(April 21, 2016) Not just the recipient of the new flowerbeds installed Saturday during Berlin Clean-Up Day, Berlin Falls is also getting plenty of other attention from town staff.
Town Administrator Laura Allen said Berlin submitted an application to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to change the site, a former Tyson’s Chicken plant, from an industrial to a recreational classification.
“MDE came out in March, and they made some recommendations for us to make some modifications to the application and resubmit it, which we did,” Allen said. “They don’t expect it to be a problem, and they’re very open to working with us.”
Allen said MDE has reviewed the two phases of the environmental study conducted by the town, and asked for more testing of the lagoon areas.
“We did some additional testing, and [MDE] has come out and made some suggestions about changes we can make on the site before we make it available to the public, which we’re doing,” Allen said. “Right now, we’re just waiting for them to give us that clearance. There’s a process we’re going through before we open [Berlin Falls] to the public.”
Allen said the ponds on the property would be the focus of the next phase of remediation, and that the town would work with volunteer scientists from the Thriving Earth Exchange, who plan to visit the park this summer.
EA Engineering Science & Tech, a Berlin company, is also under contract with the town to perform “environmental assistance” at Berlin Falls.
“They’ll be the ones who are designing the test schedule, and they’ll be telling the scientists which tests need to happen in order for us to figure out how to remediate the ponds, and how much it’s going to cost,” Allen said. “For me, that’s the next big step – what is it going to take to remediate those ponds?”
Allen said the town was trying to gather more information on exactly what went into – and what remains – in those waters. Initial tests revealed the presence of E. coli.
She added the focus, now, is largely on the sediment beds.
“The development of the park has evolved to where we really see those ponds as the focal point, and now we need to go a little more in depth to make sure that we understand the ins and outs of what’s in those materials,” Allen said. “We need to understand what’s going on in the sediment before we start to remediate.”
Eventually, Allen said waterfalls would be constructed in the ponds, and would become a star attraction of the park – hence its name.
During the next two-to-three years, she also speculated that people would see “significant train activity” on the property.
Allen said other park developments were largely “up in the air.”
Town Administrator Laura Allen said Berlin submitted an application to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to change the site, a former Tyson’s Chicken plant, from an industrial to a recreational classification.
“MDE came out in March, and they made some recommendations for us to make some modifications to the application and resubmit it, which we did,” Allen said. “They don’t expect it to be a problem, and they’re very open to working with us.”
Allen said MDE has reviewed the two phases of the environmental study conducted by the town, and asked for more testing of the lagoon areas.
“We did some additional testing, and [MDE] has come out and made some suggestions about changes we can make on the site before we make it available to the public, which we’re doing,” Allen said. “Right now, we’re just waiting for them to give us that clearance. There’s a process we’re going through before we open [Berlin Falls] to the public.”
Allen said the ponds on the property would be the focus of the next phase of remediation, and that the town would work with volunteer scientists from the Thriving Earth Exchange, who plan to visit the park this summer.
EA Engineering Science & Tech, a Berlin company, is also under contract with the town to perform “environmental assistance” at Berlin Falls.
“They’ll be the ones who are designing the test schedule, and they’ll be telling the scientists which tests need to happen in order for us to figure out how to remediate the ponds, and how much it’s going to cost,” Allen said. “For me, that’s the next big step – what is it going to take to remediate those ponds?”
Allen said the town was trying to gather more information on exactly what went into – and what remains – in those waters. Initial tests revealed the presence of E. coli.
She added the focus, now, is largely on the sediment beds.
“The development of the park has evolved to where we really see those ponds as the focal point, and now we need to go a little more in depth to make sure that we understand the ins and outs of what’s in those materials,” Allen said. “We need to understand what’s going on in the sediment before we start to remediate.”
Eventually, Allen said waterfalls would be constructed in the ponds, and would become a star attraction of the park – hence its name.
During the next two-to-three years, she also speculated that people would see “significant train activity” on the property.
Allen said other park developments were largely “up in the air.”