NASHUA – Potentially radioactive barium, as well as carcinogenic dioxin and arsenic, found at the former Mohawk Tannery led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to classify it a Superfund site.
At least one real estate developer, Bernie Plante, believes he can successfully contain the toxic sludge and construct new apartments and condominiums at the site, which is located along the Nashua River.
Meanwhile, Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess is hoping to
gain as much public input as possible regarding how the city and its partners
should address the tannery property. Thursday at Amherst Street Elementary
School, he met with several residents regarding the ongoing efforts to
remediate the property.
“I’ve always said we want to hear from the
neighborhood as to how they think we should proceed,” Mayor Donchess said.
“People have lived with the tannery for a long, long time. Everybody knows that
there’s been various committees and the like from the neighborhood that have
examined the site over time.”
The property was home to a facility that tanned
hides for leather from 1924 to 1984. The EPA hosted two previous public
meetings in the city earlier this year on July 25 and August 29, during which
officials recommended treating and capping the contaminated soil on site. This
method would not result in contractors actually removing the contaminants from
the site.
The EPA wants to partner with Plante to turn the
site into a 40-acre development, while Plante has said his company would put
forth the funds for the majority of the cleanup.
No comments:
Post a Comment