Rennie Farm

Current Status

Hydrogeologic conditions on the Rennie Farm property and migration of 1,4-dioxane contamination have been extensively investigated, mapped, and accepted by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES).
A groundwater pump and treat system was approved by DES, began operation in January, 2017, and is operating effectively. The system removes 1,4-dioxane from groundwater within the source area and portions of the plume located on the Rennie Farm property, preventing its further movement off the property.
In April, 2017, the United States Environmental Protection Agency authorized a permit to increase the rate of groundwater treatment and established water quality standards for the discharge of treated water.
A Groundwater Management Permit (Permit) was issued by DES in August, 2017, establishing a long term water quality monitoring program for the site, including a total of 96 water quality monitoring locations (groundwater, surface water, and water supply wells). The Permit also establishes a groundwater management zone that includes the area of known contamination and a buffer area established to protect public health and to monitor groundwater quality.
Water quality monitoring shows no expansion of the 1,4-dioxane plume. There have been no impacts to the more than 140 water supply wells tested to ensure the safety and address the concerns of our neighbors. Only one water supply well, 9 Rennie Road, has been impacted.
Current sampling results indicate that there have been significant reductions in the concentration of 1,4-dioxane including a 78% reduction in concentration in the source area and an 81% reduction immediately downgradient of the source area on the Rennie property, based on December 2020 data.
During 2020 Dartmouth constructed an expansion of the pumping well system used to capture 1,4-dioxane in groundwater off of the Rennie property. While not required by NHDES, the expansion of the system was constructed to accelerate the cleanup and provide additional protection of human health and the environment.
The pumping wells constructed during 2020 are operating, with the rate of removal of 1,4-dioxane roughly 20 times greater than prior to the startup of the new wells.

Value Assurance Program (VAP)

In February, 2017 Dartmouth announced its Value Assurance Program (VAP), which assures property owners in the defined Program Area (48 properties) that they will receive fair market value the for their property if sold within the 5 year program. Dartmouth will either buy the property at fair market value or pay the difference between an offer to purchase and the fair market value, as determined through an established listing and appraisal process.
As of June 2021, Dartmouth has purchased 11 properties as part of the VAP. Of these properties, seven have been sold, and four parcels of land are held for future sale.
Dartmouth expects to sell properties purchased as part of the VAP at a later date.
In June 2021 Dartmouth announced that they would be extending the VAP until February 2027.

Rennie Farm Value Assurance Program

Please direct questions or concerns to Ryan Flatley, Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC, 603-448-2211 or rflatley@drm.com

Background

From the mid-1960s until 1978, a less than ½-acre area of the ~230 acre property, was used as a State licensed burial site for animal carcasses used in medical and other research, including testing using radionuclides.
Dartmouth voluntarily decided to remove the animal carcasses, and the removal was completed during late 2011 under the approval of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Radiological Health Section (RHS). During the removal unexpected chemical waste was encountered. DES was notified and the contaminated materials encountered were removed.
During April 2012, analysis of groundwater samples detected 1,4-dioxane (a volatile organic compound [VOC] used in laboratories) at a concentration exceeding the New Hampshire groundwater standard of 3 micrograms per liter (ug/L). The 1,4-dioxane dissolved in groundwater and related to the unexpected chemical waste encountered during the 2011 excavation.
No other contaminants have been detected in excess of NH Groundwater Standards.
Working with the DES and consistent with State environmental requirements, Dartmouth conducted an extensive phased investigation and constructed a groundwater treatment system at the site related to the 1,4-dioxane. This work is focused on protecting human health and remediation of the 1,4-dioxane and will continue until the concentration of 1,4-dioxane meets the New Hampshire groundwater standard.

About Rennie Farm

From the mid-1960s to 1978, under State and Federal licenses, Dartmouth disposed of animal remains used in medical research on an approximate half acre portion of the 223-acre Rennie Farm. In addition, the remains of human cadavers donated for medical school classes were buried in a small protected cemetery near the animal burial area.

Dartmouth is committed to remediate the contaminated area and complete the cleanup as effectively and expeditiously as possible.

Groundwater and other conditions on the property have been monitored for years. More specifically, in 2011, the state of New Hampshire approved excavation and remediation of the animal burial site. While performing this work, in November 2011, hazardous chemical waste was discovered. We notified the state, and the waste was removed under the terms of an approved plan.

We continued to monitor the site, and in April 2012 we found that for the first time a chemical compound called 1,4-dioxane was detected in groundwater samples near the location of the 2011 excavation. This compound is a synthetic substance used primarily as an additive in solvents and is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen", by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.

