MONTAGUE, Mass. (WWLP) – Senator Edward Markey will be in Turners Falls on Thursday to celebrate a $4.9 million Brownfields Cleanup Grant for the cleanup of the former Strathmore Mill complex.
Healey Suggests 2027 Start For Sagamore Bridge Replacement The former Strathmore Mill complex is located along the Connecticut River on 20 Canal Road in Montague, a village of Turners Falls. The property consists of 10 buildings on nearly 2 acres. It was originally built in 1874 by Keith Paper Company and was acquired by Strathmore Paper Company in 1953. It was in operation until 1994.
A fire in 2007 destroyed one building and damaged two others. Swift River Group bought the property that same year and planned to redevelop into a film school however, the town took over ownership in 2010 due to nonpayment of taxes.
In addition to the $4.9M Brownfields Cleanup Grant, the Town of Montague was awarded $5M in funding from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The town plans to demolish and restore the site to a naturalized parkland use, construction is set to begin in summer 2025.
“DCR’s $5M commitment, in combination with the EPA’s support, provides what we expect to be full funding of the Strathmore Mill Complex demolition project. This will enable the Town to proactively and responsibly address the substantial risks associated with an uncontrolled collapse of the mill, which is increasingly imminent. Further, it will facilitate restoration of the waterfront that lies just downstream of DCR’s Great Falls Discover Center. The Town’s redevelopment vision includes a riverfront park that will allow residents and visitors alike to connect with the Town’s rich indigenous history, its historic industrial legacy, and its unique role as a source of hydropower,” said Montague Town Administrator, Steve Ellis.
2022-10-27_Turners_Falls_Master_Plan_Study_-_Final_Presentation_PART_2 Download The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant funding is from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that helps rebuild infrastructure nationwide. Senator Markey helped secure funding awarded by the EPA to address safety and environmental hazards. He will be joined by Montague Town Administrator Walter Ramsey, EPA Region 1 Administrator David Cash, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bonnie Heiple, and President of the Nolumbeka Project David Brule to deliver remarks and view the complex.
The EPA’s Brownfields Program aims to enhance communities’ ability to repurpose vacant and abandoned properties for new and productive uses. The investments will provide communities with the necessary funding to assess, clean up, and redevelop contaminated properties, boosting local economies, generating jobs, and safeguarding public health and the environment.
Studies have demonstrated that residential property values near remediated brownfield sites have increased by 5 to 15 percent. Data also reveals that cleanup efforts can elevate overall property values within a one-mile radius.
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