News Release
March 18, 2004

Public Input Sought on Camp Edwards' Soil Cleanup Plan

Camp Edwards, Mass. — A 15-day public comment period begins Tuesday, Mar. 23, on plans to remove soil that could be contributing to groundwater contamination from a former demolition area located on the northern portion of Camp Edwards. Community members can review the Demolition Area 2 Soil Rapid Response Action Work Plan on the Groundwater Study Program Web site: www.groundwaterprogram.org or at the Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee and Sandwich public libraries.

Information on the plan, which calls for the excavation of 825 tons of contaminated and potentially contaminated soil from the site known as Demolition Area 2, will be presented at the Mar. 23 meeting of the Impact Area Review Team (IART) citizens' advisory committee. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn - Cape Cod, 291 Jones Road, Falmouth.

According to Program Manager Kent "Hap" Gonser, the planned Rapid Response Action is one of several interim soil removals being taken or proposed by the Groundwater Study Program to remove known or potential sources of groundwater contamination.

Public comments on the Demolition Area 2 Soil Rapid Response Action Work Plan will be taken during the IART meeting or can be submitted, through Apr. 6, at the Groundwater Study Program Web site or to:

The IART meets monthly to review Groundwater Study Program activities and provide input to program management. The public is invited to attend this meeting and participate in discussions regarding the Demolition Area 2 proposal, as well as presentations on a draft report regarding detections of perchlorate and RDX found on- and off-base near the northwest corner of Camp Edwards and a general update of the investigation and cleanup.

The IART is comprised of citizen members from local communities and representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Massachusetts Military Reservation and the Groundwater Study Program.

For a meeting agenda or further information on the Groundwater Study Program, visit their Web site: www.groundwaterprogram.org or call Lori Boghdan, Community Involvement Specialist, at (508) 968-5635.

For further information on Groundwater Study Program activities, log on to www.groundwaterprogram.org.

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For more information, contact:
Robert Perry, Groundwater Study Program, (508) 968-5628
Todd Borci, EPA New England Region 1, (617) 918-1358 or (888) 372-7341 ext. 81358
Ellie Grillo, MADEP Community Involvement Coordinator, (508) 946-2866