vyEPA www.epa.gov EPA-XXX-FS-XX-XXX TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR COMMUNITIES On action at the Parker Street Waste site This fact sheet is part of a series that illustrates the services provided by U.S. EPA's Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program. Community Technical Assistance Needs The Parker Street Waste site covers an area greater than 114 acres in New Bedford, Massachusetts. EPA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the City of New Bedford are assessing and cleaning up the site and working to determine the boundaries of the site's contamination. The project area includes local schools and athletic fields as well as residential and commercial properties. Portions of the project area were used as a landfill for industrial and household wastes between the 1930s and 1950s, leading to contamination of area soils and ground water. The local community has been very engaged in the site's cleanup, which also includes other partners, including the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. At the outset of site investigations, the community initially expressed frustration with the limited availability of site information and the technical nature of site documents. EPA Region 1 worked with community members to identify their information needs and priorities, leading to a request from Citizens Leading Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), a local community organization, for TASC technical assistance in fall 2009. "I discovered TASC through the program's website," CLEAN President Eddie Johnson recalled. "TASC helped us get the ball rolling, the technical assistance helped us understand the site and how we could make something happen here." The TASC Response Following a community needs assessment in 2009, TASC worked to address local priorities. In addition to providing community health workshops and producing community outreach materials to keep the community informed regarding site activities, TASC's assistance has focused on the community's top priority - technical advising services that enable community members to engage as informed participants in the site's assessment and cleanup. TASC provided a technical advisor to educate community members and help them better understand technical site reports and to help CLEAN provide comments on these reports. Over the past two years, the technical advisor has attended site meetings, provided educational presentations at community meetings, and reviewed site data and commented on technical site documents on behalf of the community. Sample collection at the site. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technical Assistance Services for Communities New Bedford Parker Street Waste Site ------- Process Outcomes: Community Benefits TASC services have enabled the community and EPA to work together as partners, creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and shared responsibility. At a public meeting in February 2011, CLEAN Vice-President Tom Derosier commented on the change in the community's relationship with EPA since TASC involvement. "I'm astounded ... that there's this much attention being paid to the site," he said. "This is exactly what the City of New Bedford needs." • The community now has a detailed understanding of the site assessment and cleanup process, next steps and project timeframes. • The community can now effectively share site-related needs and concerns with the agencies responsible for protecting public health and the environment. • EPA and its agency partners benefit from feedback from an engaged, informed community partner which can be incorporated into the site's assessment and cleanup. • All parties benefit from the establishment of routine and consistent communication and coordination regarding site activities and plans. CLEAN President Eddie Johnson describes TASC's technical assistance services as "beyond valuable," stating that CLEAN members and local citizens appreciate that EPA is listening to TASC's technical advisor and the community's input and incorporating their feedback into the cleanup process. What is the TASC Program? www.epa.gov/superfund/corrimunity/tasc #!| k\i pi i 1if Technical Assistance Services for Communities is a u s EPA program that provides educational and technical assistance to communities affected by hazardous waste sites regulated by the Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act programs. TASC offers assistance to help communities better understand local hazardous waste issues and engage in the cleanup process. For more information on EPA's TASC program, please contact: Jim Murphy TASC Coordinator - EPA Region 1 (617) 918-1028 murphy.jim@epa.gov U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technical Assistance Services for Communities Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper ------- |