The Beede Waste Oil Company owned and operated the 40-acre site from the 1920s to 1994, during which time the state-licensed and regulated facility accepted waste oil and soils from thousands of businesses and residents for recycling and reclamation. Waste oil and associated hazardous substances seeped into the ground from an unlined lagoon, underground and above-ground storage tanks, and other sources. The state ordered the site closed in 1994, and in 1996, the USEPA declared the facility a “Superfund Site.” The USEPA determined the manner of cleanup in 2004. In 2006, the unincorporated Beede Site Group was formed by 12 of the companies that were once customers of the Beede Waste Oil Company and agreed to clean up the site.

The Beede Site Group started implementing the clean-up plan in 2011. All aspects of the cleanup are under the direction of the U.S. EPA. To date, the Group has treated over 450 million gallons of groundwater and removed 170,000 gallons of oil from the ground. The final phase of active work is estimated to last between another three to five years, depending on the assumed property end use; however, the groundwater treatment plant may be in place for another 15-20 years. Confirmation that the work is completed, and final site closure timing will be determined by the EPA. (Updated August 30, 2021)

The Beede Site Group is currently in the final design phase to determine the volume of contaminated soil to be dug out, hauled away and replaced with clean soil from elsewhere. The volume of the soil removal will impact the duration of the remaining construction work.

The dig-and-haul work will result in construction noise and additional truck traffic to surrounding roadways. How long these impacts continue will depend on the amount of soil that EPA requires to be removed, which will depend on decisions about future site use recommended by our neighbors and the Town of Plaistow. The Beede Site Group will have a mitigation and safety plan in place to reduce these impacts as much as possible.

The Beede Site Group has begun a working group with our neighbors through which they can express their views about desired uses of the land.  We plan to use regular virtual open houses and site visits, as well as informal surveys. The feedback will be taken into consideration and shared with decision makers. To join our working group, please email us at info@beedewasteoilsite.com

Based on numerous real estate experts, the answers vary. Research conducted by Greenfield Advisors, a real estate research company, shows that a home situated next to an open space preserve can sell for 5% to 10% more on the market over a home with obstructed views (such as views of only other houses or buildings). Trulia agrees, listing the top three valuable assets to increase neighborhood property values as: 1) walking trails; 2) mature trees; and 3) walkability.

The Beede Site Group named a portion of the property the Jack V. Dwyer Habitat Area in memory of one of its founding members, who helped pursue the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) certifications dating back to 2014. The Beede Site Group has already dedicated a portion of the property to beneficial community use, including regular open houses, trail tours, and bat count events. The mission of the Beede Wildlife Management Team is to initiate and foster habitat elements that support wildlife while blending efforts to both remediate and restore the land’s natural attributes.

During the installation of the water treatment plant,  trees had to be removed to install the treated groundwater conveyance lines; therefore, several successful projects have been implemented since 2014 to help restore the “Fairway” – from the native meadow’s restoration and bird nesting boxes to the bat house design and construction projects with the Timberlane High School STEM class and, the celebrated bat counts. The success of these projects was documented in the WHC Certification applications, for which a coveted Gold certification was awarded by the Wildlife Habitat Council in November 2017 for a 3-year period.

To date, wildlife identified as either living on or passing through our wildlife corridor includes a vast array of animals, including mammals like bobcats, coyotes, deer, skunks, and moose, birds like great blue herons and wild turkeys, and native pollinators such as Monarch butterflies and a wide variety of bees. Kelly Brook plays a large role in the ecosystem by providing an ideal home for beaver, ducks, and muskrat, and provides a good water supply for Eastern brown bats. We recently installed game cameras on the property, which are recording the many wildlife inhabitants and visitors that will be part of our next WHC certification.

Most of the wildlife areas in the Fairways are situated away from the clean-up activities. All efforts will be made to preserve and protect all site wildlife inhabitants and natural features. Depending on local community preferences and decisions, these areas may be expanded.

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