In mid-February, National Library Relocations, Inc., completed the task of cleaning and packaging approximately 30,000 books, DVDs and audio books to be held in storage until the Kent Memorial Library completes the polychlorinated biphenyl (PBC) abatement process. An additional 40,000 books (either outdated or in poor condition) were discarded. Wood panels and shelving assemblies have been temporarily removed in order to allow for the encapsulation procedure. The panels and shelving will be reinstalled upon completion.
On March 6, 2018, EnviroScience, the Town’s civil and environmental engineering consulting firm, submitted the modified remediation plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their review and approval. The modified plan serves as an update for all work completed under EnviroScience’s supervision and includes information that was not reported by the prior environmental consultant. EnviroScience spoke with representatives from EPA and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) in advance of the submission to share results of a recent pilot study. Both groups were very encouraged by the reduction of airborne PCB levels.
EnviroScience has expanded their Request for Proposal (RFP) for the abatement to include preparation steps for items such as removal of electrical, HVAC, fire alarms and telecommunications components to gain full access to the ceiling. The inclusion of these steps into one RFP will improve project management scheduling and provide efficiencies under one general contractor. EnviroScience is working to finalize the document with anticipation of the bid announcement during the week of March 19, 2018. Bids will be due in mid to late April. With the award to the selected contractor, a schedule for completion will be better understood.