South End residents press city for coordinated review of Bristol Babcock site after past fires

During public comment at the Dec. 16 Board of Aldermen meeting, Sharon Sasa described longstanding community concerns about the Bristol Babcock property and urged the city to take a coordinated approach to review and remediation.

Sasa said the site is not secure and that children are accessing the property and neighboring railroad tracks. She asked whether the city will require fencing and community protections during redevelopment and raised questions about who owns nearby parcels and what chemical testing was done after a large fire in 2015. Sasa said her tests showed four of eight toxic chemicals present at the site and called for coordinated work among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Connecticut Department of Public Health and local agencies.

Sasa asked whether consulting firms and regulators will account for chemical changes that occur when toxic substances burn and whether testing and cleanups will cover both public health and ecological harms. She asked the board to ensure residents are included in planning and to protect sensitive natural areas on the site, including spots where turtles nest.

Why it matters: The site's contamination history, a past major fire and the prospect of new development and increased truck traffic raise public-health and safety questions that typically require cross-agency coordination, testing protocols and clear community engagement plans.

Board response and next steps: The transcript records the public comment and the request for coordinated action and stronger fencing; the board placed the comment on the public record. No specific remediation timetable or new contract was approved during this meeting.