Bad Weather Delays Gould Manor Park Remediation

FAIRFIELD, CT — As remediation continues at Gould Manor Park, similar work is expected to begin in the coming weeks and months at other public sites after contaminants were discovered across Fairfield in connection with an investigation of the town fill pile.

Work at Gould Manor began in mid-October. It was initially anticipated to take about 10 days but is requiring more time than expected to complete, although all contaminated soil has been removed, according to an email sent Thursday from the health department.

"Weather has affected the progress of remediation," Health Department Director Sands Cleary said.

After work is finished at Gould Manor, the town will start remediation at Burroughs Park, according to the email. The Burroughs Park work is projected to begin the week of Nov. 11.

The town is remediating sites in the order in which they were tested for contaminants, Cleary said. After Burroughs Park, Jennings Elementary School will be remediated, according to the email. A plan to replace the affected wooden playscape timbers at Jennings with a non-wood product was determined not to be feasible.

"Scheduling to enable soil removal work and wood removal related work to be completed concurrently and be done outside of school hours is being coordinated," the email said.

There is no definitive timeline for remediating the contaminated areas at Jennings elementary, Jennings Beach Playground and behind the Old Dam Road recreation building, Cleary said, but the town is trying to finish the work as quickly as possible. Remediation plans are being finalized or developed for the sites.

A plan is also being put together for remediation of contaminated soil along a playground walkway at Mill Hill Elementary School, the email said. Previously scheduled renovations at the school will involve the removal of the affected sidewalk in 2020.

Additionally, Fairfield recently collected test samples at six locations: Coral Drive, High Ridge Road, Osborn Hill School, Ronald Drive, Stratfield Road and Sunset Avenue. The locations appear on a list of about 20 potentially contaminated sites not included on the town's initial list of priority testing locations. More sites from the secondary list will be reviewed and may be tested, Cleary said.

Cleary also confirmed a second round of testing at Riverfield Elementary School, the South Pine Creek soccer fields, the Sullivan football fields and the Town Hall soccer fields determined the sites were compliant with residential contamination standards.

Since August, at least 66 areas in Fairfield have been tested for contamination amid concerns about misuse of fill. The vast majority have been deemed safe, but some sites were found to contain asbestos, arsenic and other contaminants.

Fairfield has accrued roughly $609,000 in costs connected to environmental consulting, remediation and additional expenses for sites other than the town fill pile, according to information presented to the Board of Finance at a meeting in late October. Another approximately $406,000 is projected to be spent on similar services. Contractor Tighe and Bond is consulting on the testing and remediation.

Fairfield's contamination crisis started after the town hired Julian Development in 2013 to operate the fill pile and reduce its size by 40,000 cubic yards. Over the next three years, the pile more than doubled in size, and days before the agreement was set to end, PCBs and lead were discovered on the property.

Police opened an investigation in 2017. In August, former public works superintendent Scott Bartlett, former director of public works Joe Michelangelo and Julian Companies Owner Jason Julian were arrested on multiple felony charges in connection with the pile.

For more information about contamination testing and remediation, visit www.fairfieldct.org/filluseissues.