Break Other
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC
BENNINGTON VERMONT COMMUNITY RELATIONS SUPPORT
Prepared for
US Environmental Protection Agency
Contract No 68-W9-0003
Work Assignment No C01097
TES6
ALLIANCE Technologies Corporation
An ALLIANCE - Technologies Corporation
Richard Leighton February 26 1991 Regional Project Officer US Environmental Protection Agency Waste Management Division JFK Federal Building Room 2203 Boston Massachusetts 02203
Reference Contract No 68-W9-0003 TES 6 Work Assignment No C01097 Tansitor Electronics Inc Bennington Vermont Community Relations Support
Subject Deliverable Community Relations Plan
Dear Rick
In accordance with the reporting requirements of the subject Work Assignment enclosed is one copy of the Community Relations Plan (CRP) for the Tansitor Electronics site This submittal satisfies the second deliverable requirement for this Work Assignment
Please note that this final CRP incorporates the comments received from EPA (dated February 4 1991) regarding the draft CRP prepared by Alliance
At the request of the WAM Terrence Connelly four bound copies and one unbound copy of the CRP have been delivered directly to him
Questions regarding this submission should be directed to the Alliance Project Manager Naida Gavrelis at (508) 970-5757 ext 5145 or me
Sincerely yours
Peter Spawn Regional Manager
PSkm
Enclosure
cc Terrence ConnellyEPA Work Assignment Manager Jill E RobbinsTES-6 Contracting Officer (letter only) Jack Lewis JrAlliance TES-6 Contracts Manager (letter only) Naida GavrelisAlliance Project Manager
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC
BENNINGTON VERMONT COMMUNITY RELATIONS SUPPORT
r bull M i ^war^
Prepared for laquobullpound US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Waste Management Division JFK Federal Building
Boston Massachusetts 02203
Work Assignment No CO1097
EPA Region I
EPA SiteFacility ID No VTD000509174
Contract No 68-W9-0003 (TES-6)
Alliance Document No A90-638
Alliance Project No 1-635-176-0-1BC3-0
Alliance Project Manager Naida Gavrelis
Telephone No (508) 970-5600
Subcontract No NA
Subcontractor Project Manager NA
Telephone No NA
EPA Work Assignment Manager Terrence Connelly
Telephone No (617) 573-9638
Date Prepared February 19 1991
ALLIANCE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION Boott Mills South
Foot of John Street Lowell Massachusetts 01852
(508) 970-5600
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
A Overview of Community Relations Plan 1
B Site Background 2
C Community Background 8
D Development of the Community Relations Program 13
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC SITE
BENNINGTON VERMONT
A OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
This community relations plan has been developed to identify issues of community concern
regarding the Tansitor Electronics Inc site (the site) in Bennington Vermont and to
present suggested community relations activities to be conducted by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) during the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RIFS)
activities at this site The community relations program outlined in this document is intended
to keep local officials and residents informed of the investigations and provide opportunities
for involvement in the process This community relations plan has been prepared in order to
assist EPA in implementing a community relations program that is specifically tailored to the
concerns and needs of the Bennington community EPA conducts community relations
activities to ensure that the local public has input to the decisions about Superfund actions
and is well-informed about the progress of those actions
The community relations plan is based on interviews with local officials and with Bennington
residents several of whom live in the vicinity of the site and on information contained in
EPA site files In-person interviews were conducted in Bennington on November 15 and 16
1990 Community and site background information was compiled with the assistance of the
Bennington Chamber of Commerce and through reference to the literature cited at the end of
this report
Present community interest in activities related to the Tansitor Electronics site appears to be
relatively low There is a general consensus among community members including abutters
that Tansitor has been a good and conscientious neighbor throughout its years of operation
Furthermore Tansitor has been a large employer of local residents While several residents
have private drinking water wells in close proximity to the site no private wells have become
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contaminated to date Residents are therefore satisfied that any site contamination is
contained and does not pose a risk to their health or jeopardize their well-being The level of
concern may change if private drinking wells were to become polluted There appears to be
moderate interest in the impact that site contaminants may have on nearby wetlands
The following sections are presented in this Community Relations Plan
Site Background Community Background Development of Community Relations Program Appendix A List of Officials Key Contacts and Interested Parties and Appendix B Information Repositories and Suggested Meeting Locations
B SITE BACKGROUND
1 Site Description
The Tansitor Electronics site is located on a 36-acre parcel of land in the Town of
Bennington Vermont The site lies in a valley between the Green Mountain and the Taconic
Mountain ranges approximately 10 and 5 miles from the Massachusetts and New York State
borders respectively The Tansitor property is bounded by West Road (Route 9) to the south
Houran Road and commercial property to the east privately owned woodland to the north
and agricultural and residential land to the west Tansitor Electronics also owns the wetland
area south of West Road (across the street from the plant) Bennington Center is located
approximately 35 miles to the east of the site (see Figure 1)
The property on which the site is located has been occupied by Tansitor Electronics Inc
since 1956 Tansitor was founded by Mr Alfred Torrisi and subsequent owners have been
Hammond and Kennedy Manufacturing and Aerotron Inc The present owner of the site is
Waycom Holding Ltd of Bracknell England The company currently employs
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TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
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lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
An ALLIANCE - Technologies Corporation
Richard Leighton February 26 1991 Regional Project Officer US Environmental Protection Agency Waste Management Division JFK Federal Building Room 2203 Boston Massachusetts 02203
Reference Contract No 68-W9-0003 TES 6 Work Assignment No C01097 Tansitor Electronics Inc Bennington Vermont Community Relations Support
Subject Deliverable Community Relations Plan
Dear Rick
In accordance with the reporting requirements of the subject Work Assignment enclosed is one copy of the Community Relations Plan (CRP) for the Tansitor Electronics site This submittal satisfies the second deliverable requirement for this Work Assignment
Please note that this final CRP incorporates the comments received from EPA (dated February 4 1991) regarding the draft CRP prepared by Alliance
At the request of the WAM Terrence Connelly four bound copies and one unbound copy of the CRP have been delivered directly to him
Questions regarding this submission should be directed to the Alliance Project Manager Naida Gavrelis at (508) 970-5757 ext 5145 or me
Sincerely yours
Peter Spawn Regional Manager
PSkm
Enclosure
cc Terrence ConnellyEPA Work Assignment Manager Jill E RobbinsTES-6 Contracting Officer (letter only) Jack Lewis JrAlliance TES-6 Contracts Manager (letter only) Naida GavrelisAlliance Project Manager
