EPA: 4,500 truckloads of toxic soil removed from former Raymark sites in Stratford
Richard Chumney
STRATFORD — Crews have now removed more than 52,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and waste left across town by the defunct Raymark Industries, according to Jim DiLorenzo, an environmental engineer with the Environmental Protection Agency.
The team of engineers and construction workers are currently excavating contaminants from Beacon Point and are set to finish that portion of the years-long cleanup effort by the end of May, DiLorenzo said at a recent community meeting.
Meanwhile, crews continue to stockpile the toxic soil at an abandoned softball field off Frog Pond Lane and are making significant progress on a crucial new stormwater drainage system designed to prevent flooding at the consolidation site, he said.
“This is going to be a very busy year,” DiLorenzo said. “We have four active construction sites right now.”
The cleanup is aimed at removing contaminated soil that was polluted with cancer-causing agents such as asbestos, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls - commonly known as PCBs - by Raymark Industries, an automotive parts manufacturer that dumped waste across the town.
In total, crews have dug up about 47,450 cubic yards of contaminated soil from 20 private and town-owned properties since the work began in 2020. Another 5,197 cubic yards of hazardous waste have also been removed and transported to a disposal site outside of town.
At Beacon Point, where crews have been working since November, about 6,300 cubic yards have been removed from areas near a boat landing. DiLorenzo said that represents about half of the more than 11,000 cubic yards of pollutants and waste that was initially at the riverside site.
DiLorenzo said the EPA is now preparing to begin removing about 12,000 cubic yards from the channel and banks of Ferry Creek, a badly polluted watercourse that runs behind Ferry Boulevard. The labor-intensive effort is scheduled to begin in April and is expected take at least nine months to complete.
“Obviously, the pace of that is going to be very storm-dependent, particularly as we get into next fall,” DiLorenzo said.
DiLorenzo said crews also plan to clean up smaller sites on Lockwood Avenue and 3rd Avenue in the spring and summer. He noted that other spots along Ferry Boulevard will likely be addressed in the fall and early next year.
By the time the project is expected to end in late 2024, somewhere between 100,000 to 125,000 cubic yards of toxic soil will have been extracted and consolidated at the former Raybestos Memorial Field on Frog Pond Lane.
Engineers are consolidating and “capping” the soil with a clay-type material to prevent the toxic chemicals from emerging from the ground. Eventually, buildings may be constructed on the once-abandoned softball field.
“I know there’s been a lot of activity and a lot of impacts around town,” DiLorenzo said. “But, generally speaking, we’re on schedule and we have the budget and the resources that we need to finish.”
Mike Looney, an Army Corps of Engineers project manager, said the team continues to work on a new stormwater conveyance system designed to handle what is expected to be significant runoff from the consolidation field, which is intended to prevent rainwater from seeping into the ground.
Looney said crews are about halfway done with a conveyance line that will link the field to a planned pump station at the edge of the river. The station, which is expected to be completed by summer of 2024, will operate during significant storms and other high water events.
The Raymark Community Advisory Group will hold its next public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on March 29. More information about the ongoing cleanup effort can be found at stratfordct.gov/raymark.
Decision to close Farm River Rock quarry was code-related, former East Haven official says
Austin Mirmina
HARTFORD — The decision to close a multimillion-dollar East Haven quarry operation was based strictly on code, a former town zoning official testified Tuesday in federal court.
The trial between East Haven and plaintiff John Patton, who owned Farm River Rock quarry, began last week, with tens of millions of dollars in damages hanging in the balance. Patton previously filed a $30 million lawsuit against former East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. and other town officials, alleging they illegally closed his 1 Barberry Road quarry business for political reasons.
But former town Zoning Enforcement Officer Chris Soto, who also is being sued by Patton, said during Tuesday's proceedings that the decision to close the quarry stemmed from it violating East Haven's zoning regulations, which prohibited quarrying.
Soto issued Farm River Rock a cease and desist order in 2017, a decision he testified Tuesday was solely his own. Soto said he consulted with Town Attorneys Alfred and Joseph Zullo prior to issuing the order, but not with Maturo
Plaintiff attorney Kirk Tavtigian Jr. asked Soto whether he had considered the consequences of closing a multimillion-dollar business and "throw(ing) people out of work." Soto replied that, as the town's ZEO, his duty was enforcement regardless of ramifications. Tavtigian also asked Soto whether he and Maturo ever discussed the topic of closing the quarry, to which Soto responded that the mayor started to talk to him about it, but then stopped, and the two never discussed it.
