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EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Hold Public Information Meeting on Shpack Landfill

Release Date: 10/30/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. - Oct. 30, 2006) - The EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a public information meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14th from 7 to 9 p.m. in the cafeteria at the J.C. Solmonese School, 315 West Main St. in Norton, Mass., to update the community on cleanup activities at the Shpack Landfill Site. At the meeting, representatives from the two agencies will update the public on the status of the project and discuss the field work that has been completed to date to address radiological contamination at the site.

In Sept. 2004, EPA finalized a Record of Decision for the site which calls for the excavation and disposal of about 35,000 cubic yards of waste that exceeds cleanup standards. The clean up remedy for the site was selected after an extensive comment period during which the public and community leaders weighed in heavily in favor of excavating all waste exceeding the cleanup standards. Prior to issuing its final cleanup decision, EPA solicited public comment on a proposed remedy for the site.

EPA will discuss the current status of the site and the schedule of work at the site in the future. In accordance with special legislation passed in 2002, the Army Corps of Engineers has been conducting the cleanup of the radiological contamination at the site. To date, 2700 cubic yards of radioactively contaminated soil have been removed from the site by the Corps. The Corps demobilized from the site on July 19, 2006 due to funding limitations, but plans to remobilize in the summer of 2007.

Once the Corps has completed the radiological cleanup, EPA will conduct the non-radiological portion of the cleanup. On August 15, 2006, EPA issued special notice letters to fifteen parties, seeking the participation in negotiations for the implementation of design and cleanup activities relating to non-radiological contamination at the site. EPA expects to begin negotiations shortly.

The Shpack Landfill Site is an 8-acre abandoned domestic and industrial landfill that operated from 1946 to 1965. The site consists of land formerly owned by Lea and Isadore Shpack, now owned by the Town of Norton, and land formerly owned by Albert Dumont, now owned by Attleboro Landfill Inc. Approximately 5 ½ acres is on the Norton side of the town line and 2 ½ acres is on the Attleboro side. During operation, domestic and industrial wastes were accepted from local establishments.

More information on the Shpack clean up: (epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/shpack)

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