Strathmore Mill Site Cleanup Project

In July 2026, the Town of Montague and its engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, continued refining the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project as design work advanced toward the bidding phase. This month's efforts focused on updating project cost estimates, evaluating procurement strategies, and further coordinating with project stakeholders.

The project team completed updated construction cost estimates for the Base Bid and each of the three demolition alternates. Based on the latest engineering analysis, the Base Bid and Alternates 1 and 2 remain within the project's available construction budget, while Alternate 3—which would involve demolition of Buildings 2 and 4 in addition to the other structures—continues to present significantly greater technical complexity, risk, and cost. As design has progressed, contingency allowances have been refined to better reflect the level of uncertainty associated with each alternative.

Engineering work throughout the month also continued to improve the project's understanding of Building 9 and the adjacent hydroelectric infrastructure. Tighe & Bond continued evaluating existing utility connections, structural interfaces, and site access requirements associated with Building 9. This information will help guide final design decisions and future coordination with Eagle Creek Renewables and other project stakeholders as the project moves toward the bidding phase.

The Town and its consultants also began evaluating procurement approaches for this highly specialized demolition project. In addition, the Town is evaluating the potential need to retain an Owner's Project Manager (OPM) to assist with the bidding and construction phases.

Permitting efforts continued to move forward during July. State review of the project's Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) application remains underway, while consultation with the Massachusetts Historical Commission continues following submission of the project's historical review materials. The project team also continued coordinating with the Montague Historical Commission, Eagle Creek Renewables, and FirstLight Power as design details and construction planning evolve.

Looking ahead, the Town expects to continue advancing final design documents, complete remaining regulatory reviews, and prepare procurement documents in anticipation of bidding later this year. The Town will continue providing monthly updates as additional project milestones are reached.

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.

In May 2026, the Town of Montague and its engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, continued making substantial progress on the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project, with a major focus on regulatory permitting, historical coordination, and advancing demolition design.

This month, the project team prepared for and participated in the May 14 Conservation Commission hearing on the project’s Notice of Intent (NOI) application under the Wetlands Protection Act. The hearing included discussion of erosion and debris control measures, floodplain considerations, and future site stabilization approaches. Because state Natural Heritage review remains ongoing, the hearing is expected to continue into a future meeting before the Commission can close the public hearing process.

Significant progress was also made on historical review documentation. Tighe & Bond continued refining plan sets and preservation narratives intended for submission to the Massachusetts Historical Commission. These materials identify site features proposed for preservation or reuse where feasible, including portions of existing fieldstone retaining walls, select masonry elements, and reuse of salvaged brick material in future façade treatments and site stabilization efforts. The Town also continued coordination with the Montague Historical Commission regarding these filings and potential mitigation measures.

The project’s Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) application also advanced substantially during May. Technical reports and supporting materials were finalized and prepared for formal submission to MassDEP. If approved, the BUD would allow suitable brick and concrete material from demolished buildings to be processed and reused on-site as engineered fill, reducing trucking impacts and minimizing off-site disposal needs.

Design development and structural analysis continued throughout the month, including additional field investigations to better understand subsurface conditions and former tailrace structures beneath portions of the site. Newly identified underground voids and structural features are being incorporated into the demolition and site stabilization plans. While these discoveries may modestly increase certain construction costs, they are not expected to significantly alter the overall project approach or schedule.

Coordination with Eagle Creek Renewables also continued this month as the project team began developing more detailed construction sequencing and utility coordination plans related to Building 9 and adjacent hydroelectric infrastructure. Upcoming work will include additional site visits by structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers to further assess existing systems and anticipated interface requirements during demolition activities.

At this time, the project team continues targeting bidding in late summer 2026, pending ongoing permitting reviews and approvals. The Town will continue to share updates as major milestones are reached.

In April 2026, the Town of Montague and its engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, made continued progress on the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project, with a strong focus on advancing permitting applications, refining design documents, and completing key field investigations.

