In an effort to engage and inform community members interested in the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site cleanup, EPA will be issuing periodic topic-based emails relevant to the cleanup. These fact sheets will be distributed by email to the New Bedford Harbor email list, which includes members of the public, resource agencies, public officials from the City of New Bedford and towns of Acushnet and Fairhaven, and local news publications. These fact sheets will also be available on EPA’s New Bedford Harbor website.

Upcoming Public Meeting

EPA will hold a public meeting on Thursday, March 13th from 6 pm-7:30 pm. Location and draft agenda will follow; we welcome suggestions and/or requests for the location.

EPA Superfund Lower Harbor CAD Cell (LHCC) Construction Update

EPA, in conjunction with the Harbor Development Commission (HDC), has begun construction of the Lower Harbor Confined Aquatic Disposal Cell, or "LHCC". Construction of the LHCC will allow for the accelerated cleanup of PCB contaminated sediment in the Harbor.

Phase I of EPA's Lower Harbor CAD cell construction began in November 2013 and is scheduled to be completed in March 2014. Phase II construction will begin this spring and will proceed Monday through Saturday, 6:30am to 10:30pm, with completion scheduled for this fall. No overnight work within New Bedford Harbor will be allowed under the Phase II LHCC contract.

The results of air monitoring performed so far support the conclusion that no significant air impact is occurring as a result of the LHCC project. The data for Phase I portion of the project will be posted on the LHCC website in the next few days.

• Information on the Progress on Construction: Weekly Updates
  You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.

  • Weekly Field Report: 11/03/12 - 11/09/13 (PDF)(9 pp, 586 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 11/10/13 - 11/16/13 (PDF)(17 pp, 813 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 11/17/12 - 11/23/13 (PDF)(16 pp, 895 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 11/24/12 - 11/30/13 (PDF)(17 pp, 887K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 12/01/13 - 12/07/13 (PDF)(17 pp, 825 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 12/08/13 - 12/14/13 (PDF)(19 pp, 896 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 12/15/13 - 12/21/13 (PDF)(18 pp, 1.1 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 12/22/13 - 12/28/13 (PDF)(21 pp, 1.8 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 12/29/13 - 01/04/13 (PDF)(18 pp, 1.2 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 01/19/14 - 01/25/14 (PDF)(14 pp, 1.6 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 01/26/14 - 02/01/14 (PDF)(14 pp, 1.7 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 02/02/14 - 02/08/14 (PDF)(13 pp, 989 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 02/09/14 - 02/15/14 (PDF)(10 pp, 613 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 02/16/14 - 02/22/14 (PDF)(10 pp, 646 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 02/23/14 - 03/01/14 (PDF)(14 pp, 1 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 03/02/14 - 03/08/14 (PDF)(16 pp, 1.7 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 03/09/14 - 03/15/14 (PDF)(14 pp, 1.4 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 03/16/14 - 03/22/14 (PDF)(14 pp, 1.5 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 03/23/14 - 03/29/14 (PDF)(13 pp, 1 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 03/30/14 - 04/05/14 (PDF)(21 pp, 1.8 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 04/06/14 - 04/12/14 (PDF)(20 pp, 1.6 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 04/13/14 - 04/19/14 (PDF)(12 pp, 659 K)
  • Weekly Field Report: 04/20/14 - 04/26/14 (PDF)(16 pp, 1.2 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 04/27/14 - 05/03/14 (PDF)(23 pp, 1.3 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 05/04/14 - 05/10/14 (PDF)(25 pp, 2.7 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 05/11/14 - 05/17/14 (PDF)(24 pp, 1.7 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 05/18/14 - 05/24/14 (PDF)(20 pp, 1.3 MB)
  • Weekly Field Report: 05/25/14 - 05/31/14 (PDF)(24 pp, 2.4 MB)

Resume Dredging in the Upper Harbor

Plans are underway for continuing hydraulic dredging in the Upper Harbor north of Coggeshall Street. Dredging is set to begin in April and will continue for several months.

Focused Feasibility Study

The EPA team is working on a focused feasibility study (FFS) to evaluate cost-effective alternatives to disposal in confined disposal facilities (CDFs) that are currently included in the remedy. If the FFS supports a protective, more cost-effective disposal alternative than the selected CDFs, EPA will issue a decision document for public comment outlining the proposed alternative and basis for selection.

In the meantime, EPA has reviewed the conceptual location of CDF C which was planned to be located adjacent to property at and south of Sawyer Street (shown in the 1998 Record of Decision). EPA modified the conceptual design of CDF C such that no CDF structure will be constructed between Sawyer Street and Coggeshall Street or within the Acushnet River adjacent to these properties. The modified conceptual design of CDF C may remove potential barriers to economic development in this area.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.epa.gov/nbh or contact
Kelsey O'Neil, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
oneil.kelsey@epa.gov
617-918-1003