|
A South Baltimore park closed after its soil was found to be contaminated with arsenic reopened last month following a successful cleanup overseen by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Youth baseball teams took to the field at Swann Park May 22 after a ceremony to mark the park’s reopening.
The park closed in 2007 after soil sampling data showed elevated levels of arsenic caused by historical releases from the former Allied Chemical Race Street plant, which manufactured and blended pesticides for more than 80 years on the property directly north and adjacent to the park site.
MDE ordered Honeywell, the corporation that emerged from a merger with the Allied corporation, to cleanup of the property. MDE approved a plan that included excavation of soil with the highest levels of contamination, the addition of a layer of clean soil at least two feet thick across the entire property to prevent contact with the remaining soil, and a barrier fabric between the two layers to protect the clean soil. MDE determined in March 2009 that the required cleanup plan had been completed.
The refurbished 11-acre park includes new grass, baseball and softball diamonds, a football field, and lights. Honeywell prepared the athletic fields, made water and electrical improvements, and built foundations for lighting, dugouts, fences, bleachers, pedestrian pathways and roadways.
Former Baltimore Oriole Dave Johnson emceed the reopening ceremony, which was attended by officials from Baltimore City and Honeywell. MDE was represented by Deputy Secretary Robert Summers and Land Management Administration Director Horacio Tablada.
To minimize the potential for a similar situation from occurring again, MDE sponsored legislation in 2008 that authorizes MDE to require submittal of historical records showing contamination to the Department of the Environment. Regulations implementing this law will be promulgated this year.
|
