Former National Fireworks Site Forum
The Town of Hanover will hold a forum regarding the Former National Fireworks Site on Thursday, January 11, 2024, at 7:00 pm, virtually and in person at Hanover High School, 287 Cedar Street, Hanover, MA.
Webinar address: https://hanover-ma-gov.zoom.us/j/86871143516
The agenda encompasses a discussion on the current status and potential classification of the Former National Fireworks Site as a Superfund Site.
The (former) National Fireworks site was used for research, development, manufacturing, and testing of munitions and pyrotechnics for the U.S. government, as well as commercial manufacturing of civilian fireworks and other non-munitions-related manufacturing. Mercury, lead, organic solvents, propellants, and explosives were used in the manufacturing operations and have contaminated the site.
Clean-up activities since 2015 have been funded by the Tronox Incorporated Expendable Trust, which was established as part of a bankruptcy settlement with a Potentially Responsible Party (approximately $74 million). Until recently, the Town of Hanover was hopeful that the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office would successfully negotiate a settlement with the potentially responsible parties – namely the Department of Defense, MIT, and National Coatings Inc. – to secure funds required to fully clean the site. However, the Town’s understanding now is that those negotiations, which the Town was not a party to, were unsuccessful. Therefore, as of today, sufficient funding is not available to complete the clean-up activities to the extent required under Massachusetts' waste site cleanup regulations. MassDEP estimates significant additional funding, in excess of funds available in the Tronox Incorporated Expendable Trust, will be required to complete the necessary environmental cleanup.
Due to additional funding needed to complete the cleanup, MassDEP has requested that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) become involved with the site. The EPA has additional funding resources to address hazardous waste sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) once a site is added to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).
Meeting participants on January 11, 2024, will include the Town of Hanover, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
The Town of Hanover encourages residents and interested individuals to participate in the meeting.
Remote Participation
- Webinar address: https://hanover-ma-gov.zoom.us/j/86871143516
- Telephone: Dial one of the following phone numbers: 929-205-6099; 312-626-6799; 301-715- 8592; 346-248-7799; 669-900-6833; 253-215-8782
- If you are a dial-in participant and would like to ask a question, please press *9 to enter the question queue.
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- Webinar ID: 868 7114 3516