Further cleanup of a contaminated Waterbury property could be approaching a resolution.
The U.S. Department of Justice and Connecticut’s Attorney General filed a consent decree on Oct. 31 in federal court against Eastgate Plaza LLC, which owns nearly four acres of property that was part of a 30-acre landfill operated by Scovill Manufacturing Co. between 1919 and the mid-1970s.
The civil action seeks repayment from Eastgate of $100,000 in costs incurred by the federal and state governments since hazardous waste was first discovered at the Scovill site in 1998, resulting in the removal 2,300 tons of contaminated soil that contained polychlorinated biphenyls.
The site was added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund list in 2000. Connecticut officials have been working with the EPA since then on a remediation plan.
DOJ said that the consent decree, if approved by a judge, would result in a $13.7 million lien against Eastgate’s property. Environmental officials would also have access to the site for further remediation.
Much of the original landfill has been developed over the years. The EPA says there is no current risk to people living or working at the site because the contaminated soil is covered by pavement, buildings or vegetation.