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC
BENNINGTON VERMONT COMMUNITY RELATIONS SUPPORT
r bull M i ^war^
Prepared for laquobullpound US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Waste Management Division JFK Federal Building
Boston Massachusetts 02203
Work Assignment No CO1097
EPA Region I
EPA SiteFacility ID No VTD000509174
Contract No 68-W9-0003 (TES-6)
Alliance Document No A90-638
Alliance Project No 1-635-176-0-1BC3-0
Alliance Project Manager Naida Gavrelis
Telephone No (508) 970-5600
Subcontract No NA
Subcontractor Project Manager NA
Telephone No NA
EPA Work Assignment Manager Terrence Connelly
Telephone No (617) 573-9638
Date Prepared February 19 1991
ALLIANCE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION Boott Mills South
Foot of John Street Lowell Massachusetts 01852
(508) 970-5600
RECYCLED PAPER ALLIANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
A Overview of Community Relations Plan 1
B Site Background 2
C Community Background 8
D Development of the Community Relations Program 13
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC SITE
BENNINGTON VERMONT
A OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
This community relations plan has been developed to identify issues of community concern
regarding the Tansitor Electronics Inc site (the site) in Bennington Vermont and to
present suggested community relations activities to be conducted by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) during the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RIFS)
activities at this site The community relations program outlined in this document is intended
to keep local officials and residents informed of the investigations and provide opportunities
for involvement in the process This community relations plan has been prepared in order to
assist EPA in implementing a community relations program that is specifically tailored to the
concerns and needs of the Bennington community EPA conducts community relations
activities to ensure that the local public has input to the decisions about Superfund actions
and is well-informed about the progress of those actions
The community relations plan is based on interviews with local officials and with Bennington
residents several of whom live in the vicinity of the site and on information contained in
EPA site files In-person interviews were conducted in Bennington on November 15 and 16
1990 Community and site background information was compiled with the assistance of the
Bennington Chamber of Commerce and through reference to the literature cited at the end of
this report
Present community interest in activities related to the Tansitor Electronics site appears to be
relatively low There is a general consensus among community members including abutters
that Tansitor has been a good and conscientious neighbor throughout its years of operation
Furthermore Tansitor has been a large employer of local residents While several residents
have private drinking water wells in close proximity to the site no private wells have become
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contaminated to date Residents are therefore satisfied that any site contamination is
contained and does not pose a risk to their health or jeopardize their well-being The level of
concern may change if private drinking wells were to become polluted There appears to be
moderate interest in the impact that site contaminants may have on nearby wetlands
The following sections are presented in this Community Relations Plan
Site Background Community Background Development of Community Relations Program Appendix A List of Officials Key Contacts and Interested Parties and Appendix B Information Repositories and Suggested Meeting Locations
B SITE BACKGROUND
1 Site Description
The Tansitor Electronics site is located on a 36-acre parcel of land in the Town of
Bennington Vermont The site lies in a valley between the Green Mountain and the Taconic
Mountain ranges approximately 10 and 5 miles from the Massachusetts and New York State
borders respectively The Tansitor property is bounded by West Road (Route 9) to the south
Houran Road and commercial property to the east privately owned woodland to the north
and agricultural and residential land to the west Tansitor Electronics also owns the wetland
area south of West Road (across the street from the plant) Bennington Center is located
approximately 35 miles to the east of the site (see Figure 1)
The property on which the site is located has been occupied by Tansitor Electronics Inc
since 1956 Tansitor was founded by Mr Alfred Torrisi and subsequent owners have been
Hammond and Kennedy Manufacturing and Aerotron Inc The present owner of the site is
Waycom Holding Ltd of Bracknell England The company currently employs
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TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
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lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC
BENNINGTON VERMONT COMMUNITY RELATIONS SUPPORT
r bull M i ^war^
Prepared for laquobullpound US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Waste Management Division JFK Federal Building
Boston Massachusetts 02203
Work Assignment No CO1097
EPA Region I
EPA SiteFacility ID No VTD000509174
Contract No 68-W9-0003 (TES-6)
Alliance Document No A90-638
Alliance Project No 1-635-176-0-1BC3-0
Alliance Project Manager Naida Gavrelis
Telephone No (508) 970-5600
Subcontract No NA
Subcontractor Project Manager NA
Telephone No NA
EPA Work Assignment Manager Terrence Connelly
Telephone No (617) 573-9638
Date Prepared February 19 1991
ALLIANCE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION Boott Mills South
Foot of John Street Lowell Massachusetts 01852
(508) 970-5600
RECYCLED PAPER ALLIANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
A Overview of Community Relations Plan 1
B Site Background 2
C Community Background 8
D Development of the Community Relations Program 13
A90-63Stxt ii
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC SITE
BENNINGTON VERMONT
A OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
This community relations plan has been developed to identify issues of community concern
regarding the Tansitor Electronics Inc site (the site) in Bennington Vermont and to
present suggested community relations activities to be conducted by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) during the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RIFS)
activities at this site The community relations program outlined in this document is intended
to keep local officials and residents informed of the investigations and provide opportunities
for involvement in the process This community relations plan has been prepared in order to
assist EPA in implementing a community relations program that is specifically tailored to the
concerns and needs of the Bennington community EPA conducts community relations
activities to ensure that the local public has input to the decisions about Superfund actions
and is well-informed about the progress of those actions
The community relations plan is based on interviews with local officials and with Bennington
residents several of whom live in the vicinity of the site and on information contained in
EPA site files In-person interviews were conducted in Bennington on November 15 and 16
1990 Community and site background information was compiled with the assistance of the
Bennington Chamber of Commerce and through reference to the literature cited at the end of
this report
Present community interest in activities related to the Tansitor Electronics site appears to be
relatively low There is a general consensus among community members including abutters
that Tansitor has been a good and conscientious neighbor throughout its years of operation
Furthermore Tansitor has been a large employer of local residents While several residents
have private drinking water wells in close proximity to the site no private wells have become
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contaminated to date Residents are therefore satisfied that any site contamination is
contained and does not pose a risk to their health or jeopardize their well-being The level of
concern may change if private drinking wells were to become polluted There appears to be
moderate interest in the impact that site contaminants may have on nearby wetlands
The following sections are presented in this Community Relations Plan
Site Background Community Background Development of Community Relations Program Appendix A List of Officials Key Contacts and Interested Parties and Appendix B Information Repositories and Suggested Meeting Locations
B SITE BACKGROUND
1 Site Description
The Tansitor Electronics site is located on a 36-acre parcel of land in the Town of
Bennington Vermont The site lies in a valley between the Green Mountain and the Taconic
Mountain ranges approximately 10 and 5 miles from the Massachusetts and New York State
borders respectively The Tansitor property is bounded by West Road (Route 9) to the south
Houran Road and commercial property to the east privately owned woodland to the north
and agricultural and residential land to the west Tansitor Electronics also owns the wetland
area south of West Road (across the street from the plant) Bennington Center is located
approximately 35 miles to the east of the site (see Figure 1)
The property on which the site is located has been occupied by Tansitor Electronics Inc
since 1956 Tansitor was founded by Mr Alfred Torrisi and subsequent owners have been
Hammond and Kennedy Manufacturing and Aerotron Inc The present owner of the site is
Waycom Holding Ltd of Bracknell England The company currently employs
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TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
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lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
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C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
A Overview of Community Relations Plan 1
B Site Background 2
C Community Background 8
D Development of the Community Relations Program 13
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC SITE
BENNINGTON VERMONT
A OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
This community relations plan has been developed to identify issues of community concern
regarding the Tansitor Electronics Inc site (the site) in Bennington Vermont and to
present suggested community relations activities to be conducted by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) during the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RIFS)
activities at this site The community relations program outlined in this document is intended
to keep local officials and residents informed of the investigations and provide opportunities
for involvement in the process This community relations plan has been prepared in order to
assist EPA in implementing a community relations program that is specifically tailored to the
concerns and needs of the Bennington community EPA conducts community relations
activities to ensure that the local public has input to the decisions about Superfund actions
and is well-informed about the progress of those actions
The community relations plan is based on interviews with local officials and with Bennington
residents several of whom live in the vicinity of the site and on information contained in
EPA site files In-person interviews were conducted in Bennington on November 15 and 16
1990 Community and site background information was compiled with the assistance of the
Bennington Chamber of Commerce and through reference to the literature cited at the end of
this report
Present community interest in activities related to the Tansitor Electronics site appears to be
relatively low There is a general consensus among community members including abutters
that Tansitor has been a good and conscientious neighbor throughout its years of operation
Furthermore Tansitor has been a large employer of local residents While several residents
have private drinking water wells in close proximity to the site no private wells have become
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contaminated to date Residents are therefore satisfied that any site contamination is
contained and does not pose a risk to their health or jeopardize their well-being The level of
concern may change if private drinking wells were to become polluted There appears to be
moderate interest in the impact that site contaminants may have on nearby wetlands
The following sections are presented in this Community Relations Plan
Site Background Community Background Development of Community Relations Program Appendix A List of Officials Key Contacts and Interested Parties and Appendix B Information Repositories and Suggested Meeting Locations
B SITE BACKGROUND
1 Site Description
The Tansitor Electronics site is located on a 36-acre parcel of land in the Town of
Bennington Vermont The site lies in a valley between the Green Mountain and the Taconic
Mountain ranges approximately 10 and 5 miles from the Massachusetts and New York State
borders respectively The Tansitor property is bounded by West Road (Route 9) to the south
Houran Road and commercial property to the east privately owned woodland to the north
and agricultural and residential land to the west Tansitor Electronics also owns the wetland
area south of West Road (across the street from the plant) Bennington Center is located
approximately 35 miles to the east of the site (see Figure 1)
The property on which the site is located has been occupied by Tansitor Electronics Inc
since 1956 Tansitor was founded by Mr Alfred Torrisi and subsequent owners have been
Hammond and Kennedy Manufacturing and Aerotron Inc The present owner of the site is
Waycom Holding Ltd of Bracknell England The company currently employs
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TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
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lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC SITE
BENNINGTON VERMONT
A OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS PLAN
This community relations plan has been developed to identify issues of community concern
regarding the Tansitor Electronics Inc site (the site) in Bennington Vermont and to
present suggested community relations activities to be conducted by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) during the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RIFS)
activities at this site The community relations program outlined in this document is intended
to keep local officials and residents informed of the investigations and provide opportunities
for involvement in the process This community relations plan has been prepared in order to
assist EPA in implementing a community relations program that is specifically tailored to the
concerns and needs of the Bennington community EPA conducts community relations
activities to ensure that the local public has input to the decisions about Superfund actions
and is well-informed about the progress of those actions
The community relations plan is based on interviews with local officials and with Bennington
residents several of whom live in the vicinity of the site and on information contained in
EPA site files In-person interviews were conducted in Bennington on November 15 and 16
1990 Community and site background information was compiled with the assistance of the
Bennington Chamber of Commerce and through reference to the literature cited at the end of
this report
Present community interest in activities related to the Tansitor Electronics site appears to be
relatively low There is a general consensus among community members including abutters
