Background This former auto salvage facility and saw mill was first used for industrial processes in the mid to late 1800's. The site is located on the eastern bank of the Penobscot River and is surrounded by a former landfill, oil pipelines, a former tannery, and gasoline service stations. Lead from recycled auto batteries impacted the surficial soils and sediments in the Penobscot River. The surficial lead-impacted soil serves as the primary environmental threat to human health and the lead impacted sediments pose a risk to aquatic life and the environment.
The earliest known historical use of the Rolnick property was the Dirigo Saw Mill in 1865. In 1895, Charles Stanford owned and operated an automobile dealership at the property. In 1914, a portion of the property was leased to Louis Rolnick to use as an automobile junkyard. Louis Rolnick purchased the property in 1929 and continued business as an auto salvage facility until 1983.
Another portion of the property was leased to Albert Cowan in 1933 to be used for an Amoco gasoline station. The gasoline station was relocated across South Main Street in 1946. The current property owner has had his redemption business at the property since 1984.
Surrounding properties that were identified as having potential impacts to the Rolnick property included nearby gasoline stations, historical underground fuel lines in South Main Street, and a former landfill adjacent to the northern property boundary.
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