To the editor:

I have just read the story about the Pontes land being made available to the town. Before the town or Ag Trust considers this, both the soils and groundwater should be tested. A well in the area of Meeting House Lane and West Main, across the road from a corn field, has been tested and found to be contaminated with Atrazine, a very dangerous chemical.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrazine

I have long worried about that corn field being so close to the school’s and municipal buildings' wells. Little Compton soils are technically glacial till and have little humus or carbonaceous fiber to sequester or bind these pesticides from groundwater. And, the thought of affordable housing being placed there without a public water supply and tertiary sewage treatment is frightening for those to be housed as well as the surrounding properties. I remind you of what has happened to all the groundwater on Cape Cod.

http://www.opet.org/documents/SilentSpring_Standley_08ETAC.pdf

The utmost caution should be employed when considering uses for this property.

Mimi Karlsson, retired EPA-AED

Little Compton and Hopkinton