Beware The Bomb-Throwers

Clearly the issue of well contamination in Charlton has resulted in frayed nerves and serious health concerns.

However, the use of this issue as a means of attacking Casella, the operator of the Southbridge landfill, has reached absurd levels.

Foremost to blame for this irresponsible behavior is local “activist” John Pulawski. 

Consultant: Landfill not source of well contamination in Charlton

By Brian Lee
Telegram & Gazette Staff

No available information points to the landfill as the source of contaminated private wells in the area of H. Foote Road in Charlton, the town’s consultant on landfill matters, Tighe & Bond, told councilors Monday.

Last fall, Casella announced 1,4-dioxane was detected in 21 wells in Charlton, with eight exceeding the state drinking water regulation. The state later named Casella the potential responsible party.

Jeffrey Arps, an environmental expert for Tighe & Bond, told the council that groundwater doesn’t travel uphill, and the impacted homes are 80 feet above and northeast of the landfill. Groundwater is flowing in the opposite direction, he said.

Hires Proposed For Landfill Expansion Hearings

Brian Lee

Worcester Telegram 

The lawyer for the Board of Health has proposed hiring a hearing officer and a new consultant for hearings for Casella Waste Systems' push to enlarge one of the state's biggest landfills.

Southbridge Recycling & Disposal Park, a Casella subsidiary, wants to expand the landfill by about 20 acres and to create of a new disposal area encompassing about 14 acres. Casella would build earthen berms up to 60 feet high around the existing landfill. The design change would be considered "a major permit modification." The landfill's most recent alteration, in 2008, was considered a minor permit modification in that it changed the operation to allow disposal of up to 405,600 tons of waste per year. The size of the landfill stayed the same eight years ago.

Read the rest of the article HERE.

State Official – Landfill “Likely Source” Of Well Contamination

 Rupa Shenoy-WGBH

Mark and Melissa Widing attend Charlton

Board of Health meetings regularly to ask

for help with their contaminated well water.

Credit: Rupa Shenoy

For months, lead leached into the Flint, Michigan, water supply – and no one did anything about it. In the wake of that crisis, the nation is re-examining its water supply. But some families in central Massachusetts are wondering why the increased scrutiny hasn’t helped them.

Those families have been living on bottled water for months because their water supply is contaminated. State environmental officials say the only possible source they’ve identified is the biggest active municipal landfill in the state, just west of Worcester. But the operator of that landfill, Casella Waste Systems, Inc, says its safe.

Council Hypocrisy Regarding The Landfill

The town charter is quite clear that the town council is the chief policy making body of the town.

It is equally clear that appointments to the Board of Health are made by the Town Manager with the approval of the council.

For the last week I have been engaged in a debate on the site Focused On Southbridge.

While I planned to discuss the shortcomings of the Goals and Objectives set for the Town Manager, it quickly devolved into a discussion about the town’s landfill. 

The Lion Is Coming!

Congratulations Councilor Vecchia

Ken O’Brien

Kudos are due.

Over a year ago Councilor Albert D. Vecchia, Jr. spearheaded a concerted effort to stem the rising tide of local tax increases.

Monday night’s meeting of the Town Council confirmed his success.

The tax rate was set at $20.21 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. This was a marginal decline from the prior rate of $20.36.

Before proceeding I want to iterate, congratulations Councilor Vecchia and thank you!

The question that next arises is, “What now?” 

Tour of the Southbridge Landfill April 29 2015

A Film by Paul Zotos

In conjunction with their MEPA application Casella sponsored a tour of the landfill on April 29. At that time they pointed out the various areas that would undergo site assignment as part of the proposal. Paul Zotos participated in the tour and made this video record.

What’s Happening With The Landfill?

Ken O’Brien

Today a meeting was held at the Southbridge Town Hall under MEPA, the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The meeting involved a presentation relating to the plan by Casella to expand the footprint of the town landfill.

The matter was brought to the town’s attention on Monday night by local citizen John Pulawski appearing at the Town Council meeting.

Following his statement Councilor Denise Clemence responded that the Council had been advised of Casella’s intent and encouraged any interested Southbridge residents to attend today’s meeting.

EPA Expected To Decide On Coal Ash Friday

Ken O’Brien

At the October 20^th meeting of the Southbridge Town Council resident John Pulawski kicked off a new round of controversy regarding the town’s landfill. He alleged that toxic materials were being used as cover for the site. Specifically he referred to coal ash as the culprit.

Subsequently representatives of the Board of Health disputed Mr. Pulawski’s claims. The stated that the EPA had not defined coal ash as a toxic substance. Therefore, they contended, it was just one more instance of Mr. Pulawski crying wolf.

