Don’t eat fish downstream from Keddy Mill on Presumpscot River in Windham, EPA warns
Officials are warning the public not to eat fish caught on a stretch of the Presumpscot River in Windham downstream from a former mill site that is undergoing cleanup.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is advising residents not to eat fish caught between the Little Falls Dam and Mallison Falls Dam in South Windham, downstream from the former Keddy Mill site.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention first updated its seafood consumption guidelines in August to place the area under a “do not eat any fish from these waters” status, according to the EPA.
The town of Windham shared a recent EPA advisory and associated fact sheet in a Facebook post this week, which says testing found elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) — toxic chemicals that accumulate in fish tissue.
In 2014, the Keddy Mill on Depot Street was designated as a Superfund site on the National Priorities List, a program that locates, investigates and cleans up hazardous waste sites. Nearly a decade later, the EPA proposed a plan to clean up the polluted site, to the tune of an estimated $17 million and up to four years of work.
Related
EPA takes a step forward in $17 million cleanup of Windham Superfund site
In February, the EPA provided an update on the project, which is to be conducted in multiple phases beginning in early 2027. The first phase includes demolition of the mill complex.
Advertisement
The former mill, which has been dormant since the 1990s, was determined to be a source of contamination of soil, sediment, groundwater and fish in the area, according to the federal agency. That includes PCBs, heavy metals, and petroleum hydrocarbons.
The site was home to a variety of mills over the years, dating to the 1700s. Since the mid-1990s, developers, property owners, the town of Windham, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and EPA have been evaluating the level of toxic contaminants present on the grounds.
The advisory is expected to remain in place until remediation of the site is completed.
Copy the Story Link
Tagged: Department of Environmental Protection, environment, mill, Presumpscot River
Drew is the night reporter for the Portland Press Herald. He previously covered South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth for the Sentry, Leader and Southern Forecaster. Though he is from Massachusetts,. More by Drew Johnson
