Photo: Kendall Buhl/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A major milestone in a local cleanup project was celebrated on Friday by city, state and federal officials.
Along the Lower Neponset River in Hyde Park, over 5,700 tons of toxic waste contaminated soil has been removed and replaced with lush green grass.
The project is part of a larger initiative by the EPA to clean up the Lower Neponset River Superfund site.
This is a 3.7-mile-long section of the river which according to the EPA, runs from Mother Brook in Hyde Park to the Walter Baker Dam in the Lower Mills/Dorchester area.
“The goal of [the] EPA’s cleanup program is to protect human health and the environment, cleaning up contaminated sites and giving them back to communities,” said EPA New England Administrator David W. Cash.
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Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called the project “historic.”
“To be here with community members who have been there at every step of the way, watching the pieces finally come together and move on past that base line of safety and health, it’s a really special day,” said Wu.
WBZ NewsRadio spoke to Massachusetts State Representative Rob Consalvo, who would cross the River Street Bridge to go to school every day. Consalvo said he still remembered the toxic chemical smell emanating from the area.
“You could tell it was bad, and I always remember that as a kid growing up so to see this come to fruition [for] someone who has lived here their whole life, it’s really historic!” said Consalvo.
Mayor Wu also emphasized that an achievement like this was only made possible by people from every level of government coming together.
“This is an incredible example of what’s possible when we finally get all the momentum together because there’s alignment across city, state, federal government and most importantly, listening to the community,” Wu added.
The next phase of the Lower Neponset River superfund site cleanup will be the Riverside Square PCB site.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Kendall Buhl (@WBZKendall) reports.
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