News Releases from Region 05

EPA recognizes MPCA, U.S. Navy, and Hyde Development for beneficial reuse of former Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant site in Fridley, Minnesota

EPA recognizes MPCA, U.S. Navy, and Hyde Development for beneficial reuse of former Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant site in Fridley, Minnesota

For Immediate Release: No. 19-OPA106

FRIDLEY, Minn. (Oct.  29, 2019) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented regional awards to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the U.S. Navy, and Hyde Development for the beneficial reuse of the former Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant (NIROP) Superfund site in Fridley. Next month, the former boiler room at the site will open as the Forgotten Star Brewery at Northern Stacks Park.   

“EPA congratulates MPCA, the Navy and Hyde Development for their innovation, initiative and vision to make the Northern Stacks Industrial Park and the Forgotten Star Brewery a reality,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Cathy Stepp. “Promoting redevelopment at former Superfund sites is part of EPA’s core mission and helps to spur the local economy in communities like Fridley.”

“This redevelopment increased the property value 10-fold and added over 2,000 jobs over the past 5 years,” said Fridley Mayor Scott Lund. “None of this would have been possible without enthusiastic participation from federal, state and local organizations working together.”

“This event highlights what can be accomplished when federal, state, local organizations and the private sector work together to accomplish a common goal,” said MPCA Assistant Commissioner Greta Gauthier. “Returning contaminated properties to productive use is a priority for the MPCA and can have a significant impact on the local economy and generate hundreds of new jobs.”

“This is a great example of what can be accomplished when federal, state and local organizations work together with the private sector to accomplish environmental restoration, and return a property to the community for beneficial use,” said Mark Schultz, a supervisory environmental scientist with Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic.

“This award from EPA recognizes the vision required to redevelop Superfund sites, paired with hard work and commitment from a diverse group of stakeholders to realize this day. Completed 5 years ahead of schedule, our team has cleaned up 122 acres, added 1,500 jobs and over $100 million in new property tax base. This is the efficiency and excellence recognized by the U.S. Navy Battle E award first presented to the original Northern Pump plant here in the 1940s. We are proud to carry that tradition and ethic into the 21st Century at Northern Stacks,” said Paul Hyde from Hyde Development.

Last year, a portion of the NIROP site was taken off the National Priorities List after soil was removed from under the process area. A larger portion of the NIROP site was delisted in 2014.      

The U.S. Navy began producing advance weapons systems at the site in the 1940s. Operators disposed of large quantities of solvents, petroleum, paints, and other chemicals in pits and trenches on the site. Sampling results in the early 1980s showed groundwater, surface water, and soil contamination. In 1983, the U.S. Navy, EPA, and the MPCA began to clean up the site.

To learn more about this site: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/naval-industrial-reserve.