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Policies, Guidance & Technical Support for Site Cleanup

Guidance (including formal policies technical support documents) related to contaminated site cleanup activities.
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Activity & Use Limitations (AULs)

Open PDF file, 345.88 KB,  Activity & Use Limitation Compliance Reminder (English, PDF 345.88 KB)
Open PDF file, 1.65 MB,  Guidance on Implementing Activity and Use Limitations (English, PDF 1.65 MB)
Open PDF file, 236.73 KB,  MassDEP’s Response to Comments on Interim Guidance on Implementing Activity and Use Limitations (English, PDF 236.73 KB)

Air Emissions

Open PDF file, 593.13 KB,  WSC-25-150 Off-Gas Treatment of Point-Source Remedial Air Emissions (Revised July 28, 2025) (English, PDF 593.13 KB)
Open PDF file, 268.03 KB,  Summary of Significant Changes/Issues and External Comments for WSC-25-150 (English, PDF 268.03 KB)

Analytical Methods (including the CAM)

Open PDF file, 122.97 KB,  WSC-99-415 Preservation Techniques for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Soil Sample Analyses (English, PDF 122.97 KB)
Compendium of Analytical Methods (CAM): WSC-10-320

Chemical-Specific Information

Chemical Research & Standards
Open PDF file, 437.81 KB,  Sampling and Analysis Guidance for PFAS at Disposal Sites Regulated under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (November 2023) (English, PDF 437.81 KB)

Revised guidance regarding when and how to sample and analyze for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (together, PFAS) at disposal sites regulated under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP).

Construction in Contaminated Areas

Open PDF file, 55.78 KB,  WSC-00-425: Construction of Buildings in Contaminated Areas (English, PDF 55.78 KB)
Open PDF file, 62.42 KB,  Real-Time Air Monitoring at Construction and Remediation Sites to Estimate Risks of Contaminated Dust Migration (English, PDF 62.42 KB)

Data Usability

Open PDF file, 251.57 KB,  WSC-07-350 MCP Representativeness Evaluations and Data Usability Assessments (English, PDF 251.57 KB)
Open PDF file, 878.12 KB,  WSC-25-350 MCP Representativeness Evaluations and Data Usability Assessments (Revised October 10, 2025) (English, PDF 878.12 KB)

Dispersant Use

Open PDF file, 187.29 KB,  Dispersant Pre-Authorization Policy (English, PDF 187.29 KB)

Drinking Water Source Areas

Open PDF file, 75.67 KB,  WSC-97-701 Non-Potential Drinking Water Source Areas (English, PDF 75.67 KB)

DRAFT Policies

Open PDF file, 1.86 MB,  Public Comment Draft Characterization of Petroleum Contaminated Sites (English, PDF 1.86 MB)

NOTE: Comments due by August 21, 2026

Open PDF file, 1.67 MB,  Public Comment Draft Characterization of Petroleum Contaminated Sites Background Documentation (English, PDF 1.67 MB)

Note: Comments due by August 21, 2026

Open PDF file, 298.09 KB,  Public Comment Draft Guidance for Persons Performing Response Actions at Massachusetts Contingency Plan Disposal Sites Who May be Generators of Hazardous Waste (English, PDF 298.09 KB)

NOTE: Comments due by May 29, 2026

Open PDF file, 754.35 KB,  Public Comment Draft Interim Policy Regarding the Re-Use of Soil at Disposal Sites Regulated Under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (Comm-25-) October 24, 2025 (English, PDF 754.35 KB)

NOTE: Comments due by December 24, 2025 to COMM-25SoilsPolicy@mass.gov

Comm-25 Derivation of Soil Acceptance Criteria Video
Open XLSX file, 19.41 KB,  Comm-25 Soil Acceptance Criteria Spreadsheet (English, XLSX 19.41 KB)
Open PDF file, 235.18 KB,  Anthropogenic Background/Historic Fill public comment draft (English, PDF 235.18 KB)
Open PDF file, 64.9 KB,  Guidance on the Regulatory Status of Petroleum-Contaminated Remedial Wastewater, August 2009 (English, PDF 64.9 KB)
Open PDF file, 519.63 KB,  Draft Guidance on the Use, Design, Construction, and Monitoring of Engineered Barriers, December 2002 (English, PDF 519.63 KB)
Open PDF file, 1.48 MB,  Public Comment Draft Guidance on the Use, Design, Construction, Monitoring and Maintenance of Engineered Barriers, September 9, 2025 (English, PDF 1.48 MB)