that Tansitor has been a good and conscientious neighbor throughout its years of operation
Furthermore Tansitor has been a large employer of local residents While several residents
have private drinking water wells in close proximity to the site no private wells have become
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contaminated to date Residents are therefore satisfied that any site contamination is
contained and does not pose a risk to their health or jeopardize their well-being The level of
concern may change if private drinking wells were to become polluted There appears to be
moderate interest in the impact that site contaminants may have on nearby wetlands
The following sections are presented in this Community Relations Plan
Site Background Community Background Development of Community Relations Program Appendix A List of Officials Key Contacts and Interested Parties and Appendix B Information Repositories and Suggested Meeting Locations
B SITE BACKGROUND
1 Site Description
The Tansitor Electronics site is located on a 36-acre parcel of land in the Town of
Bennington Vermont The site lies in a valley between the Green Mountain and the Taconic
Mountain ranges approximately 10 and 5 miles from the Massachusetts and New York State
borders respectively The Tansitor property is bounded by West Road (Route 9) to the south
Houran Road and commercial property to the east privately owned woodland to the north
and agricultural and residential land to the west Tansitor Electronics also owns the wetland
area south of West Road (across the street from the plant) Bennington Center is located
approximately 35 miles to the east of the site (see Figure 1)
The property on which the site is located has been occupied by Tansitor Electronics Inc
since 1956 Tansitor was founded by Mr Alfred Torrisi and subsequent owners have been
Hammond and Kennedy Manufacturing and Aerotron Inc The present owner of the site is
Waycom Holding Ltd of Bracknell England The company currently employs
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TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
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lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
contaminated to date Residents are therefore satisfied that any site contamination is
contained and does not pose a risk to their health or jeopardize their well-being The level of
concern may change if private drinking wells were to become polluted There appears to be
moderate interest in the impact that site contaminants may have on nearby wetlands
The following sections are presented in this Community Relations Plan
Site Background Community Background Development of Community Relations Program Appendix A List of Officials Key Contacts and Interested Parties and Appendix B Information Repositories and Suggested Meeting Locations
B SITE BACKGROUND
1 Site Description
The Tansitor Electronics site is located on a 36-acre parcel of land in the Town of
Bennington Vermont The site lies in a valley between the Green Mountain and the Taconic
Mountain ranges approximately 10 and 5 miles from the Massachusetts and New York State
borders respectively The Tansitor property is bounded by West Road (Route 9) to the south
Houran Road and commercial property to the east privately owned woodland to the north
and agricultural and residential land to the west Tansitor Electronics also owns the wetland
area south of West Road (across the street from the plant) Bennington Center is located
approximately 35 miles to the east of the site (see Figure 1)
The property on which the site is located has been occupied by Tansitor Electronics Inc
since 1956 Tansitor was founded by Mr Alfred Torrisi and subsequent owners have been
Hammond and Kennedy Manufacturing and Aerotron Inc The present owner of the site is
Waycom Holding Ltd of Bracknell England The company currently employs
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TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
TANSITOR ELECTRONICS INC 8DPERFUWP SITE
Tansitor Electronic- Inc Site Community Relations ALLIANCE
Figure 1 Bennington Area Map ( - see figure 2)
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
A90-638txt 8
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
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Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
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To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
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Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
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evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
approximately 185 people but is known to have at one time employed over 300 Tansitor
manufactures electrolytic tantalum capacitors the major components of which are silver
tantalum and palladium Their operations include pelletizing tantalum powder into
electrodes sinterizing the pellets in vacuum furnaces using dilute acids and assembling the
electrodes in tantalum aluminum and silver casings (EPA 1990a) Wastes known to be
generated in these processes include metal plating solutions cleaning solvents
non-chlorinated and chlorinated degreasers (111 trichloroethane) and corrosive solutions
(EPA 1990a)
Development on the property consists of a manufacturing facility an etch house office space
parking lots a fire pond a tennis court and a baseball field Several dirt access roads lead
from the buildings to the perimeter of the property The majority of the property however is
undeveloped wooded or open land (see Figure 2)
The surrounding area is a sparsely populated mix of rural residential and commercial land
The nearest residences are located less than 800 feet from the Tansitor production facilities
The EPA determined that approximately 1500 people are serviced by drinking water wells
within a 3 mile radius of the site (EPA 1990b) The Johnson Company the environmental
contractor to Tansitor determined however that less than 400 people were serviced by wells
downgradient of the site (Johnson 1989)
2 Local Environmental Characteristics
The surface of the Tansitor property slopes to the southeast (ERM 1989) Surface water
flowing across the site drains into the fire pond which in turn discharges via a culvert into the
wetlands south of West Road (see Figure 2) The wetlands are drained by Browns Brook
which empties into the Hoosic River and eventually into the Hudson River The Vermont
Nature Conservancy determined that no endangered species inhabit areas at or immediately
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Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
A90-638txt 6
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
RECYCLED PAPER
the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
A90-638txt 8
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
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Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
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Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
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Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
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Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
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REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Baseball Field
Fowler Tansitor Property Property
Sugar Maple NOT TO SCALE Inn Property
Property Boundary Woodlands
Dirt Road Wetlands
Underground Culvert Disposal Area
Tansitor Electronics Inc Site Community Relations
ALLIANCE Technologies Corpo-alon
Figure 2 Site Map
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
A90-638txt 6
RECYCLED PAPER A ALLIANCE
4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
RECYCLED PAPER
