Friday, January 2, 2009

Landfill: a 'thank you' to a Port resident

A comment from an anonymous reader in Everett:

I just wanted to leave a note to thank a Newburyport resident, Gloria Braunhardt for a lovely letter to the Editor in the City of Everett’s Leader Herald newspaper, informing the residents of Everett of just a bit of what’s been happening in Newburyport. We have not seen anything like that in our newspapers, all we hear is propaganda from the DeMaria administration. Week after week, they try and paint Wood Waste as being angels and the saviors of Everett. Mr. Thibeault has been paying to have these propaganda articles in the newspapers however, when an Alderman disputes what he says, and writes his own article, Mr. Thibeault just opens his wallet and has to have the last word, and keep repeating himself, of how great he is. Many, many people in Everett can see that Mr. Thiebault did not write these articles, they are the exact replica wording and formatting of the Mayor DeMaria’s Chief of Staff, so it’s blatantly obvious that the city of Everett is in trouble. Thank you Ms. Braunhardt, if you read this blog.
Of course, I cannot find said letter on the paper's website ... because there does not seem to be one!

But I do see over on Tom Salemi's blog that the landfill is kicking butt (his words) in his poll of big stories of 2008.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a copy of the letter that was published in the Everett Leader Herald on December 31,2008.

To the Editor:

I have recently been privileged to read the Everett Leader Herald on the ongoing struggles dealing with the owners of Wood Waste of Boston.

We, in Newburyport, have been experiencing the same abuses of obnoxious fumes, lack of adherence to regulations, delay after delay in taking corrective steps, ignoring orders, the list is endless.

New Ventures of Boston, owned by the same Wm. Thibeault has been ordered cease and desist on numerous times for various infractions and, when ordered to correct the fumes emissions, the system was shut down at night and weekends. The landfill, which prior to their responsibly to cap it, presented no problem. It was only after it was disturbed and waste brought in from the Wood Waste facility that troubles started.

Several months ago, an operating room at our hospital had to be shut down due to the stench permeating it. I, myself, had to go to the emergency room and could not breathe properly. Others would compare the times that this occurred, and found they are coincided. There were times when I could not work in my yard because the fumes had reached my home, a half mile away.

With each infraction, New Ventures claimed that, in order to correct the situation, more fill, more truck trips, and more time was needed. With each infraction, their profits would rise. The original time period to complete the capping was to be three years. Now, the time has doubled with no end in sight.

The fill that New Ventures wants to bring in, and Everett wants to get rid of, is the very product that has been disrupting the lives of so many, both here and in Everett.

The continued denials of both Wood Waste and New Ventures reflect the caviler attitude towards the law which govern waste and landfill activities. It has disrupted the lives of many, subjected them to discomfort and danger, deprived them of the lawful use of their own homes, requires great deal of oversight by city officials in both cities, and the added input from dedicated individuals who keep those officials informed.

Both Wood Waste and New Ventures have shown a complete disregard for rules and regulations and, until they are ready to adhere to those rules, cease and desist orders should be issued, failing that, both, should be shut down completely for flagrantly flaunting the law, and endangering the public.

There have been some working together by Everett and Newburyport. Joining forces and presenting a firm and united front should result in closure to this disgusting way of doing business.

We are literally sick of it.

Gloria P. Braunhardt
Newburyport

Gillian Swart said...

Thank you, Anonymous #1 and #2, for sending the text of the letter. I only posted the one since they were the same.

Anonymous said...

Some information I think Newburyport needs to know, or at least should know. I’m sure you are well aware of the ongoing battles with Wood Waste in Everett, and its owner, William Thibeault.

It has come to our attention that the building he recently purchased in Everett (The old City Yards, which was a high controversy issue, and a long time in court) has a brand new sign on it. “For Sale…, or lease, 6 acres, zoned Business, Industrial, Commercial. The old city yards on Boston Street in not six acres, so we are not sure what it is he is selling. He just bought it from the city for $3.5 million only a few months ago.

