BELLOWS FALLS-The Bellows Falls Union High School Board has approved moving ahead with its initial PCB cleanup plans in the school's gym area.
The cleanup will focus on two utility rooms diagonally opposite each other off two corners of the gym. Engineers believe that the rooms could be the major source of PCB contamination in this area of the building.
The remediation is included in the $9 million of major BFUHS projects in the works.
Topping the list of projects - with most being completed over the coming several months - is the full renovation of the school's science wing.
The school board has approved $2 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER), federal money made available to K–12 schools as part of the 2020 Education Stabilization Act enacted in response to the pandemic.
In addition to these major renovation projects, community member and small business owner Jim Ruggiero has offered to fund the building of a concession stand and bathroom facility near the field hockey and soccer fields behind the school.
The BFUHS school board voted to move forward with this project, which Ruggiero said would be done to meet the standards needed, including full ADA access.
BFUHS Board Member Rob Weltz stated, "This project will provide our athletic programs with a quality addition to our facilities. I am appreciative to Jim for his community spirit and generosity to our school."
First PCB removal begins
PCBs - polychlorinated biphenyls - are toxic chemicals whose use was pervasive in industrial building materials in the 20th century prior to a 1979 federal ban on their use.
Data strongly indicates that exposure to high levels of PCBs is a possible cause of cancer.
A 2021 state law requires schools built prior to 1980 to test for PCBs. The state Department of Environmental Conservation's PCBs in Schools program retained a Massachusetts consulting engineering firm with a presence in South Burlington, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., to test the high school building, which was constructed in 1970.
The school district has retained VHB to test the building quarterly as plans for the mitigation of the chemicals come into focus amid major concern this year.
The consultants feel that the main PCB contamination culprit is fire retardant foam that was sprayed on the steel framing and steel trusses in the roof when the school was constructed.
The 53-year-old school also has building materials such as mastic, glue, paint, and caulk which are all possible PCB contamination sources.
Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Andrew Haas has stated throughout the process that there has been "no indication" that PCBs "have caused any health issues" at any time in the school's history.
At the Sept. 9 BFUHS District School Board meeting, DEC Senior Environmental Program Manager Trish Coppolino assured the members that the state has $364,374 earmarked for the project.
Weltz said that the district will pay for the PCB mediation work in the two rooms, and that expense will be reimbursed by the state.
For the time being at least, the gym is not being used, though testing has cleared the locker rooms as safe.
School officials hope that PCB mitigation work on the two storerooms, combined with the new HVAC units, will reduce PCB levels enough to reopen its gym.
"We now have the HVAC up and running around the whole school, with the exception of the new Science Wing." Weltz said. "It's brand new and fully operational."
Another round of PCB testing will follow the mitigation work on the utility rooms. That work is expected to start in the next two weeks and should be completed in October.
Other projects progress
School administrators said that the remodeling of the science wing is coming along and should be completed between the end of November and the middle of January.
"Overall, the HVAC and science wing projects have come along nicely with the assistance of our general contractor, Steve Horton; superintendent, Andy Haas; high school principal, Kelly O'Ryan; and facilities director, Jeff Potter," Weltz said.
He added that they will also unexpectedly be "excited to see the new seating in the auditorium being installed" over the next two months, replacing water-damaged chairs and carpet. The work will be covered by insurance.
"A big shout out to our faculty, staff and students for their patience during this construction work," Weltz said. "I know everyone is looking forward to utilizing the spaces in the coming months."
Other projects on the books
The BFUHS school board also voted at the Sept. 9 meeting to approve the bond for replacement of the school driveway next summer.
"I am happy to see that we are listening to our communities," said Weltz, who noted that the towns voted in 2023 to do this work.
The school board also agreed to the addition of school banners on the telephone poles along the driveway to the school.
"When people come into our campus, I feel that it is important to demonstrate the quality and care of facilities," Weltz said.
Taking pride in the school's appearance "helps demonstrate the value of our academic and co-curricular educational experience that we are providing to our students and community," he added.
"It's a nice touch," Weltz said.
This News item by Robert F. Smith was written for The Commons.