Eastern Surplus is a former army surplus and salvage operation in Meddybemps, Maine, that ran from 1946 to the early 1980s. It covers about 8 acres split by Route 191. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in June 1996 after hazardous substances were found in soil and groundwater across the property.
Eleven contaminants of concern have been identified, all found in groundwater. The main ones are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), specifically tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). Other VOCs include dichloromethane, chloromethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and 1,2-dichloroethene. Metals and metalloids found include arsenic, chromium, antimony, and manganese. The phthalate compound bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate was also identified. Two separate groundwater plumes were found, one north and one south of Route 191.
Cleanup began with soil and sediment excavation from 1998 to 1999. A groundwater extraction and treatment system started in 2000 and served both plumes. The southern plume met cleanup standards and the system there was shut down in 2010 and decommissioned by 2014. The northern plume switched to enhanced in-situ bioremediation (EISB) in 2011, a method that injects chemicals directly into the ground to break down contaminants. Three large EISB treatment rounds occurred between 2018 and 2022. Well work in 2023 found that biofouling was blocking further treatment, so new injection wells were installed in fall 2024, with injections continuing through 2025.
EPA has determined that human exposure is under control across the entire site. Deed restrictions recorded in 2017 prohibit groundwater extraction and unauthorized excavation on northern properties, and require vapor barriers or sub-slab depressurization systems in any future buildings. The site reached ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in October 2017. The state of Maine owns the northern portion and is working to transfer it to the Passamaquoddy Tribe. That area, named N'tolokapemk by the Tribe, contains Native American artifacts and is an active archaeological research site. A commemorative patio and pathway were built there in 2012. The southern portion hosts a seasonal home, and EPA expects continued residential, light commercial, and agricultural use there.
EPA completed its most recent five-year review in September 2021 and found the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. The next review is estimated before the end of 2026. Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager assigned to this site. The State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection's project manager is also available. Site records are open to the public at the EPA office in Boston and at the Calais Public Library in Calais, Maine.
