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Mill River Greenway Visitron ESA - Phase 1Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Vistron Section of the Mill River Greenway Riverside Drive Florence, Massachusetts t Prepared by Claire Tonry For the City of Northampton Conservation Commission 2 May 2005 Executive Summary A Phase I Environmental Site assessment complying with American Society for Testing and Materials' E 1527 standard was conducted to investigate existing and/or potential recognized environmental conditions on the Vistron section of the Mill River Greenway for the City of Northampton, Massachusetts. The investigation was intended to aid the City of Northampton in its management of the land, which may include incorporating the property into a recreation plan or trading the parcel for another property. The Phase I investigation included a site visit, interview and transaction screen questionnaire conducted with Bruce Young from the City of Northampton Conservation Commission, interviews with adjoining property owners George Marney and Jeanne McGrath, telephone interviews with representatives of Perstorp Compounds Inc., and review of federal, state and municipal records. The first known use of the Vistron parcel was storage for the Nonotuck Silk Company in the late 1800s. Ownership of the land was transferred to other silk companies and then to Pro Brush Company, a plastic brush manufacturer, and its various parent companies. The property comprised a small portion of the Florence land holdings of these companies and other than a small storage shed, no record of development on the property has been found. The investigation did not find any recognized environmental conditions associated with the property. Activity at the nearby Perstorp Compounds Inc. facility was identified as a potential source of a recognized environmental condition. 2 Executive Summary 2 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0 Site Description 4 2.1 Site Location and Size 4 2.2 Vicinity Characteristics 4 2.3 Site Structures and Layout 4 2.4 Current Use and Ownership of the Property 4 2.5 Past Uses of the Property 5 2.6 Uses of Adjoining Properties 6 3.0 Environmental Features 6 3.1 General Information 6 3.2 Potential Sensitive Receptors 6 3.3 Potential Migration Pathways 6 4.0 Regulatory Information 6 4.1 Federal Records 6 4.2 State Records 7 4.3 Municipal Records 7 5.0 Site Reconnaissance and Interviews 7 5.1 Investigators 7 5.2 Description of the Site Processes and General Conditions 7 5.3 Hazardous Substances in Connection with Identified Uses 8 5.4 Hazardous Substances and Unidentified Substance Containers 8 5.5 Storage Tanks 8 5.6 Indications of PCBs 8 5.7 Indications of Solid Waste Disposal 8 5.8 Other Conditions of Concern 8 6.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 8 6.1 Conclusions 8 6.2 Recommendations 9 APPENDICES Appendix A: Site Locus Map Appendix B: Tax Map Detail Appendix C: Site Sketch Appendix D: Deeds Appendix E: Historic Maps Appendix F: GIS Map Appendix G: FEMA Map Appendix H: FirstSearch State and Federal Record Review Appendix I: Site Visit Photographs 3 1.0 Introduction This Phase I environmental site assessment was conducted by Claire Tonry on behalf of the Conservation Commission of the city of Northampton, Massachusetts. The purpose of the investigation is to assess the potential for the presence of recognized environmental conditions as indicators of a release or threat of release of petroleum and/or hazardous materials now or formerly at the site. There are no special terms or limitations associated with this assessment. 2.0 Site Description 2.1 Site Location and Size The parcel is located in Florence, a village of Northampton, Massachusetts, off Riverside Drive. The parcel is landlocked and does not have a street number. The property is referred to as the Vistron section of the Mill River Greenway, or Parcel "C" on the Huntley Plan. The coordinates for the site are: 72:40 :24 (minutes /seconds) longitude and 42:19:44 (minutes /seconds) latitude. UTMs are 691706.373 easting, 4688711.952 northing, in zone 18. The property is 20,860 square feet or 0.527 acre.. See Appendix A for a Site Locus Map. 2.2 Vicinity Characteristics The parcel is within a watershed protection area and a general industrial zone. The property is not currently serviced by municipal water or sewer services, though both are available in the immediate area. The parcel is wooded and there are grass, dirt and paved surfaces in the immediate vicinity. See Appendix B for a tax map detail. 