Contaminating A Neighborhood -- And A Reputation

"The neighborhood in question is the Newhall area of southern Hamden. The pollution consists of industrial waste from the nearby Winchester rifle factory, as well as household trash, all of which was dumped into the swamps of Newhall from the late 1800s until at least the 1950s. Once the swamps were filled, houses, a middle school, and two public parks were built on top of them...The cleanup, overseen by the state Department of Environmental Protection, will cover 100-plus acres and more than 300 houses, plus the schoolyard and parks...one option would require demolishing 114 houses that are built directly on top of contamination". Many neighborhood residents, however, contend that this is a false alarm, and that the DEP is simply stigmatizing their homes.