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Groundbreaking for $3.15 Million PCB Cleanup at the Former Lawrence Metals Site in Chelsea, Mass.

Release Date: 07/02/2013
Contact Information: Emily Zimmerman, (617) 918-1037

(Boston, Mass. - July 2, 2013) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke ground today at the cleanup of the former Lawrence Metals Site in Chelsea, Mass. At the request of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), EPA will be performing an excavation and removal of contaminated soil funded by federal, state, local and private sector parties. The cleanup will prepare the site to be redeveloped into a hotel property by Lawrenceville, LLC.

“This is an exciting day for the City of Chelsea and for EPA,” said Curt Spalding, EPA New England Administrator. “Starting this cleanup is the culmination of public and private sector dollars coming together in creative ways to get a contaminated property put back to good use to become an investment for the city.”

"I am pleased to be here today celebrating efforts to eliminate environmental contamination at this site to make it ready for redevelopment,” said Congressman Michael Capuano. “This public/private partnership will transform a section of Chelsea, creating jobs and improving the local economy."

Getting the site ready for cleanup has been a cooperative effort between EPA, MassDEP, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the City of Chelsea, MassDevelopment and Lawrenceville, LLC. All of these parties across government and private sectors have contributed funds and expertise to the overall cleanup. EPA has funded $1.5 million in cleanup dollars; Lawrenceville LLC has contributed $1.4 million; and the city has contributed $250,000 in a MassDevelopment loan.

“This project doesn’t happen without the EPA’s leadership and willingness to find a way to put a highly contaminated property into productive use,” said Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash. “And that productive use is going to be a full-service hotel that will add substantially to our tax base, job growth and overall community revitalization agenda. I couldn’t be more pleased and grateful.”

This site is being cleaned up under EPA’s emergency removal program. This PCB- and lead-contaminated property was formerly used for a number of industrial operations, including a textile production and drum reuse operation and then later the Lawrence Metals Forming Company that produced custom metals. In 1999, the City of Chelsea’s Economic Development Board acquired the property and since then has been working with MassDEP and MassDevelopment, which ultimately referred the site to EPA.

“Thanks to the multi-party cooperative effort of federal, state, local and private entities, the cleanup of this long-abandoned, vacant Brownfields site is finally being realized,” said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “We achieved a far more protective level of cleanup working together than if the city did this on its own.”

Abutting the former Lawrence Metals site is the MassDOT Route 1 Right-of-Way site, which also has contaminated soil. Both parcels will be cleaned up as a result of EPA’s work beginning today with MassDOT funds.

“MassDOT is pleased to support the soil clean-up work along the Route 1 right-of-way,” said Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey. “Environmental responsibility and promoting sustainable economic development are priorities for us, and this initiative achieves our goals and represents a great win for Chelsea and the larger community.”

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