The old Getchell Brothers ice plant in Brewer is facing a potentially costly cleanup effort to remove asbestos and lead-based paint from the property. An assessment presented by the city estimates the remediation costs could reach up to $330,000. The city purchased the waterfront buildings with the goal of cleaning them up before putting them back on the market.
Three cleanup options are being considered, including removing asbestos and contaminated soil for new construction, burying the contaminated soil with clean soil on top, or leaving the site undeveloped. Brewer has applied for a grant to cover the costs of the cleanup, but has not yet received a response.
A public meeting is scheduled for August 13th at Brewer City Hall to discuss the cleanup and remediation efforts. Public comments are being accepted from July 25th to August 24th. The city cannot begin cleanup until after the 30-day comment period has ended.
Getchell Brothers, a company that provided packaged ice to stores in Maine, moved to Brewer in the 1940s. The property consists of four structures including an ice plant, office building, refrigeration building, and a pumphouse. The full assessment reports are available on the city’s website for review and comments can be submitted via phone, email, or mail.
Source
Photo credit www.bangordailynews.com