A major milestone this month was the near completion of permit application materials. The project team finalized draft submissions for the Notice of Intent (NOI) for wetlands permitting, which is scheduled to be submitted in advance of the Conservation Commission’s May 14 meeting. The application for review by the Massachusetts Historical Commission is also on track, with materials being finalized for submission. In parallel, work continues on the Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) application, including preparation of supporting technical documentation.

Fieldwork and site investigations continued throughout the month, including additional on-site visits by engineering staff to support design development and permitting. During these efforts, the team identified a previously undocumented lower-level void in the eastern portion of the site near Buildings 7 and 8. While access to this area is limited, it is believed to be a former tailrace or subsurface vault. This discovery has been incorporated into the project plans and will require the contractor to account for additional demolition and fill activities in that area. While this may result in some increase in project costs, impacts are expected to be modest relative to the overall project scope.

Design development also advanced significantly in April. Structural drawings and demolition plans continue to be refined across the base bid and alternate scenarios, incorporating updated survey data and evolving site conditions. The project team has also begun developing detailed specifications and coordinating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) considerations, which will inform upcoming discussions with Eagle Creek Renewables regarding utility infrastructure and Building 9 interface requirements.

Looking ahead, the project team is preparing for upcoming regulatory reviews, including the May Conservation Commission meeting and coordination with state agencies on Natural Heritage requirements. Additional site visits and stakeholder coordination are anticipated as design and permitting efforts continue to progress.

The Town will continue to provide updates as the project reaches key milestones in the months ahead.

In March 2026, the Town of Montague and its engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, continued advancing the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project through ongoing fieldwork, design development, and preparation for upcoming permitting submissions.

A primary focus this month was completing critical site surveying needed to support wetlands permitting and overall project design. While winter conditions initially limited access to certain areas, improving weather allowed surveyors to return to the site toward the end of the month to capture remaining elevations, including slopes, courtyards, and building floor levels. This information is essential to finalizing permit application materials and advancing design plans.

Design work also progressed significantly, with Tighe & Bond continuing to refine demolition plans across the base bid and multiple alternate scenarios. These efforts include detailed structural evaluations, demolition sequencing, and development of contractor-ready drawings. The project team is working to clearly define how different demolition approaches will affect site conditions, Building 9 (privately-owned by Eagle Creek Renewables), and the surrounding infrastructure.

Permitting preparation remained a major component of work in March. Draft materials for wetlands, historical, and Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) applications are nearing completion, with submissions anticipated in the coming months. The project team is currently targeting a May 2026 Conservation Commission meeting for wetlands permitting review. In addition, coordination with state agencies, including Natural Heritage, is ongoing to confirm application requirements and timelines.

Field investigations and site observations continued to highlight the deteriorating condition of several mill structures, particularly Building 2, where ongoing water infiltration and structural degradation have been observed. These conditions reinforce the urgency of the project and are being incorporated into design and safety planning.

The Town and its consultants also continued coordination with Eagle Creek Renewables and other stakeholders as design details become more defined. Upcoming work will include additional site visits by engineering and specialty consultants to further assess utilities, structural conditions, and building interfaces.

Overall, the project remains on track, with permitting submissions, continued design refinement, and stakeholder coordination expected to be the primary focus in the coming months.

In February 2026, the Town of Montague and its engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, continued substantial on-site and technical work at the Strathmore Mill complex as the project advances through the design and permitting phase.

A significant volume of field activity occurred this month, including hazardous building material sampling and associated laboratory testing to further characterize site conditions. Structural engineering evaluations and building code analyses also continued, providing critical information to refine demolition sequencing, assess structural interdependencies, and inform final design decisions.

In parallel with field investigations, Tighe & Bond advanced demolition design work and continued preparing documentation necessary for historical and wetlands permitting requirements. These efforts are essential to ensuring compliance with state regulatory programs and maintaining the project schedule reflected in the previously shared timeline.

