Fletcher's Paint Works and Storage operated in Milford, New Hampshire from 1949 to 1991, making and selling paints and stains at two locations on Elm Street and Mill Street. The site sits in a densely populated area, with about 11,400 people living within three miles. A school and a 19-acre recreation field are adjacent to the property. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in March 1989 after decades of releases contaminated soil, groundwater, and sediments in the nearby Souhegan River.
More than 60 hazardous substances have been identified at the site. These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in several forms, metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, and mercury, and organic chemicals including benzene, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticide-related compounds like dieldrin and heptachlor epoxide were also found. Contamination was detected in soil, groundwater, sediment, and surface water.
Cleanup has been organized into two operable units. The first covers site evaluation and disposition. Contaminated soil was excavated from Elm Street (about 22,210 cubic yards) and Mill Street (about 9,945 cubic yards) between October 2015 and November 2016, with site restoration finished by July 2017. PCB-contaminated sediment in the Souhegan River was excavated and removed off-site in September 2016. The second operable unit covers Keyes Field, where EPA selected a no-action remedy for groundwater in September 2012. Physical construction of all cleanup work was completed in August 2018.
EPA has determined that human exposure is under control. Contaminated soils and sediments have been removed, no public or private wells are in active use near the site, and a town ordinance prohibits groundwater use at and around the site. Contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized and poses no unacceptable discharge to the Souhegan River. The site became ready for its anticipated reuse in July 2019. EPA completed five-year reviews in 2018 and February 2023, with the next review estimated between February and April 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator, Olivia Lopez, with questions. Public records related to the site are available at the Wadleigh Memorial Library in Milford and at the EPA Region 1 Records and Information Center in Boston. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and General Electric Company are also involved parties with contacts available for inquiries.
