Today, we’re sharing an important update regarding a section of the Presumpscot River near the Keddy Mill Superfund Site in Windham.
In August 2026, the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (ME CDC) updated its fish and seafood consumption guidelines to include a "do not eat any fish from these waters" advisory for the segment of the Presumpscot River spanning from Little Falls Dam to Mallison Falls Dam.
Here is what you need to know about this advisory and the ongoing cleanup efforts:
What Prompted the Advisory? Historical industrial activities at the abandoned 7-acre Keddy Mill site ( located at 7 Depot Street) have resulted in soil, sediment, groundwater, and fish tissue contamination. Key contaminants of concern include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, and petroleum hydrocarbons.
Does This Limit Recreational Fishing? No. The advisory does not restrict recreational fishing, meaning catch-and-release fishing is still fully permitted. It is strictly a restriction against consuming fish caught in this specific stretch of water.
What is Being Done? Under EPA’s cleanup plan selected in September 2023, PCB-contaminated sediment will be removed from a segment of the river. Land and water use restrictions—like this consumption advisory—will remain in place to protect public health while cleanup efforts are underway. EPA and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) will continue monitoring fish tissue to track progress over time.
For full guidelines and details on Maine fish advisories, you can visit the ME CDC Fish and Seafood Guidelines. To learn more about the cleanup project history and progress, check out the EPA Keddy Mill Superfund Site page.
Key Contacts for the Keddy Mill Site:
Jeffry Saunders (Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA): 617-918-1352 | saunders.jeffry@epa.gov
Aaron Shaheen (Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA): 617-918-1071 | shaheen.aaron@epa.gov
Rylan Bytnar (Project Manager, ME DEP): 207-995-0510 | rylan.bytnar@maine.gov
