Wyre Wynd Fact Sheet
Introduction
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
are requesting public comment on a proposal by the Wyre
Wynd Division of Southwire Company to complete various
environmental restoration activities. These activities include
excavation of impacted soils, construction of an engineered
soil cover, and placement of an environmental land use
restriction (ELUR) at the former Wyre Wynd facility at 77
Anthony Street, Griswold, CT (the Site). This fact sheet
has been prepared to inform the public of the proposed
restoration activities and to request input from the public
regarding the proposed cleanup. The proposed activities
are being carried out under DEP's Voluntary Remediation
and Property Transfer Programs and the Federal Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which include
requirements for investigating and cleaning up industrial
facilities. In accordance with these programs, Southwire
has worked closely with DEP and EPA to investigate the Site
and develop a restoration proposal that is protective of both
human health and the environment.
Background/History
The 62-acre Site includes three parcels: 1) landfill parcel:
a closed ash landfill; 2) manufacturing parcel: a former
wire manufacturing facility; and, 3) hydro parcel: an
active hydroelectric plant and dam (Figure 1). Originally,
Aspinook Mills, a textile manufacturer, owned and operated
on the Site from approximately 1893 to 1964. Aspinook Mills
operated two coal-fired boilers and disposed of the coal ash
on the landfill parcel. Southwire purchased the Site in 1970
and manufactured wire products on the Site through 1996.
Southwire sold the manufacturing parcel to Live Wire, Inc.
in 1996 and the hydro parcel to Summit Hydropower, Inc.
in 1997. Southwire has retained ownership of the landfill
parcel and in 1997 recorded a conservation easement for the
property on the Griswold land records. The conservation
easement ensures that the property will be maintained in its
natural, scenic, and open condition in perpetuity.
The Site is bordered by the Quinebaug River to the west and
southwest; railroad tracks to the east; and Anthony Street
and a cemetery to the southeast. The adjacent areas to the
north, east, and south are a high-density, mixed commercial/
residential, urbanized area. The groundwater at the Site
and in the immediate vicinity is classified by DEP as "GB".
Groundwater classified as GB is intended for industrial
process water and cooling waters and is presumed not
suitable for human consumption. A public water system has
been in place since the late 1800s and is currently serviced by
the Jewett City Water Company.
Past Investigations and Restoration
Since 1995, Southwire has completed numerous soil,
sediment, surface water and groundwater investigations
throughout the Site to identify and characterize potentially
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Figure
impacted areas. The findings of these investigations were provided in
reports completed by AARON Environmental (1995, 1998, and 2000),
Superior Environmental and NewFields (2003), and NewFields (2002, 2003,
and 2010). These documents have all been submitted to the DEP and are
available to the public at the Slater Library (see reverse for location and
hours). The majority of the impacts at the Site are related to past disposal
of coal ash and placement of debris from previous site demolition activities
and structure fires. Various soil cleanup activities have occurred including
the excavation and removal of over 6,000 cubic yards of soil impacted with
arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the removal of
5 underground storage tanks (USTs). Human health and ecological risk
assessments completed for the site concluded that implementation of the
planned restoration activities will result in conditions that are safe for
human health and the environment.
RDMSDocID 109261
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Proposed Restoration Activities
The following restoration measures are proposed for each of the
parcels associated with the Site. The goals of the proposed measures
are to: 1) mitigate exposed ash/soil and other impacted areas at the
landfill; 2) enact land use restrictions at all three parcels to prevent
future residential development; and 3) comply with the EPA and
DEP regulations.
Figure 2
• LANDFILL PARCEL
The following five activities are proposed at the landfill parcel
(as indentified on Figure 2).
I. Placement of two feet of clean soil over 4 acres of soil impacted with
arsenic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) likely from coal ash
from the former Aspinook Mill;
2. Removal and off-site disposal of approximately 200 cubic yards of
plating sludge-like material;
3. Removal and off-site disposal of approximately 100 cubic yards of soil
from one area containing very low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), likely from the residue of fluorescent light ballasts contained
in past demolition/structure fire debris;
4. Placement of clean soil over existing areas where exposed coal ash is
visibly present (approximately 75 square feet); and,
5. Recording an environmental land use restriction (ELUR), a restrictive
land use covenant, on the landfill parcel deed to limit disturbance of
subsurface soils and prevent future residential development.
• MANUFACTURING PARCEL
An ELUR is proposed on the manufacturing parcel to limit property
use to Industrial/Commercial uses only (as identified on Figure 2)
and to limit disturbance of subsurface soil in certain areas.
• HYDROELECTRIC PARCEL
An ELUR is proposed on the hydro parcel to limit property use to
Industrial/Commercial uses only (as identified on Figure 2) and to
limit disturbance of subsurface soil in certain areas.
What's Next?
Public comments on this restoration proposal are an important
contribution to DEP and EPA's decision making. Members of the
public are invited to:
• Review the restoration proposal at the Slater Library (address
and hours below);
• Provide their written comments to DEP (address below) during
the 45 day public comment period from June 15, through July
29, 2011; and,
• A public meeting will be held at the Griswold Town Hall on
June 27 at 6:30p.m., which will include a brief presentation on
the proposal and an opportunity for questions and discussion.
Following the public comment period, DEP and EPA will determine
the final restoration plan. Southwire anticipates performing the
restoration activities this fall.
Paul Sims
Southwire (Wyre Wynd)
One Southwire Drive
Carrollton, GA30119
770-832-4679
paul_sims@southwire.com
Stephanie Carr
US Environmental Protection Agency
5 Post Office Square, Suite 100
Mail Code: OSRR07-3
Boston, MA 02109-3912
617-918-1363
carr.stephanie@epa.gov
Mark Lewis
Connecticut Department
of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Water Protection & Land Reuse,
Remediation Division
79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106-5127
860-424-3768
mark.lewis@ct.gov
Southwire9
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Technical documents related to the above-described activities can
be found in the information repository at the following location:
Slater Library Hours:
26 Main Street Monday - Thursday noon - 7:00pm
Jewett City, CT 06351 Friday noon - 5:00 pm
860-376-0024 Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Learn more about RCRA Sites on the Internet at:
www.epa.gov/correctiveaction
www.epa.gov/regionl/cleanup/rcra/wyrewynd
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