the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
A90-638txt 8
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
downstream of the site (ERM 1989) The site is located directly south of Whipstock Hill
Because of this and the fact that the property is located in a valley between two mountain
ranges large quantities of ground water pass through the vicinity of the site Surface soils
consists of glacial tills typical to southern Vermont
3 Disposal History
Disposal at the site was limited to an area (approximately 500 sq ft) at the northeastern
comer of the site (EPA 1989) (see Figure 2) EPA estimates the equivalent of 117 drums of
process waste were disposed on the Tansitor property between 1956 and 1979 (EPA 1990b)
The Johnson Company reports that some of the disposal occurred prior to Tansitors purchase
of the property There is also some indication that waste was disposed into the fire pond or
directly into the culvert leading to the wetlands south of West Pond
The primary constituents of the process waste include plating waste containing nickel and
copper organic solvents and degreasers such as 111-trichloroethane (TCA) 11shy
dichlorethane (11-DCA) and nn-dimethylformamide and certain metals and acids (EPA
1990a) Elevated concentrations of TCA 11-DCA and several other volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) were detected in surface soils collected from the large disposal area
VOCs are a group of chemical compounds that are charcterized by their tendency to
evaporate into the air from water and soil The Vermont Department of Environmental
Conservation (VT DEC a division of the Agency of Natural Resources formerly the Agency
of Environmental Conservation) has sampled tap water from the Tansitor facility and four
properties in the vicinity of the site Laboratory analysis detected organic compounds once in
the Tansitor samples but these results could not be reproduced and they were considered to be
laboratory error No contaminants have been detected in the residential wells
A90-638txt 6
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4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
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the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
A90-638txt 8
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
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APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
4 History of Site Investigations
The VT DEC initially inspected the site in October 1982 Initially VT DEC inspectors
determined that the aesthetics of the site needed to be improved (ERM 1989) In June- July
1983 the VT DEC notified Tansitor that the solid waste piles and drum remnants disposed on
site had to be removed and that soil samples should be collected from the disposal areas
(ERM 1989) In November 1985 Tansitor reported the findings of the sampling to the VT
DEC elevated levels (parts-per-billion) of 15 VOCs were present in the soils but no
significant quantities of contaminants were detected in the Tansitor well Three months after
the findings were submitted (5 months after Tansitor s sampling) the VT DEC detected the
aforementioned elevated concentrations of organic compounds in the Tansitor well and in a
surface water seep slightly north of the fire pond The VT DEC suggested that the disposal
area be studied more extensively (ERM 1989)
A Site Inspection report issued in January 1987 by the VT DEC indicated a potential problem
existed at the site EPA completed a Hazard Ranking evaluation in September 1987 in order
to determine whether enough contamination was present to include the site on the National
Priorities List (NPL) a list of the nations most contaminated hazardous waste sites
Placement on the NPL not only prioritizes a site for federal funding under EPAs Superfund
program but also makes professional assistance more readily available to those responsible for
cleaning up the site The Tansitor site was found to exceed the acceptable hazard limits and
in June 1988 EPA proposed the site for listing on the NPL On October 4 1989 the
Tansitor site was officially listed as a Federal Superfund site (EPA 1990a)
In September 1990 EPA entered into an Administrative Order of Consent with two
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) Tansitor Electronics Inc and Siemens Corporation
Both companies have owned or operated the facility during the known period of improper
hazardous waste disposal The agreement requires the two parties to pay the cost of a
Remedial InvestigationFeasibility Study (RIFS) to determine the extent of contamination at
A90-638txt
RECYCLED PAPER
the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
A90-638txt 8
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2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
the site and best possible means to clean it up The RIFS activities are scheduled to
commence in the spring of 1991
C COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
1 Community Profile
The Town of Bennington was incorporated in 1749 Approximately 16700 people live in
Bennington but the town serves as the urban center for the 36000 residents of Bennington
County The Town of Bennington encompasses an area of approximately 23000 acres Of
this 3400 acres are used agriculturally 825 are used industrially and 6500 are undeveloped
forested areas The remainder of the area is used presumably as residential and commercial
space (Chamber of Commerce)
The economy of the Bennington area relies heavily on manufacturing industries (33 percent of
income) Major corporations working out of Bennington include Eveready Battery Johnson
Controls Inc and Stanley Tools Retail sales comprise approximately 23 percent of the
economy recreational sales comprise 18 percent and agriculture and dairy farming comprise
only 2 percent (Chamber of Commerce) Local educational institutions include 15 public
schools three private secondary schools two 4-year colleges and one community college
The Town of Bennington is governed by a Town Manager and a Board of Selectors The
Board of Selectors meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month A seven-member
Conservation Commission has recently been established to address various local
environmentalecological concerns
A90-638txt 8
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
2 History of Community Involvement
In general there has been a low level of interest in the Tansitor Electronics site Residents
interviewed generally view Tansitor as a good and trustworthy neighbor Nearby residents
first learned about the site contamination approximately 5 years ago when a Vermont
environmental group conducted a door-to-door canvas alerting residents that they lived on a
toxic waste site Residents interviewed were initially alarmed A public meeting was held
at that time at which Tansitor and state environmental officials were present The individuals
interviewed who attended the meeting stated that Tansitor was very frank regarding past
disposal practices and that the community showed no antagonism toward Tansitor Overall
after the meeting these residents felt confident that site contaminants were contained
Residents were further comforted knowing that Tansitor and the State would continue to
monitor their wells
Bennington residents in general gained most of their knowledge concerning the Tansitor site
through the news media Local newspapers have reported on the Tansitor site issues since the
mid-1980s when site contamination was first detected Town officials indicated during
interviews that they have not received any inquiries regarding Tansitor from Bennington
residents
3 Key Community Concerns
Officials and residents interviewed in Bennington indicated that the Tansitor site is a
relatively minor concern to the community Community members especially site neighbors
are certainly concerned about the potential for contamination of private residential wells but
