Mackenzie Leahy

Environmental Regulations Final

1. Initially I searched for an interesting site in towns near my home address, including Bellingham, Franklin,
Whitinsville, Northbridge, and Uxbridge; I was unable to find anything of great interest. Therefore I decided
to direct my attention to a Superfund Site in Massachusetts that was guaranteed to lead me to something
interesting. I decided to look into the South Weymouth Naval Air Station Superfund Site.
1134 MAIN ST ROUTE 18
WEYMOUTH, MA 02190-1559
EPA Registry Id: 110024373177

(EPA Waste Site Cleanup & Reuse in New England, EPA FRS Facility Detail Report)
2. I will be focusing on the Superfund site with a 1.5 mile radius as well as the Weymouth Great Pond,
encompassing part of Weymouth, Rockland, and a very small portion of Holbrook.
(EPA MyMaps for MyEnvironment, MassGIS Oliver, Sanborn map, Weymouth, May 1928-1950 sheet 1a,
Google Maps)
3. RETROSPECTIVE DATA:

Physical Setting Information for Site and Surrounding Area

Source

Topography
Site Elevation

Approx. 40-50 meters above sea level

MassGIS Oliver

Closest Surface Water

French Stream

MassGIS Oliver

Old Swamp River

Closest Body of Water

Weymouth Great Pond

MassGIS Oliver

Aquifers

2 High Yield w/ Surrounding Low Yield

MasGIS Oliver

4 Low Yield (1 Located at Weymouth Great

Pond)
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type Directly Onsite

Udorthents, 0-15 percent slope

Urban Land, 0-8 percent slope

MassGIS Oliver

Udorthents, loamy
Udorthents, sandy
Geology/Hydrogeology
Formation

Sand/Gravel

MassGIS Oliver

Till/Bedrock
Floodplain Alluvium
(Swamp/Marsh)
Land/Area Description
No. of Buildings On Site

Unknownminimum of 82

Boston Globe Graphic

(US Navy, EPA)

Current Compliance
Status

No Violation

EPA Detailed Facility

Report

Air Quality

Non-Attainment Ozone

EPA Detailed Facility

Report

Water Quality

Permit ID 110024373177

EPA Detailed Facility

Report

NPL Status

Currently on Final NPL

EPA Envirofacts

Site Characteristics (Including 1.5 mile radius & Weymouth Great Pond)
Contaminated Area
Remediated

Underground Bladder Tank Fuel Storage

North
Small Landfill East
West Gate Landfill West
Rubbage Disposal East
Tile Leach Field Southwest
Firefighting Training Area South

MassGIS Oliver
Boston Globe Graphic
(US Navy, EPA)

Sites Still Under

Investigation/Remediation
by the Navy

Sewage Treatment Plant North

Boston Globe Graphic

Solvent Release Area Central

(US Navy, EPA)

Building Shops, Water Tower, Power House,

Hazardous Waste Storage Area Central
Building 81 Central
Building 82 Central
Aqueous Firefighting Foam Release Central
Old Hangar 2, Transformer Oil Site Southwest
AUL (Activity and Use
Limitation) Sites

RTN 4-3017527 Oil and Hazardous Material

Naval Base Building 14
RTN 4-3013157 Oil Naval Base Building 8

MassGIS Oliver
MassDEP Wasted Site/
Reportable Releases

RTN 4-3015379 Oil Naval Base Building 24

RTN 4-3010469 Oil Naval Base Building 31
Non-Potential Drinking
Water Source Areas

1 High Yield w/ 1 Surrounding Low Yield that

overlap w/ Aquifer

MassGIS Oliver

2 Low Yield that overlap w/ Aquifer

1 Low Yield w/ no Aquifer overlap
DEP Chapter 21E Sites
(Waste Cleanup)

2 Tier II Sites No Permit Required

MassGIS Oliver

DEP Integrated List Rivers

French Stream Total Maximum Daily Load

Impaired

MassGIS Oliver

Old Swamp River Total Maximum Daily Load

Impaired

EPA MyEnvironment,
MyWater

Other Surrounding Waters Impaired

DEP BWP Large Quantity
Toxic Users

1 Facility 56 Air Station Industrial Park,

Rockland

MassGIS Oliver

DEP BWP Large Quantity

Generators of Hazardous
Waste EPA-RCRA

1 Facility 56 Air Station Industrial Park,

Rockland

MassGIS Oliver

Regulated
DEP BWP Large Quantity
Generators of Hazardous
Waste MA Regulated

1 Facility 1419 Main Street, Weymouth

MassGIS Oliver

Unlined Municipal Solid

Waste Landfill

2 Inactive

MassGIS Oliver

Surface Water Protection

Zone A, B, and C Protection Weymouth Great

Pond, Old Swamp River

MassGIS Oliver

Underground Storage
Tanks

7 Facilities US Naval Air Station, Richards

Auto Service, Family Service Station, Econo
Gas, Yellow Transportation Inc, South Shore
Terminals Inc, P Calliacco Corp

MassGIS Oliver

FEMA NFHL Data

South Weymouth Naval Air Base Not Included

MassGIS Oliver

MassDEP Water Supply

Protection Act

Surrounding 1.5 mile radius and Weymouth

Great Pond have large protection zones as well
as vernal pools

MassGIS Oliver

Air Emissions

11 Facilities

EPA MyEnvironment,
MyMaps

1 Facility w/ Toxic Releases to Air

Water Discharge

1 Facility
1 EPA Water Monitor for Metal and Radiating

Hazardous Waste

49 Facilities
2 Superfund Sites

EPA MyEnvironment,
MyMaps

EPA MyEnvironment,
MyMaps

1 Toxic Releases to Land

4. PROSPECTIVE DATA:

Potential Impacts

Source

Land
Surface Water Protection

Without proper handling, a major facility could

run into issues related to the protection zones

MassGIS Oliver

that surround the Weymouth Great Pond along

with other bodies of water.

5.

Groundwater Protection,
Vernal Pools, Surface
Water

Attempts to eliminate underground storage

tanks without proper handling and removal
could impact the local wildlife as well as the
drinking water of the surrounding areaan
issue that is already present.

Air Emissions, Water

Discharge, Hazardous
Waster

Though the area would not see an increase in

pollutions, a major facility could greatly impact
the surrounding businesses that currently hold
permits, and a large increase to one specific
area, versus multiple smaller businesses could
potentially risk the health of surrounding
households.

Boston Globe Graphic,

MassGIS Oliver

In considering the purchase of land at the current Superfund Site, there are many potential liabilities that
could become an issue, covering a wide range of contamination. Since closure in 1996, South Weymouth
Naval Air Base remains holding Hazardous Waste, Landfills, Leaching, Rubbage, Sewage Treatment Plants,
Storage Tanks, and Oil Waste. The most important sources of liability previously listed would be Hazardous
Waste and Oil removal, as well as Storage Tank given that because of the composition of older fuel tanks, it
can be assumed that the tank, without proper maintenance, will have corroded.
This area is particularly vulnerable to water pollution. The surrounding area of the naval base has a high
level of Water Protection Zones, partially due to the Weymouth Great Pond drinking water reservoir as well
the Swamp/Marsh land. Because the Weymouth Great Pond is a source of drinking water, it is essential that
the surrounding rivers as well as ground water maintain low levels of pollution. The Swamp land will not help
in terms of Hazardous Waste and Water Discharge because it leaves more of the natural habitat in danger
as specific vernal pools relative to the surrounding area of the Pond could potentially be threatened by minor
changes to the land.