County Department of Environmental Health is not prepared to reduce groundwater monitoring at the Village Food and Fuel site (Shell Station) for every monitoring well near the site. While DEH agreed to less frequent monitoring for wells off the site, it required the two wells on the site to be monitored quarterly.
After submitting the fourth quarter groundwater monitoring report of the underground plume of hydrocarbons along Highway 243 southwest of the Shell and Chevron gasoline stations, engineers for the property owner recommended reducing the groundwater monitoring frequency to semi-annually from quarterly. New frequency requirements would apply to all wells, except monitoring wells 2 and 3, which are only monitored annually now.
“The recommended monitoring frequencies are not acceptable at this time due to recent detections and increased concentration in wells MW-1 and MW-2. MW-1 must continue to be monitored quarterly until the levels stabilize and monitoring of MW-2 must be increased from annually to semi-annually,” wrote Sharon Boltinghouse, associate public health professional geologist, in reply to the request.
Concentrations of total hydrocarbons, particularly toluenes and xylenes, increased by several factors between the December 2011 and March 2012 tests.
However, the DEH agreed with a recommendation to make additional soil drillings near MW-1. The results will provide the basis for deciding whether further remediation would be necessary.
A work plan for future borings is due to DEH by Aug. 16. It will include justifications and other information for the proposed numbers and locations of the soil borings.