If he needs money, it’s anyone’s guess why. Maybe he’s stockpiling for his day in court, who knows.

That certainly was not the proposal from Mr. Thibeault to buy and sell property like that. It was supposed to be development. There’s always something up this guys sleeve, and everyone has to try and be one step ahead. None of this makes sense.

Anonymous said...

Here is a copy of the draft consent agreement as it appeared in the Independent on December 23rd. I'd bet money that it has gone thru some changes since then though.

This agreement made this ____ day of January, 2008 by and between the City of Everett, a municipal corporation duly organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and located at City Hall, 484 Broadway, Everett, Massachusetts 02149, acting by and through its Board of Health, hereinafter referred to as the “Board of Health,” and Wood Waste of Boston, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation having a usual place of business at 80-87 Boston Street, Everett, Massachusetts 02149 (hereinafter referred to as “Wood Waste”).

WHEREAS, Wood Waste operates a transfer facility (the “Facility”) in the City of Everett under license by the Department of Environmental Protection (the “Department”); and

WHEREAS, the Facility is licensed to store and process construction and demolition (“C&D”) material; and

WHEREAS, C&D material is approved by the Department as shaping and grading material for the final closure of landfills; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Health has received numerous complaints in relation to odor and dust regarding the Facility; and

WHEREAS, the material at the Facility is designated for placement at a landfill in Newburyport (the “Landfill”); and

WHEREAS, the City of Newburyport has not authorized the increased amount of C&D material to be placed at the Landfill which has resulted in the piles of C&D material remaining at the Facility for a longer period of time than intended; and

WHEREAS, there is litigation pending in Suffolk Superior Court that is intended to resolve this legal question in 2008 or in early 2009; and

WHEREAS, neither the federal government nor the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has adopted a standard for the level of H2S discharged to the atmosphere to have a negative public health impact; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to avoid the time and expense associated with litigation.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the following mutual agreements, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1) Wood Waste will continue to disperse odor-controlling agents at the Facility to keep H2S levels below industry guidance and will maintain personnel at the site to monitor odors from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Wood Waste will spray the piles daily and the piles will be tarped to maintain dust control. The Board of Health will be provided with a schedule prior to the execution of this Agreement as to when the spraying will be conducted. Odor misting machines will be set up on the perimeter and will be disbursed as necessary in addition to the daily scheduled spraying. Street sweeping and water truck spraying will take place at least once per day and as needed to reduce dust. The Board of Health or its designee(s) are authorized to monitor the site at any given time to ensure the measures are being taken to control said odor and dust issues.

2) Wood Waste agrees to process all new C&D material coming into the Facility and to ship same out on a weekly basis so that the piles will not expand.

3) Wood Waste represents that the Department approved a site plan for construction of a new enclosed facility. Wood Waste has purchased land at 111 Boston Street (Adams Furniture) to modify its enclosed facility plans for a more environmentally friendly and efficient facility.

4) No later than March 1, 2009, Wood Waste agrees that it will submit the necessary application and plans to the Department seeking approval of the Boston Street/Route 16 Facility modifications for an enclosed facility to be constructed.

5) B.O.H. The Board of Health is authorized to monitor the piles so that it is regulated in the manner set forth above to determine compliance with this Agreement.

6) The Board of Health agrees that it will not issue any orders under the provisions of any statutory or regulatory authority provided that Wood Waste is in compliance with this Agreement in relation to odor and dust issues specifically enumerated in this Agreement.

7) Prior to taking any steps to enforce this Agreement, the parties agree that they will give the alleged breaching party at least seven (7) days notice to cure said breach. If the breach continues, the Board may exercise its enforcement discretion and seek penalties in the Middlesex Superior Court up to the fullest extent of the law.

8) This Agreement shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the parties hereto submit to the jurisdiction of its courts for the adjudication of disputes arising out of this Agreement.

9) This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.

Signed as of the date and year above first written.

CITY OF EVERETT WOOD WASTE OF BOSTON, INC.
BOARD OF HEALTH