Soil Remediation Closes Mobil Station in Old Saybrook, Connecticut

OLD SAYBROOK - Starting the week of February 11, drivers coming from the Interstate 95 South Exit 68 interchange had to look elsewhere for gasoline after a tall metal fence was erected around the Mobil gas station and convenience store.

The station is located at 399 Boston Post Road, which is known as Route 1, near its intersection with Route 154, also known as Middlesex Turnpike.

Mobil was shut down for an environmental remediation project expected to be completed in late March or early May.

Site plans designed by Lenard Engineering Inc., of Storrs, which are on file at the Old Saybrook Land Use Department, show that the project will require excavation of soil to a depth of 9 feet on some portions of the site and 14 feet in other portions of the site.

Some of the excavation requires drilling through bedrock.

Old Saybrook Wetlands Enforcement Officer Kelly Volansky said she administratively approved the project after discussing it with members from the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission.

Volansky said the excavation of soil is necessary to remove contaminated soil underneath the blacktop which will be replaced with clean soil.

Plans show that about 3,243 tons of reusable soil will be excavated along with 2,829 tons of soil that will be disposed of.

A temporary staging area has already been setup at the rear of the property near Jade Court.

This was necessary, Volansky said, because while the property has no wetlands on it, there are nearby wetlands that could be affected from improper storage of contaminated soils.

The site will then be backfilled with clean soil and repaved.

Old Saybrook Land Use Department documents indicate that the estimated cost of the project is between $300,000 and $400,000 which is expected to be paid for by a clean-up fund through the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, DEP.

After the site is repaved, it will look like it did before the project began, Volansky said.

A message left with the DEP seeking comment regarding the project was not returned.

The station is owned by East Hartford-based Aldin Associates and the project is being handled by John McNeil.

McNeil said company policy forbids him from talking to reporters and that the application at the Old Saybrook Land Use Office speaks for itself.