FWS Releases Final Restoration Plan for Natural Resources Injured by Hazardous Substances at Two Superfund Sites in Hartford County, Connecticut

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On October 31, 2013, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the “Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment: Old Southington Landfill Superfund Site, Southington, Connecticut and Solvents Recovery Service Superfund Site, Southington, Connecticut.” This Final Restoration Plan describes actions intended to restore natural resources and natural resource services injured by hazardous substances released from the Old Southington Landfill Superfund site and the Solvents Recovery Service Superfund site. Both sites are located within the Quinnipiac River watershed in Southington, Connecticut. By combining natural resource restoration actions for both sites, a larger, more effective and meaningful restoration can be accomplished.

U.S. Department of the Interior, represented by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the only natural resource trustee involved in these two cases.

At the Old Southington Landfill Superfund site, mercury, cadmium and other metals were released contaminating surface waters and sediments in Black Pond. Additional wetlands at the site were destroyed during remedial activities adversely affecting aquatic organisms and migratory birds. The site connects to Quinnipiac River through an unnamed stream. A settlement of natural resource damage claims with the responsible party in 2009 provided $537,000 for restoration activities.

At the Solvents Recovery Service Superfund site, volatile organic compounds, PCBs and metals were released contaminating soils, groundwater and wetlands, including portions of Quinnipiac River. Remedial activities at the site also destroyed or degraded wetlands. As a result, migratory birds and fish were adversely affected. Three separate settlements of natural resource damage claims with multiple responsible parties in 2008 provided $289,840 for restoration activities.

A total of approximately $830,000 is now available for natural resource restoration activities from these four combined settlements at the two Superfund sites. The publicly-reviewed Final Restoration Plan selects two, preferred, natural resource restoration projects to be undertaken in the Quinnipiac River watershed with this funding:

• The first project will restore diadromous fish -- such as American shad, river herring and American eel -- to the upper reaches of the Quinnipiac River watershed by removing obsolete dams or installing fish ladders; and,
• The second project will support efforts to clear and maintain a portion of the Quinnipiac River Canoeable Trail from Southington to Meriden and fund publication of an educational brochure about the River.

Implementation and monitoring of these natural resource restoration projects will be overseen by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Further reading:

• Final Restoration Plan (dated October, 2013)
• FWS Press Release (dated October 31, 2013)
• Hartford Courant press report (dated November 4, 2013)