Strathmore Mill Cleanup - June 2026 Project Update

In June 2026, the Town of Montague and its engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, continued advancing the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project through permitting, design refinement, and coordination with project stakeholders.

A major milestone was reached on June 11, when the Montague Conservation Commission approved the project's Notice of Intent (NOI) application under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. This approval represents a significant step forward in the regulatory review process and follows several months of environmental analysis, field investigations, and permit preparation. The project team continues to coordinate with state agencies regarding additional environmental review requirements, including consultation with the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

Throughout the month, Tighe & Bond continued refining demolition plans and evaluating site conditions. Additional field investigations helped improve the team's understanding of several historic tailrace structures associated with the mill complex and the hydroelectric facilities operating within Building 9. These investigations have provided valuable information for final design development and have further highlighted the complexity of maintaining Building 9 while demolishing adjacent structures.

Project coordination with Eagle Creek Renewables increased during June. Engineering teams continued evaluating utility connections, electrical infrastructure, mechanical systems, and building access requirements associated with Building 9. Based on these investigations, the project team is developing detailed impact analyses to better understand how various demolition alternatives could affect Eagle Creek's operations. Current evaluations indicate that the Base Bid and Alternates 1 and 2 would result in relatively limited and manageable operational impacts, while Alternate 3 would present substantially greater technical and operational challenges.

The project team also began coordination with FirstLight Power regarding Canal Road access, canal infrastructure, and construction logistics. Because Canal Road provides the only access to the site, discussions focused on roadway conditions, annual canal drawdown operations, utility infrastructure, contractor access requirements, and measures necessary to protect critical energy infrastructure throughout the demolition process.

Design development continued throughout the month as engineers refined structural modifications associated with Building 9, advanced demolition specifications, and completed historical mitigation documentation. The project team also finalized the Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) and updated Community Involvement Plan (CIP), which will be submitted to EPA for review and approval.

Looking ahead, the Town and its consultants will continue advancing permit applications, coordinating with Eagle Creek and FirstLight, and preparing construction documents in anticipation of bidding later this year. The Town remains committed to keeping residents informed as this complex multi-year cleanup effort moves toward implementation.

For more information, please visit the project webpage.

Posted: to General Montague News on Thu, Jun 25, 2026
Updated: Thu, Jun 25, 2026