The project team also continued gathering technical data to support a future Beneficial Use Determination (BUD) application. The goal of this effort is to evaluate whether brick material from the mill buildings may be safely processed and reused on-site as fill material, subject to state approval. If approved, this approach could reduce disposal impacts and improve overall project efficiency.

Looking ahead, an updated Community Involvement Plan (CIP) is anticipated to be released in March. The CIP will outline upcoming opportunities for public engagement as the project progresses toward permitting and eventual demolition.

The Town will continue to provide updates as additional milestones are reached.

During January, the Town of Montague continued making steady progress on the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project, with a focus on on-site investigations, coordination with abutting property owners, and advancing the technical groundwork needed for demolition and cleanup planning.

The Town’s engineering consultant, Tighe & Bond, conducted multiple days of on-site work in mid-January, accompanied by their survey and structural teams. This work included property surveying, expanded site access, and inspections of several mill buildings. Crews accessed additional areas of the site, including riverside portions and the area near the former Indeck facility at 8 Canal Road, allowing for more complete documentation of existing conditions. Inside Building 11, consultants began asbestos and hazardous materials surveys and observed significantly deteriorated conditions, including widespread water infiltration likely caused by long-standing roof leaks. Similar pre-demolition survey work also began in other main mill areas.

January’s work also included early planning for material sampling related to a Beneficial Use Determination (BUD), which helps determine how certain demolition materials may be safely reused or managed. At the same time, Tighe & Bond continued internal coordination on the preparation of future contract documents and scheduling. Looking ahead, the project team is targeting February for an on-site meeting and walkthrough with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to continue regulatory coordination and confirm next steps.

The Town will continue to provide updates as this work progresses and as the project moves further into permitting and demolition planning phases.

Why This Matters

The work completed in January is a critical step toward safely addressing long-standing environmental and structural hazards at the Strathmore Mill site. On-site surveys and inspections allow engineers and regulators to better understand building conditions, identify hazardous materials, and plan demolition in a way that protects public health, the river, and neighboring properties. This behind-the-scenes work may not look like much for those eagerly awaiting cleanup of the site, but it is essential to ensuring that future demolition activities are carried out safely, responsibly, and in compliance with state and federal requirements.

In December 2025, the Town of Montague continued advancing the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project through design refinement, coordination, and regulatory preparation following the Selectboard’s November approval of the updated engineering agreement with Tighe & Bond.

Throughout the month, Town staff and consultants reviewed the updated visual materials illustrating the proposed base bid demolition scope and Alternates 1, 2, and 3. These materials are helping to clarify the potential extent of demolition and stabilization work, particularly as it relates to Building 9 and adjacent structures, and will inform future decision-making as cost estimates and permitting requirements are further developed.

December’s work also included direct coordination with abutting property owners Eagle Creek Renewables and FirstLight Power, Inc. to discuss site access, project sequencing, and interface with adjacent hydroelectric infrastructure. In addition, the Town and its consultants participated in a virtual coordination meeting with MassDEP staff from the Bureaus of Air & Waste and Waste Site Cleanup, as well as the Solid Waste, Asbestos, and Wetlands Sections, providing an important opportunity to confirm regulatory expectations and permitting pathways across multiple program areas.

The Town also continued coordination with the Montague Historical Commission in preparation for a formal Commission meeting scheduled for early February. This work has focused on outlining the project’s historic mitigation measures, clarifying the emergency demolition process under the Town’s Demolition Delay Bylaw, and ensuring that required documentation and disclosures are in place ahead of the Commission’s review.

Meanwhile, Tighe & Bond has remained engaged in ongoing design development, technical analysis, and preparation for upcoming permitting and coordination tasks reflected in the project’s tentative schedule. These efforts are laying the groundwork for the next phases of the project, including regulatory review, permitting, and eventual bidding.

The Town will continue to share updates as major milestones are reached and as the project moves further into the design and permitting phases.

