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Callahan Mine Added to National Priorities List (Superfund)

Release Date: 09/04/2002
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Press Office, 617-918-1064

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today added the Callahan Mine in Brooksville, Maine to the National Priorities List (NPL), commonly known as the Superfund. The Superfund is EPA's list of the country's hazardous waste sites that have been identified for possible long-term cleanup by the federal government. Superfund makes public funds available to clean up toxic waste sites when private financing is unavailable. The government can later recoup its costs from current and past owners of the property.

"Old mining sites pose significant environmental risks. For more than a century rainwater and snowmelt have been leaching metals from the tailings into Goose Pond, causing environmental damage to the fishery," said Robert W. Varney, EPA New England regional administrator. "Today's listing ensures that this site will get cleaned up. We are looking forward to working closely with the community to help us every step of the way."

The Callahan Mine is a former 150-acre zinc and copper open pit mine. Mining operations were conducted adjacent to and beneath Goose Pond, a tidal estuary, and is said to be the only intertidal metal mine in the world at the time of its operation. There are large waste piles, a tailings pond, and several buildings and structures left from the mining activities. The open pit mine ceased operations in 1972 and was flooded by opening a dam at Goose Falls. The mine is currently under water and is subject to daily tidal exchange in Goose Pond.

Last week, EPA announced plans to take a 12-acre former vehicle repair and salvage yard, the Pinette's Salvage Yard site in Washburn, Maine, off the Superfund, having completed a $12.5 million cleanup.

EPA, today, also added the Hatheway and Patterson site in Mansfield, Massachusetts to the Superfund list.