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Task force recommends Select Board begin negotiations to pursue conditional acquisition of 2229 Main Street
Summary
A citizen task force recommended the Select Board pursue a conditional path to acquire the 2229 Main Street Superfund site, contingent on EPA/DOJ/MassDEP negotiations, liability protections and remediation to residential standards. The board agreed to review the report and consider a letter of interest to EPA in early 2025.
Paul Bohm, chair of the 2229 Main Street advisory task force, told the Select Board on Oct. 21 that the group reached consensus to recommend the town pursue a path toward possible acquisition of the 46‑acre property, but only if a set of conditions can be met.
The task force’s recommendation is conditional because several critical elements remain unresolved, Bohm said: negotiations with federal and state regulators to secure legacy‑liability protections; concrete estimates of acquisition and ownership costs; insurance that covers potential post‑acquisition liabilities; and completion of remediation that meets state and federal residential reuse standards. He said independent consultant Rue Associates concluded post‑cleanup conditions should meet residential health and safety criteria in most areas, and that the site contains roughly 20–25 acres of developable land.
Why it matters: The property could address multiple municipal needs — public works, recreation, trails and housing — while giving the town greater control over future use. Bohm said EPA and Department of Justice staff have been informally receptive, and that any acquisition would likely occur near the end of the decade after cleanup and negotiations are complete.
Board response: Select Board members pressed the task force on timing, legal protections and budgeting for due diligence. Several members asked for a public session once the task force report is published; the board signaled support for reading the report before any formal action. The board also discussed sending a letter to EPA expressing interest as an early step; members generally favored waiting until they had time to review the report and assess budget and legal implications, with a likely decision on a letter in the first quarter of 2025.
Next steps: The task force will deliver a written report in December. The Select Board plans to read the report, schedule public review sessions, and then decide whether to authorize staff and town counsel to pursue negotiations and potential budget items in the FY26 planning process.
Source: Presentation and discussion at the Oct. 21, 2024 Town of Concord Select Board meeting.
