(AGENPARL) - Roma, 14 Maggio 2024 - (AGENPARL) – mar 14 maggio 2024 Issued: May 14, 2024 (12:15pm EDT)
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EPA completes removal of over 100,000 cubic yards of contamination at the
Raymark Superfund Site
$113 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding addresses legacy
contamination and ensures the protection of human health
STRATFORD, CONN. (May 14, 2024) – Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash joined
members of the Connecticut Congressional delegation, the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,
the Mayor of Stratford, and local community members to highlight the
significant progress made at the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site under
funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“This unprecedented funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has
allowed EPA and its partners to deliver on our promise to protect the
community from legacy contamination, as well as cleanup and restore land for
reuse in Stratford,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W.
Cash. “Though there’s still a long road ahead of us, we’re looking
forward to continuing full steam ahead, restoring additional properties and
bringing the Raymark cleanup to completion.”
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for the Stratford, Connecticut site
propelled the cleanup forward, thus far EPA and its partners have been able to
complete the following activities:
More than 100,000 cubic yards of contamination excavated and removed;
28 properties cleaned up and restored, including 12 active businesses;
1/3 of a mile of Ferry Creek cleaned up and working to restore the natural
habitat by planting over an acre of wetland seed, live stakes, and nearly
1,000 trees and shrubs;
More than 10,000 air samples collected from 9 monitoring stations to confirm
the air remained safe;
Provided 30 to 50 jobs each workday including engineers, scientists, machine
operators, laborers and truck drivers.
Officials took a tour of the remediated properties to view the progress and
participated in a roundtable conversation with local community members to
discuss the positive impacts that the cleanup has had on the town. EPA
Regional Administrator Cash and partners also conducted a ceremonial removal
of a Public Health Advisory sign which had been posted decades ago to warn
against exposure to Raymark contamination in the upstream portion of Ferry
Creek but is no longer needed now that this portion of the creek has been
cleaned up.
What They Are Saying
“Thanks to $113 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
Stratford’s Raymark Superfund site is being transformed from a perilously
polluted old industrial site to a healthy, economically viable property,”
said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. “Under the EPA’s leadership,
dangerous levels of pollution and contamination have been removed, natural
wetland and woodland habitats have been restored, and 28 properties have been
remediated. I am thrilled to see strong federal resources in action here in
Stratford, and I will keep fighting for additional funding to complete these
transformative projects across Connecticut.”  
“The progress made toward cleaning up the Raymark Superfund Site would not
have been possible without the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 100,00 cubic
yards is a big milestone, and it’s great to see the EPA invested in making
sure the project is completed. This cleanup will restore the natural habitat,
bring good-paying jobs to Stratford, and, most importantly, give families and
local businesses peace of mind for years to come,” said U.S. Senator Chris
Murphy.
“This is a great day for the Town of Stratford and the many residents and
business owners who have been impacted by Raymark and though we still have
work to do, I am so glad to see the incredible progress with the remediation
work that has been completed to date,” said U.S. Representative Rosa
DeLauro, CT-03. “I was proud to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
for many reasons, and the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work
was one, knowing what an impact it could make here in Stratford. Most
importantly, this project is ensuring the remediation of environmental
hazards, but with that has also come additional stormwater infrastructure that
will have an impact for the entire community. We started this process with
some very difficult challenges — the partnership and trust that has been
built between the community, the EPA, and DEEP has been hard won, and in
working together real improvement is being realized.”
“Connecticut DEEP applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its
partnership in the cleanup of Raymark waste material from various parcels in
southern Stratford,” said Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes. “These efforts, made possible through
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, have resulted in the removal of 100,000
cubic yards of Raymark waste from commercial properties, inland wetlands,
coastal areas, and tidal wetlands. This incredible federal state, and local
partnership is getting the job done as these historically contaminated sites
are being properly remediated and restored to become places that will be safer
to recreate in and utilized for positive re-use.”  
“First and foremost, I would like to recognize the EPA and its
administrators over the years for understanding the importance and for
continuing to advocate for the full scope of this remediation project. The EPA
has championed moving the remediation forward in many ways, and I am grateful
for the initial $95 million appropriated and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
that continued to fund the collaborative efforts of the EPA and Stratford in
the remediation process,” said Stratford Mayor Laura R. Hoydick. I would
also like to acknowledge our Health Director, Andrea Bossevain, and Health
Program Associate, Alivia Coleman, for their dedication to such a substantial
project. Andrea has spent 33+ years overseeing the partnership on this between
the Town and the EPA, first as a consultant and then as our Health Director,
and for the past ten years Alivia has worked with the EPA to ensure the
project continues to run smoothly and efficiently. I am very proud of the
progress that has been made as we work towards completing this critically
important remediation. I would also like to thank Andrea, Alivia, and
Stratford’s departments, and the EPA, for their transparency and thoughtful
communication with our residents throughout the process. We are fortunate to
have a fantastic team making great strides while always keeping the public’s
health as a top priority. I am also grateful and thankful to Stratford’s
residents who have lived with the scars of Raybestos and who have continued to
work with the federal, state and local governments through the long length of
this project.”
Background
The 34-acre Stratford site, added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in
1995, was the location of the Raymark Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of
automotive breaks, clutch parts, and other friction components. Raymark
operated at this location from 1919 until 1989 when operations ceased, leaving
behind contamination in area soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater
that consisted of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), asbestos, lead, copper, and about a dozen other chemical compounds
known to be carcinogenic or otherwise toxic to human health and the
environment. The Raymark manufacturing waste was historically discharged to a
series of unlined lagoons allowing chemicals to seep into the groundwater and
overflow to a nearby creek. Periodically, sludge was removed from these
lagoons and disposed of as fill on the former facility property. Over time,
this waste material was given away as free fill used within the Town of
Stratford at a minimum of 46 residential properties and over two dozen other
commercial, recreational and municipal properties. In addition, several
wetland areas near the Housatonic River were also filled in with Raymark’s
manufacturing waste. 
In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA
the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most
contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is
found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A
tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust
fund for Superfund cleanups up until the taxing authority expired in 1995. The
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstated the chemical excise taxes and
invested an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund
sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address
the legacy pollution that harms human health and the environment of
communities and neighborhoods.
More information:
Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site webpage: epa.gov/superfund/raymark
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