Creese Cook Tannery Former

⚠ Superfund · Cleanup underway

The removal action at 45 Water Street was completed and the removal action at 33 Water Street is continuing, with the final phase anticipated in spring of 2026, which will entail paving an area of the parking lot..

Location

CityDanvers
CountyEssex County
StateMassachusetts
Coordinates42.55311, -70.92672

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 10/01/1980
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 09/18/2012
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 05/24/2013
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 09/12/2013
  5. Remedy Selected — 07/22/2019
  6. Remedial Action Started — 09/19/2024
  7. Construction Completed — Not Yet Achieved
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — Not Yet Achieved
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — Not Yet Achieved

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Essex County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Creese Cook Tannery Former is a federal Superfund site in Massachusetts. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Cleanup underway. Active cleanup is underway, meaning EPA has approved a remediation plan and work is in progress. Cleanup timelines vary widely — some sites take decades depending on contamination depth, groundwater involvement, and funding availability.

EPA has identified 9 contaminants of concern at this site, including arsenic, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo[a]anthracene. Contamination has been detected in soil.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.