Shumlin: North Bennington Will Be Made 'Whole Again'
NORTH BENNINGTON, Vt. — Gov. Peter Shumlin assured residents of North Bennington on Tuesday that the state would do everything possible to address its "horrid situation" — including putting pressure on the company responsible for its contaminated water.
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics has been identified as the source for the perfluorooctanoic (PFOA) found in the municipal water of Hoosick Falls, N.Y., and is believed to be responsible for the same toxin found in private wells in North Bennington.
"We're going to require the company to make us whole again and do everything that we can to hold them accountable for getting us in this mess," Shumlin told more than 100 residents who packed into the Elizabeth Coleman Center at Bennington College on Tuesday morning.
Frequently stating "we're all in this together," the governor vowed that "my team is going to work together with you to get answers."
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is in the process of testing wells within a 1.5-mile radius of the former ChemFab on Water Street, which Saint-Gobain operated until relocating in 2002. Some 135 samples have been tested so far and DEC Commissioner Alyssa Schuren said surface water and soil testing will begin this week.
Soil and surface water testing at sites such as the Walloomsac and Paran will help determine if the contamination is ground based or airborne (through rain). If samples on the edge of the radius test positive, the circle will be expanded.
Residents with questions or information about the North Bennington water situation can call 802-828-1038 between 8 and 4:30 weekdays; an incident command is also being set up by DEC to better disseminate information.
According to an initial post from the governor's office, a wastewater treatment plant well has shown PFOA levels of 618 parts per trillion and a business well showed levels of 168 ppt. Results from three residential wells showed a range of 40 parts per trillion to 2,880 parts per trillion.
Vermont's standard level of PFOA is 20 parts per trillion.
A caravan of regional news media followed the governor, Schuren and Bennington County's state Sens. Dick Sears and Brian Campion on a brief tour of North Bennington. The group stopped outside the former ChemFab on the Route 67 curve into the aptly named Water Street, then went to Pembroke Landscaping to speak with owner Ron Pembroke.
Shumlin and his team stressed that the priority right now is to address the current water situation. Saint-Gobain has been providing bottled water and filters for affected residents; water buffaloes have also been brought in for use.
The most comprehensive way to deal with the issue would be to extend the main water line from Bennington into the village. Schuren said capacity does appear to be an issue but pressure might be.
"We're continuing to have conversations with the town to see if we can get that line extended, ideally at no cost to North Bennington," she said. "That's one of the things we're pushing the company into doing."
Sears, a village resident, said, "North Bennington would appreciate no cost. ... As a taxpayer, I really appreciate it."
Saint-Gobain has reportedly reached out to the town's engineer, Otter Creek Engineering of Middlebury, to begin design and engineering studies along that line.
The next phase, Shumlin said, will be to look at any long-term effects and any other parties who may be responsible.
Tracy Dolan, deputy commissioner for the Department of Health, said PFOA has been linked to cancer, especially kidney and testicular, and other health issues.
There is no indication of a rise in kidney cancer rates in the North Bennington area, she said, and testicular cancer is so rare its numbers are to low to make any conclusions. She encouraged those who may have health concerns to contact their physicians. A fact sheet from Centers for Disease Control is here.
PFOA "lives in water" for up to 90 years but begins being flushed out of the human body in two to four years.
"The most important thing is to stop the exposure," Dolan said. No one should be drinking the water, including pets, and don't use it for cooking or brushing teeth. It is alright for regular washing but she suggested limiting exposure as much as possible.
Vermont's very low standard level was based on a child's take in of water, she said. Other tests around the state, including Bennington, have so far not turned up any PFOA.
The state is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is also speaking with officials in New York State and New Hampshire, where Saint-Goban moved after closing the North Bennington plant.
"They said at the time ... one of the reasons they were leaving is because Vermont had higher standards for air emissions than the states that they were moving to," Shumlin said.
"We often get criticized for the work we do in Vermont to have high standards," he added. "Now we're seeing examples of why we are not tough enough."
Sears said an email from a concerned citizen after the Hoosick Falls situation came to light in February prompted his reaching out to the governor. Almost immediately, the administration formed a team to work with residents. Richard Spiese, a hazardous site manager for DEC, was suddenly knocking on doors throughout the area to alert residents and begin well testing.
Shumlin said he wanted the effort to be as transparent and inclusive as possible. Several residents at the community forum thanked the governor for his efforts and applauded him at the forum's conclusion.
Officials are urging any residents who may have worked at the plant or know of other issues to let them know immediately. At least one team was in Pownal on Tuesday investigating whether ChemFab had deposited materials in that town's landfill based on a tip.
With Shumlin planning to leave office at the year, North Bennington residents were looking for assurances they would not be forgotten in the long run.
"We're expecting pushback," said Sandy Sumner, who owns the second well that tested positive for PFOA. "Is there anyway you can give us some guarantee then when the pushback does come, the state is prepared to see this through ... possibly for years to come?"
Shumlin said urged residents to press the candidates for governor on the issue.
"We know Montpelier can sometimes forget this side of the state," said the Brattleboro native.
"I'm not running for election ... but you've got legislators who are, a state that cares and other governors that care," he continued. "Let's first find out how deep it is and how it got there and work out the details with the company to hold them accountable."
Tags: contamination, drinking water,