2.3 Site Structures and Layout There are no standing buildings on the property. A stone foundation and a cement staircase are the only structures on -site. There are no heating sources present. See Appendix C for a Site Sketch 2.4 Current Use and Ownership of the Property The property is currently used as conservation land. The Conservation Commission of the City of Northampton has owned the property for 30 years. 2.5 Past Uses of the Property Start Date Unknown (pre -1884) 1921 1933 1936 1936 1942 1955 1963 Data failure 1975 End Date 1921 (quit- claim) 1933 1936 1936 1955 1.9631 Data failure 1975 Continuing Owner Nonotuck Silk Company Corticelli Silk Company Belding Hemingway Company Belcort Realty National Silk Spinning Company Pro -phy -lac -tic Brush Company a.k.a Pro Brush° Lambert Company Use Storage Storagellodging Unknown (Silk thread manufacturer) Unknown Unknown Standard 0i18 Vistron Corporation Conservation Commission of the City of Northampton' Unknown (plastic brush manufacturer) Unknown (plastic brush and pharmaceutical' manufacturer) Unknown (plastic brush manufacturer) Unknown: (plastic brush nr anufacturer) Conservation 1 Source: Sanborn fire insurance maps, 1884, 1889, 1895 2 Source: Deed, book 791; page 519, and book 886; page 361, Hampshire County 3 According to Jeanne McGrath, a life -long occupant of any adjoining: property, the buildings on the site were used for housing Corticelli silk mill workers. However, no record could be found to suggest the parcel was used for purposes other than storage. 4 Source: Deed, book 919; page 424, Hampshire County 5 Source: Deed, book 919; page 523, Hampshire County 6 Source: Deed, book 967; page 419, Hampshire County and Erhardt, EVERY CAREFUL PERSON SHOULD KNOW: ADVERTISING STRATEGIES OF THE PRO -BRUSH CORPORATION, 1886 -1930, http /www. historic- narthampton .org/ 601081 601508 802/ 7 Source: Deed, book 1191; page 292, Hampshire County 8 Standard Oil acquired Pro Brush in 1963. Source: Deed, Book 1404; page 53, Hampshire County 9 Vistron Corporation was a subsidiary of Standard Oil; it is unknown if/when Vistron Corporation became an independent entity. Source: Deed, Book 1837; page 222, Hampshire County 1° Source: Deed, Book 1837; page 222, Hampshire County 5 See Appendix D for deeds and Appendix E for historical maps. 2.6 Uses of Adjoining Properties Northeast: Residential East: Residential South: Mill River West: According to the Tax Map for the area, the parcel shares a property line with Perstorp Compounds Inc., a synthetic resin manufacturer, and the Braid Mill, a building housing an electrician (Marney Electric) and a coffee bean roasting company (Indigo Coffee Roaster.) Observation of lines during the site assessment showed that, in practice, the parcel shares its western boarder with the Braid Mill property only. See Appendix B for Tax Map. 3.0 Environmental Features 3.1 General Information The property is 210 feet above sea level. Surface water drains south and southeast through the property to the. Mill River. The parcel is within the 100 -year flood boundary. There are no known aquifers or drinking wells on or near the property. See Appendix F for a .GIS map indicating flow directions and Appendix G for a 1 EMA Map detail. 3.2 Potential Sensitive Receptors Wetland designation and the riparian zone on the property are sensitive environmental receptors. Though the parcel is landlocked, there is also a potential for children to be present on the property because of its proximity to city parks and residences. 3.3 Potential Migration Pathways Water and sewer pipes running through the property to the river create potential migration pathways. See Appendix C and Appendix D, book and page 714; 490 for the location of the pipes. 