Press Release  MassDEP Fines Vacant Industrial Building Owner for Waste Site Cleanup Violations in Worcester

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has fined Alfa Capital Realty Trust $31,000 for violating waste site cleanup regulations. 

In January 2023, Alfa Capital Realty Trust acquired the property at 29 Bluff Street in Worcester. The property is a listed Disposal Site under the state’s waste site cleanup regulations due to the presence of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in groundwater from historical contamination. Since July 2023, MassDEP has issued five formal notices to the Trust outlining the required actions and deadlines to hire a Licensed Site Professional (LSP) and continue the site assessment activities initiated by the previous owner. The Trust failed to hire an LSP or submit the required documentation to comply with state regulations.  

“Owners who purchase property in Massachusetts become responsible for addressing releases of oil and hazardous material on that property, regardless of when the contamination occurred or who caused it,” said John Beling, regional director of the MassDEP Central Regional Office in Worcester. “Failure to conduct the required assessment and cleanup puts public health and safety at risk for neighboring residents and the surrounding community as well.” 

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