PFOA Contamination Response: Community Updates
Week of 04/11/2016
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pressGov. Shumlin Provides Update on North Bennington and Pownal Testing
Gov. Peter Shumlin provided an update yesterday on PFOA private well and agricultural product testing results from North Bennington and Pownal. The updates includes results from maple syrup testing, sediment testing, and Pownal drinking water.

To read the full press release, click here.
NHWhat's Going On in New Hampshire?
Concord, NH -- The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) today announced that it has received preliminary sample results for groundwater and soil samples taken at the Saint-Gobain facility in Merrimack, N.H. The groundwater test results were found to contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations ranging from 280 parts per trillion (ppt) to 5,800 ppt. A review of the preliminary soil sampling data found PFOA soil concentrations ranging from non-detect to 30 parts per billion (ppb).

To continue reading the press release, click here.
BenningtonNorth Bennington Update
Blood draw clinic registration begins -- The Vermont Department of Health will be offering blood draw clinics to residents of Bennington and North Bennington who met eligibility criteria. Click here for more info. The last day to register is April 30.

Feasibility study for municipal system extension --  The Town of Bennington is working on securing an engineering firm to perform a feasibility evaluation of costs needed to expand the municipal supply system to homes of North Bennington residents with impacted wells. Saint-Gobain is being asked to cover the costs of the study.

Fish tissue testing --
The Department of Fish & Wildlife and Environmental Conservation staff collected several fish from the Hoosic river on Wednesday to extract tissues that will be used for precautionary PFOA testing. PFOA is not likely to accumulate in fish.

POET Installation --
100 point-of-entry treatment systems have been installed; only 3-4 remain. Homes with POETS are receiving water testing of their water supply once a month for the next three months to ensure that concentrations of PFOA are treated to non-detectable levels.

Reminder! Sign-up for well testing online if within expanded area of concern -- View the updated area of interest map . If you have a private well and live within the outlined areas of concern, and have not had your well sampled yet, register now using this online form.
 
Community Meeting on April 18th -- A public meeting with be held for residents of Bennington/North Bennington on Monday, April 18th at 6 pm at Greenwall Auditorium at Bennington College. The auditorium is located in the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). Click here to view the Bennington College Campus Map.

Bennington Update
Bennington Municipal Water Supply re-tested clean -- DEC re-tested the Bennington municipal water supply for concentrations of PFOA to follow-up with residents concerns. The results returned this week indicate no PFOA was detected in the system, which is in line with results from a 2013 sampling event conducted by EPA.
PownalPownal Update
Community Meeting on April 19th - A second public meeting for citizens of Pownal is being scheduled for Tuesday, April 19 at 6pm at the Pownal Elementary School.

Alta Garden Estates Mobile Home Park -- The water system for Alta Garden Estates was non-detect for PFOA, and the water was concluded safe to drink. The water filling tank in the park will be removed by end of week.

Reminder! Sign-up for well testing online if within area of concern -- View the Pownal area of interest map . If you have a private well and live within the outlined area of concern, and have not had your well sampled yet, register now using this online form.

infoInformation Resources Available
For general PFOA questions and concerns:
Call 2-1-1.
Visit: Vermont DEC PFOA Response Page

For questions about potential health effects of PFOA:
Call the Vermont Department of Health toll-free at 800-439-8550.
Visit: Vermont Department Health PFOA Page