Cleanup of Durham Superfund Site Complete, Future of Property Remains Unclear

It's been several months since the last dump truck hauled away a load of polluted soil from the former site of Merriam Manufacturing Company in Durham.

But unless a group of kids decides to play a game of tackle football at the site, there probably won't be much action at 275 Main Street in the near future.

In an interview with Patch on Thursday, Anni Loughlin, project manager with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said the property is currently tied up in court proceedings that involve a settlement between the agency and the property's current owners.

"The settlement basically provided that [Merriam] could satisfy their liability by making cash payments to us from essentially two different sources; one, insurance claims and two, by eventually marketing and selling the properties," Loughlin said.

The EPA is looking to recoup about $20 million in cleanup and remediation costs associated with the polluted property known as the Durham Meadows Superfund Site, which includes the eventual installation of a water pipeline from Middletown.

Earlier this year however, Durham Manufacturing, which also owns property located within the Durham Meadows Superfund Site, filed a motion to intervene in the settlement between the EPA and Merriam, according to Loughlin.

"We can't do anything with the property until there's some resolution on that matter. So we're still waiting," said Loughlin, adding that the case had been turned over to a magistrate judge earlier this week.

In the meantime, the EPA has received some interest in the property although details were not disclosed. Loughlin said the property will include deed restrictions based on the work that was completed but said she does not feel that the restrictions will prohibit developers. 

Workers will likely return to the property next spring to plant more grass at the site, she said.