NOTE: Comments due October 24, 2025

Open PDF file, 268.42 KB,  Public Comment Draft Guidance on Establishing Financial Assurance Mechanisms for Engineered Barriers at Chapter 21E Sites, September 9, 2025 (English, PDF 268.42 KB)

NOTE: Comments due October 24, 2025

Open PDF file, 41.67 KB,  Draft Policy: Petitioning for a Case-Specific Designation of a Non-Potential Drinking Water Source Area (English, PDF 41.67 KB)

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets on specific topics related to the cleanup of contaminated properties.

Feasibility Evaluations

Open PDF file, 418.71 KB,  WSC-04-160 Conducting Feasibility Evaluations Under the MCP (English, PDF 418.71 KB)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's/Q&A's)

MCP Q&A | MassDEP BWSC - list of FAQ/Q&A documents

Gardening

Open PDF file, 1.67 MB,  WSC-14-910: Best Management Practices ("BMPS") for Non-Commercial Gardening at Disposal Sites (English, PDF 1.67 MB)

Geophysical Investigations

Open PDF file, 3.17 MB,  WSC-94-311 Standard References for Geophysical Investigations (English, PDF 3.17 MB)

Greener Cleanups

Open PDF file, 728.62 KB,  WSC-14-150 Greener Cleanups Guidance (English, PDF 728.62 KB)

Monitoring Wells

Open PDF file, 343.12 KB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 1 (English, PDF 343.12 KB)
Open DOC file, 2.36 MB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 2 (English, DOC 2.36 MB)
Open PDF file, 5.8 MB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 3 (English, PDF 5.8 MB)
Open PDF file, 2.88 MB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 4 (English, PDF 2.88 MB)
Open PDF file, 2.48 MB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 5 (English, PDF 2.48 MB)
Open PDF file, 1.25 MB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 6 (English, PDF 1.25 MB)
Open PDF file, 420.94 KB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 7 (English, PDF 420.94 KB)
Open PDF file, 1.25 MB,  WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 8 (English, PDF 1.25 MB)
Open PDF file, 784.39 KB,  Standard References for Monitoring Wells: Small Diameter Driven Well Supplement (English, PDF 784.39 KB)

NAPL (Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid)

Open PDF file, 1.71 MB,  WSC-16-450 Light Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL) and the MCP: Guidance for Site Assessment and Closure (English, PDF 1.71 MB)

PRPs (Potentially Responsible Parties)

Open PDF file, 10.18 KB,  WSC-601-90 Previously Non-participating and Newly Identified Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP)s Who Wish to Assume Responsibility for Response Actions (English, PDF 10.18 KB)

Public Involvement

Open PDF file, 147.26 KB,  WSC-800-91 Public Involvement Plan Interim Guidance For Waiver Sites (English, PDF 147.26 KB)

Rail Trails

Open PDF file, 222.55 KB,  Best Management Practices for Controlling Exposure to Soil during the Development of Rail Trails (English, PDF 222.55 KB)

Risk Assessment

Open PDF file, 210.6 KB,  Dioxin Toxicity Equivalency Factors Final Policy Memo, April 17, 2025 (English, PDF 210.6 KB)
Open PDF file, 2.01 MB,  WSC/ORS-95-141 Guidance for Disposal Site Risk Characterization Chapters 1-6 (English, PDF 2.01 MB)
Open PDF file, 2.08 MB,  WSC/ORS-95-141 Guidance for Disposal Site Risk Characterization Chapter 7 (English, PDF 2.08 MB)
Open PDF file, 2.85 MB,  WSC/ORS-95-141 Guidance for Disposal Site Risk Characterization Chapters 8-10, Appendices (English, PDF 2.85 MB)
Open PDF file, 151.69 KB,  Review of LSPA White Paper and Recent EPA Evaluations of Trichloroethylene - Cover Letter, February 19, 2025 (English, PDF 151.69 KB)
Open PDF file, 201.76 KB,  Review of LSPA White Paper and Recent EPA Evaluations of Trichloroethylene - ORS Memo, January 7, 2025 (English, PDF 201.76 KB)
More Risk Assessment Guidance Documents

