The Lynn waterfront, once shaped by industrial use and environmental challenges, is being reimagined as a place for recreation, gathering, and connection to the harbor. Lynn Harbor Park is helping lead that transformation, turning a former landfill and industrial site into welcoming public space while supporting environmental restoration and shoreline resilience.
Overview
Located along the Lynn Harbor shoreline, the approximately 30-acre site was once home to a municipal landfill and Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP). Like many legacy waterfront properties in Massachusetts, it required substantial environmental upgrades to meet modern standards and protect public health and natural resources. Through a comprehensive repair and capping effort, the project addressed those challenges and prepared the site for future public use.
Today, the once-inaccessible property is emerging as a vibrant public destination. Phase 1, which opened in July 2025, introduced approximately 20 acres of new open space and nearly two miles of walking paths and trails with expansive harbor views, and the site now includes recreational amenities of a basketball court, pickleball courts, and an outdoor amphitheater with seating for up to 150 people.
Contribution
Epsilon supported the repair and redevelopment of the Lynn Landfill by guiding the project through a complex regulatory and permitting process shaped by numerous environmental constraints. These included vegetated wetlands, filled tidelands, adjacent coastal resource areas, nearby hazardous waste sites, , Designated Port Area status, and location within an Environmental Justice community.
To move the project forward, Epsilon delineated wetland resource areas, established the limits of Chapter 91 jurisdiction, and supported the project team to secure the permits and approvals needed for construction. These included an Order of Resource Area Determination, an Order of Conditions under the Wetlands Protection Act, a MEPA Certificate, and a Chapter 91 License. Securing these approvals on schedule helped advance the project from planning into implementation and supported its future as a waterfront public park.
Achievement
Lynn Harbor Park has delivered benefits that extend beyond landfill cap repair. The project has created economic, social, and regional value by reducing reliance on traditional public funding through a beneficial reuse program, receiving material from infrastructure and environmental projects across Massachusetts, and helping spur adjacent waterfront redevelopment. By restoring access to previously isolated waterfront, impaired land and strengthening shoreline resilience, it demonstrates the broader community value that environmental investment can create. In recognition of these achievements, Lynn Harbor Park received the James D.P. Farrell Award for Brownfields-Remediation Project of the Year from the Environmental Business Council of New England in 2026.