To paint the quarry's closure as being politically motivated, Tavtigian scrutinized minutes from a 2017 town Code Enforcement Committee meeting, which allegedly show Maturo addressing resident complaints about the quarry. According to the minutes, Maturo said disruptive noise being heard by residents actually was coming from another blasting site — the North Branford Tilcon site — and not Farm River Rock quarry.
Maturo said in the meeting that no permits had been given to Patton's quarry, nor would they be given, the minutes state.
Tavtigian also pointed out another moment during the meeting in which Maturo said that then-Town Council member Joe Carfora, who was building a house near Farm River Rock, was "spearheading a group who is meeting at the Foxon (Road) Fire House like the group on Russo Ave. in the past that was against the quarry up there."
"Does it look like these department heads are doing everything possible to shut down this quarry," Tavtigian asked. "No," Soto said.
The town Zoning Board of Appeals upheld Soto's cease-and-desist order in 2017, but a Superior Court judge overruled the town in 2019, finding that the site had been used as a quarry for more than 75 years and the operation was a “legal pre-existing nonconforming use.” While quarries are not allowed under current town zoning regulations, under Connecticut law, such regulations cannot stop property uses that predate them.
The quarry since has reopened under the name East Haven Trap Rock Quarry, with new partners from New York in control and Patton now having a minority stake. Patton had offered to settle with the town for $3 million, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.
In a statement provided last week, defense attorney Garrett A. Denniston said, "What we have learned since the very beginning of this litigation in 2017 is that Mr Patton certainly has his theories. We look forward to the Court hearing all of the evidence in this matter and are confident the Court will rule on the facts and not the allegations or opinions of Mr. Patton on both liability and damages."
The federal trial is scheduled to run through Feb. 15. The case is being heard by Connecticut U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala.
Rob Ryser
DANBURY – Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed $50.5 billion two-year state budget includes money for a Danbury charter school if that is what stakeholders decide is best for the city, a spokesman said Wednesday.
That means a new public charter school proposed for Main Street in downtown Danbury appears to be a definite maybe under Lamont’s budget plan.
“The governor is in strong support of ensuring that children in Danbury and throughout the state have access to the essential educational opportunities that they need,” spokesman David Bednarz said shortly after Lamont released his budget plan in Hartford. “His budget proposal includes funding to fulfill these responsibilities in a manner that allows stakeholders in the local community and throughout Connecticut to determine how those funds can best be used.”
When asked whether there is money in the state budget for the charter school in Danbury, Bednarz said, "There is money available for stakeholders to determine how it best can be used."
The governor’s office did not answer requests for clarification about who would be the stakeholders or about the process Danbury should follow to decide “how best those funds can be used.”
State Sen. Julie Kushner, a Democrat and a critic of the charter school who believes it would drain money from the city’s underfunded public schools, said the governor clearly means that she and members of the city’s delegation to Hartford should decide what’s best for the city.
State Rep. Rachel Chaleski, a Republican and supporter of the charter school who believes it would give parents an option to choose the right learning environment for their kids, said the stakeholders have already spoken in overwhelming support of the charter school.
As a result, the members of the group leading the six-year push for the charter school in Danbury were left scratching their heads.
“I don’t know – it could be good or bad if the Danbury delegation decides it wants to spend the money on other stuff,” said Jose Lucas Pimentel, CEO of Latinos for Educational Advocacy and Diversity, or LEAD. “I guess it’s better than it was before.”
Pimentel is referring to this time last year when Lamont did not put money in his budget plan for a Danbury charter school, because the school wasn’t ready to open and could not be considered “until the next budget session.” Since then, LEAD has set up headquarters at 358 Main St., where the school is proposed, with the help of a $25 million donation.
Danbury Mayor Dean Esposito, a Republican and supporter of the charter school, called on Lamont last week with the GOP majorities on the City Council and school board to “support our efforts to open this much needed school.” On Wednesday, he was optimistic about Lamont’s budget.
“I am thrilled that Governor Lamont allocated money for the creation of the Danbury charter school in his budget,” Esposito said. “It’s clear that the local community stakeholders are in favor of this, with the majority of the City Council and the majority of the Board of Education, forming a coalition of elected officials to advocate directly to the governor."
Although questions remain about what process the charter school would follow to open on Main Street in August as the organizers plan, Esposito said the next step was clear.
“Now it’s up to our legislative delegation to bring this home for Danbury,” he said.
New London attempts to get federal funding again for garage expansion
Johana Vazquez
New London ― Since 2017, the city has proposed a multimillion dollar expansion of the Water Street Parking Garage but has been unsuccessful at attaining a grant.