As a result of our extensive investigation, we now have an understanding of the complex site geology and the contaminant's path of travel. Based on the data that we have collected—and with the state's approval of our work plans—we are focused on contaminant remediation and on controlling any further movement of groundwater contamination from the site. In January 2017 we installed a pump-and-treat system to remove 1,4-dioxane from the groundwater at the site. During 2020 we expanded the system to accelerate the remediation of groundwater. We continue to treat the groundwater and test the water quality in the area pursuant a Ground Water Management Permit (below) that was approved by DES in August 2017. Treated groundwater is returned to the natural hydrologic system under a permit issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which included extensive monthly sampling of the quality of the treated water.

After testing many sites on the farm property and also over 120 nearby private water wells used by those living near the farm, we found 1,4-dioxane that exceeded the state's ambient groundwater quality standard in only one private drinking water well. We supplied the well's owners with bottled water, installed a treatment only system in their home so that their well water could be safely used, provided them access to an occupational health physician, and reached a negotiated settlement of all claims related to the contamination of their drinking water well.

In addition to our investigation of the animal burial site, we have sampled near the human burial site and did not find formaldehyde (used in embalming human remains) or radiological contamination. Throughout this work, we have provided several informational letters to Rennie Farm neighbors and met with interested residents. Below are documents related to the project to provide the community with progress updates. In addition, documents related to the work can be found on the state Department of Environmental Services (DES) website.

We share the same objectives as those living near Rennie Farm—we want to protect the health of our neighbors and maintain the value of their properties.

Informational Links

Public Communication

Site Maps

Site Photographs

Site Documents

DES 2022 Annual Summary Report Dartmouth College, Rennie Farm Site (February 28, 2023)
NH DES Application for Renewal of Groundwater Management Permit GWP-201111109-H-001 (August 24, 2022)
DES 2021 Annual Summary Report Dartmouth College, Rennie Farm Site (May 2, 2022)
DES 2020 Annual Summary Report Dartmouth College, Rennie Farm Site (July 1, 2021)
Data Transmittal – June 2020 Water Quality Monitoring Round Groundwater Management Permit GWP-201111109-H-001 (August 25,2020)
Data Transmittal – March 2020 Water Quality Monitoring Data Round Groundwater Management Permit GWP-201111109-H-001 (May 11,2020)
DES 2019 Annual Summary Report Dartmouth College, Rennie Farm Site (April 14, 2020)
Groundwater Extraction System Expansion Remedial Design Plans and Construction Specifications Report (March 23,2020)
Monitoring Well Location Plan (February 12, 2020)
Conceptual Remedial System Expansion Features Layout (February 12, 2020)
Water Quality Monitoring Data Summary June 2019 (July 31, 2019)
Water Quality Monitoring Data Summary March 2019 (May 15, 2019)
DES 2018 Annual Summary Report Dartmouth College, Rennie Farm Site (March 29, 2019)
PFAS Results of Initial Screening Report (November 30, 2018)
Water Quality Monitoring Data Summary September 2018 (November 14, 2018)
Water Quality Monitoring Data Summary June 2018 (August 31, 2018)
PFAS Proposed Initial Screening Letter (August 16, 2018)
DES PFAS Sampling Letter (June 19, 2018)
DES 2017 Annual Summary Report Approval Letter (June 19, 2018)
Water Quality Monitoring Data Summary March 2018 (May 17, 2018)
DES 2017 Annual Summary Report Dartmouth College, Rennie Farm Site (March 16, 2018)
Data Transmittal - September 2017 Water Quality Monitoring Round Groundwater Management Permit GWP-201111109-H-001 (November 17, 2017)
Remediation General Permit Effluent Limitation Violation Documentation (November 10, 2017)
Groundwater Management Permit GWP-201111109-H-001 (August 29, 2017)
Phase II Supplemental Hydrogeologic Investigation Groundwater Management Zone Delineation and Application for Groundwater Management Permit (July 2017)
DES letter report on 668 HCR (March 8, 2017)
DES Remedial Discharge Permit (February 10, 2017)
DES review of extraction wells (December 5, 2016)
Remedial Design Plans and Construction Specifications Report (December 2, 2016)
Final Status Survey Radiological
Phase II Radiological Decommissioning Report
Phase I Radiological Summary Report
DES Response to Work Plan Addendum (October 4, 2016)
Work Plan Addendum (September 28, 2016)
DES Response to Remedial Action Plan (September 27, 2016)
The Remedial Action Plan (RAP) (September 1, 2016)
Project Milestone Dates
DES Work Plan Approval Letter (August 4, 2016)
Dartmouth College Radioactive Material License Amendment Approval Letter (August 9, 2016)
Work Plan (July 25, 2016) (Figures included)
Figure E2: Source Area Work Plan Map
Figure E1: Delineation Work Plan Map
Work Plan (May 6, 2016)
Work Plan (December 2, 2015) (Figures included)

Please direct questions or concerns to Environmental Health and Safety, at (603) 646-1762 or email Environmental.Health.and.Safety@Dartmouth.edu.