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MassDEP outlines oversight of federal Superfund and military sites, flags Hanover proposal
Summary
Division director Diane Baxter told MassDEP stakeholders the agency oversees 31 classic Superfund sites and 12 military installations in the state, highlighted PFAS investigations at bases and said the National Fireworks site in Hanover is likely to be proposed for listing on the National Priorities List.
Diane Baxter, Division Director for the Division of Federal Grant Programs at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, told attendees the agency provides regulatory oversight of federal sites managed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
Baxter said MassDEP works with EPA-managed ‘‘classic’’ Superfund sites as well as military and formerly used defense sites, ensuring investigations and remedial actions meet federal and state requirements. "We oversee a variety of sites from ones that EPA manages that we call sort of classic Superfund sites, as well as a number of different sites ... some that are National Priorities List Superfund sites," she said.
The division director gave an inventory of current site statuses: 31 classic Superfund sites in various stages, nine moving quickly toward remedial action (helped in part by recent federal infrastructure funding), three with ongoing remedial investigations and feasibility studies, 20 sites where remedial actions are complete but long-term operation, maintenance and monitoring continue, and five sites where remedies installed long ago are being reevaluated. She also said MassDEP is responsible for long-term operation and maintenance at sites where there is no viable responsible party.
Baxter noted 12 military installations contain multiple investigation sites and that PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) investigations are a major focus because many sites used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). "A lot of these sites had airports or, you know, they used AFFF and some of them have quite large PFAS plumes," she said.
On a near-term development, Baxter said one site is in the process of being proposed for listing and that the National Fireworks site in Hanover is likely about a year away from being placed on the National Priorities List.
MassDEP's role also includes concurring on selected remedies at classic Superfund sites and acting as sole regulator at certain formerly used defense sites where EPA is not involved. The presentation underscored ongoing monitoring, the need to reassess older pump-and-treat remedies, and the agency's effort to explore newer technologies where long-running systems exist.
The agency did not announce a formal decision or a binding timeline for the Hanover listing beyond the assessment that it is likely to be proposed; stakeholders seeking further details were directed to MassDEP regional staff.
