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U.S. EPA, CTDEP, AND HAMDEN TOWN OFFICIALS TO HOST NEWHALL STREET NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION MEETING

Release Date: 03/22/2001
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Community Affairs, 617-918-1064 Angela Bonarrigo, Community Involvement, 617-918-1034

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) , and Hamden town officials are hosting an open house and public information meeting on Tuesday, April 10th in the auditorium of the Hamden Middle School. The purpose of the meeting is to present EPA's plan for sampling in the Newhall Street neighborhood, and the results of recent sampling conducted by DEP. Representatives from the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Quinnipiack Valley Health District will also attend the meeting.

The open house will be from 6 p.m - 7 p.m. outside the auditorium and the information meeting will follow at 7 p.m. inside the auditorium. Neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend.

At the meeting, DEP will present results from its most recent round of sampling. Also to be discussed will be EPA's upcoming sampling of residential surface soils (soils between 0 - 6 inches deep) in the Newhall Street neighborhood for evidence of landfill material. EPA will use these results to determine if there is an immediate heath risk should residents come in contact with surface soils.

"This next round of surface soil sampling, combined with DEP's ongoing efforts, will give us a better picture of the extent of contamination in the neighborhood," said Hamden Mayor Carl Amento. "This is a great example of local, state, and federal government working together."

Using town records, aerial photographs of the neighborhood, and data from DEP's recent sampling, EPA's technical staff developed a sampling plan that focuses on various residential blocks in the Newhall Street neighborhood. They include: sections of Newhall, Morse, Marlboro, Newbury, and Wadsworth streets; Winchester Avenue; Bryden Terrace; and Augur, Remington and Harris streets. EPA will be requesting permission from some residents to take surface soil samples from front and back yards. Several individual properties will be sampled in each area. Citizens will be encouraged to comment on EPA's surface soil sampling plan at the April 10th meeting.

DEP is interested in hearing from residents who may have anecdotal knowledge of historic dumping or waste disposal activities at the Hamden Middle School or in the neighboring areas. Individuals are encouraged to contact DEP with any information, including personal observations or photographs of waste disposal areas. To provide information contact:

Shannon Windisch, Project Manager, CT DEP, Bureau of Water Management, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127, call (860) 424-3546 or email: [email protected]