the absence of well contamination to date has satisfied residents that the Tansitor pollution
problem is not an imminent threat to their health In general citizens interviewed ranked the
contamination associated with Tansitor operations low compared to other environmental
problems in Bennington Greater concern was voiced over solid waste issues in general the
A90-638txt 9
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Burgess Landfill site and the fight against the Half-Moon coal burning facility in nearby New
York with its associated air pollution problems Furthermore citizens appeared to be more
concerned about the local economy and jobs than environmental problems Certain
individuals interviewed also ranked educational concerns higher than environmental problems
Most residents interviewed have lived in Bennington for many years and are content to
remain there Many residents interviewed expressed a deep interest in maintaining open land
and preserving wildlife in the area
As the results of the remedial investigation become available the level of concern may
change if the findings are significant A summary of the current key community concerns is
presented below
Contamination of Private Residential Drinking Water Wells and Related Health
Risks Clearly the neighbors of Tansitor whose wells are in relatively close proximity
to the site are concerned about the potential contamination of their wells However as
mentioned earlier since testing to date has not revealed any private well
contamination residents are not overly alarmed One resident did express some lack
of confidence in the sampling data produced by Tansitor Neighbors undoubtedly
want to be kept informed of the results of the comprehensive testing which is to take
place during the Remedial Investigation Residents interviewed are concerned that no
connections to town water are readily available should their wells become
contaminated Most neighbors questioned who would be responsible for adequately
treating their well water or supplying another source of water (ie bottled water or
access to the town water supply)
There is also reasonable concern that the ground water hydrology of the area has not
yet been defined well enough to be certain of what direction contaminated ground
water is flowing Some outliers of the immediate site area are therefore somewhat
concerned about potential contaminant migration and its effect on their wells
A90-638txt 10
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife Both town officials and residents expressed a fair
amount of concern regarding the impact of site contaminants on the wetlands located
in close proximity to the site and on the wildlife that inhabits the area Wetlands are
located directly across the street from the Tafisitor site An unnamed stream flows
through thelaquose wetlands and off in a southwesterly direction to Browns Brook One
resident had heard that there are rfo living creatures in ihcse wetlands and that
everything is black and smells not necessarily a result of Tansitor pollution
Impact on Pond There is a swimming pond on the Sugar Maple Inn property
(southwest of Tansitor) While sampling results to date have revealed no
contamination the potential for future contamination is of concern to some area
residents
Loss of Jobs Tansitor has been a major employer in Bennington for many years
Residents interviewed are concerned that the cost of the investigation and clean-up
might result in financial hardship for Tansitor and may ultimately lead to the loss of
jobs Residents are generally sympathetic to Tansitor and their plight of having to pay
now for waste disposal practices generally accepted at the time of their occurrence
Receipt of Information Pertaining to the Superfund Process Both town officials
and residents expressed an interest in learning more about the Superfund process One
town official stated that the public in general does not understand Superfund and that
this lack of knowledge may in part account for the relatively low level of concern
regarding a site like Tansitor Residents interviewed assumed that the Tansitor site
was placed on the Superfund list based exclusively on the detection of high
contaminant concentrations The intricacies of the Superfund process for example the
other factors independent of chemical levels that are used to rank a hazardous waste
such as Tansitor (eg proximity of the site to private residential wells and the current
A90-638txt 11
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE ft
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
lack of access to the town water supply) are not well understood by all community
members
Over-Reaction on the Part of Environmental Officials One resident stated and
others alluded to the fact that there are other environmentaLpraquo-WCTn^far greater tamplaquon
the Tansitor site boiTf withirTandOutside of Vermont
bull Oversight of the Remedial Investigation While the general consensus was one of
trust in Tansitor and their ability to honestly and openly reveal the results of their
investigation a few individuals questioned EPAs exact role and were interested in
learning what measures would be taken to oversee the PRPs work These individuals
appeared satisfied by the response provided by EPA describing the oversight
requirements of the process and EPAs option to assume sole responsibility of the
remedial investigation if EPA is dissatisfied with Tansitors work
bull Impact of Remedial Actions Several individuals inquired about how the site would
ultimately be cleaned up Both town officials and residents were unfamiliar with the
various clean-up alternatives that are generally used to remediate a site such as
Tansitor A specific concern was voiced over the ultimate fate of site contaminants
A few residents also expressed concern about the potential for creating more of a
problem by stirring things up during the remedial investigation
Decrease in Property Values One resident interviewed expressed concern about how
the existence of a hazardous waste site in the neighborhood may impact the resale
value of property in the area
bull Use of the Fire Pond Some concern was voiced over the potential contamination of
the fire pond The rural fire department has used the pond in the past Town officials
questioned the ramifications of carrying this water off-site
A90-638txt 12
RECYCLED PAPER Afe ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Community Image One resident stated that since Bennington sees itself as a tourist
community the citizens are certainly concerned about their image given the presence
of three Superfund sites in town (Tansitor the Bennington Landfill and the Burgess
Landfill)
D DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAM
1 Objectives
Interviews and discussions with local officials and residents revealed that there is a relatively
low interest in the Tansitor site but a moderate desire to be kept informed of site activities
The community relations program should be gauged according to the communitys need for
information and its interest and willingness to participate in the remedial process The
community relations program should provide a means to keep the entire community informed
of major developments at the site and aware of opportunities for involvement in the
Superfund process The overall goal of the community relations program is to maintain an
open line of communication between EPA and affected community residents
The community relations program at the Tansitor Electronics site has the following objectives
bull To provide the public with accurate information regarding site activities It is
important that the community be kept informed of the progress and major milestones
of the site investigations The community relations program will establish and
maintain regular communication between residents town officials and EPA
