WR Grace Superfund Site

In southeast Acton is located the WR Grace Superfund Site; in 1978 it was discovered that toxins from the Grace site had contaminated two of Acton’s drinking water wells, which were then shut down. In 1983 it was declared a federal Superfund site, and remediation has been ongoing for much of the time since. Acton Citizens for Environmental Safety (ACES) was formed to watchdog the process and was the primary resident and community vehicle, along with the Town, for monitoring and review of cleanup progress. For more about ACES, follow this link.

WR Grace: web content from the Green Acton era (2016–present)

General background

• WRG location map (from the 2013 Citizens Update)
• EPA website for WRG Superfund Site

Green Acton coverage of WRG site (most recent on top)

• Heads up:  Prep your questions and comments for WR Grace status and reuse meeting (Jan. 19, 2021)
• Meeting about Reuse of the WR Grace Site set for February 3 (Jan. 4, 2021)
• Perspectives:  Making the case for 1,4-dioxane remediation at EPA Headquarters in D.C. (Jan. 23, 2020)
• Green Acton statement to EPA about 1,4-dioxane at WR Grace (Nov. 15, 2019)
• Summary of 2019 Five-Year Review Report (Oct. 3, 2019)
• Lack of Progress on Remediation of 1,4-dioxane at WR Grace Superfund Site (June 3, 2019)
• Progress on Remediation of VOCs at WR Grace Superfund Site (May 29, 2019)
• GA Provides Stakeholder Input for WRG Superfund Site Five-Year Review (May 23, 2019)
• Missed the 1,4-dioxane panel? View it here (Oct. 29, 2018)
• Has Acton’s 1,4-dioxane situation been getting better or worse? (Oct. 18, 2018)
• Perspectives: 1,4-dioxane in Acton’s Waters (Oct. 12, 2018)
• 2016 GA comments on WR Grace clean up plan (Jun 4, 2016)

Selected External Links:

• Preliminary Reuse Assessment (from EPA, revised Oct. 2005)

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WR Grace: the following content is archived here from the ACES website (from approx. 2001–2014)

Background Information

• History/Status of Site (through 2010)
• Chronology of Site (1951–2010)
• Summary of June 12, 2003 Public Meeting
• ACES June 2003 Public Statement
• Information on EPA website

EPA Cleanup Plan, 2005

• Proposed Cleanup Plan, and Comments, July 2005
  • Proposed Cleanup Plan, July 2005
  • Town, AWD, and ACES Disappointed in Proposed Plan
  • Town, AWD, and ACES Request Extension of Public Comment Period
  • ACES Bullet Points re: Inadequacies of EPA Plan
• Final Cleanup Plan, (Record of Decision—ROD), September 2005
  • ROD Summary
  • EPA Record of Decision, September 2005

EPA Community Updates

• August 2001
• December 2002
• EPA Press Release June 2003
• July 2009 Community Update
• Third EPA Five-Year Review, July 2009
• Fourth EPA Five-Year Review, Sept 2014

Public Health

• Two Health-Related Studies
• Public Health Risk Assessment, EPA Superfund Cleanup
• ATSDR Public Health Assessment: Status Update
• ACES Comments on ATSDR Health Study, Oct. 2008
• Background Information on Public Health Questions
• ACES Questions to ATSDR About Public Health

Maps and Tables

• Background information (Read First)
• Map 1: Area Map
• Map 2: Source Areas for Contamination
• Plume maps showing VDC (vinylidene chloride) contamination:
  • Map 3: 1984
  • Map 4: February 2001
  • Map 5: June 2002
  • Map 6: Cross Section (Vertical Distribution), June 2002
  • Map 7: Fall 2002
• Plume map showing other contaminants
  • Map 8: Vinyl Chloride, June 2002
  • Map 9: Benzene, June 2002
• Table 1. Summary of Compounds Detected in Groundwater, August 2000–June 2002

Additional Information

• Public Repository of WR Grace Documents
• Additional sources of information