Greenwich Community Shows Up To Support Western MS Field Remediation

GREENWICH, CT — During a public hearing on Wednesday night, the Western Middle School community came out in full force with a simple message: the time is now to remediate the school's athletic fields.

Over 100 people gathered inside the WMS auditorium for the hearing on the proposed Remedial Action Plan for the fields. The night marked the latest step in a long process which began in September 2016 when the fields were closed due to the discovery of soil contaminants.

When the school was constructed in the 1950s, contaminated fill material was imported to the site to build athletic fields. Contaminants of concern found at concentrations above regulatory criteria in the soil include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, metals and pesticides.

But after over a half-decade of having to bus students across town to use other fields, long hearings and meetings, discussions and tests, it appears the finish line is in sight for remediation work to begin.

Wednesday's hearing involved a brief presentation on the proposed remediation plan. Beforehand, WMS Principal Gordon Beinstein spoke briefly in support of the project. He said two full cohorts of WMS students have missed out on access to the fields.

"Here we are, on the verge of actually getting permission to put a shovel in the ground. Here's my ask on behalf of the community. Let's get this started. No more delays, no more tests. Let's turn what has been a trying experience into a state of the art field this town and community deserves," he said.

In the ensuing public comment period, many speakers voiced similar support for the remediation and expressed a desire for it to move ahead as quickly as possible.

"It goes without saying that we place great importance on education, and great importance on public health. But we also place great importance on physical education and activity," First Selectman Fred Camillo said. "I know that the town stands 100 percent ready with you to push this over the goalline and across home plate."

WMS 8th grader Blake Natale said the fields were closed when he began 2nd grade. He will soon be one of 1,200 students who have attended the school and not been able to use the fields.

"I realize it is very important for all of our safety that the environmental remediation process is thoughtful, deliberately done and includes rounds of testing. However, please note that every year is another year in the life of children in this town who wish to be able to enjoy access to the fields," Natale said. "I strongly urge the state and the town to act without further delay on this proposed plan on field remediation."

Board of Education member Karen Hirsh, who has two children who attended WMS, said the lack of playing fields negatively affects students and the school community in a number of ways.

"Imagine not having the opportunity to play in a championship game and win on your own home field, or even host an outdoor school event. This lack of access can also negatively affect the ability to build a sense of community and school spirit," she said. "I'm here to stand up for the current and future students of Western Middle School, as well as the community at large in supporting the remediation action plan."

Before public comment, Ryan Wohlstrom, an environmental engineer with Langan Engineering, gave a presentation on the proposed remediation plan. The CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection are the regulatory agencies involved.

Remediation work would take about 144 days, with a total preliminary budget of $19.2 million, Wohlstrom said.

Work could begin as early as this summer, depending on the permitting process and necessary approvals, and continue into the fall.

Wohlstrom noted that the fastest road to completion and remediation would have been to choose a default remediation that was "pre-scripted." However, he said, that route would have been the most expensive and disruptive to the area with construction and truck traffic.

Therefore, the decision was made to look into remedial alternatives, which take into account implementability, regulatory acceptance, cost, construction and scheduling. This required more effort, hence the lengthy process and need for sampling, Wohlstrom said, noting that over 600 samples have been taken since 2016.

Under the proposed plan, fill would be removed across the site to a depth of 2 feet below the grade surface. There would then be deeper excavations to target the higher levels of contaminants. Clean fill would be brought in, as well as protective cover systems, that would serve as engineered controls to prevent exposure of residual contaminants.

The turf field infill material would match what's being used at Greenwich High School. It's100 percent Envirofill, which contains no microban.

Per the manufacturer, Envirofill is a safe and sustainable synthetic turf infill option that boasts maximum playability and performance. It's made with non-toxic components and backed by a 16-year-warranty.

Post-remedial groundwater monitoring is a requirement, but Wohlstrom said there are no signs that contaminants are leeching down that far.

About 100 trees are anticipated to be removed, and Langan is working with Greenwich Tree Warden Dr. Gregory Kramer to engage an arborist for a tree survey and replacement protocols.

There would be dust suppression and air monitoring stations set up throughout construction.

The public is encouraged to watch Wednesday's hearing which is now posted on the Greenwich Public School District’s YouTube channel, and view the slide show on the District’s website.

CT-DEEP’s Remediation Project Manager Jeffrey Wilcox is accepting comments from the Greenwich community on the project via email at jeff.wilcox@ct.gov until Monday, Jan. 17.