Pownal Superfund Recreational Reuse Plan Kathryn Cunningham, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Pownal Superfund Recreational Reuse Plan

Kathryn Cunningham, Natalie DiNenno, and Johanna Wassermann

Williams College Environmental Planning

Recreation Inventory

Trails

• Strobridge Hiking Trails
• Broad Brook
• South Stream Wildlife Area
• The Dome
• Mountain Meadow and Grace

Niles

River/Water Access

• Clayton Park Beach
• Barber Pond

Children’s Recreation

• Pownal Elementary

Playground

• Center Street/Bartels
• Pownal Youth Baseball

ATVs

• Very few legal trails

Mission Statement

The mission of the Williams-Pownal Task Force is to...

1. work with the Pownal community to reuse the Tannery Superfund Site for recreation, 2. provide a space for social gathering, community engagement, and outdoor activity, 3. make site recommendations that are high need, high feasibility, and low cost.

Project Goals

1. Assist with GPS mapping of trails along the site 2. Help Pownal apply for a grant to develop trails along the berm by the Hoosic River/WWTF 3. Identify and assess community recreation needs 4. Recommend accessible, sustainable, and engaging recreation options for the Pownal community

What is a Superfund?

• Former contaminated site
• Often manufacturing, processing

plants, landfills, mining sites

• Goal: clean up, remove hazardous

materials, and reuse land for community benefit

• Pownal:

○ Former Tannery ○ Clean-up completed in 2005

Site Overview

Prior Studies and Reports

• 2001 Reuse Study
• 2004 Woodland Management Plan
• 2005 EPA Report
• 2017 Town Plan
• All have suggestions for reuse that we

consider in our plan

https://www3.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/pownal/24 0690.pdf

Legal Considerations and Contacts

• Digging Restrictions
• Floodplain
• Off-limit areas
• EPA and VT DEC approval

needed

• Kevin Heine, EPA
• Jim Sullivan, BCRC
• Beth Goodman, GE

Pittsfield Superfund

Interviews and Community Engagement

Interviews/Contacts Bruce Martel Wyatt Vargas Nelson Brownell Kevin Heine Jason Olansky Cory Campbell Traci Cristofolini Jim Sullivan Jim Henderson Shannon Barsotti Rebecca Dragon Ray & Dawn Rodrigues Bill Scully Lauren Stevens Site Visits and Other Meetings Recreation Task Force Meeting Fifth Grade Site Design Trail Assessment GPS Mapping

Site Visit Summary

Mapped with GPS:

• Existing trail along the berm
• Path from the edge of the WWT site to the

hydro-plant (using access road)

• Trails in the lagoons

Identified:

• Potential spots for river access/boat launches
• Walking and bike paths

GPS Trail Mapping

Map of Existing Trails: Fig. 1

Topographic Map: Fig. 2

Grant Information

• 2018 Recreational Trails Program (RTP)

○ Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation

• Example: Charlotte, Vermont
• Next year: Land and Water Conservation Fund

Grant

2017 RTP Grant Pre-Application

Examples

Solvent Recovery Site (Southington, CT)

• Former hazardous waste treatment facility

with lagoons

• Capped consolidated soils
• Construction of new trailheads connecting to

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail

• Partnerships

GE Superfund Site (Pittsfield, MA)

• One of country’s largest Superfunds
• PCB contaminants found in groundwater,

soil, wildlife, Housatonic River

• $200 million settlement with EPA
• Recreation center at Allendale School

○ Baseball diamond, soccer field, jogging track, playground

CCI Superfund (Olathe, KS)

• Former chemical recycling, storage,

repackaging and distribution facility

• Partnerships
• Priorities:

○ Habitat ○ Education and Recreation ○ Nuisance Mitigation

• Now a community space and

pollinator habitat

Chisman Creek Site (Hampton Roads, VA)

• Former site of ash dumping
• First Superfund site to be redeveloped
• Created a series of athletic fields
• Also unable to dig or use groundwater on the

site

• Created ‘clean corridors’ for electricity wiring
• Successful because of intense collaboration

between relevant groups

Partnerships

• Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

(VYCC)

• Mountain Bike Community
• Vermont ATV Sportsman’s Association

(VASA)

• Boy and Girl Scouts
• Fire Department
• Pownal Elementary School
• Hoosic River Watershed Association

(HooRWA)

• Williamstown North Adams Bike Path
• High School Community Service
• Bennington County Regional

Commission

• Bruce Martel (construction community)
• Homeschool Community

Recommendations

Recreational Options and Alternatives

1. Hiking/walking trails a. 3 foot trail b. 1.5 foot trail c. Natural trail 2. Bike path a. Pump track b. Use access roads 3. Pavilion a. Community constructed b. Professionally constructed Signage a. Necessary b. Educational

• 5. Picnic tables, trash cans and benches
• 6. Restrooms

a. Conventional b. Porta Potty c. Composting toilet

• 7. Boat Launch
• 8. Skating Rink

a. Freeze lagoon b. EZ Ice

• 9. Footbridge

Hiking/Walking Trails

Option A: 3 Foot-wide Trail

Pros:

• Easiest to use

Cons

• Expensive

Requirements:

• Materials, equipment, permits

Costs:

