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Information for Impacted Communities

JUMP TO: Bennington and North Bennington |Southern Bennington | ClarendonPownal | Shaftsbury

PFAS Status Report

  • Since that first discovery of PFAS contamination in Bennington and North Bennington, the DEC has investigated numerous sources of PFAS using a strategic sampling strategy that is updated and adapted based on the latest scientific research. The DEC has prepared a report which provides an overview of the findings of this work and provides a look into additional work needed in the future. Read the July 2018 PFAS Statewide Sampling Report

NO. BENNINGTON and BENNINGTON

Public Meetings

Information from Community Meeting on Thursday, April 27, 2017:

Area of Interest Maps

MAP: Updated Map with Corrective Action Areas
MAP: Designated Areas of Concern in North Bennington and Bennington
MAP: North Bennington Water System Map

Annual Sampling Reports and Responses

2020 Report: SGPP-VT_2020_OUB_CAP2 Annual Report_03302021.pdf
2020 Response: 04292021.Spiese.Angier.Comments.on.Annual.Rpt.ltr.jss.comments.pdf
2021 Report: 2021 OUB CAP2 Annual Report.pdf
2021 Response: 06102022.Spiese.Angier.Comments.on.Annual.Rpt.ltr.pdf
2022 Report: SGPP-VT_2022_OUB_CAP2 Annual Report_compiled.pdf
2022 Response: 05312023.Spiese.Angier.Comments.on.2022.Annual.Rpt.ltr.pdf
2023 Report: 2023 OUB CAP2 Annual Report.pdf
2023 Response: 07012024.Spiese.Angier.Comments.on.2023.Annual.Rpt.ltr.pdf

How to get your drinking water tested:

If you are within the Bennington area of concern: Please contact Richard Spiese (richard.spiese@vermont.gov or 802 249-5083) or Malayika Vincent (malayika.vincent@vermont.gov or 802 505-1351). 

If you are not within an area of concern:
Drinking Water Testing Information Sheet for Well Owners (PDF)

Bottled Water Information:

If PFOA was detected in your well in any concentration level, DEC contractor W.B. Mason should be delivering bottled water to your home by now. If this isn't happening, please contact W.B. Mason directly at 508-436-8869.  

Starting on September 26, 2016, bottled water will no longer be available for pick-up from D' s Market & Deli. The Department of Environmental Conservation thanks D's Market & Deli and Village Variety for offering generous service to the community by acting as pick-up locations for bottled water during the many months of PFOA well testing.  

Data

Environmental Testing Type

Results Summary

Sampling Map (zoom in for detail)

Point of Entry Treatment  (POET) System Operation and Maintenence Manual POET Operation and Maintenence Manual (PDF) (April 2017)  
Surface Waters and Sediment Surface Water and Sediment PFC Results Summary (PDF) Map of Sampling Locations (PDF, 4.4 MB)
Surface Soils Surface Soil Testing PFC Results Summary (PDF) Map of Sampling Locations (PDF, 3.1 MB)
Private Drinking Water Wells
(Ongoing effort)

Private Well Sampling Results (PDF)
Private Well Sampling Results (Excel Workbook)
*Updated January 19, 2016

Map of Sampling Locations (PDF, 14 MB)
Burgess Brothers Landfill Memo from Weston Solutions to EPA-R1,
Groundwater, Surface Water and Influent/Effluent Sampling Activities at the Burgess Brothers Landfill”
(June 10, 2016)
 
Shallow Soil Samples at Former Chem Fab & Surrounding Areas 

Report from St. Gobain's contractor, CT Male Associates, 
"Shallow Soil Sampling Report, Former Chem Fab & Surrounding Areas"  (PDF)
Sampling results showed the following:

  • The majority of soil samples have less than 10 ug/kg (ppb) of PFOA, and all samples were below Vermont Soil Screening Values of 300 ppb.
  • There is no trend in the average perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and average PFOA concentration data within increasing depth below surface.
  • There appears to be a linear declining trend between highest average of total PFCs and PFOA, and the distance from the site. 

Letter Response from the Dept. of Environmental Conservation  (PDF)

 
Maple Syrup Testing Results

Lab Results from Maple Syrup Testing Analysis (PDF) 

  • The Vermont Department of Health screening level for maple syrup consumption and PFOA is 290 parts per trillion.  Results for three samples collected last year were less than 200 parts per trillion, the lowest level for which PFOA can be detected in syrup. 
 

Municipal Water System Extension Studies

Presentation: Water Line Extension Proposed for the Village of North Bennington (PDF 3.17MB). Presented at the July 2016 North Bennington Public Meeting by Otter Creek Engineering.

Revised (July 5, 2016) Preliminary Engineering Report on Bennington Water Distribution System Expansion (PDF, 19.8MB). Prepared by MSK Engineering and Design.

Revised (June 19, 2016) Preliminary Engineering Report on Bennington Water Distribution System Expansion (PDF, 19.5MB). Prepared by MSK Engineering and Design.

Preliminary Engineering Report on Bennington Water Distribution System Expansion (PDF, 10MB). Prepared by MSK Engineering and Design.

Revised (June 24, 2016) Preliminary Engineering Report on Village of North Bennington Water Distribution System Expansion. Prepared by Otter Creek Engineering. 

  • Appendix A - Existing Water Distribution System
  • Appendix B - PFOA Area of Interest (Prepared by DEC)
  • Appendix C - Proposed Water Distribution System Improvements

Preliminary Engineering Report on Village of North Bennington Water Distribution System Expansion (PDF, 35MB). Prepared by Otter Creek Engineering.