4.0 Regulatory Information 4.1 Federal Records There is no federal record of any release of hazardous materials on the property. The adjoining property occupied by Perstorp Compounds Inc. is considered a generator of small quantities (100 to 1,000 kg/month) of hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA.) Perstorp Compounds Inc. was found in violation of RCRA 11 times between 1985 and 2002. (All violations were resolved.) In 1990, 101 gallons of home heating oil was spilled'within 0.25 mite's up gradient from the conservation parcel. There are two identified receptors between this spill site (an Emergency Response Notification Site) and the Vistron parcel. See Appendix H for a more detailed report of the federal records review. 4.2 State Records Records of State Sites, State Spills -1990, SWL, registered aboveground and underground storage: tanks and identified Receptors were reviewed April 12,'2005 by FirstSearch Technology Corporation. A spill of 0.2 mg/L of benzene occurred 0.11 miles up gradient from the property in 1996 and was never reported closed.. An oil spill occurred 0.05 miles up gradient from the property in 1994 and the permanent solution adopted was an activity and use limitation rather than a reduction of the contaminant to background levels. See Appendix 11 for a more extensive report of the state records review. 4.3 Municipal Records A historic map :detail was taken from the Historic Northampton archives, on April 6 and 27, 2005. Sanborn Tire Insurance maps for Florence Massachusetts were consulted on April 6, 2005. Property deeds and a FEMA map were retrieved from the Hampshire County deed office on April 27, 28 and May 3, 2005. A property card and a tax map detail were obtained from the Northampton, Massachusetts tax assessor office on April 28, 2005. Aerial photographs were reviewed through March and April, 2005 and compiled into the GIS map in Appendix F. 5.0 Site Reconnaissance and Interviews 5.1 Investigators The site visit was conducted by Claire Tonry, SolocDennis°and Mark Haynes from the University of Massachusetts and Bruce Young from the City of Northampton Conservation Commission. See Appendix I for photographs taken during the site visit. 5.3 Hazardous Substances in Connection with Identified Uses 5.2 Description of the Site Processes and General Conditions No known activities occur on the site. A small amount of trash (approximately two pounds) was observed on site, along with scrap metal and spent concrete. The site was otherwise clean. No hazardous substances are expected to be on site in conjunction with the current use of the property. site. 5.4 Hazardous Substances and Unidentified. Substance Containers No hazardous substance or unidentified substance containers were found on the 5.5 Storage Tanks No storage tanks are known to exist on the property. 5.6 Indications of PCBs` No indication of PCBs was found. 5.7 Indications of Solid Waste Disposal A small amount of general trash is disposed of on site. There is no indication of a former dump on -site. 5.8 Other Conditions of Concern The past use of the site for storage adjacent to a silk dye -house and other unknown uses associated with manufacture of petroleum urea-, formaldehyde- and melamine -based products present a potential for concern. 6.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 6.1 Conclusions A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment in conformance with the scope and limitations of ASTM Practice E 1527 has been performed on the subject property. This assessment has revealed no evidence of recognized environmental conditions suggesting that a release of petroleum and/or hazardous materials has occurred on the property from on or off property activities. A threat of release of hazardous materials is posed by the activities on the abutting Perstorp Compounds Inc. property. Petroleum and Hazardous Materials Usage/Storage No petroleum or hazardous materials were found on the site. Potential l for a Release of Petroleum and/or Hazardous Materials There is no foreseeable potential for a release or threat of release of petroleum or hazardous materials originating on -site. While no,evidence of historical releases was found, the long history of industrial use of the site, particularly prior to the 1960s when hazardous material handling practices were largely