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EPA Proposes Adding Callahan Mine in Brooksville, Maine to Superfund List

Release Date: 09/17/2001
Contact Information: Andrew Spejewski, EPA Press Office (617-918-1014)

BOSTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it has proposed to add the Callahan Mine in Brooksville, Maine to the EPA's National Priorities List (known as the "Superfund List"). The National Priorities List is EPA's list of the country's most serious hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term cleanup.

"This is the first step towards putting the Callahan Mine on the Superfund list, which will allow EPA to oversee and manage the cleanup," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator for EPA's New England office. "The listing also gives us access to federal funds if private financing isn't available."

EPA is taking public comments on the proposed listing for 60 days.

The Callahan Mine Site is a former zinc-copper open pit mine adjacent to and beneath Goose Pond, a tidal estuary. Operations at the mine ceased in 1972, leaving several piles of tailings and other waste. The tailings piles leach acidic and metal-containing water onto the site and into Goose Pond, which samples show is contaminated with zinc and copper.

Under Superfund law, former owners or operators of the property can be held liable for the cleanup. EPA is currently researching potentially responsible parties and will begin negotiations to agree on a cleanup plan, possibly starting next summer. If no agreement can be reached, EPA will begin the cleanup and then seek to recover costs.

Also today, EPA proposed the Hatheway and Patterson Site in Mansfield, Mass. to the NPL and finalized adding the Ely Mine in Vershire, Vt. to the Superfund List.