PFOA Contamination Response: Community Updates
Week of 04/04/2016
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expansionWell testing to expand in Bennington area
MONTPELIER, APRIL 7 -- Gov. Peter Shumlin provided the following update on results from an additional 50 private well samples collected last week in North Bennington.
 
Twenty-two samples showed non-detect results, and 19 samples showed concentrations of PFOA over the Vermont Health Department advisory limit of 20 parts per trillion (ppt), ranging from 22ppt to 471ppt. The remaining nine results were below 20ppt. Five monitoring wells surrounding Bennington Landfill were also tested and showed PFOA levels ranging from 18ppt to 140ppt.
 
Given these results, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will expand testing to 150 private drinking wells in two areas as it works to determine the extent of the contamination. Next week, samples will be collected around the Bennington Landfill and south to Rt. 9 between the airport and Old Bennington. DEC will also conduct a series of "spot checks" outside of the testing area on Corey Lane, Whipstock Rd, Airport Rd, along 7A, and in the Shaftsbury area near Cold Spring Road.
 
DEC is reaching out to Vermonters in the expanded sampling areas. Those residents can sign up for testing at: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/PFOA.htm. Residents who wish to use bottled water while testing results are pending can pick it up at the North Bennington Variety Store located at 49 Route 67 West, North Bennington. 
 
A community meeting will be held in Bennington on April 18th at 6pm at Bennington College's Greenwall Auditorium in the Visual & Performing Arts Center. Residents can call 2-1-1 with questions.
 
To date, 232 total water supplies have been sampled in North Bennington, with 126 having PFOA above 20ppt and 86 not showing any PFOA.
 
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The press release will published on the Governor's Office Newsroom site Friday morning.
statewideGov. Shumlin Outlines Next Steps in PFOA Response
MONTPELIER, APRIL 6 -- Gov. Peter Shumlin today provided an update on the State's response to the detection of the chemical PFOA in southern Vermont and provided information on additional testing that will be conducted around the state. These additional tests are not a result of specific concerns for drinking water safety. Rather, they are being conducted at sites where the State believes PFOA may have been used in certain manufacturing processes.

To continue reading the full press release, click here.

commentaryPutting Vermont's PFOA Response In Perspective
Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Deb Markowitz discusses the legacy of the  environmental law designed to protect citizens and wildlife from unreasonable exposure to toxic industrial chemicals---and how the PFOA contamination in Vermont, New York, New Hampshire fits into that legacy.

"Many Vermonters wonder how it could be that a harmful chemical has been in our drinking water for so long without our knowledge. It is because our federal environmental laws do not require chemical manufacturers to establish the safety of their products before putting them into the marketplace."

To read the full commentary on VT Digger, follow the link below:
Deb Markowitz: Environmental Laws That Leave A Lasting Legacy

BenningtonNorth Bennington Update
Private Well Sampling Update -- Results from an additional 50 private well samples collected last week in North Bennington were returned to DEC. From this batch, 22 samples showed non-detect results, and 19 samples showed concentrations of PFOA over the health advisory limit of 20 parts per trillion (ppt). To date, 232 total water supplies have been sampled in North Bennington, with 126 having PFOA above the Vermont health advisory limit of 20 ppt and 86 not showing any PFOA in the water supply. Follow-up sampling will continue next week.

Point-of-entry treatment system installation progress -- To date, 91 POETS have been installed.  The remaining POET systems to be installed will continue over the next several weeks until all homes with PFOA in their water supplies greater than the health standard (20 parts per trillion) have POET systems on the water supply.  Sampling of the POET systems by contractor CT Male has been ongoing and verbal results have indicated that the systems are working effectively on removing PFOA from the water going into homes.  Written reports will be coming from CT Male to the DEC shortly, and DEC will forward these results to sampled home owners after that.
 
Bottled Water Deliveries -- If PFOA was detected in your well in any concentration level, DEC contractor W.B. Mason should be delivering bottled water to your home by now. If this isn't happening, please contact W.B. Mason directly at 508-436-8869. 
 
Soil Sampling -- DEC has not yet received written results of soil sampling.  DEC hopes to have this information to send out to the public in next week's community update.
 
Site Investigation at Former Chemfab Facility -- Saint-Gobain has committed to performing a site investigation at the former Chemfab facility located at 1030 Water Street.  The DEC expects to get a work plan on this investigation by late this week or early next week with a goal of having this work begin by the end of the month. 
 
Fish Testing to Begin -- Fish sampling teams staffed by the Departments of Fish & Wildlife and Environmental Conservation are scheduled to collect fish in North Bennington on Wednesday, April 13. PFOA is generally known to not accumulate in fish very much, but testing is being pursued as a precaution. Review last week's pond, river, and steam testing results in the Governor's Office update for more information.
 
Community Meeting on April 18th -- A second public meeting with be held for residents of Bennington/North Bennington on Monday, April 18th at 6 pm at Greenwall Auditorium at Bennington College. The auditorium is located in the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). Click here to view the Bennington College Campus Map.

Bennington Update
Drinking Water Sampling -- DEC and its contractor (ECS of Brattleboro) sampled 10 water supplies located near the former Chemfab facility located on Northside Drive.  Results of this sampling should be available in the next week or two.  The one well that DEC already has results for will have town water brought into the home next week.
PownalPownal Update

Well Sampling Update -- An additional 8 well samples were collected in Pownal on Monday April 4th, bringing the total wells sampled in the area of 64. Results from this sampling batch are expected to arrive next week.

 

Exploring Options for Municipal Supply Alternatives -- The Fire District 2 Prudential committee met on Monday night to discuss options relating to the Fire District 2 supply well for both short- and long-term remedies. One option being pursued is to draw water from a supply well located uphill from the current Fire District 2 supply well near the Green Mountain Racetrack. Results are needed to show that PFOA is not detected in the water before the option is pursued further.  

 

Community Meeting April 19th -- A second public meeting for citizens of Pownal is being scheduled for Tuesday, April 19 at 6pm. The location is to be determined.  


infoInformation Resources Available
For general PFOA questions and concerns:
Call 2-1-1.
Visit: Vermont DEC PFOA Response Page

For questions about potential health effects of PFOA:
Call the Vermont Department of Health toll-free at 800-439-8550.
Visit: Vermont Department Health PFOA Page