The city is giving it another try.
The City Council Monday approved applying again for a $25 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant would allow the garage to add 250 parking spaces to the existing 910 spaces as well as add a transit hub and a cultural and tourism center.
Parking Authority Director Carey Redd said the need for more parking is driven by the construction of the National Coast Guard Museum which is already underway. The museum is estimated to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
This would be the fifth time the city is applying for a grant to fund this project. Redd said the New London Parking Authority first applied in 2017, then in 2018, 2020, and 2021.
The grants are highly competitive. Last year the U.S. Department of Transportation received 936 applications, totaling $13.3 billion dollars in requests, for the available $2.2 billion dollar appropriation by Congress. Only 166 applications were awarded the grant.
The expansion is part of an infrastructure project in downtown New London that will also see the construction of new pedestrian bridge above Water Street, a new high speed ferry terminal and the restoration of the Union Train Station.
A packet on the infrastructure project says the garage is a key asset of ferry and train systems and during peak periods during the year, the garage is filled to capacity and motorists are turned away.
The construction of the bridge, funded by the state, will be overseen by the Coast Guard Museum Association. Redd said the Cross Sound Ferry is funding the high speed terminal and Amtrak is taking over most of the restoration of Union Station.
Redd said it is not just about the expansion of the garage, it’s about making a viable transportation center.
Redd said more than 90% of the $25 million would go towards the expansion of the garage. He attributed the high price to the increased costs of concrete and steel and supply issues that have escalated over time.
The expansion would add spaces to the third, fourth and roof levels, with the addition built over the existing surface lot adjacent to Water Street. The ground level would serve as the transit hub for those taking public buses. Redd said the transit station would move buses off of Water Street.
Redd said the cultural and tourism center would be on the side facing Parade Plaza. The project packet says the center would provide the public a place to acquire information on destinations and tourism attractions, coffee and house offices for the local CT Tourism Bureau, New London Art District and New London Parking Authority.
A handicap accessible pedestrian bridge, that received funding from the state several years ago, would be connected to the parking garage, overlook Water Street and connect to the Coast Guard Museum.
Redd said the city has used the state-funded bridge as a match to the federal grant so no out-of-pocket costs would have to come from the city.
Rensselaer to sell downtown Hartford campus; property marketed for redevelopment
Andrew Larson
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has put its Hartford campus up for sale, CBRE announced Wednesday.
The property, at 275 Windsor St., includes an eight-story classroom building and amphitheater, which previously housed the school’s graduate center for working professionals pursuing advanced education.
The campus is currently closed to students, according to a source familiar with the property. The school plans to look for a new campus location with smaller space that provides both remote and in-person classroom opportunities, the source said.
“With the sale of our building, we look forward to finding a new physical Hartford location that is better aligned to our current needs,” said Aric Krause, dean of academic and administrative affairs at Rensselaer.
The 12.7-acre site also includes a four-story parking garage and surface parking lot, totaling more than 860 spaces.
CBRE said it has been retained as the exclusive adviser in the sale. The property is being marketed as “mixed-use redevelopment opportunity in Hartford’s Downtown North neighborhood,” the company said.
The property is next to Dunkin’ Park, and carries a flexible MX-2 zoning designation with a campus overlay, according to CBRE.
CBRE said that increased demand for multifamily housing in downtown Hartford, along with easy access to highways and the city’s central business district, “perfectly positions the site for redevelopment.”
CBRE has listed the property without a formal asking price.
In a statement, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said Rensselaer's Windsor Street location offers "tremendous potential for the mixed-use development that expands the development already underway around the baseball park. We're going to be as aggressive as we can in supporting and promoting residential development, and the Rensselaer campus’s size and location makes it a hugely important opportunity. I want to acknowledge Rensselaer’s long-standing presence here in Hartford, and we look forward to working with them and with potential buyers."
Rensselaer’s Hartford campus offers non-degree certificate programs, which teach specific skills geared toward working professionals and take a fraction of the time to complete compared to a master's degree.
In 2019, Rensselaer rolled out new programs at its Hartford campus as certificate programs increased in popularity.
John McCormick and Anna Kocsondy of CBRE’s Hartford office are in charge of the listing.
Construction, from the ground up Students learn about building, architecture at career panel
STEVE BIGHAM
WOODBURY – Nonnewaug High School students learned firsthand about life in the world of architecture and construction during a career-panel discussion Wednesday morning.
The student-led event featured seven local professionals, including a civil engineer, welder, plumber, heavy equipment operator, Department of Transportation supervisor, construction manager, architect, and pool business strategist.