Monitoring and Sampling Plans: Drinking Water Wells and Point-of-Entry Treatment Systems 

Audit Summary of Saint-Gobain Sampling Methods (PDF, 0.2MB). Prepared by Weston & Sampson for the DEC.

Water Supply Well Re-Sampling Plan (PDF, 7.2MB). Prepared by C.T. Male Associates for Saint-Gobain. Reviewed and approved by the DEC. 

Recent Letters

Joint Letter: From Governor Peter Shumlin and Governor-elect Phil Scott to Saint-Gobain CEO Tom Kinsky, December 2016
Response Letter: From Saint-Gobain CEO Tom Kinsky to Governor Peter Shumlin and Governor-elect Phil Scott, December 2016

Site History

Chemfab operated in North Bennington from 1970 through 2000, when it was purchased by Saint-Gobain. It was closed in 2002. During its operation, the facility primarily applied PTFE (Teflon) coatings to fiberglass fabrics by dip coating the fabrics in a liquid bath of micron size PTFE particles and various additives (likely including PFOA) followed by ovens to dry and melt the Teflon onto the fabric. PFOA is used in the production of Teflon which may contain residual PFOA in the final product. PFOA also has uses as a surfactant and dispersant in various products including application of Teflon to fabrics and wires. Ultimately, Chemfab was purchased by Saint-Gobain and moved to New Hampshire.


SOUTHERN BENNINGTON

Community Notices

Memo: Southern Bennington Fall 2023 Sampling Results Memo

Reports

Bennington PFAS Summary Report.pdf
Southern Bennington PFAS Report.pdf
2024 Bennington PFAS Report.pdf

Area of Interest Maps

MAP: March - July 2024 PFAS Concentration Southern Bennington
MAP: December 2023 PFAS Concentration Southern Bennington


SOUTHERN VERMONT REGIONAL AIRPORT

What is happening in Clarendon?

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) have collectively sampled 74 bedrock and 4 springs (2 of which are sources of drinking water) in the area surrounding the Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport in Clarendon. A sample location map and a table summarizing results has been prepared and is provided through the links below.

Bottled water is being offered to all users of drinking water supplies with detections of PFAS until it can be established that concentrations detected are stable and the health advisory will not be exceeded. If water supplies exceed the health advisory, users will also have a point of entry treatment (POET) system installed to effectively remove the PFAS from the water. The State has installed three residential POETs, one POET on a well serving a barn, and will continue to work to install POETs at any residences where the drinking water health advisory is exceeded.

If you are concerned with the possible contamination of your well and you are not in the area of concern, please see the Drinking Water Testing Info Sheet for Well Owners. Property owners who live near the airport and have questions for the project manager can reach out to Richard Spiese by phone at 802 249-5083 or by email at richard.spiese@vermont.gov.

While other sources have not been ruled out, the PFAS contamination may stem from aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) which are required to be available at airports with specific operating certificates. AFFF is used to extinguish fires of flammable liquids such as gasoline or jet fuel, and other hazardous chemicals. At all airports, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires specialized firefighting equipment and AFFF to be tested regularly so they will not fail at extinguishing a fire.

A site investigation was completed during the Summer of 2018. Soil and groundwater samples were collected from various locations on the Airport property where AFFF was used regularly. The report on this Site Investigation is currently being prepared by the State’s consultant and will be posted here once it is received by the Vermont DEC.

Public Meeting
Both the Vermont DEC and VTrans will attend the Clarendon Selectboard meeting on Monday, October 8, 2018 which starts at 6:00 pm at the Clarendon Grange Hall located at the intersection of Moulton Avenue and Grange Hall Road in Clarendon. The Vermont DEC’s site manager will update the Town on the sampling of bedrock supply wells, as well as the site investigation, before a question and answer session.

Data

Environmental Testing Type Results Summary Area Map
Private Drinking Water Wells Private Wells Sampling Results   Area map Clarendon

POWNAL

 

All residents using the municipal water supply (Pownal Fire District #2) are encouraged to use tap water again for drinking. On July 28, 2016, Governor Shumlin announced the lifting of the "do not drink order" for the municipal water supply. Four new granular activated carbon treatment units are effectively removing PFOA from the water supply. 

Data

Environmental Testing Type

Results Summary

Sampling Map (zoom in for detail)

Private Drinking Water Wells
(ongoing effort)
Drinking Water Well Sampling Results
Posted January 4, 2017
 
Map of Sampling Locations
July 2, 2016
 
Former General Cable Facility

Remedial Investigation Work Plan, Phase I (June 1, 2016) for Former General Cable Facility.
Prepared by Unicorn Management Consultants for American Financial Group

Map of Proposed Profiling Locations
(June 1, 2016)

Shaftsbury

Community Notices

Reports

2024.04.08.VTDEC.ShaftsburyPFAS.DW Sampling.rpt..pdf
2024.11.21.VTDEC.ShaftsburyPFAS.rpt.pdf

SHAFTSBURY LANDFILL

What is happening in Shaftsbury?

The chemical PFOA was detected at a concentration of 25 parts per trillion in a groundwater monitoring well at the Shaftsbury Landfill. The Town of Shaftsbury tested for perfluorinated compounds at the closed landfill site in response to concerns from local residents about the proximity of the landfill to the former Chemfab plant in North Bennington. Results from the testing events are listed below.

Data

Environmental Testing Type Results Summary Area Map
Private Drinking Water  Wells 

Private Wells Sampling Results (196 KB PDF)
Private Wells Sampling Results (Excel Workbook) 
*Updated Friday, August 26, 2016

MAP (6.5 MB, PDF): Area of Interest near Shaftsbury Landfill
Shaftsbury Landfill Groundwater Monitoring Wells Groundwater Monitoring Well Results (Excel Workbook)
*Updated Tuesday, October 4, 2016