EPA Lower Neponset Superfund Update: Jan. 2025
Public Meeting Update
The video presentation from the November 12th, 2024, public meeting about the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site is now available. (see below)
View responses to the Q&A from the meeting.
If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to Zanetta Purnell at Purnell.zanetta@epa.gov or Alexander Pluta at pluta.alexander@epa.gov
EPA Contact:
ZaNetta Purnell, Purnell.ZaNetta@epa.gov
Public Affairs Specialist, Community Involvement Coordinator
USEPA Region 1 – Office of the Regional Administrator/ Public Affairs
5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Mailcode ORA01-1
Boston, MA 02109
- Main — (617) 918-1306
- Cell — (857) 286-6766
- FAX — (617) 918- 0306
Get Involved!
The Lower Neponset River Superfund Community Advisory Group (CAG) is made up of community members and stakeholders from the Lower Neponset Superfund site. The group provides valuable input to the EPA throughout the Superfund cleanup process.
The CAG meets on the third Tuesday of each month at various locations and aims to ensure representation from all four communities near the Site (Hyde Park, Mattapan, Dorchester, and Milton). We welcome more members to represent these areas.
Questions? Please email NepRWA Greenways Director, Andres Ripley, or NepRWA Community Engagement Strategist, Karen Groce-Horan.
SITE PROGRESS
The following update from the EPA was shared on Jan. 7, 2024. For any questions, please contact Zanetta Purnell at Purnell.zanetta@epa.gov or Alexander Pluta at pluta.alexander@epa.gov
- EPA is in the remedial investigation phase of the Superfund process (see graphic below), where EPA continues to collect data to better characterize the nature and extent of contamination to inform future cleanup decisions. The Site was listed on the National Priorities List in 2022, and the remedial investigation began in 2023.
GENERAL REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION DATA INFORMATION
- All Phase 1 sampling data is publicly available and on the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site webpage at www.epa.gov/neponsetriver. Please look under the ‘Popular Documents and Resources’ section on the right side of the front page. The ‘Site Documents and Data’ section has the Data Evaluation Summary Memorandum – Phase 1 and the associated attachments, which are also publicly available HERE.
- If you are a property owner abutting the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site Phase 1 area and EPA received an access agreement from you in 2023 to sample the riverbank on your property, please note that the site team will be working with you to sit down and review the sampling data results with you on an individual basis.
- Please note: Phase 1 encompasses the first mile of the Lower Neponset River from the confluence of the Neponset River and the Mother Brook (which can be best viewed from the Dana Avenue bridge) downstream to the Tileston and Hollingsworth (T&H) Dam (which can be viewed near the Planet Fitness on River Street in Hyde Park).
- Phase 2 soil, sediment, and low-flow surface water were collected in 2024. Additionally, fish and mussel tissue were collected in both Phases 1 and 2. Data is anticipated to be available this Spring of 2025. EPA and its contractors plan to return to the Site in the Spring of 2025 to complete the remaining high-flow surface water samples, pore water sampling, and begin a groundwater investigation.
- Please note: Phase 2 encompasses the remaining 2.7-miles of the Lower Neponset River the downstream end of the T&H Dam which can be viewed near the Planet Fitness on River Street in Hyde Park) downstream to the Walter Baker Chocolate Dam in Dorchester and Milton (which can be viewed from the Greenway Trail from Adam’s Street bridge crossing between Milton and Dorchester).
