Senator Timilty, State Reps Support Medfield's Efforts for State Hospital Cleanup

The Town of Medfield received support from its state legislatures regarding its stance on the Division of Capital Asset Management’s (DCAM) remediation proposal regarding the in-river and riverbank contamination found at the site of the former .

State Senator James E. Timilty and State Representatives Daniel B. Winslow and Denise C. Garlick, each representing Medfield as part of Norfolk County, wrote a joint letter to DCAM’s Commissioner Carole Cornelison on Sept. 28, requesting the state agency withdraw its permit application with the Army Corps of Engineers for the .

The legislatures asked DCAM to consider “all permanent alternatives,” according to the letter sent to the agency. The same request was made by Medfield town officials to DCAM since the town learned DCAM's proposal calls for a “temporary solution” to cap the oil found in the Charles River, instead of removing the contamination permanently from the site.

“While we commend the Commonwealth for its initiative to begin remediation of the site, the affected community and interested parties remain unanimous in their opposition to the plan to cap rather than remove the contaminated area adjacent to the Charles River,” the letter stated. “The Board of Selectmen, Medfield State Hospital Environment Review Committee (SHERC), Public Improvement Process (PIP) and the Charles River Watershed Association have all expressed concerns that the current remediation plan is being implemented in a short-sighted, fractional manner that will not result in a permanent solution that protects the nearby well water and the long term health of residents of Medfield and the surrounding area.

“It is our hope and expectation that DCAM, along with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, will work in cooperation with the affected community to consider cleanup alternatives and select, through a transparent public process, one which is acceptable to all parties.”

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler Peterson said the letter sent by Medfield’s representatives was a welcomed addition to the town’s quest for an alternative solution to DCAM's current proposal, which the town ultimately hopes is permanent removal of oil and contaminated soil from the site.

“I had not expected the letters of support the town’s position received from our elected representatives, as we had not asked for or sought those letters,” Peterson said. “I was heartened when I saw those letters. It does seem logical to me that they would support the town, as we are the entity whose residents elect them.”

The best possible outcome regarding remediation of the contaminated area of the site, according to Peterson, is permanently removing the oil and contaminated soil from the site to assure the property is both usable and safe.

“The site need not be pristine, but it should be safe to future users of the site and should not present any risk to the town’s water supply,” Peterson said. “The salvage area and the clay containment areas have been wonderfully cleaned up and there is no question that those areas are now both much more usable and safe. I personally imagine that in the future, the C&D area will be an area of high usage by Massachusetts residents, because of its combination of good river access, accessible street access, and the sheer beauty of the area, so I hope that area gets equally wonderful treatment by the state clean up process.”

Peterson remains confident that DCAM and the Town of Medfield can work together towards a solution that is acceptable for both parties and is ultimately in the best interest of the town.

“I am still looking forward to working with DCAM to make this reuse a success and in the short term, I anticipate working with them on the new feasibility study they will be undertaking to explore the range of possible uses for the site,” Peterson said. “It is an exciting time and opportunity for Medfield, where Commissioner Cornelison has opened the door wide to all possible uses.”

The Medfield Board of Selectmen are expected to discuss the remediation work and current status of the state hospital site at Tuesday’s meeting.