Fort Devens

Overview

Fort Devens is a former U.S. Army installation west of Boston, spread across four Massachusetts towns. It was listed on the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in November 1989 and has been undergoing federally led cleanup ever since. The Army is the lead cleanup agency under a 1991 agreement with EPA. The site is organized into 14 operable units covering landfills, contaminated areas, groundwater, and basewide contamination from PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of persistent industrial chemicals.

Contaminants found at the site include heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, and manganese. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and benzene appear mainly in groundwater. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and unexploded ordnance are present in specific areas. These contaminants affect groundwater, soil, sediment, surface water, and solid waste at locations including Shepley's Hill Landfill, the Barnum Road Maintenance Yard, and Lower Cold Spring Brook.

Cleanup work is well advanced in many areas. Of 324 initially identified potential contamination areas, all have been evaluated and 54 received formal investigation and cleanup. Shepley's Hill Landfill has a groundwater treatment system installed in 2006 and a vertical barrier wall added in 2012 to stop arsenic from reaching Plow Shop Pond. Excavated material from seven contaminated sites now sits in the Devens Consolidation Landfill, built on a former golf course. Contamination from VOCs at the former Army airfield has shrunk from 15.5 acres in 2004 to 6.81 acres in 2018. Deed restrictions limit residential development and restrict groundwater use across contaminated zones. About 3,000 acres have transferred to a state redevelopment authority, MassDevelopment, for commercial and industrial reuse, while the Army retains 150 acres pending further cleanup.

Human exposure is currently under control, meaning assessments show no unacceptable exposure pathways. However, groundwater migration cannot yet be fully determined due to uncertainty about contaminated groundwater movement. Physical construction is not yet complete across the full site. A remedial investigation and feasibility study for basewide PFAS contamination is expected to conclude between March and May 2028. The most recent five-year review was completed on September 26, 2025.

Community members can get involved through the Fort Devens Restoration Advisory Board (RAB), which has met quarterly since February 1994. Residents can join the RAB mailing list or ask questions by emailing FormerFortDevensRAB@arcadis.com. The Army's Community Involvement Plan, completed in November 2020, guides ongoing two-way communication with affected communities.