Brownfields - Former FPL Property

The City of Biddeford received a Brownfields Grant from USEPA to fund remediation and revitalization of the 0.35-acre former FPL Property located between Laconia Street and the western bank of the Saco River in Biddeford, Maine. The City intends to redevelop the Site into a public park with public amphitheater overlooking the falls of the Saco River. The Site will eventually become an integral part of the RiverWalk Trail system.

About the Program

EPA's Brownfields Program recognizes the important role the community plays in the revitalization of properties and requires all grant recipients to actively promote public awareness and seek public involvement. This website will serve as the public repository for project documents. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see a list of available documents. Documents are available for viewing or download in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. A written project file is also available at Biddeford City Hall.

Site History

The Site was formerly utilized as part of the River Dam Mill and was improved with mill structures used for storage, production and/or the transportation of goods between the late 1800s and the mid/late 1900s. According to previous environmental reports, the Site was also used for the storage of electrical transformers in the late 1900s by Florida Power and Light (thus the "FPL" site reference). Since demolition of the previous Site buildings, this minimally accessed area has become overgrown with vegetation and provides little value to the surrounding mill complex that is actively being revitalized into a variety of uses including offices, workshops, restaurants, and residences.

Project Focus

The focus of this project is the cleanup and revitalization of the Site into a public park in the heart of the Biddeford Mill Yard, a key component of the larger RiverWalk Trail. The RiverWalk trail is a planned urban trail that runs through the mill yard complexes in Biddeford and the adjacent City of Saco.

Based on the previous work conducted at the Site, the following environmental conditions require remediation prior to Site redevelopment:

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil exceed applicable Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Remedial Action Guidelines (RAGs) and/or the Maine Urban Background Levels presented in the RAGs
• Arsenic concentrations in soil exceed applicable Maine DEP RAGs but are below the rural background levels presented in the Maine DEP RAGs.

Project Completion

Over the next several months the City will invite public comment on the draft Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (March 16-April 15), hold a public meeting April 7th, finalize the remediation plan, and begin remediation activities, with the intent of completing revitalization activities by November 2015.