The 1071 Main Street (the Site) consists of two adjacent properties located at 1071 and 1073 Main Street, Woburn, MA. The 1073 parcel is residential. The 1071 parcel has a history of commercial and industrial use beginning in the early 20th century. From 1928 to 1957, Woburn Hide and Leather Tannery operated on the property. From the 1960s to circa 2004, the property was occupied by various tenants including: a construction company, an autobody/engine repair center, a plywood and lumber warehouse, a microwave warehouse, a landscaper, an outboard motor engine repair company, a waste transport company, and an illegal rubbish transfer station There are numerous violations on file at the Woburn Building Department and Board of Health indicating poor housekeeping issues, violations, and multiple citizens complaints regarding historical operations.
From 2004-2015, Ben-Val Realty Trust conducted several investigations and a cleanup under MassDEP oversight. Subsequently, a developer, 1071 Village, LLC, leased the property and performed additional work with the goal of acquiring the property for redevelopment. Ultimately, the cleanup became too expensive for the Parties to complete.
April 8, 2019, MassDEP requested EPA’s assistance to address contaminated soil, stockpiles, and containerized waste at the Site. In May 2019, EPA conducted a Preliminary Assessment (PA) including a review of pre-existing reports which contained soil sampling data from the Site. This data showed elevated levels of PCBs on 1071 Main Street and the adjacent residential property located at 1073 Main Street.
