Date: Fri 18-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

ZBA-groundwater-remediation

Full Text:

Cleanup System Approved For Dodgingtown Gas Spill

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has approved plans to build a permanent

water filtration station in Dodgingtown as part of a multi-million dollar

clean up of groundwater contaminated by gasoline spilled in a fiery October,

1996, tanker truck accident.

ZBA members Wednesday night unanimously approved a request from Island

Transportation of West Babylon, N.Y., to install and operate a "groundwater

remediation system" at 10 Cemetery Road, behind George's Pizza and Restaurant.

The applicant needed ZBA approval for a zoning variance to install such

equipment in a R-2 residential zone.

The system, which is expected to be built and start operation soon, will pump

water out of nine existing test wells along Cemetery Road, pass it through an

air filtration device, and then pass the cleansed water into nearby Limekiln

Brook. MTBE, a gasoline additive, is among the pollutants in the groundwater.

The filtration system will be housed in a shed measuring 12 feet long, 8 feet

wide, and 8-1/2 feet tall. The shed will sit on a concrete slab and be

surrounded by a stockade fence. Wiring and piping serving the system will be

installed underground.

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a permit to

run the system. It's thought the system will run from 2 to 7 years, or even

longer, depending on how much filtration needs to be done to cleanse the

groundwater.

The land on which the system will be built is in Flat Swamp Cemetery #1 and is

owned by the town. The town will lease the land to Island Transportation for

the extensive clean-up project.

An archaeologist will be at the gasoline spill site when the system is

installed to ensure that graves are not disturbed, according to the applicant.

In seeking its zoning variance, Island Transportation stated that a literal

enforcement of the zoning regulations would create a hardship and prevent the

clean up of the gasoline spill. The continuing clean up is underway to prevent

potential health and safety threats and to protect property values.

In June, the selectmen approved the lease of a small plot of town-owned land

on Cemetery Road for the filtration station.

A temporary filtration system has been in use since shortly after the tanker

truck accident. The permanent system will filter groundwater more rapidly.

Once the permanent system is running, the temporary system will be shut down,

the area will be cleaned, landscaping will be restored and Cemetery Road

eventually will be repaved.

The fiery and explosive gasoline tanker truck accident in Dodgingtown last

October killed the truck driver and resulted in extensive gasoline pollution

of soil and groundwater at and behind George's Restaurant and Pizza at 2

Dodgingtown Road.

The crash caused a tremendous fire fueled by the 9,085 gallons of gasoline the

trucker was hauling from Bridgeport to a gas station in Bethel.