(Source: The Hartford Courant, Connecticut)
By Christine Dempsey, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
Apr. 4--PLAINFIELD -- An investigation into possible contamination at the planned site of a wood-burning plant has picked up steam with the discovery of a chemical "of concern" there, a state agency said today.
The state's environmental agency won't name the chemical, citing what is now an active criminal investigation.
The substance was identified through tests, the state Department of Environmental Protection said in a written statement Friday afternoon. There is not enough contamination to pose an immediate threat to public health, the environment, groundwater, drinking water or other natural resources, the statement says.
The chemical was found earlier this week at the planned site of the Plainfield Renewable Energy plant; PRE received its final approval from the environmental agency last month to burn wood to generate electricity.
The search for contaminants began Tuesday, when DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy got a letter claiming to be from the group of environmental activists called Earth First. The letter, which also had been mailed to Plainfield Renewable Energy and the Norwich Bulletin newspaper, claimed that Earth First dumped substances at the site of PRE's planned plant near Norwich, Mill Brook and Tarbox roads.
Saying PRE is "guilty of plotting to commit crimes against the environment," the letter-writer stated that they dumped 1,200 pounds of substances in six locations on the 27-acre property -- "the same pollution that PRE intends to dump on their neighbors." The letter lists the following chemicals: "Lead Mercury Asbestos Toluene Benzene Perchloroethylene and Creosote."
DEP spokesman Dennis Schain would not say whether the chemical found was any of those listed in the letter.
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