A long-awaited cleanup of the Lower Neponset River is getting a big push forward.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that a 3.7 mile stretch of river that runs from Mother Brook Hyde in Park to the Walter Baker Dam located upstream of Adams Street, in Dorchester and Milton is now on the “Superfund National Priorities List.”
“This is a win, win for the communities who value recreating on the river, families who live in the area, and the wildlife that depend on it because we now have a mechanism to address the contamination that has plagued the river for decades,” said David Cash, the Regional Administrator for the EPA.
This stretch of river was home to several old mills that initially used dams to general power.
“Based on preliminary studies, this portion of the river contains sediment contaminated with elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)...The site is bordered by residential, commercial, industrial, and public parcels of land, including the Neponset River Greenway.” according to the EPA.
“Today’s action will result in a transformation of the river, improving its ecological health and bringing big benefits to the communities that share the Neponset,” said Cash. “Millions of dollars will be invested to bring environmental benefits to the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Cash was joined by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for the announcement Monday morning in Mattapan.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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