Holtrachem Cleanup

The site of the former Holtrachem site in Orrington is huge threat to the local environment, the Penobscot River and Penobscot Bay. Mercury from the former chlor-alkali plant has been contaminating the soil and water nearby for decades, and MPA has been working hard to make sure this bioaccumulative, persistent organic pollutant is contained and that the site is properly cleaned-up and the mercury safely disposed of.

In 1988, MPA began warning of the dangers of lax environmental enforcement at the plant, and in 1994, we helped to pass a law prohibiting HoltraChem from discharging mercury into the water.

In 1999, things heated up when MPA and the Natural Resources Defense Council announced that we would pursue a lawsuit to force cleanup of mercury-contaminated sediments in the Penobscot River. That same year, an aquatic ecologist found serious mercury contamination from Orrington all the way to the Penobscot Bay.

In 2001, the plant’s owners attempted to ship the dangerous mercury to India, bypassing U.S. pollution controls. MPA worked with national and international groups to make sure the shipment was turned around and instead made subect to U.S. laws.

In 2002, MPA and the NRDC won our lawsuit against Mallinckrodt, the company now responsible for the Holtrachem site, marking the first time an industrial polluter had been held responsible for contaminating natural resources downstream of a plant site and setting an important legal precedent.

In the years since our legal victory, Mallinckrodt has done everything they can to water-down and delay the required clean-up. MPA has opposed their flawed clean-up plans, which would leave tons of mercury at the site and in the soil. Governor Baldacci has also become personally involved in the issue and in 2004 at an MPA press conference, he announced that it would be a major priority of his administration.

In 2008, state regulators had enough of Mallinckrodt’s stalling tactics and ordered the corporation to finally get going with cleaning up the site by May 2009. Mallinckrodt sued in Federal court to prevent this order from being carried out.

In May 2009, a federal judge threw out Mallinckrodt’s suit, and the commissioner of Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection called on the polluter to get on with the cleanup. Instead, Mallinckrodt is now attempting to use other legal tactics to weaken and delay the cleanup.

To get involved with our campaign, contact Ryan at 990-0672.

Maine People’s Alliance—Organizing for a Better Maine!

565 Congress St., Suite 200, Portland, Maine 04101; (207) 797-0967; mpa@mainepeoplesalliance.org
27 State Street, Suite 44, Bangor, Maine 04401; (207) 990-0672; jesse@mainepeoples alliance.org
145 Lisbon Street, Suite 200, Lewiston, Maine 04240; (207) 782-7876; kate@mainepeoplesalliance.org