Meeting to Discuss Clean Up Plan for West Medford Parking Lot July 22

– Allison Goldsberry

The city is holding a public meeting July 22 to discuss the clean up plan for contaminated land in West Medford.

In 2013 Medford received $400,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help clean up the property. According to the city, the 488 High Street site is the former location of multiple laundries and dry cleaners from the early 1900s. The property was converted into a municipal parking lot in 1961.

“These EPA grants will allow the City to choose from various remediation technologies, selecting the one that provides the best performance in the shortest time frame, so that life can return to normal for the abutters and the general public,” said Mayor McGlynn in a statement in 2013.

The total clean up cost is anticipated to be about $1 million.

The July 22 meeting will review alternatives for cleaning up the site; the entire plan is available on www.medford.org. Public comments are being accepted on the plan through August 15. The meeting is taking place at 6:00 PM in the cafeteria at the Brooks Elementary School.