unregulated, and the lack of information on historical uses suggest a potential for a historical release. Potential, contaminates include heavy metals blea,c`hing agents and other chemicals associated with silk spinning and dying and petroleum from plastic manufacturing. Potential for On -Site Contamination Migration from Off Site Sources Repeated violations at the Perstorp Compounds Inc. facility suggest poor handling practices that constitute a potential for a release of hazardous. materials that may affect the site. The topography and surface water flows in the area would facilitate the migration of contaminates from the Perstorp property to the Vistron conservation parcel. Potential Impact on Sensitive Receptors Nearly any release affecting the property will fall with in the Watershed Protection Area boundary and it is likely that contamination will migrate to the riparian area and into the Mill. River: The potential for impact of a release on sensitive human receptors would depend on_ the presence of people on the property and is unknown. 6.2 Recommendations Further inquiry, such as a Phase II investigation, is not required for the property. However, soil sampling from two or three locations on the eastern side of the property and within the boundary of the stone foundation would be useful to confirm that resolved releases at the Perstorp Compounds Inc. facility did not reach the conservation parcel and that unknown historical uses are not a concern. It may be useful to determine the end use of the property (e.g. incorporation with nearby parks or trade with an industrial company) before deciding to conduct further investigation. 9 ab� Wit,•., ;.._J✓'�`��•p<�'��;. 10 0 Legend A// Tiger roads.shp o RCRA Sites Prepared by: UMass Environmen Sciences Program 10 20 Miles Site Locus Mai sgk Tni? Ay POS Property i i Behind 648 Riverside D Northhampton, MA E SITE SKETCH N p-asI t4- Iz- r 0,, a k D v 'N' 00 r VI 11 C14 'grog-4E ;4110iAlr 44Pr ms s. yg, a.$) co/m.4r- (2=— 4.Al �eN PUNt� STREET SIDE REMARKS: One- Scivo,c -Et' VOk Please indicate N direction Book: 791 or ao nowledgleent of the annexed instrument and thereon written,was,at the time of taking such deposition, or proof and aoknowledgementeuNotary Public in and for suoh_ County,duly commissioned and sworn and authorized by the laws of, said State,to take depositions and to administer oaths to be used in any Court of said State and for general purposes;and also to take acknowl- edgements and proofs of deeds, .of conveyancea of lend,tenements or heredita- ments in said State of New York. And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of such Notary Publie,and verily believe that the signature to said deposition or certificate of proof or acknowledgement is genuine. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal ct the maid Courts and County,the 19 day of May 1J23. SEAL OF COURTS COUNTY Louis N.Ellrodt :Hampshire us. May 22, 1923. at 11 o'clock, „an minutes A.M. I, Anthony Rave, of Easthampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, for consid- WARRANTY eration paid, grant to Charles J.Diekinson end Laura D.Dickinson, of said Easthampton, with WARRANTY COVENANTS, the land in said Easthampton,described as follows:- A oertain tract or parcel of land situate on West Lake Street in said Easthampton,and bounded and described.as follows: Beginning at a point on the Southerly side of said West Lake Stre.et,aame being the North, westerly corner of lot No. 17 on Plan dated April 1909, and recorded with Hampshire County Deeds, Book 642,Pages 410 and 411,and running thence South- erly onthe westerly side of Lot No. 17 one hundred fifteen and four tenths (115.4) feat to land'now or formerly of William Campbell; thence running Westerly sixty and fourteen hundredths (60.14) -on land of said Campbell to .Lot No. 13 on said plan; thence running Northerly on the Easterly line of said lot No. 13 one hundred and eleven and eight tenths (111.8) feet to said West Lake Street; thence Easterly on said West Lake Street sixty (60) feet to the point of beginning; being lot No. 15 on said plan. Tt is understood" and agreed that taxes for the year 1923 are to be paid by the grantee: I,Roea Rava,wife of said grantor, release to said grantee all rights of dower and homestead and other interests therein. WITNESS our hands and seals this 21st day of May,1923. Wm.E.Parker (to both) Antony Pava Seal Rosa Mira Seal. mark Clerk. