Thoughts on the landfill battle

So now that the city is being sued over landfill issues, I wonder if non-neighboring residents give a hoot yet?

There is a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. on July 14, at Suffolk Superior Court. It seems our issues are lumped together with those of Everett because there is also a preliminary injunction hearing about Wood Waste (landfill owner's Everett company) at the same time.

"GO AND SAVE EVERETT FROM THIBEAULT!" writes the moderator of the Everett Average Citizen.

So, to recap the latest: Landfill owner also owns a facility in Everett, where he recycles construction debris that has then been coming to our landfill. Due to cease and desist and various other orders, he has not been able to do so with any consistency for some time. Debris is building up in Everett, causing similar olfactory distress to what neighbors of our landfill suffer in that city, some 30 miles south of us.

Landfill owner also plans to buy from the City of Everett abutting land to Wood Waste facility to expand and re-develop the site into a hotel or biotechnology center, according to the Boston Globe.

The Wood Waste facility would be moved to another (contaminated) site owner plans to buy, also in Everett, which he would negotiate to buy, clean, and develop into a "massive" office, retail, and residential center. (Boston Globe)

So you can see what William Thiebault, the owner, has at stake here and how very much our City Council's decision to not open up our Host City Agreement with the aim of expanding Thibeault's dumping at the Crow Lane landfill for the rest of this year put a monkey wrench in his plans.

You also can see what a bargaining position we are in - well, except that the city dumped contaminated sludge at the landfill prior to Thibeault purchasing it and may be liable for cleanup costs there.

This is the hammer hanging over the city's head, so to speak. (I wonder why no one can say if the city is liable, or not? Someone must know at this point.)

Someday, somehow, this man is going to prevail. You know he will. Money talks (and hires lots of legal assistance).

All we can do now is make a statement to the Attorney General, the DEP, and whoever else is letting this man run amok in our city, in Everett, and who knows where else.