Hammond Capital Improvement Board approves $3,920 for environmental consultant after Summer Street soil discovery

The Hammond Capital Improvement Board voted March 17, 2025, to approve funding allocation number 235, a $3,920 contract with Enviroforensics to prepare required environmental reporting and certification after contaminated soil was discovered on the 1800 block of Summer Street during reconstruction work.

The allocation was approved by a 6-0 roll call with one member absent. The motion to approve the funding allocation was moved by Councilman Salinas and seconded by Commissioner Muta. The board also approved meeting minutes from March 3 by the same 6-0 roll call with one member absent.

Board members said the city encountered contaminated material while reconstructing Summer Street, and the material required analysis, characterization and landfill approval before disposal. Board staff told members that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management required the city to file a closure report for the incident and that a certified environmental consultant was needed to sign and assemble the required paperwork from the contractor.

When asked whether sampling produced results, a staff member said, “The results were treated, petroleum products was treated as a special waste in all the Newton County. Yes.” The board did not discuss additional remediation steps at the meeting beyond authorizing the consultant to prepare the closure report.

The allocation identifies Enviroforensics as the consultant and is listed as funding allocation number 235 for contaminated soil disposal reporting. The board had no funding report this evening and adjourned after hearing a brief work-study update earlier in the meeting.