Information is to be accurate up-to-date and understandable in order to maximize the
credibility of EPA and other agencies involved in the program Seemingly
disinterested residents may show greater interest if the results of the investigation are
readily available
A90-638txt 13
RECYCLED PAPER A4 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
To educate community members about the Superfund process and the role of
EPA The Bennington community members interviewed expressed an interest and feel
the need to learn more about Superfund Efforts should be made to describe the steps
involved in the remedial investigation and the criteria used to determine if and how
the site should be remediated
bull To support the interpretation of technical information Concise and easily-
understood information should be made available to all residents and officials on the
schedule of technical activities their purpose and their outcome Community
relations staff should attempt to identify special situations or concerns where more
specialized information may be required or where certain types of information are
needed by single individuals or groups
The community relations program should provide a means for interested residents
officials and local environmental groups to interpret technical information when
necessary (See the discussion of the Technical Assistance Grant program in the next
section)
2 Techniques and Timing
EPA Superfund guidance requires a number of community relations activities during the
RIFS These include providing a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
and preparing a responsiveness summary Other activities are suggested based on the specific
needs of the Bennington community Those community members interviewed expressed a
moderate interest in being kept informed of site activities through the maintenance of an
information repository mailings news releases and public meetings
Required and suggested community relations activities for the Tansitor Electronics site and
the general time frame for their implementation are described below
A90-638txt 14
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Establish information contacts The EPA site Remedial Project Manager and the
Community Relations Coordinator should serve as information contacts throughout the
Superfund investigations at the Tansitor site Ready access to these individuals will
ensure that concerns and questions of officials community groups and residents are
addressed effectively Appendix A lists the names and telephone numbers of the two
EPA information contacts
Timing Two contacts have already been designated Their names and telephone
numbers should be included in all mailings and news releases
Establish and maintain information repositories Fact sheets technical summaries
site reports (including the community relations plan) Superfund information and other
site-related material should be readily available to all interested parties An
information repository will be located at the Bennington Free Library The address
and hours of operation are included in Appendix B
Timing An information repository has already been established at the Bennington
Free Library The information repository should be maintained for the duration of
Superfund remedial activities and information should be added to it in a timely and
continuous manner
Maintain a site mailing list All interested officials residents community groups
responsible parties and news media representatives should be included on a site
mailing list This list will be used to distribute fact sheets and other site-related
information The mailing list will be updated primarily on the basis of meeting sign-
in sheets and communications with the information contacts mentioned above
A90-638txt 15
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Timing EPA is developing a mailing list for the Tansitor site This mailing list
should be continually updated The key contacts and officials (Appendix A) and
media contacts (Appendix C) will be included on the mailing list
bull Issue news releases and public notices Press releases will be issued to provide
timely notification of project milestones and upcoming activities The language in the
press releases should be clear and concise to minimize the risk of misinterpretation
Citizens interviewed indicated that the media is the best way to get information to the
community Most residents including site neighbors learned about the contamination
at Tansitor via the newspaper The paper read by most residents is the Bennington
Banner
Timing Press releases will be prepared periodically Public notices announcing the
Proposed Plan and Record of Decision are required by law The appropriate media
contacts for this purpose are listed in Appendix C
Prepare and distribute fact sheets Fact sheets will be issued to provide information
on Superfund in general and on activities at the Tansitor site Community members
indicated that they would like a fact sheet summarizing the site history and outlining
the schedule of RI activities Other fact sheets that should be written and distributed
include one that will summarize the results of the remedial investigation and one that
will present the proposed remedial action plan and the results of the feasibility study
Timing Fact sheets can be distributed periodically They should be issued at
milestones such as the completion of the remedial investigation
bull Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) In 1988 EPA established a grant program to
enable community groups to hire technical consultants to assist in interpreting
site-related technical information Specifically groups may want to perform their own
A90-638txt 16
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE T
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
evaluation of sampling data and proposed cleanup alternatives The Bennington
community could benefit from this program especially if site interest increases EPA
should inform Bennington area citizen groups that these funds exist and encourage
TAG proposals to be written
Timing The local community should be informed of TAG funding opportunities as
early as possible in the RIFS process to allow ample time for proposal preparation
and processing
Hold public meetings Bennington residents communicated mixed feeling about the
usefulness of holding public meetings to discuss the Tansitor site Several individuals
interviewed stated that the interest in the site may not be high enough to attract people
to a public meeting unless new information is disclosed which may have a significant
impact on abutters and the town in general One resident stated that the public attends
meetings only if people are angry over an issue Another resident thought that
peoples curiosity and apprehension about a hazardous waste site would bring them
out to a meeting It should be noted that audio-visual aids and face-to-face
discussions facilitate the understanding of more complex technical issues The
suggested meeting location is listed in Appendix B This location has cable television
broadcast capabilities
Timing A general informational meeting early in the remedial investigation may be
held to provide community members with general factual information addressing site
history planned site activities and the Superfund process in general A second
meeting will present the results of the RI and plans for future activities A third
meeting will be held to present the results of the FS and the Proposed Plan
A90-63Stxt 17
RECYCLED PAPER amp ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
Allow a public comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan and Hold Public
Hearing EPA must provide a minimum of 30 days for public comment on the RIFS
and Proposed Plan Oral and written comments provided during this period will be
considered in the process of selecting cleanup alternatives A public hearing should be