Southbridge Landfill Fined $220,000

Ken O'Brien

The Southbridge Recycling and Disposal Park landfill will pay nearly $220,000 to settle claims that improper maintenance and monitoring of a large soil stockpile caused a landslide that damaged adjacent wetlands, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today.

The complaint, filed in Suffolk Superior Court with the consent judgment, alleges that a portion of the stockpile became unstable and caused a landslide in August 2013, which inundated the banks of a stream in Charlton with up to a foot of sediment and covered more than half an acre of vegetated wetlands with mud and silt, ranging from a fine coating to a half foot of muck. 

It's Growing

Marketti/Zotos

MassDEP Cites Casella For April Soil Slide

Ken O’Brien

Southbridge Recycling and Disposal Park

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has issued an Administrative Order to Casella Waste Systems regarding a series of soil slides at the Southbridge Recycling and Disposal Park (SRDP) last month.

The letter of transmittal notes, “If you fail to take any action the Department now wants you to take by the prescribed deadline, or if you otherwise fail to comply in the future with the requirements applicable to you, you could be subject to legal action. Such action could include criminal prosecution, court-imposed civil penalties, or civil administrative penalties, which may be assessed for every day from now on that you are in noncompliance with the requirements referred to above.”

According to the documents presented, on April 24, 2014, SRDP notified the Department that an area of soil had slid down a steep slope in area referred to as "the 710 Plateau", in the northwest  corner of the Facility, adjacent to an area subject to protection under the Wetlands Protection Act. 

Eating Crow For Thanksgiving

Ken O’Brien

Councilor Nikolla’s words from the night of the vote on the Casella contract still echo in my ears. “I’ve read this contract. This is a good contract.”

I was among a number of those who disagreed with this assessment. The most ardent of the opponents were John Gatti, Jr., and Larry and Ann Beinema. We all suffered for our outspoken disagreement with the merits of that contract.

Monday night the chickens set loose by the decision to adopt the contract came home to roost.

Carpetbagged Again: The Southbridge Soap Opera Continues

Ken O’Brien

As we return to today’s episode, the semi-conscious residents of the whimsical town of Southbridge are victimized by ether waves that penetrate their tin foil helmets.

In contrast to their normal long-term loss of short-term memory the sinister forces of the O’Zone Vandals are beaming recollections of moments past into their vulnerable noggins. 

Talking Trash

Ken O’Brien

On Saturday the Worcester Telegram ran an article titled “Southbridge landfill foes say delay in environmental master plan is costly - Landfill seen as victim of delay” by Brian Lee.

The article focused primarily on dissatisfaction by local and state environmental activists with the state’s management of solid waste planning. 

What Did The SJC Rule?

Ken O’Brien

According to an article in today’s Worcester Telegram & Gazette, “The state’s highest court yesterday signed off on its earlier decision denying Sturbridge lawyer Kirstie L. Pecci’s request for a judicial review of the Board of Health’s decision to allow more solid waste into the Barefoot Road landfill.”

But, looking at the online docket report raises some questions.

Entries 21 and 22 on the report read as follows:

…And Justice For?

Ken O’Brien

Somewhat forgotten in the midst of the appalling antics of town government of late have been the developments in certain pending legal matters relating to the Southbridge landfill site assignment and the composition of the town’s Board of Health.

As regards the landfill site assignment, despite the premature crowing of devotees of the current regime, the decision initially rendered by the Massachusetts Supreme Court has been withdrawn.

Why Southbridge Needs Change!

Ken O’Brien

The absolute first priority of any community is the welfare of its citizens.

The ruling majority on the Southbridge town council is answerable to a higher authority – and you can rest assured that it is not the same authority featured in the famous advertisement for Kosher hot dogs.

That higher authority is the economic interest of those who would plunder our town by making it the largest garbage dump in the state, an inflated town bureaucracy that serves to re-elect councilors that take care of their interests, and a council majority attempting to insulate their coopted town manager from removal by changing the charter instituted mandate that a majority of those elected by the people have a voice.

Breaking News: Supreme Court Withdraws Decision in Southbridge Landfill Case

Ken O'Brien

I have just received the following email from Kirstie Pecci:

"I found out after the court was closed for the day that on 1/12/12 the SJC withdrew the decision they issued on 1/10/12.  I assume that this was to correct an administrative error -- remember these are the same folks who lost half of the volumes we submitted -- but I don't know why they withdrew it.  I will let you know as soon as I do."

The official notice of the withdrawal can be found at:
http://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/search_number.php?dno=sjc-10852&get=Search

At this time no further information is available.

UPDATE: (9:10 pm, 1/13/2012) Knowledgeable sources, whose names I am not at liberty to disclose, have speculated that another reason that the SJC may have withdrawn the decision is because the court may have erred in dismissing the merits of the case. The dismissal would still stand on the other grounds cited, but the court may conceivably reverse itself as regards the merits of the case.