By CHRIS COLLINS
(Turners Falls, MA) — A long-blighted downtown Turners Falls property is headed for an environmental cleanup.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has informed the Montague Selectboard that it will be doing an extensive environmental examination and cleanup on what is left of the former Railroad Salvage property. The $1.8 million-plus cleanup will see any and all environmentally hazardous materials removed from the site, with the remainder of the debris to be left behind for the owner to remove.
“As far as what may be on that site, it’s likely we won’t know for sure until they do the work,” Town Administrator Steve Ellis said.
Ellis also said the potential scope of the environmental damage at the site may force the board to reconsider its desire to take ownership of the property for non-payment of taxes–a case which has been stuck in Land Court for years.
“It’s worth thinking about,” Ellis told the selectboard. “We need to know exactly what we may be inheriting.”
One person overjoyed by the EPA’s involvement is long-time Selectboard member Michael Nelson.
“I know we’ve waited years for this (cleanup),” Nelson said. “I feel like we should have a party or something.”
The EPA work is slated to commence later this year.