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GE Plant Area
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The General Electric (GE) Plant Area consists of 10 specific Removal Action Areas (RAAs) associated with the operation of GE's Transformer, Plastics and Ordnance Divisions at the site. Proposed contaminant removal actions will address polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other regulated chemicals that are present in soils, sediments and groundwater at the RAAs. These RAAs have been identified based on a number of considerations, including geographic location, prior regulatory definition and status, scope and timing of response actions, current and reasonably foreseeable land use, and nature and extent of contamination. The individual GE Plant Area RAAs are described below.
40s Complex - This approximately 9-acre area is located within the western portion of GE's Pittsfield facility and is generally bounded by Kellogg Street to the north, other areas of the GE facility to the south and east, and non-GE owned commercial/industrial areas to the west. The area is mostly paved (asphalt/concrete). Previously, Buildings 40-B, 41, and 41-A comprised much of the western portion of this area; these buildings were demolished in the early 1990s, although the subgrade portions of these buildings remain within this area. Likewise, Buildings 42, 43, 43-A, and 44, which comprised much of eastern portion of the site, were demolished by May 2006. GE sampled the area as required in the Consent Decree and EPA has concurred with GE that no active remedial action is required in this area. GE is on target to complete minor activities related to building demolition activities in this area over the next two years. This 9-acre area of the facility is a component of the re-development agreement between GE and the City of Pittsfield, which is available for viewing under "Redevelopment" on this Web site.
30s Complex - This 15.75-acre area is located south of the 40s complex, and is generally bounded by Silver Lake Boulevard to the west, East Street to the south, and other areas of the GE facility to the south and east. The surface of this area is generally comprised of asphalt/concrete with some unpaved areas. GE has sampled as required in the Consent Decree and EPA has concurred with GE that no remedial action is required in this area. GE submitted a Final Completion Report on March 18, 2005 and EPA issued a Certificate of Completion to GE on March 28, 2005. This area of the facility is a component of the re-development agreement between GE and the City of Pittsfield and was transferred to PEDA on May 2, 2005. Details of this agreement are available for viewing under "Redevelopment" on this Web site.
20s Complex - This approximately 12-acre area is located immediately east of the 30s Complex within the western portion of the GE facility, and is generally bounded by East Street to the south and other areas of the GE facility to the north and east. This area includes a portion of Woodlawn Avenue. Current conditions within this area are predominantly characterized by the existing asphalt parking areas. Previously, these areas were associated with the 20s Complex buildings which have been demolished. GE has sampled as required in the Consent Decree and EPA has concurred with GE that no remedial action is required in this area. GE submitted a Final Completion Report on March 18, 2005 and EPA issued a Certificate of Completion to GE on March 28, 2005. A 10.21-acre portion of this area of the facility is a component of the re-development agreement between GE and the City of Pittsfield and was transferred to PEDA on May 2, 2005. GE retained ownership of the Woodlawn Avenue portion of this area. Details of this agreement are available for viewing under "Redevelopment" on this Web site.
East Street Area 2 - South - This area comprises approximately 50 acres of the western portion of the GE facility. It is generally bounded by East Street to the north, Newell Street to the east, the Housatonic River to the south, and the Lyman Street Area to the west. The western portion of this area is comprised mostly of the 60s Complex, and is otherwise mostly paved. The eastern portion of this area contains a former Housatonic River oxbow that was formed when the river meandered through this area. This area is currently characterized as mostly open areas, with a relatively small wooded area located south of the former oxbow. GE has completed the sampling as required in the Consent Decree and are evaluating the data to determine if remedial actions will be necessary. Addendums to the Conceptual Remedial Design/Remedial Action are due to EPA in late 2007. The Final Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan should be completed in 2008, so that remedial action can begin in late 2008 or early 2009.
The riverbank portion adjacent to this area will be subject to the Removal Action associated with the Upper ½ Mile Reach, as well as non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source control activities.
East Street Area 2 - North - This approximately 50-acre area is also located within the western portion of the GE facility. It is currently covered mostly with buildings and pavement. However, several relatively small grassy areas are present within the eastern portion of this area. This area is generally bounded by Tyler Street to the north, New York Avenue to the east, Woodlawn Avenue and the 40s Complex to the west, and Merrill Road, the 20s Complex, and East Street Area 1 to the south. GE has completed the sampling as required in the Consent Decree and the Final Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan was submitted and approved during 2007. Remediation is scheduled to be conducted during the end of 2007.
East Street Area 1 - North - This approximately 5-acre area is located immediately south of East Street Area 2 - North and east of the 20s Complex. This area is mostly unpaved, and is generally bounded by Merrill Road to the north and west, East Street to the south, and a non-GE owned commercial area to the east. This area also includes the area currently occupied by a commercial-use building (of which GE owns a portion), and a relatively small unpaved GE-owned property south of East Street, which contains a NAPL containment/recovery system. GE has sampled this area as required by the Consent Decree and has evaluated remedial requirements. GE has proposed, and EPA has concurred that no remedial action will be required for this area. The final Consent Decree documentation designating this site as complete was issued in 2005.
Hill 78 Consolidation Area - This 6-acre area is currently filled to approximately 80% of its capacity. It is located near the center of the GE facility. This area includes the former Hill 78 landfill, which was originally created in the early 1940s as an on-site disposal area for excavated soils generated within the GE facility and was capped in 1991 with a geotextile layer and either one foot of crushed stone or soil. This area has been utilized as an on-plant consolidation area for certain materials excavated or otherwise removed as part of various Removal Actions at the Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site. Approximately 3 acres of the area have been capped and it is anticipated that remaining capacity will be filled and final capping will occur during 2008.
Building 71 Consolidation Area - This approximately 5-acre area is also located within the central portion of the GE facility. It is located immediately to the east of the Hill 78 Consolidation Area. With the exception of the Building 71, this area is unpaved and is generally bounded by paved parking areas to the north and east, by the Hill 78 Consolidation Area to the west, and U.S. Generating Company facilities to the south. This area has been utilized as an on-plant consolidation area for certain materials excavated or otherwise removed as part of various Removal Actions at the Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site. The area was filled to capacity and final capping was completed in 2006.
Hill 78 Area-Remainder - The remaining portion of the Hill 78 Area comprises approximately 60 acres of the GE facility. These areas are generally bounded by the Tyler Street Extension to the north, Merrill Road to the south, New York Avenue and other areas of the GE facility to the west, and other areas of the GE facility to the east. With the exception of paved roadways associated with Building 78, and the U.S. Generating Company's cogeneration facility, the remaining areas of the Hill 78 Area are generally open. GE has conducted sampling of this area per the Consent Decree requirements and will be developing a Conceptual Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan for submittal in early 2008.
Unkamet Brook Area - This approximately 140-acre area consists of the eastern portion of the GE facility and is bounded by Dalton Avenue to the north, Plastics Avenue and the Hill 78 Area - Remainder to the west, Merrill Road to the south and to the east by railroad tracks. This area also contains commercial/recreational property located between Merrill Road and the Housatonic River to the south.
The GE-owned portion of this area located west of Unkamet Brook is mostly paved and covered with large buildings. The GE-owned portion of this area east of Unkamet Brook, as well as much of the land between Merrill Road and the Housatonic River, is undeveloped (except for the area associated with Building OP-3 and the commercial area along Merrill Road). The Former Interior Landfill is located in the northern portion of the Unkamet Brook Area. Unkamet Brook currently bisects the landfill, with the western portion overlain by the former GE Plastics parking lot, and the eastern portion of the landfill extending into the wetland. Administratively for Remedial Design and Remedial Action, this area has been split into two portions, with Unkamet Brook - West consisting of the industrial portions of the Area, and Unkamet Brook - Remainder including the Former Interior Landfill, Unkamet Brook, and associated wetland.
GE has completed sampling of this area per the requirements of the Consent Decree. A Conceptual Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan for soil cleanup in the Unkamet Brook - West Area in expected in 2008. In the Unkamet Brook - Remainder Area, the Consent Decree requires that the Brook be rerouted around the landfill, the landfill capped, and contaminated sediment and floodplain soil removed. The Conceptual Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan is expected in 2009.
GE Plant Site Cleanup
The GE Plant site cleanup will consist the following:
- Additional environmental investigations at the GE Plant Removal Action Areas (RAAs) utilizing a grid soil sampling system with soil samples collected down to 15 feet.
- Evaluation of the Removal Action Area (RAA) investigation data using a spatial averaging approach to determine areas where the average PCB and non-PCB contaminant concentrations exceed the standards set for the project. These standards were determined based on surface cover (paved or un-paved), soil depth (down to 15 feet), relationship to the Housatonic River floodplain (within or without), landuse (industrial/commercial or residential/recreational) and the presence of deed restrictions.
- GE remediation activities will be conducted at the RAA locations where the project cleanup standards have not been met. The remediation activities will involve contaminated soil removal or the placement of an engineered barrier (to minimize infiltration and prevent exposure) over the areas where the cleanup standards were exceeded.
Hill 78 and Building 71 On-Plant Consolidation Areas- Certain materials generated during the performance of Removal Actions will be permanently consolidated at select locations generally include soils, sediments, and existing surface materials (e.g., asphalt, other debris) that are excavated or otherwise removed as part of the Removal Actions to be performed for each RAA. Building demolition debris generated as part of building demolition activities under GE's separate Definitive Economic Development Agreement with the City of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority and as part of such activities at Buildings 12, 12X, and 12Y may also be included.
Specifically excluded from consolidation within the GE Plant Area are free liquids, free product, intact drums and capacitors, and other equipment that contains PCBs within its internal components, as well as asbestos-containing material required by applicable law to be removed from structures prior to demolition.
The two proposed on-Plant Consolidation Areas (OPCAs) are the Hill 78 Landfill Consolidation Area and the Building 71 Consolidation Area. Materials to be consolidated within the Hill 78 Consolidation Area shall be limited to materials that contain less than 50 ppm PCBs and are not classified as a hazardous waste under regulations issued pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Materials that contain more than 50 ppm PCBs or are classified as a hazardous waste under regulations issued pursuant to RCRA will be consolidated at the Building 71 OPCA, which will be constructed to manage hazardous materials as classified under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Building 71 Consolidation Area will be designed to include a base liner, a leachate collection system.