The Irving Tanning Main Street Facility (Site) operated as a woolen mill and later a tannery for approximately 100
years, closing in 2021. Since closing, the site remains vacant and unheated. Most of the tannery waste materials were removed as part of the RCRA closure. However, eleven above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) with unknown contents remain within the basement of the facility. The contents are believed to have been generated from activities conducted by a previous facility tenant. Extreme weather conditions present in northern Maine have already begun to take a toll on the structure leading to a concern of the unknown contents quickly migrating to the adjacent river. The Site was previously operated by Irving Tanning/Prime Tanning (Irving),
who purchased the Site in 1937. Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
acquired the buildings and properties when Irving went bankrupt in 2005. Tasman
Leathers, LLC purchased equipment and operations in February 2011 but did not
acquire the buildings and properties – they leased the building until 2021 when
operations ceased.
