Commission hears phase‑3 PFAS report changes; consultants opt for monitoring over containment barrier

The commission received an update on the airport’s PFAS investigation and remediation approach and was told Weston Solutions submitted the final Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Phase‑3 report on March 20.

Airport Manager Warren Smith summarized the recent work: three drinking‑water sampling events were completed during the reporting period, performance samples from the fuel‑farm treatment system were collected twice, and an organoclay pretreatment vessel was changed on Dec. 19. He said monitoring‑well sampling is complete but surveying and the related data were not yet finished and are expected to be available at the next commission meeting.

Smith described two key changes Weston made after earlier public comments and commission feedback: the firm removed a proposed in‑situ containment barrier along the southern property line and instead recommended monitoring natural attenuation in that off‑site area, and it elected to stay with existing geothermal wells rather than install new pumping wells farther north and east; Weston will replace an injection well with an infiltration system east of the terminal at a location to be determined. Smith noted Weston was not present at the meeting to present in person. He said the Phase‑3 report was completed on March 20 and that more information on monitoring wells will be available for the next meeting.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to provide the finalized monitoring‑well surveys and any revised schedule or cost estimates from Weston before the next meeting; no commission action was taken at this session.