held during this comment period
Timing The public comment period will follow preparation of the RIFS and
Proposed Plan
Prepare a Responsiveness Summary EPA must prepared a Responsiveness
Summary which summarizes all comments and concerns submitted during the
comment period on the RIFS and the Proposed Plan and EPAs responses to these
comments The Responsiveness Summary must accompany the Record of Decision
for the site
Timing The Responsiveness Summary must be prepared following the public
comment period on the RIFS and Proposed Plan
Revise the community relations plan This community relations plan should be
revised if necessary following the RIFS phase of site investigations It may be
necessary to conduct additional personal interviews to evaluate changes in community
perceptions and concerns
Timing EPA should revise the community relations plan as necessary during the
remedial designremedial action phase of site investigations
A90-638txt 18
RECYCLED PAPER Af4 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
REFERENCES
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Map and Guide to Bennington County Vermont 1990
Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce Community Data Profile and Fact Sheet undated
Environmental Project Control Inc and the Johnson Company for Tansitor Electronics Inc Draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan November 26 1990
ERM - New England Inc for Tansitor Electronics Inc Phase I Preliminary Investigation Tansitor Electronics Inc Facility West Road Bennington VT May 15 1989
The Johnson Company Tansitor Electronics An Assessment of the Hazard Ranking System Score August 1989
US EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Site Analysis Tansitor Electronics Bennington Vermont November 1989
US EPA Tansitor Electronics Superfund Site First Scoping Meeting Notes October 18 1990 (EPA 1990a)
US EPA Environmental News Settlement Reached for Work at Tansitor Superfund Site September 14 1990 (EPA 1990b)
A90-638txt 19
RECYCLED PAPER Ml ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
APPENDIX A
OFFICIALS KEY CONTACTS AND INTERESTED PARTIES
A Federal Elected Officials
1 Senator James Jeffords 202-224-5141 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-223-5273 138 Main Street Montpelier VT 05602
2 Senator Patrick Leahy 202-224-4242 Washington DC 20510
District Office 802-229-0569 PO Box 933 Montpelier VT 05602
3 Representative Bernard Sanders 202-225-4115 Washington DC 20515
District Office 802-828-1110 100 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
B US Environmental Protection Agency
1 Terrence Connelly 617-573-9638 Remedial Project Manager US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (HSV-CAN5) Boston MA 02203
2 James Sebastian 617-565-3423 Community Relations Coordinator US EPA Region I JFK Federal Building (RPA) Boston MA 02203
A90-638txt A-l ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
C State Elected Officials
1 Governor Richard Snelling109 State Street Montpelier VT 05602
802-828-3333
2 Senator Maryann CarlsonBox 481 Arlington VT 05250
802-375-9449
3 Senator John Page222 Grandview Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-2770
4 Representative Timothy Corcoran703 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201
802-442-8419
5 Representative Ronald Knapp137 Burgess Road Bennington VT 05201
802-442-5312
6 Representative Richard Pembroke21 Pageant Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-4854
7 Representative Ralph WrightMatteson Road North Bennington VT 05257
802-442-2366
8 Russell CarpenterBox 57 311 Elm Street Bennington VT 05201
802-442-9021
9 James SheaRR1 Box 306 West Mountain Road Shaftsbury VT 05262
802-442-2680
A90638tx A-2 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
D State Agencies
1 Steve WintersVT Agency of Natural Resources Hazardous Sites Management Section 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
(Questions regarding Vermonts interestsconcerns should be addressed to Mr Winters)
2 William Ahearn DirectorDivision of Hazardous Waste VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
3 Tim BurkeCommissioner of Environmental Conservation Division of Water Resources VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8755
4 David Clough DirectorDivision of Water Quality VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Building 10 North Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-6951
5 Edward Leonard DirectorDivision of Waste Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
802-224-7831
6 Tom Moye DirectorHazardous Materials Management VT Agency of Natural Resources 103 S Main Street West Building Waterbury VT 05676
802-244-8702
A90-63Stxt A-3 A ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
7 Robert OGrady DirectorEnvironmental Health Vermont Dept of Health 60 Main Street PO Box 70 Burlington VT 05402
8 J Timothy Van Zandt DirectorVermont Dept of Fish amp Wildlife 103 S Main Street Waterbury VT 05676
E Local Officials
1 Kevin Ryan Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
2 Stuart Hurd Asst Town ManagerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
3 Lloyd WinterChairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
4 Timothy CorcoranVice Chairman Board of Selectors PO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
5 Thomas Franks SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
6 Patrick Kinney SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
7 Richard Sears SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
A90-638txt A-4
802-863-7200
802-244-7331
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
JT ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
8 Howard Sinnott SelectorPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
9 Richard Knapp Fire ChiefPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
10 David Woodin Police ChiefSouth Street Bennington VT 05201
11 Sharon Brush Health OfficerPO Box 469 Bennington VT 05201
12 Thomas Hobbel Health OfficerState Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
F Environmental Groups
1 Mt Anthony Preservation Society 700 Jefferson Heights Bennington VT 05201 Attn Cynthia Locklin President
2 Vermonters Organized for Cleanup co John Haugrud Route 7A Arlington VT 05250
3 Green Mountain Environmental Alliance PO Box 4081 St Johnsbury VT05819
G Citizen Groups
1 Mrs David Aldridge League of Women Voters North Bennington VT 05257
2 Garden Club Conservation Committee Harlan Road North Bennington VT 05257 Attn J Paul and Elsi Paris
A90-63Stxt A 5
802-442-1037
802-442-1037
802-442-1030
802-442-1037
802-447-2727
DALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
APPENDIX B
INFORMATION REPOSITORY AND SUGGESTED MEETING LOCATION
A Information Repository
1 Bennington Free Library Silver Street Bennington VT 05201
Contact Anita Gauthier 802-442-9051
Hours Monday 1000 am to 900 pm Tuesday 1000 am to 500 pm Wednesday 1000 am to 500 pm Thursday 100 pm to 900 pm Friday 1000 am to 500 pm Saturday 1000 am to 500 pm
B Suggested Meeting Location
1 Bennington District Court State Office Building Veterans Memorial Drive Bennington VT 05201
Contact Bernie Bourgois 802-447-2727 Capacity 50 - 80
B-l ft ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE
APPENDIX C
MEDIA CONTACTS
A Newspapers
1 The Bennington Banner 802-447-7567 PO Box 900 Bennington VT 05201 Attn Wendy Sevringhouse
Matt Kelly
2 The Rutland Herald 802-447-1505 Bennington Country Bureau 334 Main Street Bennington VT 05201 Attn Peter Crabtree
3 The Advocate 413-458-5713 38 Spring Street PO Box 95 Williamstown MA 01267-0095
4 The Manchester Journal 802-362-2222 PO Box 569 Manchester Center VT 05255
5 The Associated Press 802-229-0577 PO Box 866 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Christopher Graff
6 United Press International 802-223-7201 PO Box 611 Montpelier VT 05602 Attn Steve Bredice
A90-638txt C 1 ALLIANCE