[CPEO-MEF] Experts: Reactivating wells an expensive process

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Massachusetts
FRAMINHAM METRO WEST DAILY NEWS
Experts: Reactivating wells an expensive process
By D. Craig MacCormack
Thursday, July 31, 2003

FRAMINGHAM -- Reactivating long-dormant town-owned wells on the
Saxonville site where 665 new houses and apartments are planned might be
an expensive proposition.

That is why the reactivation of the three wells was not factored into a
recently completed report by URS Corp. of Maine, the company hired to
monitor the site after contamination from a U.S. Air Force experiment.

"When they get closer to actually turning the wells on, we'll talk,"
said Tom Woodard, the licensed site professional on the Planned Unit
Development proposed by National Development of New England.

In the meantime, Public Works Director Peter Sellers plans to write
another letter to the Department of Environmental Protection and
Environmental Protection Agency telling them the town wants more study
of the wells as the development proceeds.

"The well site is an extremely valuable asset to the town that we are
determined to protect at all costs," Sellers said. "We definitely want
to protect our interests."

In 1985, New England Sand and Gravel leased some land on the PUD site to
the Air Force, which wanted to test methods for quickly patching runways
after they had been bombed. Spilled into the sand was
tetrachloroethylene, or TCE, often used as a solvent. The Air Force
hired URS to clean up and monitor the site.

The area was also affected by iron and manganese as well as the storage
of spoils from tunneling, Woodard said.

"The wells are in very poor condition, and we believe it would require a
substantial amount of money to be reactivated," he said. "The feeling
was it would take quite some time to do."

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/local_regional/fram_wells07312003.htm

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