The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced Monday that it has approved the permit for the controversial landfill in Saugus to add capacity.
Residents and local leaders were pushing to stop Wheelabrator from expanding its landfill - which sits on environmentally-protected wetlands.
For months, Boston 25 News has followed residents, local and state leaders as they have pushed back against Wheelabrator's plan to dump 500,000 more tons of ash into the landfill that sits on top of the Rumney Salt Marsh - an area of critical environmental concern.
>> PREVIOUS: Local leaders make plea to stop landfill from adding 500,000 tons of toxic ash
They cited rising sea levels as a concern and say another large storm could flood the foundation of the landfill.
Wheelabrator released the following statement after Monday's decision:
"We believe the DEP's approval of the continued use of the monofill represents the best environmental and economic solution for the town, the region and the state. The DEP's review of the application was rigorous and transparent, and included extensive public comment. We remain open to a dialogue with the town about a long-term plan for Wheelabrator Saugus that will enhance our economic and environmental value to the community."
-- Jim Connolly, