History of the Cos Cob Power Plant......
© 1975 Photo by: Cal Hood Greenwich Time July 22nd 1975
Built in 1907 by Westinghouse abutting the Connecticut Transportation Authority, within the geographical limits of the town of Greenwich, and generated electric power which operated a portion of the Penn Central Railroad seized operation and was taken off line in 1986. Fourteen years earlier, (1972) the town of Greenwich attempted to bring suit against the CT Transportation Authority for environmental contamination, alleging CT Transportation Authority violated the sanitary code of the town of Greenwich, the public health code of the state of Connecticut and the Environmental Protection Act of 1971.
1988, the town of Greenwich with special exceptions from the CT State Legislator agrees to purchase the Cos Cob Power Plant property for the sum of $1.00 with intentions, understanding and agreement 25% of the 12.631 acres owned by the town (3.15 acres) of this space would be utilized to erect affordable housing, the remaining 75% would be used as open space and recreational purposes. Total space of the CCPP property14.86 acres 15% (2.229 acres) owned by the state. 1997, the town vacated it's responsibility of the original deal, by promising to build housing elsewhere within it's community that housing never came.
Credit: The Library of Congress Call Number: Haer (No.C7-11-7)
The property continued to sit stagnate for many more years, and began to deteriorate from neglect, it became vandalized, was boarded up, the town even states hazardous oils were spilled onto the property costing Greenwich thousands of dollars to cleanup. Discovery of contaminates became a serious surreal liability that could no longer be ignored or wait in June of 1990 when the E.P.A. stepped in to evaluate: Town documentation states the following: "Several site inspections were conducted by EPA’s Site Evaluation and Response Section. In their June 28, 1999, report, EPA deemed the CCPP a threat of potential exposure to nearby residents. They concluded the asbestos abatement to be time critical. EPA also requested that the Federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry evaluate the CCPP. This evaluation was conducted with the CDPH and a report of their findings was made public in July 1999. The report states that asbestos containing materials need to be removed from the site, and recommends that it be done promptly because of the potential health threat". Many of the building components contain asbestos. Moreover, because of the physical size and location of equipment covered with and containing asbestos, it becomes necessary to demolish significant parts of the building to achieve asbestos abatement. For this reason, the current plan includes the facilities’ complete demolition.
ITEM NO:
DEPARTMENT:
CONTACT:
REFERRED TO:6
Public Works 9909PW01
Alan Monelli, Supt., Bldg. Const. & Maint. (203) 622-7743
Finance, Land Use & Public Works Committees
VOTES:
Bd. of Selectman MI Approval 2-0-1, March 12, 1999, Meeting
Plan. & Zoning MI#470 Approval 5-0-0, May 11, 1999, Meeting
BET Approved 9-0-0, August 16, 1999, Meeting
(See below BET Subject to Release Condition)
RESOLVED, that the sum of $6,000,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated to be added to Public Works’ Account No. 345-990-2003 known as "Cos Cob Power Plant Demotion and Asbestos Abatement."
EXPLANATORY COMMENTS
This request is for a new appropriation of $6,000,000 to demolish the Cos Cob Power Plant and to abate the asbestos contained therein. the BET appropriated this amount at its August 16, 1999, meeting. Below is the BET Subject to Release:
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Subject to Release by the Board of Estimate and Taxation on presentation of a plan, with specifications and cost estimates, satisfactory to the Board of Estimate and Taxation for removal of asbestos, demolition of the buildings and restoration of the immediate site; subject also to obtaining all necessary approvals from any regulatory agency having jurisdiction over the project and subject to confirmation of the share to be contributed by the State of Connecticut towards the cost of the project. Note: $3,000,000 appropriated from Contingency and $3,000,000 from Pay As You Go. (State of CT Portion)
Background
The Cos Cob Power Plant (CCPP) was constructed by the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad as part of their railroad transportation system in 1907. It achieved historical significance by being the first facility to use electrical power for railroad transportation rather than steam power through state of the art engineering techniques. The facility consists of a 130,000 square foot main building with several smaller support structures, i.e., maintenance and dock buildings, trestle and shed, oil storage tank and coal elevator on over fourteen acres of land.
Beginning in 1984, the railroad found it desirable for environmental and technical reasons to switch to Northeast Utilities for its electrical power needs. In 1986, the CCPP was taken off line and fully decommissioned. The Town of Greenwich was interested in the property. In 1988, by special act of the Connecticut State Legislature, Greenwich purchased the CCPP for $1.00 along with the Mianus Pond property also for $1.00. There are easements and deed restrictions associated with the transferred property. As part of the property transfer, Greenwich agreed to use 25% of the site for housing and keep the remaining 75% for open space and passive recreational uses. In 1997, the housing use was removed when the town offered to build housing at an alternate location. In 1991, the facility was recognized as a National Historic Place and placed on its register. Any development of the property requires preservation as part of the plan.
CREDIT: The Library of Congress Call Number: HAER CONN,1-GREWI,15A--28
VIEW OF BOILER INSTALLED IN 1928 IT WAS FIRED WITH PULVERIZED COAL. THE PULVERIZERS ARE LOCATED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE CENTER ASH PIT ACCESS, BELOW THE CIRCULAR AIR INTAKES. THE PULVERIZED ON THE LEFT WAS POWERED WITH AN ELECTRIC MOTOR WHILE THE UNIT ON THE RIGHT WAS DRIVEN BY A STEAM TURBINE. THE HOPPER (TOP CENTER) WAS FILLED VIA A LARRY CAR WHICH RODE ON TRACKS SUSPENDED ABOVE THE FIRING AISLE. THIS BOILER WAS SHUT DOWN IN 1957.
