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EPA FORMALLY PROPOSES POWNAL TANNERY TO THE SUPERFUND LIST

Release Date: 10/01/1998
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Press Office, 617.565.4592

BOSTON--The United States Environmental Protection Agency today proposed the Pownal Tannery, located on Route 346 in North Pownal, Vermont, to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL, also known as the Superfund, is EPA's list of the country's most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long term cleanup. Superfund makes public funds available to cleanup toxic waste sites when private financing is unavailable.

"Adding the Pownal Tannery to the Superfund list is the first step in cleaning up the toxics left at the long-neglected tannery," said John P. DeVillars EPA's New England administrator. "With support from the community and Governor Howard Dean, we can address the public health and environmental risks while keeping our sights on Pownal's future. Cleanup of the tannery will open the door for reuse and economic gain for this community."

Proposing the site to the NPL opens a 60-day comment period, during which time the public has an opportunity to offer comment and opinion on listing the tannery. Comments must be submitted in writing by November 27, 1998 to:

From 1937 to its closure in 1987, the Pownal Tannery specialized in chrome tanning of sheepskins. Tannery wastes including chromium, a toxic metal, was dumped into large open unlined lagoons near the tannery building. Dyes and waste were also discharged into the Hoosic River which flows past the site.

In 1993, EPA's emergency removal team conducted a preliminary site cleanup removing several barrels of oils and solvents from the building. Further investigations over the past several months reveal widespread contamination to the primary and adjacent lagoons.