He also said that was why so many locations were being studied. An audience member asked why the well south of Coonamessett Pond had a detection at one time. He also asked if Jacobs Engineering worked for the Air Force. Mr. Karson replied that the detection of EDB in that well was determined to be a laboratory error. Mr. Karson also replied that Jacobs Engineering was the prime contractor for the Air Force. Ms. LaSordo asked how long before it would be necessary to obtain another well for Falmouth. Ms. Valiela stated that the next well would be the Crooked Pond well and that should be on line next spring. An audience member asked if that well would be clean. Ms. Valiela replied that the it was being designed with the provision for a granular activated carbon system if needed one day. She included that the military would be responsible for that system. She stated that the real question was the location of the well after the Cooked Pond well was on line. She reported that there were potential sites that had been identified on the north side of the base and the completion of the Impact Area Groundwater Study in the fall would provide additional information. Mr. Dow asked what allowed the EDB to pass through the carbon filtration system at FS-28. Mr. Karson replied that there were twenty-eight extraction wells pumping water out of the ground in FS-28 and that the water was run through several charcoal canisters in a row. It was found that after three and a half months, the EDB was breaking through the first canister. He stated that the exact cause of the breakthrough was not known. Ms. O’Brien asked how it was determined when the filters were changed. Mr. Karson replied that frequent sampling was done. Mr. Hap Garritt of Barque Drive asked if the semi-annual testing could be performed at different times throughout the year to gain a better representation rather than the testing being conducted at the same time every season. Mr. Karson replied that it was done in April/May and August/September in an attempt to reach as many people as possible. Mr. Garritt asked how the success of the remediaton efforts were judged. Mr. Karson replied that success was judged on what the objectives were when a system was designed and constructed. He explained that the goal of the FS-12 system was to capture the entire plume but that there may be small amounts of contamination getting through the system. He stated that that did not mean that the system failed, it just meant that there might not be one hundred percent efficiency in capturing the plume compared with the goal that was set. He explained that part of the process was to closely monitor what was going on in that area. There were monitoring wells being tested and meetings held with the regulatory agencies to determine what to do about the low levels of contamination that were being detected. Mr. Karson stated that it was an evaluation process that was used before, during and after construction. Mr. Garritt asked Mr. Karson if the goal was to return the contaminated areas into areas with safe drinking water. Mr. Karson replied that was the ultimate goal. He explained that in some cases ten to twenty years, maybe thirty to forty years may go by before the water flushed through. An audience member asked Mr. Karson what they did with the contaminants once they were captured. Mr. Karson replied that once the carbon was saturated with contaminates a company would come in to clean the filters and the waste was taken to a treatment system off site. An audience member asked if the military had any fliers available about the contaminants. Mr. Karson stated that there was a series of fact sheets that the Air Force, US EPA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) and MA DPH were working on together. He stated that there was a site mailing list and encouraged interested people to sign up. He said that the fact sheet would also be available in the local libraries. Mr. Vokey asked how long the military had known about this problem. Mr. Karson stated that the first indication of the problem was detected in 1979. Mr. Vokey stated that the military knew about the problem since 1979 and that now the fact sheets were coming out. Mr. Karson stated that the clean-up program started in 1982. Mr. Vokey stated that it has taken nineteen years to inform people that they were living on top of this contamination. He stated that it would probably take another nineteen years to receive town water. Mr. Vokey also stated that he lived on Spectacle Pond Drive and that he had requested six months ago to have his well tested and it had not been done yet. Mr. Karson stated that that area would be receiving notices about testing. Mr. Vokey asked who was responsible for deciding which houses would be tested. Mr. Karson stated that the decisions were based on requests from the public. An audience member asked if the ATSDR office had a web-site. Mr. Karson replied that he was not sure if the office on the base had a web-site but that ATSDR did have one. He added that the US EPA and the IRP also had web-sites. Mr. Garritt asked about the TCE that was found in the Cloverfield Way area and mentioned that it seemed to be far away from any identified plumes. Mr. Karson stated that right now it was too early to tell what the source area was. Ms. Favulli asked when they were going to be meeting with the selectmen. Mr. Snyder replied that they would be meeting with the town administrator next week. Agenda Item #4: Adjourn: Mr. Karson asked if there were any additional questions. There were none. He thanked everyone for attending and adjourned the meeting at 8:30 P.M.
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