Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Rocky Neck State Park is also closed until further notice due to a brush fire. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut/ Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Waterford

Public Notice for Plans for Final Closure of Waste Storage

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP) hereby gives notice of its receipt from Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut/Millstone Nuclear Power Station (Millstone) of plans for the final closure of three hazardous waste storage/management units Drum Storage (Building 421), Condensate Polishing Facility (Building 212), and Warehouse 9 (within Building 409)), formerly used at the facility located at 314 Rope Ferry Road in Waterford, Connecticut. These units were operated under “interim status” and the plans were submitted in accordance with section 22a-449(c)-105(a)(1) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, which incorporates Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations 265.112, and Section 3005 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Millstone began operations as a nuclear power plant in the 1960’s. Prior to these operations the site was used for quarry and agricultural purposes. Surrounding land uses are mixed industrial, commercial, and residential.

Building 421 is a 460-square foot structure located within the central portion of the site’s protected area. The building is constructed with a poured, slab-on-grade, concrete floor, and concrete block walls. The Drum Storage Area (subject to closure) encompasses a smaller portion of the building which measures approximately 16 feet by 9.5 feet and was first designated for storage of hazardous waste for greater than 90-days in November 1980.

The Condensate Polishing Facility (CPF) consists of two adjacent rooms located on the second floor inside of Building 212. The front room of the CPF Unit is approximately 18 feet by 15 feet and was constructed with a poured concrete floor. However, the front room was never used to store hazardous waste. The rear room of the CPF is approximately 25.5 feet by 21.5 feet with a concrete floor that is surrounded by a concrete secondary containment berm. The CPF was first used for hazardous waste storage on or about March 1989 when the area was designated for waste storage.

The Warehouse 9 mixed waste storage (MWS) area is located in the southern end of Building 409 and contained within the sites protected area. Warehouse 9 is a 20,000 square foot storage facility; however, the hazardous waste storage was confined to an area approximately 52 feet by 20 feet and included the location of the former distillation machinery, the adjacent former container storage area and the temporary containment area used around the former distillation machinery. The Warehouse 9 MWS area was first used for storage of mixed waste on or about January 2001 when the area was first designated for waste storage.

The plans describe the closure of these regulated units in a manner that will result in the removal of all waste and contaminated material and/or soil for disposal at an offsite facility, and the decontamination of any contaminated structure so that it will be protective of human health and the environment.

This public announcement does not imply approval by the CTDEEP of the Millstone closure plans.

The purpose of this public notice announcement is to solicit comments concerning the plans.

The Millstone closure plans may be viewed by appointment at the CTDEEP Records Center, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, Connecticut. An interested person who wishes to make an appointment can email the File Room at DEEP.RecordsCenter@ct.gov. And/or by visiting the online document portal: https://filings.deep.ct.gov/DEEPDocumentSearchPortal/

Copies of the Millstone closure plans are also available by contacting the Environmental Consultant: Michael DeGloria (mdegloria@gesonline.com), Principal Project Manager, Groundwater and Environmental Services, Inc., 100 Sebethe Drive Unit A-8 Cromwell, Connecticut 06416. Telephone number - 866.839.5195 ext. 3839.

Comments on the Millstone closure plans and requests for a public hearing are invited from interested persons and can be submitted to the CTDEEP case manager: Thomas Betts, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127, (860) 424-4136, Thomas.Betts@ct.gov.

Written comments on or requesting modification to the closure plans must be submitted to the CTDEEP no later than thirty (30) days from the publication date of this notice. Any person may submit a request in writing to the Department for a public hearing to consider the closure plan. Such requests shall state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised in the hearing. A public hearing may be held whenever the Department finds that response to this notice indicates significant public interest. All comments received within the public notice period will be considered in the final decision regarding approval or disapproval of the closure plans.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act. Please contact Thomas Betts at Thomas.Betts@ct.gov if you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, or require some other type of accommodation. If you wish to file and ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, you may submit your complaint to the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accomodations@ct.gov. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following the notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program, or event.

El Departamento de Energía y Protección Ambiental de Connecticut es un Empleador de Acción Afirmativa/Igualdad de Oportunidades comprometido a cumplir con los requisitos de la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades. Por favor, contáctenos al (860) 418-5910 o deep.accommodations@ct.gov si: tiene una discapacidad y necesita una ayuda o servicio de comunicación; tiene un dominio limitado del inglés y puede necesitar información en otro idioma; o si desea presentar una queja por discriminación ADA o Título VI. Cualquier persona que necesite una adaptación auditiva puede llamar al número de relé del Estado de Connecticut: 711. Las solicitudes de adaptaciones deben hacerse al menos dos semanas antes de cualquier audiencia, programa o evento de la agencia.

/Gabrielle Frigon/ Director
Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division
Bureau of Materials Management and Compliance Assurance

Published in The New London Day August 30, 2024