A discharge of oil was identified in the North Nashua River. EPA was notified via NRC report 1015356 on Friday 6/22/12. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) responded and deployed boom to contain the spill. DEP contacted EPA Region 1 on Tuesday 6/26/12 asking that EPA initiate further cleanup actions as the release was still ongoing. The OSC visited the site on Wednesday 6/27/12. The property is a former power generating plant that was purchased by the City some years ago (not taken for taxes; purchased). The City requested a meeting on Friday 6/29/12 at which time EPA confirmed neither DEP nor the City of Fitchburg had resources to carry out response actions necessary to stop the release of oil. The OSC opened FPN E12106 on the afternoon of 6/29/2012. The contracting officer issued a verbal task order on Monday 7/2/12. As DEP agreed to maintain boom in the river, arrangements were made for EPA to mobilize on 7/9/12. EPA's contractor installed a recovery well the week of 7/9/12. See POLREP 1 for more details.
It was agreed that the City would first demolish the building per existing plans using grant funds, and then take actions to address the sheen on the River should it persist. In the meantime, the City of Fitchburg assumed responsibility for maintaining hard boom in the river to contain oily sheen at the point of release, and absorbent boom to collect it. The City has changed sorbent boom dozens of times since 2012, and arranged for its disposal.
Shortly after completing demolition in November of 2015, the City excavated and disposed of approximately 61 tons of source material, and installed monitoring wells in 2016. Based on site conditions, actions taken by the City to contain the release, and because the site is adequately regulated by the State of Massachusetts, EPA’s direct oversight of this release has been discontinued. However, if site conditions worsen and/or are not addressed appropriately in the future, EPA can again use its statutory authority to respond to, or enforce, the Clean Water Act.
Case closed.
