Neponset River Reservation

{{Short description|Park in Massachusetts, US}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Neponset River Reservation

| photo = Neponset River Reservation 1 Dorchester Massachusetts.jpg

| photo_caption = View from Dorchester side to Milton on the other side of the river

| photo_alt = Riverscape

| map = Boston Metro#USA Massachusetts#USA

| map_size = 280

| map_caption = Location in Massachusetts

| relief = 1

| location = Milton and Dorchester, Massachusetts, United States

| nearest_city =

| coordinates = {{coord|42|16|47|N|71|2|42|W|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| area = {{convert|1880|acre}}

| area_ref =

| elevation =

| established = 1896

| named_for =

| administrator = Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| visitation_ref =

| website = {{Official website}}

| embedded =

}}

File:Ventura Street Playground Neponset River Reservation Dorchester Massachusetts.jpg

Neponset River Reservation is a Massachusetts state reservation along the Neponset River in the towns of Milton and Dorchester, near where the river flows through an estuary into the Boston Harbor. It is adjacent to the Dorchester-Milton Lower Mills Industrial District along the River. This was some of the last land retained by Cutshamekin (Massachusett) before he deeded much of the land comprising Dorchester and Milton to English colonists in the 17th century.

In February 2022, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced an $8.2 million project to construct a 0.7-mile shared-use path from Tenean Beach on the reservation to Morrissey Boulevard. It will connect the Boston Harborwalk with Neponset via Morrissey (including a 670-foot boardwalk in the salt marshes near the National Grid gas tank). The project will be one funded under the $9.5 billion in federal funds the state government received under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.{{cite web|title=Baker-Polito Administration Outlines Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding Plans for Massachusetts|website=www.mass.gov|url=https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-outlines-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding-plans-for-massachusetts|date=February 3, 2022|access-date=February 13, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Dumcius|first=Gintautus|date=February 13, 2022|title=Fed infrastructure dollars flowing for projects in Dot|work=Dorchester Reporter|url=https://www.dotnews.com/2022/fed-infrastructure-dollars-flowing-projects-dot|access-date=February 13, 2022}}

In March 2022, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed 3.7 miles of the Neponset River, between Mother Brook in Hyde Park to the Lower Mills, on the National Priorities List of the Superfund program for remediation due to sediment containing elevated levels of PCBs.{{cite news|last=Dumcius|first=Gintautus|date=March 14, 2022|title=Lower Neponset River placed on Superfund priorities list|work=Dorchester Reporter|url=https://www.dotnews.com/2022/lower-neponset-river-placed-superfund-priorities-list|access-date=March 18, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Trojano|first=Katie|date=February 26, 2020|title=EPA eyes Neponset for 'priority list'|work=Dorchester Reporter|url=https://www.dotnews.com/2020/epa-eyes-neponset-priority-list|access-date=March 18, 2022}}