Biddeford buys MERC land, starts 'new era' ; City and company officials had delayed the closure of the sale while they waited for state approval of an environmental cleanup plan.

Portland Press Herald, 2012-11-30

By Gillian Graham

Biddeford buys MERC land, starts 'new era'

City and company officials had delayed the closure of the sale while they waited for state approval of an environmental cleanup plan.

By Gillian Graham ggraham@mainetoday.com

Staff Writer

BIDDEFORD - Biddeford officially purchased the Maine Energy Recovery Co. property on Friday, sealing a historic deal the city manager called "a long time coming."

"It's the beginning of an incredibly new era for the city," said City Manager John Bubier.

Bubier signed documents closing the sale around noon at City Hall in front of a small group of city officials. Representatives with Casella Waste Systems, the seller of the property, had already signed the documents late Thursday and earlier Friday.

The approval late Thursday of a cleanup plan at Maine Energy Recovery Co. cleared the way for the sale, which was nearly delayed until next week.

The city of Biddeford is purchasing the site of the waste-to- energy incinerator from its parent company, Casella Waste Systems, for $6.65 million. City officials hope the MERC closure will stimulate economic development downtown and in the mill district.

City officials said this week they would not close on the sale until approval had been granted under the state's Voluntary Response Action Program to clean up the site. A Department of Environmental Protection official said Thursday that the state review of the plan could take several more days, which meant the closing would be pushed back until next week. However, the city received approval late yesterday.

Environmental tests performed on the MERC property revealed dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls. Casella will close MERC at the end of the year and then dismantle the facility.

Nick Hodgkins, an oil and hazardous waste specialist with the DEP, outlined in the VRAP approval letter the steps MERC and the city will take to clean up the site. He said the two parties will implement the work plan recommendations of Credere Associates, the Westbrook firm hired to do the environmental testing.

The work plan calls for the removal of PCB contaminated soils and underground and aboveground storage tanks, as well as any associated contamination. The clean up also will address any asbestos, lead- based paint, universal waste containerized wastes and materials containing PCB found during demolition of the MERC facility, according to the VRAP letter.

No potable wells will be installed on the property in the future and use of the area must be consistent with other property uses in the area. Approval of the work plan also requires the development of soil management and groundwater management plans, according to Hodgkins.

The city and MERC will be protected from enforcement actions if they follow the plan. The state will issue a VRAP certificate of completion after remedial efforts are complete.

Mayor Alan Casavant said this week the closure of MERC after years of complaints about odor and noise represents a turning point for the city. The purchase demonstrates the city's commitment to economic development and overcoming negative stereotypes associated with the trash incinerator, he said.

"We're changing the paradigm, we're changing the stereotype and we're moving forward," he said.

Originally published by By Gillian Graham ggraham@mainetoday.com Staff Writer.

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