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Registration Open for Annual Cornell Pond Fishing Derby in North Dartmouth, Mass.

Release Date: 09/18/2013
Contact Information: Kelsey O’Neill, (617) 918-1003

(Boston, Mass. – Sept. 18, 2013) – Registration is now open for the annual Cornell Pond Fishing Derby in North Dartmouth, Mass. The derby takes place at Cornell Pond on Sat., Sept. 28 between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon.

The first twenty local fishermen who sign up will be able to participate in the fish monitoring event at Cornell Pond, Saturday, Sept. 28. Weston Solutions Inc. will oversee the fishing derby and distribute awards for the largest fish caught. In case of inclement weather, the derby may be moved to Sunday, Sept. 29. All participants over the age of 15 must have a current Massachusetts Fishing License to participate in the derby.

This fishing derby is part of EPA's community outreach regarding the Re-Solve Inc. Superfund Site. The Re-Solve Inc. site is on North Hixville Road in North Dartmouth and was listed as a Superfund Site in 1983 when extensive PCB and volatile organic compounds were discovered in the soil and groundwater. A groundwater treatment system was installed in 1998 and continues to treat contaminated groundwater and prevents contamination from migrating from the site. The facility will operate until groundwater is cleaned to appropriate levels.

Since 1988, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MassDPH) has maintained a fish advisory for Cornell Pond and the Copicut River due to elevated levels of PCBs in fish. Catch and release fishing is permitted in the pond and river.

The Cornell Pond Fishing Derby intends to keep the local community involved in the fish monitoring program, an essential part of the annual assessment of environmental conditions and improvement at the pond. The derby also helps to serve as a reminder for local residents of the MassDPH fish advisory that is still in effect.

More Information:

- For registration, directions and any additional information please contact: Michael O'Reilly, Environmental Coordinator for the Town of Dartmouth at (508) 910-1822; Arthur Thibodeau, community fishing derby coordinator at (508) 678-5054; or James Saylors, Weston Solutions, assistant fishing derby coordinator at (508) 998-4796.

- Cleanup of the ReSolve Superfund site (https://www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/resolve)

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