Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environmental Cleanup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City outlines cleanup plan for Hempstead site, schedules neighborhood briefing
Summary
City staff updated the council on a state- and EPA-required remedial action plan for the former Hempstead property, said bids will be solicited early in 2025, and noted remaining funding gaps; neighbors pressed for clearer public access to project documents and invited councilors to a Jan. 13 briefing.
City officials updated the New London City Council on progress toward cleaning up the former Hempstead property and said the city expects to seek contractor bids early this year after state approval of a remedial action plan.
The update, delivered by Director Reyes and Tom Bombardier, centered on an Environmental Protection Agency public-notice requirement tied to major federal funding and a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) approval step that must occur before the city can solicit bids. "After the review and the acceptance of the remedial action plan by the state, DEEP, which is a requirement, we are excited to finally put some bid and specifications to go out to bid early this year," Director Reyes said.
The presentation traced the site's long history and regulatory delays, noting earlier unsuccessful funding attempts in 2018 and resumed work beginning in 2020. "History does come back and rear its ugly face and give us some difficulty in regards to cleaning up sites," Reyes said. Staff said the project is currently targeted as a 2025 construction project pending final funding and state sign-off.
Neighborhood speakers asked the council to keep residents engaged as the cleanup proceeds. Lydia Blaisdell Brunner, a resident and member of the Freedom Trail Neighborhood Association, told the council the association is "really looking forward to hear directly from VHB, our LEPs on the project" and asked that documents be posted digitally. She said the public repository at City Hall is difficult for many residents to access and asked for the project's documents to be linked on the city's website.
Brunner noted the project's ABCA document runs about 73 pages and that the 2021 assessment shows "polluted fill on the site going down 4 feet." She invited council members and the mayor to a neighborhood session with VHB at the public library on Jan. 13 at 5:30 p.m.
Council members and staff acknowledged the community's patience and asked the administration to improve access to documents and schedule information. President Pro Tem Kilpike asked for a clear timeline to reassure residents; Director Reyes replied that the schedule depends on state and federal review cycles but reiterated the city's plan to publish bid specifications and solicit bids within the first months of 2025.
The city said some funding obstacles remain but described them as resolvable and said staff hopes to limit any taxpayer contribution. The presentation included a timeline prepared by Tom Bombardier documenting work on the site going back to the 19th century and the modern-era stops and starts since the late 20th century.
No formal council action was taken on the remediation item at the Jan. 6 meeting; staff presented the update and opened the floor for questions and public comment.
The council and the mayor were invited to attend the neighborhood briefing and staff agreed to explore posting the ABCA and related reports online so residents can review them outside City Hall hours.
