The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced its final decision for its cleanup plan for the remaining groundwater and soil contamination from historical operations at the Amphenol/Franklin Power Products Inc. site in Franklin.
From prior investigations, officials determined that a former site owner’s release of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and other chemicals into the environment caused contaminants to migrate outside the company’s fence line. In 2018, Franklin residents raised concerns to the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management about VOC vapors from the site seeping into nearby homes.
Following further investigation, the EPA confirmed that there was potential for vapor intrusion from remaining VOCs in soil and sewer laterals, the run of pipe between the building and the city’s main drain sewer. Officials required the company to install vapor mitigation systems in seven homes and to repair plumbing systems at nine properties.
The cleanup plan outlines additional, specific requirements to address the remaining VOCs in the groundwater and soil both onsite and in the surrounding area. The final remedy involves installing permeable reactive barriers, or PRBs, on-site and off-site along Forsythe Street, to degrade remaining VOC contamination in soil and groundwater. In addition to PRBs, EPA will establish long-term monitoring of the site.
EPA held a 45-day public comment period, which was extended by 30 days by community request. All comments received during that time period will be addressed in the Final Decision document, which is expected to be released online by Monday.
The Daily Journal will share additional analysis by local officials and their consultants after the final clean-up plan is posted.
Visit the Amphenol website, epa.gov/in/amphenolfranklin-power-products-franklin-ind#progress, for more information and to review the cleanup plan.
