Claremont seeks engineering help for Sugar River brownfields cleanup

The work is tied to an $800,000 Brownfields Multipurpose Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA fact sheets say the money will pay for supplemental Phase II environmental site assessments at the 6.9-acre Joy Manufacturing/Foundry site and the 1.5-acre former Synergy site, along with additional Phase I and Phase II assessments of other nearby properties if needed. The grant can be used for up to five years, making this a long-term cleanup and redevelopment effort rather than a quick planning exercise.

That matters because brownfields projects are about more than real estate. In Claremont, the issue is how to deal with the environmental risks left behind by old manufactured gas, foundry, and industrial operations along a stretch of riverfront land that has sat underused for years. The city’s stated goal is to turn those complicated parcels into something safe enough for reuse, with more potential for downtown access, public space, and economic activity along the Sugar River.

The outside engineering firm will not just draw maps or write technical memos. City materials say the next consultant will be expected to help explain the project to the public, and the city has already built out a Sugar River Land Redevelopment page, a public-comment option, a Brownfields FAQ and communications guide, and a steering committee page. The steering committee itself is charged with community engagement, reuse and cleanup planning, site assessment, and remediation.

Claremont has also taken the project out into the community. On Aug. 24, 2024, the city set up a Brownfields display at a Back to School Festival with coloring pages and trifold brochures. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said on June 21, 2024, that it met with Claremont officials and Sen. Maggie Hassan to discuss federally supported projects in the city, including brownfields work.