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New Bedford Harbor

Harbor Cleanup Plans and Legal/Administrative Records

This page includes the Harbor Cleanup Plans and site Administrative Records.

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On this page:

2017 Sixth Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD)

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2015 Fifth Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD)

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These records are also available at EPA New England's office in Boston and at the New Bedford Public Library.

Supplemental Consent Decree with AVX Corp.

On September 19, 2013, after oral argument the day before, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts approved the Supplemental Consent Decree, which will require AVX Corp. to pay $366.25 million plus interest to allow EPA to accelerate the cleanup of PCB contaminated sediment in the Harbor.

The following three sets of public comments are duplicative of the full set of public comments (which includes Bates numbers for filing with the Court) listed above and were posted on this website following the close of the public comment period for the proposed Supplemental Consent Decree:

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2012 EPA Enforcement Order to AVX Corp. (Administrative Record posted 5/7/12)

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2011 Lower Harbor CAD Cell Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD)

This section describes and provides documents related to the official decision to use a CAD Cell to help cleanup New Bedford Harbor. For further background information and data about the lower harbor CAD Cell and to find out how to get involved click here.

Administrative Record for the Lower Harbor Cad Cell ESD

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1998 Record of Decision (ROD) and ESDs

After an extensive process of studying New Bedford Harbor and developing consensus for a solution to the widespread PCB problem in the Upper and Lower Harbor areas, EPA issued a final ROD in September 1998. The selected remedy calls for dredging and shoreline containment of approximately 450,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and wetlands in four combined disposal facilities (CDFs). (See Current Site Status for more information on the progress being made on the harbor-wide cleanup.)

Explanation of Significant Differences (ESDs) Documents to the 1998 Record of Decision

Administrative Record for the 1998 Record of Decision (ROD) for the Upper and Lower Harbor, (Operable Unit 1)

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1990 Record of Decision (ROD), ESDs, ROD Amendment

Explanation of Significant Differences (ESDs) Documents to the 1990 Record of Decision

Administrative Record for the 1990 Record of Decision for the Hot Spot Area (Operable Unit 2)

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