Background Information
Beginning early in the 1800s, America was fueled largely by coal. One of the uses of coal was to manufacture “town gas” which expanded the availability of gas and made our streets, homes, and businesses cleaner and safer places to be. The manufactured gas era ended in the mid-1900s when natural gas became widely available through the interstate pipeline system.
A manufactured gas plant, operated by the North Attleboro Gas and Light Company, was once located at the southeast corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Mt. Hope Street in North Attleboro. This plant operated from the mid-1800s until 1928 when it ceased gas manufacturing operations and became a gas distribution facility.
The property is currently owned and used as a natural gas distribution facility by Liberty Utilities.
About Manufactured Gas Plants
A manufactured gas plant produced “town gas” by heating coal, coke, and/or oil in a closed vessel. The gas generated by the process was captured and cleaned of impurities before being stored in large round structures, known as gas holders, and piped locally to users. Town gas was distributed first for lighting streets, homes, and businesses, and eventually gained acceptance for heating and cooking.
As with many industrial processes, gas manufacturing produced byproducts and residues. Coal tar is the primary byproduct associated with these sites. When these plants closed, the tar was often left on the property in underground structures. Over the years, the tar and other residues may have impacted the environment.
Environmental Impacts
Although manufactured gas plants are believed to have operated under the standards and practices of their times, today we know more about their potential impacts to the environment.
Liberty, along with its environmental contractor, AECOM, have studied the site extensively. These studies have helped identify where residues or environmental impacts are located. The studies included sampling of soil and groundwater both on the site and in adjacent areas, and sampling of sediment and surface water within the Ten Mile River and Mire Brook.
The environmental studies completed at the former gas plant site found environmental impacts that require attention. The areas which required attention include portions of Liberty’s property, portions of the Ten Mile River and Mire Brook and portions of several adjacent properties, several of which were purchased recently by Liberty and will be returned to their former use as residential properties upon completion of the Project.
