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State To Host Public Meeting On Raytheon Groundwater Plume

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By MARK  DOUGLAS | News Channel 8

Published: January 8, 2009

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will host a community meeting next week to discuss the extent of the Raytheon Co. plume of industrial waste in groundwater under the Azalea neighborhood of St. Petersburg.

An assessment of the extent of the contamination drafted by experts working for Raytheon has been under review by DEP geologists and engineers since August.

Raytheon owns the site at 1501 72nd St. N. in St. Petersburg where the contamination began decades ago before Raytheon bought the property.

Chemicals have spread to nearby neighborhoods and have contaminated a number of residential irrigation wells.

Raytheon's experts and the state say no one is at risk from the underground pollution because there is no "pathway to exposure."

The Florida Department of Health found one of the known chemicals in the plume in the indoor air of several nearby apartments at BrandyWine but says there is no risk to residents. A final report by the department on those air quality tests is pending.

On Jan. 15, DEP will host a community meeting from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Azalea Middle School, 7855 22nd Ave. N. Officials will discuss how far the groundwater plume has traveled and answer questions from people who live in the neighborhood about what it means to them.

"We want to as a courtesy come back out to the community ... and take any public comment before making a final determination," said Pamala Vazquez, regional spokeswoman for DEP.

Some of the neighbors have banded together and filed a class-action suit against Raytheon that is pending in federal court.

Next week's community meeting precedes the DEP's acceptance of the "Site Assessment Report Addendum" submitted by Raytheon months ago.

Once the state accepts that report, Raytheon will have 90 days to submit a final cleanup plan for the contamination plume.

DEP encourages anyone with questions to call its neighborhood information line at (813) 632-7600, ext. 467, or to go online to http://www.dep.state.fl.us/southwest/Raytheon/defa....

Reporter Mark Douglas can be reached at Mdouglas@wfla.com or (727) 536-9603.

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