• $30k for VYCC
• $10-30/yard of material

tc

Option C: Natural Trail Pros:

• Most cost-effective

Cons:

• Signage, maintenance

Requirements:

• Permits, signage

Costs:

• $15k for VYCC

Option B: 1.5 Foot-wide Trail Pros

• Half the material and cost

Cons:

• Not as wide

Requirements:

• Same as option 1, only 80 yds

Costs:

• $22,500 for VYCC, imported

material

Bike Paths

Option A: Pump Track Pros:

• Low cost, community built

Cons:

• Digging obstacle labor-intensive

Requirements:

• Dirt, manpower, shovels etc

Costs:

• Potentially borrowing equipment

Option B: Use Access Roads Pros:

• No digging, imported material, or labor

Cons:

• Less exciting, small loop, shares road

Requirements:

• Signage

Costs:

• Signage

Pavilion

Option A: Community Constructed Pros:

• Promote community engagement
• Lower cost

Cons:

• None

Requirements:

• Materials and instruction guide
• Volunteer overseer

Option B: Professionally Constructed Pros:

• Experienced contractor

Cons:

• Expensive

Requirements:

• Bidding process

Signage

Option A: Necessary Pros:

• People know exactly what

they can do

• Accessibility
• Safety

Cons:

• None

Option B: Educational Pros:

• Teach about site history
• Create intentional,
• rganized space
• Encourage tourism

Cons:

• May be more intrusive

Requirements:

• Design and install signs

Costs:

• Covered by grant

Picnic Tables, Trash Cans, Benches

Pros:

• Comfortable space
• Accessibility
• Variety of activities
• Keep space clean

Cons:

• Installation considerations

Requirements:

• Someone to empty trash cans

Costs:

• VYCC: $7,500-$8,000

Material options:

• Wood ($350)
• Recycled plastic ($1000)

Restrooms

Option A: Conventional Public Restroom Pros:

• Clean and hygienic

Cons:

• Expensive
• Intrusive
• Maintenance

Costs:

• Individual quote

Option B: Port-a-Potty Pros:

• Lower cost

Cons:

• Bad smell, unhygienic
• Maintenance
• Unattractive

Costs:

• Varies

Option C: Composting Toilet Pros:

• Clean and hygienic
• Saves water
• Creates fertilizer

Cons:

• Maintenance

Costs:

• $1500 - $8000

Boat Launch

Pros:

• Satisfy community need
• Make use of river
• Provide safe access to water

Cons:

• Not easily accessible/ may not be ADA

compliant/ property restrictions

• Staircase get damaged in flood
• Staircase might disturb vegetation

Requirements:

• Easy access
• Measurements for staircase
• Materials (wood or stone)
• Permit

Costs:

• VYCC: $15,000
• Staircase out of wood ($1000)
• Staircase out of stone (import/purchase)

Skating Pond

Pros:

• Community need
• Promote partnerships
• Potential revenue source

Cons:

• Might not appeal to all

demographics

• Requires skates
• Pavilion too small for rink
• Weather dependent activity

Costs:

• Option 1: Freeze lagoon water: VYCC to clear

lagoon: $15,000-$30,000 ○ Fire Department: low cost ○ Unpredictable water/air temperatures

• Option 2: DIY Ice Rink (EZ Rink)

○ Built using no tools and on any surface in 60 minutes ○ Cost depends on size

Size Kiddie Small Medium Large XL XXL Professional Dimensions (ft.) 15x30 20x40 25x50 30x60 40x80 60x100 85x200 Cost $1,900 $2,200 $2,900 $3,900 $5,900 $7,900 $14,900

Footbridge

Pros:

• Provide legal access to Taconic Trail

System

• Expand WWTF hiking trails
• Source of attraction to site

Cons:

• Very costly in construction
• Trails in forest need to be maintained

Requirements:

• Measurements
• Location
• Materials

Costs:

• Upwards of $166,000, which is >3x the

RTP grant

Recreational Options and Alternatives

1. Hiking/walking trails a. 3 foot trail b. 1.5 foot trail c. Natural trail 2. Bike path a. Pump track b. Use access roads 3. Pavilion a. Community constructed b. Professionally constructed

• 4. Signage

a. Necessary b. Educational

• 5. Picnic tables, trash cans and benches
• 6. Restrooms

a. Conventional b. Porta Potty c. Composting toilet

• 7. Boat Launch
• 8. Skating Rink

a. Freeze lagoon b. EZ Ice

• 9. Footbridge

Other Recommendations

• Hire legal expert

○ Review legal documents of site ○ Obtain legal easement

• Get custom quotes for amenities
• Continue identifying grants
• Stewardship

○ Site use restrictions

• Consider Center Street Park as

alternative playground

• Organize site visits

Thank you!

Special Thanks to: Dawn Rodrigues Ray Rodrigues Shannon Barsotti Sarah Gardner Jim Sullivan Cory Campbell

Appendix

Pump Track Blueprint

Size Kiddie Small Medium Large XL XXL Professional Dimensions (ft.) 15x30 20x40 25x50 30x60 40x80 60x100 85x200 Cost $1,900 $2,200 $2,900 $3,900 $5,900 $7,900 $14,900

EZ Ice Rink Costs

Identifying River Access and Boat Put-Ins