Press Release  MassDEP, EPA to Host Exercise to Test Oil Spill Response and Preparedness Plans for Merrimack River

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1 will host a joint Geographic Response Strategies exercise next week to test the feasibility of plans that have been developed to contain and recover oil spilled into the Merrimack River. The two-day exercise will be held Monday, June 2 and Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Lowell Heritage State Park, 160 Pawtucket Blvd, Lowell, and the nearby Rourke Brothers Boat Ramp. On June 2, exercises are scheduled at Sampas Pavillion and Sheehy Memorial Park, 499 Pawtucket Street, Lowell. On June 3, exercises are scheduled at Douglas Field, 200 Wotton Street, North Chelmsford. These tests are the first oil spill preparedness exercises testing updated response strategies for the Merrimack River community.

"We are pleased to host this joint exercise and test our emergency preparedness strategies in the event that an oil spill ever threatens the Merrimack River," said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. "Being prepared to divert and collect oil from environmentally sensitive areas will help us protect and preserve the historic sites and tributaries in this area."

"This exercise is tremendous preparation for the collaboration, expertise, and teamwork needed to quickly and effectively address oil spills in our waters," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Mark Sanborn. "The Merrimack River is a source of drinking water for more than 500,000 people and a treasured recreation resource for millions."

MassDEP and EPA are expected to be joined during the exercise by public safety officials from the towns of Chelmsford and Tyngsborough and the City of Lowell. EPA’s contractor, Nuka Research and Planning Group (NUKA), and MassDEP’s contractor, Moran Environmental, will facilitate exercise operations and evaluation.

In 2022, EPA and NUKA updated Geographic Response Strategies for locations along the Merrimack River in northern Massachusetts to respond to potential oil spills and protect sensitive natural resources. This exercise will test the feasibility of containing and recovering oil, and protecting sensitive areas from contamination using absorbents, booms, and other equipment contained in the inland waterway spill response trailer that MassDEP has provided to local communities. The trailer utilized in this exercise is stationed in the city of Lowell. Information on the inland Geographic Response Strategies program may be found on EPA’s website.

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