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Hampshire es. May 21, 1923. Then personally appeared the above named Anthony Rave and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed, before me, Esther J.Pollard Notary Public. Notarial My commission expires Sept.22,1927. Seal Hampshire se. May 22,1923. at 2 o'clock, and minutes P.M. With Government stamps $4.50 affixed and cancelled. S KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That THE NONOTUCK SILK COIviPANY, a corporations duly established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and having its usual place of business at Florence, in said Commonwealth, in consideration of One Dollar ($1.00) and other valuable considerations to it paid by THE CORTIOELLI SILK COMPANY, a corporation duly established under the laws of the State of Connecticut and having its usual place of busineso at New London, in said State, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged,: does hereby remise, release and forever quitclaim unto the said THE SILK COMPANY, the following described real estate and all right,title and interest therein of every name and description,of the grantor herein,said property being situated 3n, Hampehire,County, in said Commonwealth of Massa chueetts, and being more particularly described in certain conveyances to the said THE NONOTUCK SILK COMPANY, TO WIT From Bliss to said Company,dated 510 0 :gee. irrr�s �m DEED. Antony. Eava, To Charles J. Dickinson et al. Lot 15, West Lake St., Easthampton. QUITCLAIM DEED. The Nonotuok Silk Company, To The Cortioelli Silk Company. Hampshire County. Sre Book876 COR eD g,e U eJ• of2 Registry of Deeds htt /ww w. massl andrerords .com /malt /controller?commandflag sears... BbOklal granted oremiate»,w th al1 the privileges ass[ monmY: seamnons tact r t4 balanging, ca the said COR1 2TTat COKPAY1T its miaow:more and tsgigra, to their awn bee anct beborr. •thor aqr 7torever.Tle es Ti"s. NOizOiur)L ).Mat COMPANY, tor ituelfrits euesose ere and asoi,g1Cia, death here alV covaa1A %1i that it and they ari11 warrant end defend the. Sato tL T .Cuts eatd Chan ee.i.tei sueeesfsorrs and arsal:ma. rera•ver, against the lesfal chime and dar;and,es or ail persons cl aiming by, thrones or under :t: _;.:ssta. TEN :14C t >CTUO)C =IX COMPANY. btt: against mane enter_ IN it1Tfl '3ELIMOV the sly Tag TO2tO'1'4C C sILC cObIIdar )aes *lensed Its earttecigr4e meta to be hereto af these presents to be signod,seknow1edged end delivered in its Ammo and behalf'. by- 1%17.1,06 i.tm ',r'raasnrer, hereto duly fct erinad., shi,s 5Oth dte.y a.0 December, in the year one thousand nine hundred and tenty -ens, TEE NOiTOTUCK MT COMPANY, by E_,"t. ee 'lraceux oi+ Signed and sealed iYt the presence or Wa .BU Ct d 1layem atae4a ok Oonneot.icut 00u ,ty or Nee ZDnddn ape Cre this NOth day of ;)eavober.X9$1, b Alas ap- »re:arczd 4_'d.100, Zb me personealr known, who burins by cue dseir sworn dial say; that ha is the Treasurer at Mg af03x TU[Ii.0 R23;X COMPANY, shit that the seal a. _Xed to the r.oragoiig inetruM tt is the corporate cosi a^ said carpersta and that *Old iriutrUmaaa2 W0.6 Aligned scrod rivaled on bobt,mr of said corporation by authority or the $acrd, of Direatora sad the said 3.T.4mo aekt-cel aceds ami instrument to be the free sat and deed or amid ear drover c. agglestoca (;;).;.any Public 2tat $eaal RarPohtrs ns. May ez., 10533. at 5 atelook, and :E) minutes PAC: Wa, C).ar:ea 33.Ethea and 7 -ma A.Sheaphueband and v?t.X'e, both vX Hurit:3,agten, 5ampdtta: County. 