B. F. Nelson park site planning and environmental remediation

The 12-acre B. F. Nelson site is located on the east bank of the Mississippi River, just downstream from Boom Island Park and across a narrow river channel from Nicollet Island. The site was designated for acquisition and development as parkland in the Central Minneapolis Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan of 1982. While the majority of the Central Riverfront has since been successfully converted to useful parkland, the B. F. Nelson site remains undeveloped due to contamination concerns. A succession of sawmills and paper mills operated on the site in the late 19th and early 20th century, followed by a factory manufacturing roofing materials. (A historical timeline for the site is available here.) When the site was acquired by the MPRB from the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 1986, little was known about the environmental legacy of these former industrial uses. With extensive public input, a Master Plan for park development was prepared in 1993; the plan was reaffirmed through an additional public input process in 1998-99. These plans call for development of the site largely as a passive greenspace, with restoration of prairie, wetland, and riparian slope areas, trails, and environmental and historical interpretive features. A cost estimate for implementing this master plan is available online. At present, no funding is available for master plan implementation.

In the period from 2001 through 2004, the MPRB, working with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), has completed an extensive environmental assessment of the site. Soil and water samples were collected and analyzed from many locations throughout the site and at a variety of depths below surface. While this analysis revealed the presence of a variety of contaminants, no immediate threat is posed to human health or the environment by the hazardous substances onsite. Hazardous substances found in groundwater samples were generally in concentrations too low to impact either human health or the water quality of the adjacent river. Contaminants found in soils were at a sufficient depth below surface to preclude human contact and were also at low concentrations. Therefore, those who have used and continue to use the site in its current condition need have no concern regarding health impacts.

The results of the testing onsite have been reported to the MPCA. A Response Action Plan (RAP) was then prepared; this is a report detailing the objectives of and plan for a response to the environmental conditions. After public review and comment, the RAP was approved by the MPCA on November 2, 2004. The estimated cost for implementation of the recommendations of this RAP is $267,000. The MPRB learned in early June 2005 that it will be awarded an Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Cleanup Grant in the amount of $200,000 to partially cover these costs. Few funding sources are available for remediation of brownfields (polluted sites) which will be used for parkland, so this grant offers an important opportunity to move this project forward. Matching and supplemental funds are being sought from local sources. Once the EPA grant contracting process is complete, detailed design of the cleanup will begin, with implementation expected in 2006.

Currently, remediation construction has begun on the site.  Once the soil has been placed and graded over the site, turf seed will be planted.  The remediation project is expected to be completed by August 15, 2006.  The consulting engineering firm working on the project is URS and the contractor is Meyer Contracting, Inc.

Thank you for your interest in B.F. Nelson Park.  If you have any questions or comments, please call Nick Eoloff, Project Manager/RLA at 612-230-6465.