Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Grant to Restore Groundwater Damaged by Blackburn & Union Privileges Superfund Site in Walpole

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced that $300,000 has been awarded to the Town of Walpole to implement a stormwater green infrastructure project that will help restore groundwater resources damaged because of contamination from the Blackburn & Union Privileges (B&U) Superfund site. The grant is available through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP) Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Program, which utilizes site settlement funds to support projects that help to repair and restore injured natural resources.

The Town of Walpole will use project funds to design, permit, and construct three stormwater bio-retention and infiltration basins on town-owned properties. Currently, stormwater at the town-owned sites runs directly into nearby surface water. These basins are expected to improve water quality and replenish groundwater resources in the Head of the Neponset Sole Source Aquifer. The development and installation of educational signs describing the benefits of the projects are also included as part of the grant.

“MassDEP has partnered with local stakeholders over many years to clean up the Blackburn & Union Privileges Superfund site in order to protect the environment and public health,” said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. “With this grant, the Town of Walpole can continue to invest in the green infrastructure needed to better manage stormwater runoff and intense precipitation resulting from the climate crisis.”

Funds for this project and previous projects came from a $1 million settlement agreement with responsible parties connected to the B&U site and addresses injuries to surface water resources such as streams and wetlands, along with soil and groundwater resources. While this $300,000 portion of the settlement is specific to the state for injuries to groundwater resources, the Commonwealth and the U.S. Department of the Interior jointly received $700,000 for injuries to surface water and used it for natural resource restoration to compensate the public for injuries to natural resources caused by the release of hazardous substances into the environment from the B&U site.

“Thank you to the Department of Environmental Protection for awarding this critical funding to the Town of Walpole,” said State Senator Mike Rush (D-West Roxbury). “The health of our local groundwater is paramount to the wellbeing of our communities and this grant funding will go a long way to rehabilitating affected areas.”

“This funding represents a critical investment in preserving and restoring Walpole's natural resources,” said State Representative Ted Philips (D-Sharon). “The Stormwater Green Infrastructure Upgrade project, made possible by this grant, is an important initiative that will not only improve our water quality but also reinforce our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.”

Additional information about the settlement is available in the Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the site. To learn more about MassDEP’s NRD program, click here.

MassDEP’s mission is to protect and enhance the Commonwealth’s natural resources – air, water and land – to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all people, and to ensure a clean and safe environment for future generations. In carrying out this mission, MassDEP commits to address and advance environmental justice and equity for all people of the Commonwealth; to provide meaningful, inclusive opportunities for people to participate in agency decisions that affect their lives; and to ensure a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

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