EPA Prepares for Interim Actions at the Arsenic Mine Site located in Kent, Putnam County, New York Community Update No. 3 Spring 2019 SITE BACKGROUND The Arsenic Mine Site is the location of a historic mine that was operated from the mid-1800s through approximately 1918, near Pine Pond in Kent, Putnam County, New York. The mine, which has also been known as Pine Pond Mine, Silver Mine and Nimham Mountain Mines, contains arsenopyrite, a metal ore that was used in pesticides, pigments, and other industries. The mine's two entry shafts were near Mt. Nimham Road and Gypsy Trail Road. The northern, main mine shaft is located on private property and the southern mine shaft is located in Nimham Mountain State Forest. As part of mining activities, waste rock and soil known as tailings were separated from the valuable ore, and the tailings were discarded in areas surrounding the mine, including on several residential properties. The tailings are contaminated with arsenic at levels that exceed the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) health-based standards. The hills surrounding the tailings pile may have been partially regraded over the years, potentially spreading arsenic contamination. The arsenic issue was discovered in the late 1980s when a couple was hospitalized with arsenic poisoning from their well water, after the well had been unknowingly installed through the tailings pile. The EPA installed a system for water filtration and clean water storage, which was repaired in 2016. Groundwater in the area has been monitored by the Putnam County Department of Health since the 1980s, and several residences have filtration systems installed. Limited soil testing was done by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and EPA in the 1980s, but since there are naturally high levels of arsenic in soil in this region, it was unclear whether the arsenic was from the tailings or was naturally occurring, and no action was taken for the soil. RECENT EPA SAMPLING RESULTS EPA conducted more robust soil sampling in August 2017, December 2017, and June 2018 to depths of two feet at several private properties surrounding the historic main mining entrance, to determine the extent of contamination from mining waste. (over) 6 A « If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact: Cecilia Echols EPA Community Involvement Coordinator 212-637-3678 Echol s. Cecilia@epa. gov Sandra Richards EPA On-Scene Coordinator 732-452-6402 Richards.Sandra@epa.gov ------- |