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- An aerial photo from July, 2025, shows the extent of the collapse of the roof of the Atlas Tack building in Fairhaven, a superfund site that has been neglected for years. Photo courtesy of the Town of Fairhaven.
By Beth David, Editor
The Atlas Tack Working Group gave a presentation on its progress to the Fairhaven Select Board at its 8/11/25 meeting.
Rick Trapilo said the ATWG voted him in as chairperson, met at least once a week since they were formed, and found out some surprising information about the Atlas Tack Superfund site.
The site was partially cleaned up, with the land behind the building now home to wildlife along the bike path. That land is still not safe, however, for residential use.
One building still remains, and is a safety hazard in a lot of ways. The building is still privately owned, with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) both playing a role in trying to get the owners to clean it up.
Once the largest employer in Fairhaven, The Atlas Tack Corp. was owned by Henry Huttleston Rogers and operated from 1901 to 1985, producing wire, tacks, steel nails, and other metal products. Heavy metal waste from the production contaminated soil, groundwater, and the nearby wetlands.
The building is on Pleasant Street, near the former Rogers School, adjacent to the bike path, in the center of town. Town officials have long discussed ways to remove the blighted building.
The problem is, if the town takes ownership of the property, the town will be responsible for the multi-million dollar cleanup cost.
The plan is to get the owners and the government to pay for the cleanup.
Mr. Trapilo told the board that there is money available for the cleanup of superfund sites.
The ATWG looked at three things, he said: The land, the building, and the trust ownership.
The end goal, he said, is for the site to be returned to a productive use.
The DEP confirmed that the company paid $2.335 million for cleanup, but that is a fraction of what it will take.
The site is about 40 acres, with 12 being suitable for industrial use only. There are still many tanks and wells on the site, said Mr. Trapilo, but added that the state has done “a tremendous amount of work” to clean up the site.
According to the Atlas Tack page on the EPA website, about 108,000 tons of contaminated soil, debris and sediment were excavated and disposed of off site.
The “end game,” said Mr. Trapilo, is to get the site cleaned up enough to be off the superfund list.
The ATWG met with the DEP, other environmental officials, and town officials, and toured the site.
No one realized how bad the building was, he said. The roof has almost totally collapsed into the building.
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- An aerial photo from July, 2025, shows the extent of the collapse of the roof of the Atlas Tack building in Fairhaven, a superfund site that has been neglected for years. Photo courtesy of the Town of Fairhaven.
Both the police and fire chiefs submitted letters with safety concerns about the building. The police letter says that trespassers have entered the building and police officers have had to respond. With the building in such disrepair, it is dangerous for officers and the public.
The Fire Chief wrote that although all ignition sources have been removed, the building is still vulnerable to fire. The chemicals that are undoubtedly embedded in the structure would be dangerous to the public if a fire erupts.
“We were astounded at the condition of the building,” Mr. Trapilo told the SB.
He said no one had realized the extent of the roof collapse, until they sent a drone up to take photos.
“I was in shock,” said Building Commissioner, Rick Forand.
He said he did not even realize there was a building there. Then he could not believe how easy it was to get on the site. He said the building is not to be saved. It is a “demo order.”
He explained some of the procedure and regulations around issuing a demolition order. But now that he knows about it, he said, he has no choice because someone could get hurt.
On thing that can be done immediately, he said, is for the security fence to be moved. He said it is too close to the building.
Of course, the bike path is also just feet away from the building, but there is not much he can do about that.
The building is just in a “bad spot,” he said.
“It’s just bad overall,” said Mr. Forand.
He told the board that after he sends the letter to the owners, they have five days to respond. If they do not agree to the fixes, then the town will have to do it.
Once he sends the letter, the clock starts ticking, and the town could be on the hook for the repairs to the fencing.
SB member Andrew Saunders, who is an attorney, ran through some of the legal possibilities. He said he saw no reason for the owners to object, saying that he could not see an argument for how a security fence would “prejudice their position.”
Mr. Forand will work with Interim Town Administrator George Samia to get the letter to the owners and get the property secured.
Mr. Trapilo said that overall, the ATWG uncovered good news for the town, most notably that there is money available to clean up superfund sites. The EPA said they do not want a superfund site in Fairhaven.
Eventually, he said, the property may be useful again.
“So there is a good end game down the road,” said Mr. Trapilo.
He commended Mr. Forand for getting the video of the roof, so the letter can go out.
“It’s been kicked down the road now for decades,” said Mr. Trapilo.
The Town Clerk was cc’d on all emails from the group and all materials are available on request by the public.
SB Vice Chair Andrew Romano, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Charles Murphy, thanked Mr. Trapilo and the ATWG for the work and the presentation. He noted that his concern had been that the public would be in the dark if the group was not an official committee, but Mr. Trapilo allayed those fears.
“This is exactly what I wanted,” said Mr. Romano. “You guys could not have come more prepared.
The EPA conducted a five year review in 2020, and the 2025 review is ongoing. Visit the EPA website for details on the site including its history and the work already done: https://tinyurl.com/yc7e7cp3
The letters from the Fire Chief, Police Chief, and the Health Agent are available on our website: www.NeighbNews,com
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Click here to download the 8/21/25 issue: 08-21-25 TouchATruck
Click here to download the Atlas Tack Letters: 08-11-25 AtlasTackLetters
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