ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
                                                                                EJ in New England
                                                      PARKER ST.
     Parker   Street Waste   Site
      U.S. EPA |  ENVIRONMENTAL  JUSTICE  AT EPA  NEW ENGLAND
EPA    NEW   ENGLAND'S    ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE   PROGRAM   works to  protect all people, regardless
of race, color,  national origin  or  income, from environmental  harms and
risks,  and  to  involve  all  citizens  in making decisions that  affect  their
environment. The program is designed to achieve environmental and public
health  improvements for communities  disproportionately burdened by  the
impacts of pollution.
SITE  DESCRIPTION:
The currently estimated 114-acre Parker Street Waste Site is located in northwestern New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Historical use of this area include the disposition of various waste materials prior to it being redeveloped for other
land use purposes, such as residential and commercial structures; the location of a high school and middle school; and
public housing. Through the Superfund removal program, EPA began working with the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental  Protection (MassDEP) in 2009 to define the boundaries of the site. In April 2010, after a sampling
plan was developed  and concurred upon by community leaders, EPA's removal program began taking soil samples to
determine the extent of contamination and to determine whether a removal action is necessary.
SAMPLING  AND CLEANUP:
The primary goals of the current EPA and MassDEP
investigations are to: (1) confirm the perimeter of the
Parker Street Waste Site (the areas or footprint where
there is known to be contamination associated with the
site), and (2) develop a plan to address contamination
and ensure that levels of contaminants that may impact
health are reduced or eliminated.

EPA and MassDEP conducted Phase I soil sampling in
spring of 2010. Sampling analysis and risk  evaluations
conducted for Phase I showed the presence  of elevated
levels of contaminants in surface soils at some proper-
ties, warranting response actions. In the fall of 2010, EPA,
MassDEP, and a representative from either Agency for
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry or Massachusetts
Department of Public Health/Bureau of Environmental
Health discussed the Phase I sampling data with individual
property owners and provided explanatory materials.
The agencies hosted availability sessions for residents of
local housing complexes.

EPA's response effort is being conducted pursuant to the
National Contingency Plan (NCP) and also complies with
the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP). The  MCP
requires elimination or control of hazards when contami-
nants of concern  are found within soils near the surface.
The regulations also prohibit any activities by property
owners that could disrupt contaminated soils until the
contamination  has  been adequately addressed.  EPA
began removing contaminated soil from five properties
in early November 2010 and completed soil excavations
in January 2011. EPA will address additional properties in
the spring of 2011.

Beginning in mid-September 2010, EPA and MassDEP
conducted a second round of soil samples, Phase II, along
the southern and southeastern perimeters of the Parker
Street Waste Site. Phase II sampling was completed in
October 2010, and analysis of the sampling results is
ongoing. Phase II results will be shared with individual
property owners in early spring of 2011. Based on the
results of Phase II sampling, the agencies will determine
whether there is a need for additional sampling to iden-
tify the final footprint of the contamination.

EPA  has funded three separate  Technical  Assistance
Services for Communities (TASC) projects to assist New
Bedford citizens, including: helping establish an educa-
tional network related to environmental justice issues;
providing independent technical advisors; and producing
a series of Community Update documents. More  infor-
mation on the TASC program can be found at www.epa.
gov/superfund/community/tasc.
KEY CONTACTS:


KELSEY O'NEIL
EPA New England
Community Involvement
Coordinator
(617) 918-1799
oneil.kelsey@epa.gov


GENERAL  INFO:


EPA NEW ENGLAND
5 Post Office Square
Suite  100
Boston,  MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1111
www.epa.gov/region1/

TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-888-EPA 7341

LEARN  MORE AT:
www.epa.gov/region1/
parkerstreet
L               United States
               Environmental Protection
               Agency
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                                                                EPA-901-F-11-001
                                                                      April 2011

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