Lockheed Martin's complete answers to TV reporter's questions

On Wednesday, December 14, I was contacted by a reporter with WWSB - ABC7 News in Sarasota, Fla.  The reporter had spoken to Tallevast residents about our construction activities, and she asked me for responses to several questions.  Unfortunately the news story only presented shortened pieces of the answers I had provided, so for the record...below are the questions I was asked and the complete answers that I provided to the TV reporter.

Q1.    What are you doing out there, how long will the project last, and are there any alternatives to the drilling?

Lockheed Martin (LM) Answer:  Construction has begun in the Tallevast Community for extraction wells and piping that will pump impacted groundwater to the water treatment facility to be built on the Lockheed Martin site.  During this time, Lockheed Martin is making every effort to minimize noise and additional vehicle traffic resulting from the construction.  Well drilling activities in the residential community north of Tallevast Road should be completed by December 16.

The construction is part of Lockheed Martin’s Remedial Action Plan Addendum, to restore the groundwater in the Tallevast Community, which was approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in 2010.  All necessary Manatee County permits have been obtained for the construction. 

The drilling of extraction wells and the construction of conveyance piping is necessary as part of the pump and treat method for cleaning the groundwater, which is the plan approved by the FDEP.  The wells and piping should be completed by late spring, 2012, and the water treatment facility is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2012.

Q2.    What has been done to keep resident's informed and comfortable through this process?

LM Answer:  Lockheed Martin has been very proactive in communicating to the Tallevast Community and keeping residents informed.  A Citizens Guide to the construction was printed and mailed to every resident in the community.  Additional copies of the Citizens Guide were also placed at the Tallevast Post Office and the Citgo Quick Stop convenience store at the corner of Tallevast Rd. and 15th St.   The Citizens Guide and weekly construction updates with photos are posted on Lockheed Martin’s website: www.tallevast.info.  Printed copies of the updates are also made available at the Post Office and the convenience store (for residents who may not have internet access).   

For several years, Lockheed Martin has sent weekly Activity Reports to the leaders of the community group FOCUS, and we have also met weekly with the technical consultant for FOCUS.  We are continuing these meetings and reports during the construction.  Lockheed Martin also has a hotline call-in number and a direct call-in line to Communications Manager Gary Cambre for any questions or complaints from residents.  Lockheed Martin will continue to provide transparent and timely communications throughout the construction process.

Q3.  Residents say their walls are vibrating and the work carries on into the evening hours-- they say they feel like they're being trampled on in their own neighborhood... what is your response to their concerns? 

LM Answer:  Lockheed Martin is making every effort possible to minimize any inconvenience to the community during this construction.  To the extent possible, work is limited to daylight hours and noisy activities are limited to the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.   Sound attenuating (dampening) blankets are erected around each drilling rig to help minimize the sounds they create.  Lockheed Martin has also implemented a maintenance-of-traffic plan in order to minimize the impact of construction-related traffic to the area.  The drilling in residential areas north of Tallevast Road should be completed by the end of this week (Dec. 16).