Environmental Remediation Notice
Lake Street Contaminated Site Cleanup Advances
Contaminated Properties
Federal and state environmental agencies have classified the properties at 317-325 Lake Street as contaminated sites requiring specialized cleanup. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Maryland Department of the Environment have officially recognized these parcels as brownfields – locations where future development faces obstacles due to existing or suspected hazardous materials, pollutants, or contaminants. Environmental testing revealed petroleum contamination affecting both soil and groundwater at the Lake Street location. The main pollutant of concern involves Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH), which pose serious health risks including cancer, brain and nervous system damage, breathing problems, and reproductive complications. Federal authorities awarded Salisbury $1,791,543.00 to clean up both properties according to EPA requirements.
Property Background
These adjacent lots at 317 and 325 Lake Street operated as a major fuel storage complex featuring fifteen above-ground tanks of different capacities plus two buried storage tanks from the late 1930s through the mid-1980s. The site sat empty until 1990, when 317 Lake Street reopened as a used oil processing operation. A major environmental incident occurred in 1990 when an above-ground tank leaked roughly 12,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil, with approximately 4,000 gallons flowing directly into the Wicomico River. Operations ceased again in 1992 and remained dormant until 2008. The property owner removed all above-ground storage tanks in 2008. Salisbury acquired both parcels in 2020 and tore down all existing structures to foundation level in 2023. Following a comprehensive review of cleanup methods, officials selected a soil capping approach combined with clean soil overlay. The remediation plan involves digging out two feet of polluted soil, installing a two-foot protective soil barrier, and adding eight inches of uncontaminated soil suitable for vegetation.
Community Input Session
Salisbury’s Department of Infrastructure and Development invites residents to attend a public forum to discuss the Lake Street cleanup project progress and share feedback.
Session Information:
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Government Office Building
125 N. Division Street Room #306
Salisbury, MD 21801
