BC-ME–Brewer Cleanup, Bjt,310

Agencies to complete cleanup at former Eastern Pulp mill

BREWER, Maine (AP) – The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will begin work next week to complete the removal of thousands of gallons of hazardous materials and other bulk chemicals from the site of the former Eastern Pulp and Paper Co. mill in Brewer.

The idle plant was vacated in March, prompting the state Department of Environmental Protection to secure and consolidate hazardous materials and other waste at the 43-acre site along the Penobscot River.

EPA Regional Administrator Robert Varney said his agency has earmarked $500,000 to pay for the disposal and cleanup.

“This site is a top priority for both the federal EPA and the state DEP,” Varney said. “We will continue to work with the state and take the steps necessary to make sure the chemicals and pollution are cleaned up so that the site no longer poses a threat to the environment or to nearby residences, some of them within a block of the factory.”

First Paper Holding LLC, which purchased assets of bankrupt Eastern Pulp last month, has restarted the Lincoln mill but was not interested in putting the Brewer facility back on line.

Connecticut-based First Paper transferred that property to the city of Brewer, which asked that state and federal environmental agencies remove the chemicals remaining there.

A tour of the plant by environmental officials earlier this year found hundreds of 55-gallon drums or larger containers, hundreds of pails and bagged products, several bulk tanks, several PCB transformers and a large propane tank.

Chemicals identified at the mill included drumnmed and bulk solvents, flammable materials, acids and caustic substances.

All 750 Eastern Pulp employees were laid off in January. First Paper expects to employ about 360 at the Lincoln mill.

AP-ES-06-10-04 1702EDT