State Releases Audit on Clean-up of Former Framingham Gas Plant Site

The state released a comprehensive site audit report on the clean up of 350 Irving Street.

However, the Town of Framingham has “concerns” about the progress of the clean-up by the property owner, as outlined in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) report.

Eversource Energy (formerly NSTAR Gas and Electric Company) is the owner of property located at 350 Irving St. in Framingham. The state’s audit reviewed Eversource’s progress in cleaning up coal tar and other toxins from its former gas plant.

The Town is encouraged by the comprehensive scope but equally concerned with the numerous instances in which MassDEP found Eversource to be in noncompliance with DEP’s regulations regarding the assessment and cleanup work, said a press release from the the Town of Framingham.

“While we all would have liked to have the site audit report completed sooner, I am impressed with the thoroughness of the review and comprehensiveness of the findings,” said Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin.

“Now that it has been released the Town will be moving quickly to meet with Eversource and, working through the Board of Health and our environmental specialist, review the areas of noncompliance. The Town will continue monitoring the company’s progress to bring the property into compliance on a month by month basis.” said Halpin, in a written statement.

One result of the site audit report and findings is that Mass. DEP has directed Eversource Energy to submit a proposed “Scope of Work” by no later than July 15 for carrying out significant additional investigation work at 350 Irving Street.

This additional investigative work will be used to revise and update the current remediation and site closure documentation for 350 Irving Street. This additional investigative work may take up to a year or more to complete.

Landscape Depot, and a couple of other businesses, currently operate at 350 Irving Street now.

While it is the MassDEP that oversees and enforces compliance with its regulations and oversees all technical aspects of environmental work at 350 Irving Street, the Town of Framingham is moving forward to meet with representatives of Eversource Energy to review the report’s findings and to make certain that the concerns of the Town government and the community are addressed including concerns as to the suitability of the site for the existing commercial businesses operating at the location during this period of noncompliance.