Frequently Asked Questions

1. What types of contamination are there in the neighborhood and where did they come from?

Industrial and household wastes were placed in wetlands and other low-lying areas in the Newhall neighborhood from the late 1800s through the 1950s. ( A lot of the industrial waste came from the former Winchester Repeating Arms plant in New Haven and possibly from other nearby factories. Typical wastes found in different landfill areas in the neighborhood include scrap batteries, battery caps, scrap metal gun parts, shotgun shells, waste from metal smelting, ash, coal, slag, wood debris, newspaper, bottles, cans, pottery, and other decomposed household garbage. The main contaminants found in the waste include metals, like lead and arsenic, and compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are formed from burning things. Some of the contaminants may have been mixed with clean soil when the landfills were covered or when digging occurred to build houses. (back to top)

2. Where is the contamination?

We know from historical records most areas where dumping occurred. (Download map of dump sites) But because records are not complete, nobody knows just yet exactly where all the landfills and contaminated areas are located. So far, testing has been conducted by five groups to identify landfill locations and types of contamination. They include the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the Town of Hamden, the Regional Water Authority, and the Olin Corporation. Here is what they have found:

• DEP testing has found waste and contamination at Rochford Field, Mill Rock Park, private properties and town rights-of-way.
• Testing done by the federal Environmental Protection Agency found contamination at private properties.
• Town of Hamden testing has found waste and contamination at the Middle School, the school playing fields, and Rochford Field and Mill Rock Park.
• Regional Water Authority testing has found waste and contamination at the Middle School.
• Testing done by the Olin Corporation has found waste and contamination in some residential areas.

Based on the soil and groundwater samples collected for these tests, a plan is being developed to conduct more detailed testing, , and to clean up the site. This is the beginning of an organized, structured plan to define the possible impacts of the contamination on people’s health and the environment, and then to clean it up.

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3. Who is responsible to clean this up?

Parties responsible for dumping the waste, as well as current and former owners of the contaminated properties, are sharing the responsibility for cleaning up the Newhall Remediation project site. Precisely who is responsible for what part of the testing and cleanup, was decided by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the parties through something called a ‘Consent Order’. This is a legal document that states what each party must do to clean up the site.The three parties who will be actively involved in testing and cleaning up the site are: the Town of Hamden, the Regional Water Authority, and the Olin CorporationTheir basic jobs are to conduct tests so they know exactly where all of the contamination is, to develop a plan to clean up the contamination including what methods to use, and then to perform the cleanup. The DEP will assist with cleaning up certain parts of the site. This list tells which party is responsible for the testing and clean up of different parts of the site. (Download areas of responsibilities image)

• Town of Hamden: Responsible for testing and cleaning up Rochford Field, Mill Rock Park, Hamden Community Center, and the sewer pump station. DEP will help the Town obtain state funding to clean up Rochford Field.

• Regional Water Authority: Responsible for testing and cleaning up Hamden Middle School, part of the Hamden Community Center, and two adjacent residential properties. These are properties that the old New Haven Water Company used to own.

• Olin Corporation: Responsible for testing in the non-public properties (mainly residential) area surrounding the Middle School and parks. Olin and DEP will share the cost of the clean up in these areas.

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4. What is the DEP’s role in the clean-up?

DEP is the state agency responsible for upholding environmental standards at the Newhall Remediation site and at contaminated sites throughout the state. Therefore, DEP will oversee all phases of the investigation and clean up of the site to insure that the clean up meets strict state standards. DEP is also responsible for a complete public involvement program to keep the public informed throughout the clean up process and to get public comments before making big decisions. When it comes time to clean up the residential properties, DEP will share the clean up costs with Olin Corporation. DEP will also help the Town of Hamden get state funding to pay for cleaning up Rochford Field. (back to top)

