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Papers and Presentations
Supporting the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Initiative (EPA)
This coal house, built in 1899, is part of the Assets Site, an EPA brownfields site in Lowell, Massachusetts, where Volpe staff are performing an environmental site assessment. The EPA Brownfields Initiative helps revitalize urban areas by supporting the cleanup and sustainable redevelopment of contaminated industrial sites.
(Photo courtesy of Mr. Christopher Zevitas)The nation's landscape is littered with "brownfields," vacant or underused industrial and commercial facilities whose redevelopment is often complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. Because lenders, investors, and developers fear that involvement with these sites may make them liable for cleaning up contamination they did not create, they are more attracted to developing sites in pristine areas called "greenfields." The neglected brownfields can create safety and health risks for residents, drive up unemployment, and degrade communities.
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Initiative promotes the cleanup and sustainable redevelopment of brownfields. The Volpe Center is supporting EPA Region 1 in implementing the Brownfields Initiative by conducting environmental site assessments at two Massachusetts sites: the Assets Site in Lowell, and the Gilbertville Woven Label Site in Hardwick. The assessments will determine the extent of contamination, potential solutions for cleanup, and the costs to prepare the sites for redevelopment.
The Assets Site consists of a powerhouse and boiler-and-coal houses that produced steam and hydroelectric power from 1899 through the early 1990s. The buildings are the last of their kind remaining in Lowell, home to the Lowell National Historical Park. The park, which includes historic cotton textile mills, worker housing, and nearly 6 miles of canals, commemorates the history of the American Industrial Revolution in Lowell. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the Assets Site owner, Boott Mills, to acquire the site for inclusion in the Park as an exhibit of historic power-generation technology. The NPS is studying the feasibility of reactivating the Assets powerhouse to power certain elements of the Park, such as the historic light rail trolley (circa 1925) that currently transports visitors through the Park.
In a related project for the NPS, Mr. Terry Sheehan of the Service Assessment Division is performing an alternatives analysis of potential alignments for a proposed extension of this trolley line. The goal for the proposed light rail extension is to serve more of the Lowell community and still blend with the historic fabric of the city and park.
The Gilbertville Woven Label Site includes a machine shop and factory used for textile and other industries from 1947 until the late 1980s. The Town of Hardwick is seeking to redevelop the site for light industrial use.
This 1925 trolley serves the Lowell National Historical Park. Volpe staff are performing an alternatives analysis for a proposed extension of this light rail line.
(National Park Service Photo)
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Redevelopment of both sites is complicated by environmental contamination resulting from leaking storage tanks, previous spills, and the presence of a variety of hazardous materials and waste. Mr. Christopher Zevitas of the Environmental Engineering Division completed the Phase I environmental site assessments for both sites in March 2001. This work included background and historical investigations of each site, which proved to be particularly interesting, especially with regard to the Assets Site, whose ownership history is documented back to 1828. Using the libraries and museums of the NPS and the University of Massachusetts Lowell -- Center for Lowell History, Mr. Zevitas researched historical documents, including detailed engineering drawings dating back to the 1800s. Reviewing the site's environmental history gave him a unique glimpse into the story of the City of Lowell, once one of the largest industrial centers in the United States, and now in the midst of revitalization after years of decline. The city's renaissance -- which stems from the rediscovery of its rich industrial and ethnic heritage -- has been spurred by the vision and will of its citizens, the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas, assistance from the NPS, and, more recently, the EPA. The Volpe Center is proud to be a participant in this worthy endeavor.
The Phase II Site Assessments for both sites, scheduled to begin in May 2001, will involve sampling activities to identify the types and concentrations of contaminants and the areas of contamination to be cleaned. At the conclusion of this work, the Center will determine remediation and cleanup options and develop cost estimates appropriate for the redevelopment plans and future uses. Supporting Mr. Zevitas on the project are Ms. Michelle Morris, Mr. William Halloran, and Ms. Julie Borgesi of the Environmental Engineering Division, and Mr. Robert Hallet of the Service Assessment Division.
