The Department of Environmental Protection will join representatives of Millcreek Township, the Millcreek Youth Athletic Association and Rick Griffith of Moxie Nein LLC to celebrate the end of remedial construction at the Currie Landfill site at 2:00 p.m. on September 26.

The state-funded cleanup makes it now possible for the property to transition into productive recreational and commercial use. The public is invited to attend this celebration of completion and change.

Currie Landfill is located in Millcreek Township, Erie County, along West 15th Street south of Yorktown Plaza and west of Pittsburgh Avenue.  The site previously operated as a household and industrial waste landfill.

Heavy metals and volatile organic compounds from waste disposed at the site were responsible for contaminating soil, groundwater, and the sediments and surface water in the West Branch of Cascade Creek.

DEP’s remedial work included the consolidation and capping of the waste disposed at the former landfill.  Activities to protect the creek, improve water quality and restore lost habitat to the watershed included the removal of waste and contaminated sediments from approximately 600 feet of the West Branch of Cascade Creek; creation of in-stream habitat improvements; installation of stormwater controls; and the establishment of a riparian buffer along the creek banks.

The design of the remedial cleanup was done by Michael Baker Jr., Inc. and construction was completed by Berner Construction.

"This once blighted and abandoned property has been restored for the community to use again," DEP Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch said. "Cascade Creek runs through Frontier Park and into Presque Isle Bay. Restoration of this portion of the creek and further protection of the Presque Isle Bay Watershed was a vital aspect of the project."

The remedial action was accomplished through a unique public-partnership between the Department of Environmental Protection’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program, Millcreek Township and Moxie Nein L.P.  The cleanup provides significant protection of the public health and environment; the addition of commercial property back onto the county, township and school tax rolls; and a significant recreational asset for Millcreek Township and the Erie community.

 “The vision, cooperation, and teamwork between Millcreek Township Supervisors and employees, the Millcreek Youth Athletic Association, Rick Griffith, and DEP staff were vital to completing the transformation of the site,” according to Burch.  “While DEP will continue to oversee the site for a year to ensure its design operates as intended, we are now turning over the site to Millcreek Township and Moxie Nein so they can continue their work to complete the vision of recreational use and commercial development.”

The $4.4 million project is funded out of the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, which is funded by a portion of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax.

For more information, call 814-332-6945.

9/23/2013