Cleaning Up New England
SITE UPDATE
Mohawk Tannery Site
Nashua, NH
to productive use.
THE SUPERFUND PROGRAM™ protects human health
and the environment by investigating and cleaning up often-abandoned
\ hazardouswastesites andengagingcommunitiesthroughoutthe process.
Many of these sites are complex and need long-term cleanup actions.
Those responsible for contamination are held liable for cleanup costs.
EPA strives to return previously contaminated land and groundwater
SITE HISTORY:
The former Mohawk Tannery, also known as Granite State Leathers, produced tanned hides for
leather between 1924 and 1984. The Site consists of two contiguous parcels of approximately
15 acres each. The northern parcel housed the tannery and waste disposal operations, while the
southern parcel remained undeveloped. The tannery produced sludge and acidic residues, much of
which was disposed in two lagoons and to a lesser extent, at other areas on the Site. One of the two
lagoonsremain open; thislagoonandthe other disposal areas couldresultinadverse effects to humans
and the ecosystem, including the adjacent Nashua River. The Chester Realty Trust is the current
owner and both parcels are under a purchase and sale agreement with a local private developer,
For approximately 60 years, the former Mohawk Tannery disposed of tannery process waste in
the lagoons. The tannery also disposed of residues in a series of pits and drainage basins in and
around the tannery buildings that existed at the time. The sludge and the soils in all of these areas
are contaminated with heavy metals, dioxin, and semi-volatile organic compounds. Additionally,
EPA has determined that some of the areas discussed above and areas at the Site's southern
parcel hold asbestos containing material (ACM) on the surface and within the subsurface soil.
These contaminants are presently exposed in the open lagoon and surficial soils in various
locations at the Site. Most of the waste lies in the northern parcel in the former lagoons adjacent
to the Nashua River.
The Site was proposed to the EPA National Priorities List (NPL) in 2000 but was never listed.
Although the Site is fenced, its security has been compromised; squatters/trespassers have been
observed throughout the years,
SITE UPDATE
EPA reached an agreement with a local developer, Blaylock Holdings, LLC, ("Blaylock") that will
ensure the successful remediation and beneficial reuse of the Mohawk Tannery Site in Nashua,
N.H., also known as the Mohawk Tannery. EPA encourages public input on the agreement during
the public comment period, which will begin on February 12, 2021 and conclude on March 13,
continued >>
KEY CONTACTS:
MATT AUDET
U.S. EPA Project Manager
617-918-1449
KELSEY DUMVILLE
U.S. EPA Community
Involvement Coordinator
617-918-1003
dumville. kelsey@epa gov
GENERAL INFO:
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-888-EPA-7341
LEARN MORE AT:
www.epa.gov/superfund/
mohawk
fa United States
Oey, Environmental Protection
WwW Agency
February 2021
