LIVERMORE FALLS — A recent boring indicates there is petroleum contaminating the ground around the Livermore Falls Fire Station on Park Street.

Town Manager Kristal Flagg said at Tuesday’s selectmen meeting borings were done last week. Enough petroleum was found to require the town to report it to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The tests went 10 to 12 feet below ground. The first test was performed twice and showed petroleum at 33 and 31 parts per million.

A dye test canister to check for fuel oil showed an amount high enough to report to DEP.

Fire Chief Ed Hastings said he talked to architect George Parker, who is putting together a design for a new fire station on the site. He also noted that DEP may have funds available to help the town clean it up.

“We may not need to disturb that area at all,” he said. “The town has to deal with the site, either cleaning it up or capping it off.”

Voters approved $1.5 million in June to build a fire station. Hastings said there was a contingency of about $100,000 in that figure.

“If the job is done at less than $1.4 million, there may be money to clean it up,” he said.

“I think we need to get in touch with DEP and find out what the next step is,” board Chairwoman Louise Chabot said.

Flagg said the Phase II Environmental Assessment on the site would include a groundwater sample, soil testing for contaminants and laboratory testing of soils and water. The estimated cost is between $10,000 and $12,000.

Hastings said he was concerned how long it would take to get back the test results. He cautioned against halting Parker’s work on the design, even though the town didn’t know yet how much it would cost to clean up the ground contamination.

“We’re kind of running against winter at this point,” he said. “If we stop George (Parker) for even a month, we’re going to be putting in a foundation in January or next spring. I think we should have S.W. Cole or a company that deals with the ground.”

Hastings emphasized that his top priority is getting the fire equipment back in the building in a timely manner.

Flagg said she was meeting with a U.S. Department of Agriculture representative Thursday to start paperwork for financing of the fire station construction. She said that in her research, she discovered that the town could get a loan at 2.62 percent percent interest for up to 30 years.

“We don’t have to pick a term yet,” she said. “We just have to get the application started because it’s a long process.”

bmatulaitis@sunmediagroup.net

“I think we need to get in touch with DEP and find out what the next step is.” — Livermore Falls selectboard chairwoman Louise Chabot

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