In Concord, Massachusetts, near the border with Acton, there is a federal Superfund site — the Nuclear Metals, Inc. site — that is threatening Acton’s water supply through contamination of Acton’s Assabet wells. The main concern is 1,4-Dioxane, a probable human carcinogen that moves readily through groundwater. These are the same wells that were contaminated… Continue reading →
Tribute to Charlotte Sagoff – Social Justice
From John Abernethy:
Planting Plan and Volunteer Opportunities
The garden design seeks to create a sustainable tribute to Charlotte, with: flower/foliage characteristics that include drought tolerance; use of native plants, herbs, daisies, groundcovers, bulbs and wildflowers; easy care; fragrant tall plants along the sidewalk to provide screening, and between the children’s library windows; spring to fall continuum of bloom; and a tapestry of… Continue reading →
Additional Sources of Information
For more information on the WR Grace Superfund Site in Acton, Massachusetts:
Public Repository of WR Grace Documents – Additional Information
The Acton Memorial Library maintains a public repository of documents about the WR Grace Site. These documents, dating back to the 1970’s, can be found in a loft area (accessed by a small spiral staircase), above the Civil War exhibit on the second floor of the library. (Please ask at the reference desk, if you… Continue reading →
Public Repository of WR Grace Documents
The Acton Memorial Library maintains a public repository of documents about the WR Grace Site. These documents, dating back to the 1970’s, can be found on the second floor, in the oldest portion of the library. (Please ask at the reference desk, if you need assistance.) WR Grace documents are also available for public review… Continue reading →
Background Information for Maps and Tables (Read First)
Many of the maps and tables on this website are from the Draft Remedial Investigation Report, OU-3, WR Grace Superfund Site, Acton, MA, by GeoTrans, Inc. August 30, 2002. The Remedial Investigation Report (“RI”) was produced by WR Grace’s consultant, GeoTrans, in order to comply with federal requirements as part of the EPA “Superfund” process.… Continue reading →
ACES Questions to ATSDR About Public Health
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS for the upcoming 2003/2004 ATSDR Public Health Assessment Introduction: ACES has two main lines of concern about past and present contamination from the WR Grace Superfund Site, one related to following up on previously identified health risk concerns, and the other to addressing newly identified potential health risks. Our concerns are detailed in Sections… Continue reading →
Background Information on Public Health Questions
Public Wells Contaminated In 1978 two Acton town wells were found to be contaminated with organic compounds. (Contamination was later found to have come from a nearby industrial site, now designated as the WR Grace Superfund Site.) These public wells, Assabet I and Assabet II, had been in operation since the early 1970’s, and in… Continue reading →
ATSDR Public Health Assessment – Status Update
On August 26, 2008 the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, (ATSDR), held a public meeting in Acton on their Public Comment Release, ATSDR Public Health Assessment of the WR Grace Superfund Site in Acton, MA. Appendix G of this report is an Assessment of Cancer Incidence in Acton and Concord Census Tract… Continue reading →