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Over the years, little maintenance has been performed on the buildings except for boarding up the main building to resist trespassing. At the time of state transfer, the building was totally enclosed and roofed although not in prime condition. It has lost a good portion of its roof panels since the town took it over and, with no building maintenance, it is rapidly deteriorating and allowing the potential spread of asbestos. There have been random acts of vandalism. Hazardous oils were spilled onto the property costing Greenwich thousands of dollars to cleanup.
The entire site consists of 14.86 acres with several buildings. Greenwich owns 9.57 acres and approximately 85% of the plant with the State of Connecticut owning the balance. Since acquiring ownership, Greenwich has not finalized its plan on how to develop the site; meanwhile, the plant has deteriorated causing structural, environmental, and safety liability concerns. For example, roof panels have blown off of the facility allowing water to infiltrate into the interior of the plant. Water soaked asbestos insulation has detached from equipment and piping to contaminate the plant interior. Safety concerns prompted Metro-North, in 1996, to put Greenwich on notice that it will hold the town liable for any interruption of rail service from roof panels that may fly off and damage electrical generating equipment.
Action Required
Last October and November, the BET and RTM respectively, appropriated $50,000 to study ways to deal with the environmental and structural issues. During the consultant’s investigation of the site, it was discovered that a quantity greater than one pound of asbestos had been released from the CCPP. Per the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability act (CERCLA), release of this quantity must be reported to the United States Department of Environmental Protection (EPA). According to law, on March 26, 1999, the town’s consultant duly reported the asbestos release to the EPA; the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH); and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT). Greenwich’s own Health Department has also been involved from the start.
With this notification, federal and state environmental and health agencies toured the facility to gain first hand knowledge of the actual and potential asbestos exposures to the public. Several site inspections were conducted by EPA’s Site Evaluation and Response Section. In their June 28, 1999, report, EPA deemed the CCPP a threat of potential exposure to nearby residents. They concluded the asbestos abatement to be time critical. EPA also requested that the Federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry evaluate the CCPP. This evaluation was conducted with the CDPH and a report of their findings was made public in July 1999. The report states that asbestos containing materials need to be removed from the site, and recommends that it be done promptly because of the potential health threat. Many of the building components contain asbestos. Moreover, because of the physical size and location of equipment covered with and containing asbestos, it becomes necessary to demolish significant parts of the building to achieve asbestos abatement. For this reason, the current plan includes the facilities’ complete demolition.
While the environmental and structural issues were being identified by respective agencies, town officials met with DOT officials to consider the financial and legal impacts. They were assisted by the Attorney General of the State of Connecticut. After a series of meetings, an agreement in principal was reached that the Town of Greenwich and the State of Connecticut would share equally in the cost of demolition and asbestos abatement of the CCPP. The estimate for this agreement is $6,000,000. It should be emphasized that the $6,000,000 figure is for use with the state agreement and is the basis for this appropriation request. DPW believes that the cost of the project, once bid, will be in the $5,000,000 range. The higher figure ($6,000,000) is requested to ensure prompt movement of the project and to cement the state agreement reimbursement for both parties at 50% of cost with a cap of $3,000,000. A meeting is scheduled for September 3, 1999, in Hartford, with state and town officials to formalize details of the agreement in principal. It is intended to provide additional information to RTM Committees for review, if possible, before a vote on the $6,000,000 appropriation occurs.
The state and town agreed to share equally after considerable discussion of who bore responsibility for the demolition and abatement. While the state turned over to the town a site that had known pollutants, the buildings were totally enclosed and roofed. Greenwich allowed the buildings to deteriorate thereby spreading the asbestos and increasing the cost to abate. For these reasons, it was believed by various officials that a 50% -- 50% cost sharing was fair and appropriate.
The CCPP is on the registry of historic buildings. It is important to retain its historical significance. Town officials have discussed this point with the State of Connecticut Historical Commission. We believe the various historical issues have been resolved through documentation. We are awaiting a letter to that effect from the Historical Commission. Once received, we will distribute this document to the various RTM Committees for their information.
There is urgency to move ahead on this project. EPA has advised Greenwich that it must quickly prepare a plan to abate the asbestos. Failure to do so would prompt EPA to clean up the site itself, under their federal authority, and pass the cost onto the Town of Greenwich. This loss of local control is undesirable but a possibility if we do not move on this issue.
Finally, it should be clear that this project does not conclude work that will be required on the site at some future date. There is the issue of soil remediation and its cost will depend on the future use of the site.
ATTACHMENTS
See site plan. (none furnished in the Town's documentation)
Photo (public )
IF THE TOWN INITIATED A LAW SUIT FOR CONTAMINATION WHY WOULD IT BUY THE LAND YEARS LATER TO HOUSE LOW INCOME FAMILIES?
CCPP E.P.A. CASE STUDY: http://www.epa.gov/tio/download/char/coscob-casestudy_final.pdf
Clean Air Act: http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act
Clean Water Act: http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act
Who esures pubic health and safety post remediation?
Is the site really clean?
Prior to a March 2, 2015 ribbon cutting ceremony. As of 2/25 ribbon cutting delayed until 1 pm on March 26, 2015. A 9-11 memorial statute will follow costing 500,000.00 courtsy of private funding.