This month, the Town of Montague reached an important administrative milestone in the Strathmore Mill Cleanup effort. The Selectboard voted on November 17 to approve an updated engineering agreement with Tighe & Bond in the amount of $1,088,550, allowing the project to formally advance into detailed design, permitting, and preparation of construction documents. This updated scope reflects the expanded level of technical work required to evaluate demolition options, address structural and geotechnical considerations, and coordinate with multiple regulatory agencies and property owners.

As part of this phase, Tighe & Bond has provided the Town with new visual materials illustrating the proposed base bid demolition scenario alongside Alternates 1, 2, and 3. These renderings offer a clearer understanding of how different demolition extents would affect the site, particularly in relation to Building 9 and the surrounding structures. Town staff and officials will be reviewing these materials closely in the coming weeks to assess feasibility, costs, and long-term site implications.

Work this month has remained focused on design development, refinement of technical assumptions, and ongoing communication with Eagle Creek Hydro regarding Building 9. With the updated engineering agreement now in place, the project is well positioned to move into the more detailed stages of planning and coordination needed ahead of the eventual demolition phase.

The Town will continue to share updates as major milestones are reached and additional design materials become available.

As of October 2025, the Town of Montague continues to make steady progress on the Strathmore Mill Cleanup project. This month marked a significant milestone with the successful demolition and removal of the pedestrian footbridge that once connected Canal Street to the Strathmore Mill complex. The bridge was dismantled by FirstLight Power, Inc. during the canal drawdown period in late September. Its removal clears one of the major logistical and safety obstacles to the upcoming demolition work and represents an important preparatory step in the broader site cleanup effort.

Meanwhile, the Town continues to work closely with our engineers at Tighe & Bond on the design development and permitting phases of the project. Their team is advancing alternative demolition and site stabilization plans and has provided the Town with a tentative project schedule outlining the anticipated sequence of activities through 2027. The attached schedule reflects projected milestones for design development, permitting, bidding, and eventual demolition, which will continue to be refined as project details and funding parameters are finalized.

In the coming months, Tighe & Bond will continue on-site inspections, coordinate with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and further develop construction documents for review. The Town remains committed to ensuring that all work proceeds safely, efficiently, and in alignment with regulatory and community expectations.

The Town extends its appreciation to residents for their continued interest and patience as this complex, multi-year effort progresses. A copy of the tentative project schedule provided by Tighe & Bond has been added to the document repository below for reference.

Status of the Strathmore Mill Cleanup

The Town of Montague is navigating significant cost and engineering challenges in its plan to demolish the former Strathmore mill complex at 20 Canal Road. The town has engaged the engineering firm Tighe & Bond to develop alternative demolition designs, after initial estimates showed that full demolition—particularly for the structures surrounding the privately-owned Building 9—would exhaust the $10 million allocated to the project. These alternatives are intended to identify more cost-feasible approaches, such as demolishing many of the outlying buildings while stabilizing, rather than removing, some of the buildings that directly border Building 9.

While the Town had earlier hoped for demolition to begin in summer 2025, that schedule has been delayed; Spring 2026 is the more realistic target given the complexity of scope and funding.

Footbridge and Asbestos Abatement Work

The pedestrian footbridge that connects Canal Street to the Strathmore Mill complex is now the immediate focus. Because it contains asbestos, an abatement project has been initiated.

Relation of Footbridge Work to the Larger Cleanup Effort

The footbridge project is a precursor to the broader demolition work. Removing the footbridge and abating its asbestos are necessary steps before much of the rest of the Strathmore complex can be safely demolished. The bridge also includes Town-owned utility lines which must be capped once it is removed.

Meanwhile, the town is still working with Eagle Creek Hydro (the owner of Building 9, which houses a hydroelectric turbine) to find mutually acceptable solutions, since Building 9’s condition, ownership, and cost implications remain central to determining what gets demolished—and what gets stabilized or potentially reconstructed.

Once abatement is complete, the Town of Montague will seal off (or “cap”) utility lines on the bridge, in preparation for its removal. The bridge’s removal is expected to be carried out by FirstLight during the annual canal drawdown in the fourth week of September 2025.