5. What are the possible health effects of the contamination in the Newhall neighborhood?

The primary substances found in the waste, lead, arsenic, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can be harmful to health ONLY if people come into direct contact with the waste or contaminated soil. If you are not exposed to a chemical, it won’t make you sick. (See Understanding Contamination for more health information). (back to top)

6. Is my water safe to drink and use?

Yes. Water in the Newhall neighborhood is provided by the Regional Water Authority from reservoirs located in either Woodbridge, North Branford, East Haven or Branford and is required to be tested routinely for a long list of contaminants. As an added measure of security, the Regional Water Authority and an independent laboratory tested the water at the Middle School in November 2000 and detected no contaminants linked to the school being built on top of a landfill. The Regional Water Authority also tested tap water at approximately 25 homes in the neighborhood that requested testing in 2002. No contaminants from the waste were found in the tap water. (back to top)

7. Is it safe to garden and dig in the yard?

The Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends people be careful when gardening in the Newhall neighborhood and has written a fact sheet on what steps to follow to garden safely (download fact sheet, PDF file). The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection recommends that, until all testing is done to locate landfill areas, people not dig in their yards. Contact DEP or DPH to find out if your yard has previously been tested.(back to top)

8. Are the school fields and parks safe to play on?

Yes. The Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) has stated that the playing fields are safe. In the mid-1990s, a soil barrier was placed on the fields behind Hamden Middle School. The barrier keeps contact to a minimum between people and the lead that is present at high levels in the ground in several places on the field. In 1992, the DPH evaluated the data on lead in soil at the fields and determined that the fields were safe even without the barrier, provided that grass on the field was maintained and no digging occurred. Now that the barrier has been added as an extra precaution, you can be confident that the playing fields are safe. While no soil barrier has been placed over the ground at Rochford Field or Mill Rock Park, these areas are safe just the way they are for playing on, sitting on, and strolling. Temporary caps were placed on bare dirt areas at Rochford Field in 2001. (back to top)

9. When will the cleaning up of the contamination start?

Several things must happen before the ground is actually cleaned up. First, the exact location of all the waste and contamination and the severity of the contamination must be clearly determined. This will require a lot more testing over the next two years. Then, a plan must be developed by each responsible party to clean up the contamination with as little risk to residents as possible and to be permanently effective. It will take the participation of a number of scientists and contamination experts for this plan to be developed. Before DEP approves any clean up plan, DEP will share the proposed plan with the public and get public comments. Only after hearing from the public will DEP select a plan for clean up. Once a plan is approved, the actual clean up process will begin and could take a few years to complete. Because of all of this, it is likely it will be another five years before the contamination is cleaned up. (back to top)

10. Will damages to my home be fixed as part of the clean up?

Possibly. In 2004, DEP will be looking at structural damages to homes built on top of contaminated fill. If damages are caused by the house being built on top of unsuitable fill, the final clean up will address that damage. In the past, structural engineers have looked at damages to some of the more severely affected homes in the neighborhood. Despite the presence of tilted floors, doors and windows, and cracked walls and foundations, the engineers do not believe there is any danger of houses collapsing.(back to top)

11. What's going to happen over the next year to fix this problem?

In 2004 DEP is working to approve investigation work plans for all three sub-areas within the consent order boundaries, the residential areas, the Middle School, and the parks (see map of consent area). These plans are being prepared by engineering firms hired by Olin, the Town of Hamden and the Regional Water Authority. After each work plan is submitted, DEP will hold meetings to share the plans with the public before deciding to approve a work plan. Once approved, each investigation will be carried out by a responsible party. No actual clean-up work will occur in 2004. (back to top)

12. Who can I contact if I have more questions?

There is a list of people to contact in the Contact Section of the website. Health questions should be directed to the Quinnipiack Valley Health District or the State Department of Public Health. Environmental questions should be directed to the Department of Environmental Protection or the Community Advocate. If you are unsure who the right person is to answer your question, please submit your question on the form found in the Contact Section and it will be directed to the person best able to help you. (back to top)