2da soaahusette, for oonteiderasie,n paid, grunt to ttanxga W. Reath and Asnes 2 .Hesth,:aunband one wire. troth (on :enfants 8y *the +emtiratiSa not ea t2f2nda In caws) or gAnttinghott.in main eau.taty..eith tTAnit4d= COVXUAi, rho ]and in Beritingtorstin said. 2oenty and described as .071Xonae Beginning at Northeast eerner oh the garden on the mremises to be oofvere on west gide or tbo Xigbway and rUnniag X*a'th 44 *55t,eest on land. at .A.A.:tin 7.eyrforrxt2+iy eleven (1) rods; thence north 27 50TZaat twenty two (2) rode; tIenr_e North 2Gxhreet,Pourteen (ld) rode; thonoo south $S° eolgeat on line po me,rly a A and 2t.kciwarda one hundred too (102) rode; theme Yovta Set twenty three (23) rods to stoke and stones; thanes $fonds 1,O twenty nine ($B) rods :e a Napa* tree; hoc North 840WastotirtY saver). (6?) roan ts+ ouzo and statute); tee BOuth ll''Esat on lima now or roreerly or loses Sasithto kre:rtx,t;hi.rt:g vigbt And oraa halt (sea) recto; t`sionse south tr° s^'aa ,thirtala; 0.0 rods; thenea South le`it .sit Forty two (40) rods; thene;ri} South 3°#ea3: en (10) rode to lard now or terser .y of d. li.Biraws; 'thence Newt 88PExat os maid. line Oevonty sever, (7r) rode: thence .south C3. $£:tEmAtr r eight ts) rocks; thence Oeantb TO °fit on said, lino thirtr one (3-1) reds to the big: pear; Ghanac, south sS two (22) rods; than** Uorth 5O Eaet.t three (32) rods to the place OT beginning. 42 so on the Sant side or tbe hid} way a. lot isag'..ranlug at Northeast earner on line formor2.y or A.A.SCirgster;. 7 %.x)nne.o nowt)* A. 31, .€,9. °F hwiet oonromts MAL To Oeerse V. vesvh ot, ux. 8 t%racvs, gcntingtan. WARRAATY =BD. Charles 2. 8haoa at ax.. 4/30/2005 5:51 PM Book 886 KNOW_ ALL. MEN BY THESE PRESENTS That The Corticelli Silk Company, a corporation duly established by ,law and having a usual place of business in Northampton, in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in consideration of one dollar and other valuable consideration, paid by Belding Heminway Com- pany, a corporation duly established by law and having a usual place of business in New York City, in the State of New York, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, does hereby remise, release, and forever QUIT= CLAIM unto the said Belding Heminway Company all its right, title and in- terest in and to all its real estate situated in Hampshire County in said Commonwealth of Massachusetts, consisting of the real estate described and referred to in certain. conveyances to the said The Corticelli Silk Company, to snit: From Edward T. Foley, dated January 16, 1922, and recorded in Hampshire Registry of Deeds, in Book 775, at Page 459. From The Nonotuck silk'Company, dated December 30, 1921, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 791, ,Page 519. From John Tracy Curtin and Mary Margaret Curtin:,, dated December 20, 1928, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 851, at Page 115. From Everett, Richard Bridgman and Nora Veronica Bridgman, dated July 13, 2929, and recorded in'said Registry, in Book 856, at Page 87. From Raymond C. Daniels and Elsie H. Daniels, dated March 21, 1932, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 878, at Page 276. And ainy and every right and interest of every name and description, and all appurtenances thereto belonging, that the Grantor may have in any other real estate situated in said Hampshire County. EXCEPTING, however, from the above described real estate all that real estate heretofore conveyed by this Grantor in the following enumerated conveyances: 1. To Frances Alice Singleton, dated April 8, 1925, and recorded in said Registry, in BOok 813, at Page 49. 2. To Walter A. Searle and Vesta I. Searle; dated April 1, 1925, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 813, at Page 187. 3. To John E. Weatherwox and Susan M. Weatherwox, dated April 3, 1925, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 813, at page 253. 4. To Marie Florida Buteau, dated April 25, 1925, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 813, at Page 363. 5. Te-George E. Douglas and Carrie E. Douglas, dated May 1, 1925, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 814, at Page 107. 6. To Fred M. Trushaw and Amy Blanche Trushaw, dated May 5, 1925, and recorded in said Registry, in Book 814, at Page 113. 7. To John H. Foley and Catherine A. Foley, dated May 5,•1925, and re- corded in said Registry, in Book 814, at Page 147. 8. To William Cramer and Mary J. Cramer, dated April 30, 1925, and re- corded in said Registry, in Book 814, at Page 153. 9. To Edward Sarrasin and Philena Sarrasin, dated May 6, 1925, and re- QUITCLAIM DEED The Corticelli Silk Company To 'Belding Heminway Company All Real Estate Hampshire County 361