The owner of the former Cascades Diamond Mill in Palmer has been fined $4,000 by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) due to his company’s failure to cleanup the property.
Energy Thorndike Inc. and its president, Jeffery N. Phillips, failed to undertake cleanup actions in response to heavy fuel oil contamination present under the foundation of a building on his property at 4145 Church Street, in the Palmer village of Thondike, according to MassDEP.
Cascades Diamond Inc. initially completed a number of response actions resulting in a partial cleanup, but sold the property to Energy Thorndike in March 2005 before the cleanup was completed.
In September 2006, MassDEP issued a Notice of Responsibility to Energy Thorndike informing Phillips of his responsibilities and liabilities as the owner of a confirmed oil or hazardous materials release site. Phillips was notified that the remaining oil located under the building must be addressed, that the oil recovery trench be maintained and that the cleanup be completed.
MassDEP sent several subsequent notices in 2007 and 2008 to Energy Thorndike reminding Phillips of his obligations and the environmental cleanup requirements, according to state officials.
In a recent consent order with MassDEP, Phillips agreed to pay the $4,000 fine, to address the oil under the building and to complete all response actions within approximately 10 months.
"I am pleased we were able to reach an agreement with Mr. Phillips that will result in environmental compliance at this site," said Michael Gorski, director of MassDEP’s western regional office in Springfield. "It is essential that the cleanup is completed to eliminate threats to the public, prevent further damage to the environment, or impact potential opportunities for future economic development of this property."
The release originally occurred in December 1987, when the Cascades Diamond Mill operated on the site. A large underground fuel oil tank ruptured, causing a release of fuel oil that migrated under the mill building to the Ware River, according to MassDEP.
