Mayor Chris Cerino reported that he, Town Manger Bill Ingersoll and Town Utilities Manager Bob Sipes met with Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) Secretary Ben Grumbles on Monday, November 2 to discuss financial liabilities in case Chestertown’s water supply is tainted as a result of a failed oil remediation process at Shore Health’s Chestertown Hospital site.
The “what if” scenario has been an ongoing concern for the council and residents of Chestertown and an unclear picture remains as far as any financial guarantees will come into play during the cleanup process even though MDE has said that it is their mission to safeguard the town’s drinking water supplies. A worst case result would require drilling new wells, costing millions.
The meeting was held between the town and MDE. UM Shore Health was not present for the discussion.
Grumbles said that it was still early in the process and would take into consideration Cerino, Ingersoll and Sipe’s recopmmendations for ongoing testing of the site after MDE approves its completion and also asked for more testing between the current pumping sites used for the cleaning process.
No one knows how much oil remains from the 1987 heating oil spill. Estimates have been as high as 85,000 gallons or more.
This video offers Cerino’s description of Monday’s meeting with MDE.
For the chronology of events from 1987, go here.Early Hospital Spill Chronology
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