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U.S. COURT APPROVES CONSENT DECREE FOR SHAFFER LANDFILL PORTION OF IRON HORSE PARK SUPERFUND SITE IN BILLERICA, MA

Release Date: 04/27/2001
Contact Information: Andrew Spejewski, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1014

BOSTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly announced today that the U.S. District Court in Boston has entered a Consent Decree for the Shaffer Landfill portion of the Iron Horse Park Superfund Site in Billerica, MA.

In addition to requiring the responsible parties to reimburse the costs incurred by EPA and the MA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the consent decree mandates the capping of the landfill and installation of landfill gas and leachate collection systems; groundwater monitoring; and fulfillment of operating and maintenance responsibilities.

More than 30 parties, representing landfill owners and operators, generators, and transporters, will reimburse more than $1.5 million to the United States government and nearly $150,000 to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The parties will, by the end of 2002, cap the landfill and install a leachate collection system to treat and/or dispose of up to 10,000 gallons per day of leachate. The total cost is estimated to be $15 million. The consent decree also requires the parties to monitor ground water for up to 15 years to ensure that cleanup goals are being met. After 15 years, the DEP will assume the ground water monitoring. The parties will be responsible to pay for operation and maintenance of the landfill for forty years after which the state will assume the costs.

"This agreement paves the way for the long-awaited landfill cleanup to begin," said Ira Leighton, EPA New England acting regional administrator. "It's great news for Billerica residents who have endured living near that landfill for too long. Progress from this point on will be quick and rewarding."

"For many years, the citizens of Billerica have had to endure the potential health and environmental hazards associated with the Shaffer Landfill Superfund site," said Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly. "Today's action by the court finally will allow the ultimate cleanup of this site to begin. This is a significant achievement, requiring the responsible parties to reimburse costs born by the taxpayers and, more importantly, to take steps to reduce the potential threats to the public health and the environment. I applaud the court's action in approving our settlement with the responsible parties."

The Shaffer Landfill is one of three cleanup sites at the Iron Horse Park Superfund Site, which was listed on the National Priorities List on September 21, 1984. The Landfill is an approximately 106 acre facility, of which 60 acres were used for commercial and solid waste disposal for over 30 years. The western section of the landfill was used for rubbish disposal beginning in 1946 and was operated as an open burning dump for more than 20 years. The eastern section began to be filled in 1970. The landfill ceased operation in 1986 as part of a 1984 settlement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.