The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared Monday the Lower Neponset River in Boston, a 3.7-mile long river that runs through Milton (Dorchester), Mattapan, Hyde Park and Mattapan, a Superfund site. Federal funding will be used to clean up the New England water body.
Michelle Wu, Boston Mayor, stated that dangerous chemicals are not allowed in our waterways and they are not permitted in our communities.
The Lower Neponset River has been added to theList of National PrioritiesThis directory contains a list of the most hazardous and contaminated areas in the country.
Federal funding can be available for NPL areas. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability ActThe Superfund, also known.
According to the EPA WebsiteSuperfund permits EPA officials to clean up contaminated locations. It also requires the parties responsible for contamination to either clean up the site or reimburse the government for EPA’s cleanup work.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, WBURThe discovery of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in the river can be attributed to industrial activity in the area during the 1930s. A federal investigation will look into the possible contamination of the area and determine if the chemicals were used by companies near Neponset River.
PCBs are commonly found in materials used to build schools and public buildings. Officials consider PCBs mostly carcinogenic. They are also linked with neurological and reproductive health problems.
Since 2002, the Boston river has been under study by the United States Geological Survey as well as EPA.
AccordingAccording to a USGS Report, PCB concentrations were discovered in sediment core samples from downstream of Mother Brook. This stream flows into the Neponset.
MassDEP environmental officials removed the PCB-contaminated sediments from Mother Brook in 2007.
Although Mother Brook was cleaned up of the contaminated sediments, a 2013 MassDEP study revealed that PCBs still existed in the Neponset River.
MassDEP officials and environmental activists requested that the EPA review the Neponset, Massachusetts River, in order to determine if it should be included on the National Priorities List. This is because the Neponset River’s water, sediment, fish, and surface water are all contaminated.
Michelle Wu, Boston Mayor, stated that the rivers have contaminated the area’s air quality. This can cause serious health problems for residents who live near the Neponset River area, especially pregnant residents.
The river is also surrounded with trails and bike paths frequented often by Boston residents.
Wu stated that this was a hidden treasure in our community.
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