Anyone wondering what's up with Starmet these days? Read on.

Kinda puts squabbles about bike trail surfaces in perspective...


___________________________

Peter Siebert


________________________________

From: Jim West [mailto:j.west33@...]
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 11:54 AM
To: Crew
Cc: James L. West
Subject: Disposal of Starmet Buildings



CREW

CITIZENS RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENTAL WATCH

Tel.: 978-369-4979; e-mail: crew@...



May 6, 2008

For immediate release.



Environmental Protection Agency Considers Disposal of Starmet
Corp. Buildings at Superfund Site in Concord.



A report prepared by the contractor for the Environmental
Protection Agency NMI/Starmet Superfund Site Investigation concluded
that it is probable that all the buildings at 2229 Main St. in Concord
will eventually have to be demolished due to the high levels of
contamination found on and in the buildings and their deteriorating
condition. Radioactive material was found even in the offices and
public areas of the Starmet buildings, on chairs, carpeting, floor tiles
and equipment. In one office, a chair was noticed which was so
contaminated that an employee using the chair for a year would have
received a substantial radiation dose. Radioactive contamination was
found in the lobby which is accessible to the general public. The
report entitled "Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis - Disposition
of Structures and Contents - Nuclear Metals, Inc. Superfund Site" can be
read at the Concord Public Library. It can also be viewed at the
Environmental Protection Agency website for the NMI Superfund Site.
http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/nmi/283373.pdf
<http://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/nmi/283373.pdf>



The report proposes five alternatives for disposition of the
buildings, which range from doing nothing to their total removal. The
Environmental Protection Agency will decide on a course of action after
a public hearing on May 15, 7 PM, at the Harvey Wheeler Community
Center, 1276 Main St, Concord. A decision to remove the buildings would
mark a major step in the cleanup of the site. The estimated cost to do
so is nearly $64,000,000, of which a substantial part will be
transportation and fees to the licensed disposal facility, where the
contaminated material will be sent. The public hearing will be an
opportunity to make comments about the proposed disposition of the
buildings; written comments will also be received until June 4, 2008.



Citizens Research and Environmental Watch, an environmental
group that has advocated the cleanup of Nuclear Metals, Inc./Starmet
property since 1990, advocates the complete removal of the buildings,
commenting: "It's a disgrace that people worked in such an unhealthy
environment for so many years. We should not leave it around for the
future."









Contact for further information

Jim West

978-369-4979

j.west33@...













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