News Releases from Region 01

EPA Announces Final Cleanup Plan for Creese and Cook Tannery (Former) Superfund Site in Danvers, Mass.

Danvers, Mass. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with the State of Massachusetts, has selected a final plan to cleanup contamination at the Creese and Cook Tannery (Former) Superfund Site, located in Danvers Mass.

"EPA has worked very hard to develop a final cleanup plan that will protect people's health and the environment once the plan is implemented at the Creese and Cook Superfund Site," said EPA New England Acting Regional Administrator Deborah Szaro. "We look forward to working closely with the community during the upcoming site activities."

Under the final plan, EPA will excavate contaminated soil from properties located on the east and west sides of the Crane River, including at 55 and 27 Clinton Avenue, 33 and 45 Water Street, 20 Cheever Street and at Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) owned properties. The selected remedy also includes excavation of contaminated soil along the east riverfront area. Excavated areas will be covered with clean soil and re-vegetated.

Most of the contaminated soil will be consolidated at 55 Clinton Avenue, on the west side of the Crane River, and covered with a protective cap. EPA anticipates that a limited volume of contaminated soil will be transported and disposed off-site at an appropriate hazardous waste landfill. Institutional controls will be implemented at these properties, including at 12 Cheever Street and 15 Pleasant Street, as necessary to protect the remedy and prevent future exposure where contaminated soil remains at depth.

To expedite cleanup activities, EPA is planning to perform a removal action at 45 Water Street. EPA will continue to follow the National Preservation Act requirements and work with local tribes, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and the Danvers Historical Society, to address areas of high archeological interest.

The final remedy is essentially the same as the preferred alternative described in EPA's October 2019 proposed plan and was selected following a 30-day public comment period and careful review of comments received.

More information:

• Further information about the Creese and Cooke Superfund Site, including past work, the Record of Decision (including a summary of responses to public comments), and other documents related to the site is available at: www.epa.gov/superfund/creese
• All site documents are also available for review at the Peabody Institute Library, 15 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923 - https://www.danverslibrary.org