Soil Management

Open PDF file, 754.35 KB,  Public Comment Draft Interim Policy Regarding the Re-Use of Soil at Disposal Sites Regulated Under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (Comm-25-) October 24, 2025 (English, PDF 754.35 KB)

NOTE: Comments due by December 24, 2025 to COMM-25SoilsPolicy@mass.gov

Comm-25 Derivation of Soil Acceptance Criteria Video
Open XLSX file, 19.41 KB,  Comm-25 Soil Acceptance Criteria Spreadsheet (English, XLSX 19.41 KB)
Open PDF file, 346.25 KB,  Interim Policy on the Re-Use of Soil for Large Reclamation Projects Policy # COMM-15-01 (English, PDF 346.25 KB)
Open PDF file, 520.86 KB,  WSC#13-500: Similar Soils Provision Guidance (English, PDF 520.86 KB)
Open PDF file, 48.74 KB,  WSC-94-400 Interim Remediation Waste Management Policy for Petroleum Contaminated Soils (English, PDF 48.74 KB)
Open PDF file, 251.98 KB,  COMM-97-001: Reuse & Disposal of Contaminated Soil at Massachusetts Landfills (English, PDF 251.98 KB)
Open PDF file, 115.61 KB,  Technical Update: Background Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Metals in Soil (English, PDF 115.61 KB)
Open PDF file, 56 KB,  Technical Update: Considerations for Managing Contaminated Soil: RCRA Land Disposal Restrictions and Contained-In Determinations (English, PDF 56 KB)
Open PDF file, 222.55 KB,  Best Management Practices for Controlling Exposure to Soil during the Development of Rail Trails (English, PDF 222.55 KB)

Training Materials

Current & Past Training Resources

USTs (Underground Storage Tanks)

Coming soon: UST Closure Assessment Manual

Vapor Intrusion

Open PDF file, 2.27 MB,  WSC-16-435 Vapor Intrusion Guidance: Site Assessment, Mitigation and Closure (English, PDF 2.27 MB)
Open PDF file, 2.56 MB,  An Expedited Approach to the Investigation and Mitigation of the Vapor Intrusion Pathway (English, PDF 2.56 MB)
Open PDF file, 212.06 KB,  Guidelines for the Design, Installation, and Operation of Sub-Slab Depressurization Systems (English, PDF 212.06 KB)
Open PDF file, 59.34 KB,  Technical Update: Residential Typical Indoor Air Concentrations (English, PDF 59.34 KB)

VPH/EPH

Open PDF file, 460.84 KB,  WSC-02-411 Characterizing Risks Posed by Petroleum Contaminated Sites: Implementation of the MADEP VPH/EPH Approach (English, PDF 460.84 KB)
Open PDF file, 227.69 KB,  WSC-02-411 Characterizing Risks Posed by Petroleum Contaminated Sites: Implementation of the MADEP VPH/EPH Approach Background Documentation (English, PDF 227.69 KB)
Open PDF file, 2.09 MB,  Evaluation of MassDEP Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbon (VPH) Methods - VPH by GC/PID/FID and VPH by GC/MS, June 2016 (English, PDF 2.09 MB)
Open PDF file, 1.06 MB,  Laboratory Method Validation Study for the Determination of Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Indoor Air (ENSR) (English, PDF 1.06 MB)
Open PDF file, 122.97 KB,  WSC-99-415 Preservation Techniques for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Soil Sample Analyses (English, PDF 122.97 KB)
Open PDF file, 928.86 KB,  Report on Results of the Fall 1997 VPH/EPH Round Robin Testing Program (English, PDF 928.86 KB)
Open PDF file, 1.43 MB,  Sediment Toxicity of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fractions (English, PDF 1.43 MB)
Open PDF file, 950.52 KB,  Interim Final Petroleum Report: Development of Health-Based Alternative to the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) Parameter (English, PDF 950.52 KB)
Open PDF file, 700.54 KB,  Updated Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fraction Toxicity Values for the VPH/EPH/APH Methodology (English, PDF 700.54 KB)
SEE ALSO: Past Training Resource Material
SEE ALSO: Compendium of Analytical Methods (CAM)

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