EPA Shares Latest Neponset River Superfund Cleanup Data
April 2025 — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a community meeting in late March at the Hyde Park Community Center to share the latest sampling data from the Lower Neponset River Superfund Site.
About 100 people attended the presentation, both in person and online. It was led by Karmen King, an aquatic toxicologist from Skeo, an environmental consulting firm. King works through the EPA’s Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program, which helps explain project-specific environmental issues to residents in a simple and clear way—at no cost to the community.
The EPA tested soil, sediment, surface water, and pore water (the water between particles in soil) in the first mile of the site—from the Dana Avenue Bridge to the Tileston and Hollingsworth (T&H) Dam in Hyde Park. This testing will help design a long-term plan to clean up the River.
The tests found the highest levels of PCBs (toxic industrial chemicals banned in the 1970s) near the former Lewis Chemical site and behind the T&H Dam, where sediments collect. Samples were taken at three depths, and computer models showed higher levels of contamination in the 3-6 ft depth samples than in the 0.5 ft samples.
King took questions from the community and emphasized that her role is to help people understand the science and stay informed. She explained that this is a large, expensive project that affects both people and the environment—so the EPA has to get it right, which takes time.
The EPA will return to present more information when the next big report—the Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA)—is released. That document includes a summary along with over 500 pages of data tables.
Stay Informed:
- Contact Karmen King with questions at kking@skeo.com
- Get the latest project details on the EPA project web page for the Lower Neponset River
- Connect with the Community Advisory Group (CAG) through ZaNetta Purnell (Public Affairs Specialist, Community Involvement Coordinator, USEPA Region 1 – Office of the Regional Administrator/ Public Affairs) at Purnell.ZaNetta@epa.gov
- Download and share an informational brochure (developed by CAG members)
CAG members also encouraged attendees to contact Senator Markey, Senator Warren, Representative Pressley, and other local leaders to thank them for their support and keep this project moving forward.
The meeting was recorded, and the video will be posted soon on the EPA project web page.
