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Sanford Neighbors Push Land Cleanup

February 02, 2010 - SANFORD -- Neighbors of polluted land on New Dam Road in Sanford are trying to convince the town to take ownership of the property, with the aim of getting grants to clean up the parcel.

The residents plan to rally for their cause at the site, known as the CGA Inc. property, at 229 New Dam Road, at 11 a.m. today in advance of a Town Council meeting on the matter at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall.

"We are holding the town accountable and asking they take responsibility for this long-standing issue," said David Bernier, who has been pushing for the site to be cleaned up for years.

The property was used by CGA to soak computer circuit boards in sulfuric acid to remove copper. The company left behind a 2-acre, 8-foot-deep pile of discarded circuit boards and shredded fiberglass. Underneath, the soil is contaminated by copper.

Lawrence DiPietro Sr. of Freeport bought the property in 1995 for $1 and used it to operate a recycling business. The Department of Environmental Protection sued DiPietro and the former owners, fined them $43,157 and ordered a cleanup.

DiPietro never paid the fine and has failed to pay property taxes.

In 2000, the DEP removed some of the contamination, but about $1.8 million worth of work still is needed to get rid of all of it, according to an engineering study.

Part of the problem in gaining more state and federal money to remove the contamination is that it is contained and does not threaten water supplies or surrounding property, Town Manager Mark Green said.

Town officials have not acted to take over the property out of concern that the town would become liable for the cleanup, Green said.

But Bernier, who has been working with the Toxics Action Center, an environmental advocacy group, said he has discovered the town would not be liable as the owner of the site, and by taking possession, it would be in a better position to find funding to clean it up than a private landowner would.

Green said the town's attorney agrees the town would not be liable for the cleanup.

But even if the town takes possession, finding money for the work won't be easy. Removal of the waste pile of circuit boards, estimated to cost $300,000 to $500,000, is not eligible for federal brownfield funds – although the contaminated soil underneath probably is, said Green.

Green said U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has pledged to make a $600,000 appropriations request to Congress to help remove the pollution if the town takes over the property.

By BETH QUIMBY, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, February 1, 2010


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