Supplemental Soil Testing at Ravine behind New Leb Reveal Some High Level of Arsenic

The Greenwich Public Schools commissioned a supplemental investigation to the Phase II Site assessment to focus on the ravine area behind New Lebanon School, the location of the proposed “Scheme C.”

The Board of Education accepted this recommendation at its January 8, 2015 meeting. The Board of Selectmen initiated the Municipal Improvement (MI) process at their April meeting. At that meeting the Selectmen requested additional environmental testing data from the ravine area.

Six additional soil borings were dug and a total of six soil samples were tested.  One sample collected during the May 2015 Supplemental Phase II Site Investigation contained arsenic exceeding the Residential Direct Exposure Criteria.

According to a statement released Wednesday from the Board of Education, the arsenic is not at a level that requires immediate regulatory notification or immediate action.

The statement continues, “Based on what is known currently, regulatory criteria exceedences will be addressed during construction of the project and should not materially impact the project schedule or budget. Excess soil generated during construction activities will be evaluated to determine special handling requirements. This waste characterization is performed as a typical phase of construction.”

To view the Phase II and Supplemental Phase II Site Investigation Reports at the Havemeyer Building, 290 Greenwich Ave., please contact Kim Eves at [email protected] for an appointment.

For health and safety related questions please contact Greenwich Health Department: Michael Long, Director of Environmental Service [email protected] or (203) 987-1001

Connecticut Department of Health. Tel (860) 509-8000.

New Lebanon School background:

Greenwich Public Schools is proposing a long-term, multifaceted solution for accelerating achievement and addressing the achievement gap, racial imbalance, and facility utilization difficulties as presented in the 2014 State approved Racial Balance Plan. The proposed New Lebanon Elementary School will be built to attract students from the entire town who are interested in an International Baccalaureate (IB) education. The facility must be sized to accept the larger enrollment from the catchment area, add space for magnet students, and add classrooms to restore the pre-kindergarten program.

New Lebanon Elementary School was originally built in 1956. Four classrooms were added in 1992. The pre-kindergarten program was moved out of the school for the 2012/13 school year and the kindergarten program moved out in 2014/15 school year to address overcrowding and relieve strain on the facility. Many of the classrooms are sized correctly, but all the special classrooms, gym, administration, and small group learning rooms are undersized. The smaller than average cafeteria and kitchen impact the school schedule.

See also:

Board of Selectmen’s Field Trip to New Leb Ravine: Visualizing a New School

New Leb Community: If Scheme C Gets Rejected, Don’t Disperse Our Children

New Leb Building Committee Begins to Take Shape

PHOTOS: Selectmen to Tour Proposed New Leb School Site, Delay MI Vote Pending Environmental Tests