Earlier today, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the awarding of a $300,000 grant to the Town of Walpole, aimed at implementing a stormwater green infrastructure project that will help restore groundwater resources damaged by contamination from the Blackburn & Union Privileges (B&U) Superfund site, as reported by the Mass.gov News article.
Recipients of the grant, the Town of Walpole, will utilize the funds in the design, permitting, and construction phases of three stormwater bio-retention and infiltration basins on town-owned properties. In its current state, stormwater runoff on these sites flows directly into nearby surface water, resulting in avoidable degradation and contamination. The new basins are expected to remediate these issues by improving water quality and thereby replenishing groundwater resources in the Head of the Neponset Sole Source Aquifer. Furthermore, the project includes the creation and installation of educational signs highlighting the benefits and positive impacts of the work according to the website.
MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple stated, "With this grant, the Town of Walpole can continue to invest in the green infrastructure needed to better manage stormwater runoff and intense precipitation resulting from the climate crisis." The funding originates from a $1 million settlement between the state and parties responsible for the B&U site contamination. While $300,000 is earmarked specifically to address groundwater resource injuries, an additional $700,000 will go towards addressing damages caused to surface water, streams, wetlands, and soil resources. The joint settlement also involves the U.S. Department of the Interior, which contributed to the reception of funding as reported by the Mass.gov News piece.
State Senator Mike Rush (D-West Roxbury) thanked the Department of Environmental Protection for their support. He highlighted that the health of local groundwater is paramount to the well-being of the area's communities. State Representative Ted Philips (D-Sharon) also added that the stormwater green infrastructure upgrade project "is an important initiative that will not only improve our water quality but also reinforce our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship."
The Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the B&U site offer more details on the settlement and its various components. For further information on MassDEP's NRD Program, dedicated to the protection and enhancement of natural resources in the area, individuals can visit the MassDEP website.