The hour-long talk included advice on how to enter a field, what the speakers originally wanted to do when they were in high school, and the skills required to succeed.
Winfield Cheske, who works for the DOT, said he originally wanted to be a chef, while Keith Holtman, a professional welder, considered getting into stock car racing. Grace Regan originally majored in communications when she went to college to also swim, before eventually switching over to construction manager.
Amy Samuelson said she became an architect because she was good at math and liked to draw.
As for skills, each explain the degrees in certifications required for their field, but said soft skills like communication, perseverance, the ability to problem solve, showing up every day, attitude and being able to work well with others were vital to their success.
And, Cheske added, “you use what you learned in high school more than you think.”
All speakers agreed that you what you put in is what you get out and that not to let money be the number-one goal in choosing a career.
The event was organized by Nonnewaug seniors Sage Mauro and Sophie Pape and junior Madison Willis as part of their Mastery Based Learning Experience project, a new statewide graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2023.
The students organized the event through the NHS College and Career Resource Center.
Jacobs beats estimates, maintains strong 2023 outlook
Sebastian Obando
Jacobs Engineering Group reported $135.6 million in profits for its first fiscal quarter Tuesday, or $1.06 per share, up from $134 million a year ago. Revenue increased to $3.8 billion, up 12.4% from $3.38 billion 12 months earlier, as the company benefited from government stimulus in key infrastructure categories.
Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations hit $1.67, up 7% year-over-year, according to a press release. The results beat analysts’ expectations of both $3.61 billion in revenue and $1.61 per share, according to Zacks Investment Research.
Jacobs reiterated its fiscal 2023 earnings-per-share outlook of $7.20-$7.50, which brackets the average analyst estimate of $7.39, according to Matt Arnold, industrial analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones.
Bob Pragada, newly appointed Jacobs CEO, identified critical infrastructure, energy and environment, advanced facilities and national security as key growth sectors for the company.
Those growth sectors continue to receive a boost from government stimulus, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS Act and supply chain technology investments, said Pragada. He added the company has helped its clients secure over $1 billion in IIJA competitive grants. That includes funding for projects such as subway station accessibility in New York City, a major port development in Alaska and the design of a sustainable battery recycling facility.
“Before the end of the calendar year, we fully expect to have all three bills firing at full strength and funding critical projects sponsored by local governments, the federal government and semiconductor industry,” said Pragada. “This overlap of spending will continue for four or five consecutive fiscal quarters and drive growth across the infrastructure and energy markets.”
Jacobs’ backlog increased about 1% to about $28.26 billion, up from $28 billion a year ago.
Its people and places solutions (P&PS) and critical mission solutions (CMS) segments added $17.24 billion and $7.63 billion to their respective backlogs. The PA Consulting segment added $306 million to its backlog, while its divergent solutions segment posted $3.08 billion, down from $3.28 billion a year ago, according to the report.
A recent win in the CMS division includes a $92.5 million NASA contract in Ventura County, California. Other projects in the segment include a $300 million, seven-year contract with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and a $170 million five-year contract within the classified budget, according to the company.
Meanwhile, the P&PS segment will continue to benefit from investment in the life sciences, semiconductor and electric vehicle supply chains, said Kevin Berryman, Jacobs CFO.
“We continue to see robust demand from our life sciences clients, which comprise two-thirds of our P&PS business,” said Berryman. “Our backlog and sales pipeline remains robust across a diverse set of customers and as a result, we continue to expect our advanced facilities growth rate to remain strong during fiscal year 2023.”
Top Takeaways
Arnold, the Edward Jones analyst, said Jacobs’ increased focus on infrastructure, aerospace and cybersecurity projects remains a positive indicator for the company’s outlook.
“Jacobs has exited its energy, chemical and resource business, which tended to be more cyclical and less profitable,” said Arnold in an analyst’s note on the results. “We believe Jacobs’ increased focus on infrastructure, aerospace, cybersecurity and technical building projects bodes well for the future growth and profitability of the company.”
He added the primary downside risk to Jacobs’ performance remains that its business is tied to the overall health of the economy. That means if the global economy deteriorates more than expected, Jacobs’ business would likely be negatively impacted.
Nevertheless, Arnold said the company’s infrastructure work has long-term potential and that its evolving business mix will drive improved performance.
“We think Jacobs delivered a solid start to fiscal 2023 … [and] remain confident in Jacobs’ long-term growth outlook,” said Arnold in the analyst’s note. “In addition, we view Jacobs as a likely beneficiary of the infrastructure stimulus that was signed into law.”