Preliminary Environmental Site Assessment

The 43.9-acre investigation area was subdivided into four smaller study areas in order to facilitate the process of describing the site and to maximize the accuracy of the Federal and State database searches employed in this process.  A total of twenty-five properties within the four studies areas were evaluated.  Current property uses within each study area range from residential to commercial.  Historically, however, several portions of the site were used for industrial purposes, including the majority of study area 2, which was occupied by the International Silver Company from the late-1800s to the mid-1900s.  The southwestern portion of study area 1 was occupied by the Meriden Lumber Company from approximately 1884 until circa 1941.  The northeastern portion of study area 1, currently developed with residential buildings, was formerly developed with manufacturing facilities including machine shops, welding facilities, and carriage/automotive manufacturers.

Geologically, the site is located in Connecticut’s Central Lowlands Physiographic province.  According to the Bedrock Geologic Map of Connecticut, the study area is underlain by bedrock characterized by New Haven Arkose.  The topography of the site is relatively flat, and elevations range from approximately 120 to 150 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). Hydraulically upgradient sites are inferred to be located to the north-northeast.  Soils located onsite are classified as Urban Land, which implies that the majority of areas are either covered by buildings or paved areas.

A “curbside” site inspection of each of the twenty-five properties within the four smaller study areas was conducted on October 12, 2004.  Several pole-mounted and pad-mounted transformers, unlabeled as to PCB-content, were observed throughout the study area.  No visual evidence releases from these transformers was observed.  Vent and/or fill pipes typically associated with Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) or Above-ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) were observed at 82 Camp Street, 210 State Street, 66 East Main Street, and 23 Saint Casimer Street.  In addition, eleven vent and fill pipes associated with heating oil USTs were observed within the Parkside Apartments property.  A gasoline pump station and several monitoring wells were observed at 164-194 State Street.  Two of the properties visited (60 East Main Street and 50 East Main Street) consisted of vacant land.  The remaining properties were developed with buildings used for residential and/or commercial purposes. 

Review of Federal and State environmental lists identify several properties on the State Spills List, State Hazardous Waste Sites List, RCRA Generator of Hazardous Waste List, and/or as having registered USTs or leaking USTs.  Several off-site facilities with the potential to adversely impact the site were also identified by the database.

Based on the age of the buildings within the site, the presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), lead-based paint (LBP), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is likely.