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Select Board reviews cleanup options and sale prospects for old highway garage site
Summary
Board members reviewed environmental testing and remediation options for the old highway garage property: monitoring, soil removal or capping; they discussed costs, potential borrowing/warrant strategies and whether remediation would be needed to make the site marketable.
The Select Board heard an extended update on environmental testing and potential remediation at the town’s former highway garage site.
Consultants and regional planning work completed earlier identified contaminants in limited samples that include PFAS‑type substances and traces of arsenic in soil samples and raised the possibility of localized petroleum‑related residues around building areas and equipment bays. Board members discussed phase‑one sampling that has been completed and the potential scope of phase‑two work, which could include additional monitoring wells, removal/stockpiling and off‑site disposal of contaminated soil, or in‑place containment such as paving/capping to limit exposure.
Cost and disposition options discussed: the board considered short‑term loans, a warrant article to fund remediation, or pursuing federal/state grants where available; members noted that selling the parcel without remediation would likely be difficult because buyers and realtors factor environmental liabilities into valuations, and federal/state rules typically do not allow municipalities to transfer ongoing environmental obligations without remediation.
Board members also discussed practical mitigation alternatives: scraping and stockpiling limited contaminated material for off‑site disposal or placing an asphalt cap to restrict exposure and limit future disturbance. The town’s environmental consultant had previously recommended monitoring if contaminants were present in groundwater; members noted that monitoring obligations can be ongoing and could require future town expenditures.
What’s next: Staff will compile the phase‑one/phase‑two reports and cost estimates, share them with the board and potential purchasers or regional grant programs, and evaluate options for a warrant article or grant application; members asked for clearer estimates of remediation costs and potential sale value before deciding on borrowing or sale strategies.
