Creese & Cook (Former) Tannery Superfund Site Public Meeting scheduled for March 20, 2025
BOSTON (Mar. 17, 2025) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public meeting to update the community on the history, current status, and upcoming construction and cleanup work scheduled at the Creese & Cook Superfund Site.
In early April 2025, contractors will begin construction work. Contaminated soil from the site will be excavated, taken to 55 Clinton Avenue, and consolidated in an on-site landfill. Contractors will construct access roads, install security fencing and place a temporary bridge over the Crane River. Excavation work will continue through August 2026.
Noise from trucks and construction can be expected during this period on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. EPA is working with the Town of Danvers and their police department to minimize traffic impacts and protect public safety.
The community is invited to attend in person:
When:
Thursday, March 20, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where:
Riverside Elementary School
94 Liberty Street
Danvers, MA 01923
Join by phone:
202-991-0477
Phone conference ID: 673 029 29#
Join on a video conferencing device
sip:teams@video.epa.gov
Video ID: 114 058 489 9
Background
The Creese & Cook (Former) Tannery (Site) is in Danvers, Massachusetts. Leather tanning operations on site led to contamination of surface and subsurface soils with tannery wastes, and contaminants exceeded state health-based standards in multiple locations.
The Site was used for leather tanning, and hazardous substances were disposed of on the Site from about 1903 until early 1981. Three parcels of land at the Site were at one time owned by the Creese and Cook Tannery Co., which operated a tannery and finishing facility onsite. Leather tanning and finishing operations began in 1903 at the 33 Water Street parcel, on the East Study Area (ESA), which is located east of the Crane River. In 1914 most operations, except for finishing operations and offices, moved to a larger new beam house facility at 55 Clinton Avenue, on the West Study Area (WSA), which is located west of the Crane River. Creese & Cook used raw animal hides to produce leather shoes, handbags, gloves, and garment leather, primarily from cowhide stock. The tannery continued to operate on both sides of Crane River until 1981. Hebb Leather also operated at the Site for a short period after. Both Creese & Cook and Hebb Leather each filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions in 1982.
Wastes from tanning operations were disposed of in two landfills on the 55 Clinton Avenue property. Liquid wastes from the manufacturing process were discharged to the Crane River until 1975 and later to sewers, while sludges were deposited in an on-site lagoon system.
EPA added the site to the Superfund Program's National Priorities List (NPL) in May 2013.
EPA issued a Record of Decision for the cleanup of the West Study and East Study Areas of the Site in July of 2019.
More info at www.epa.gov/superfund/creese.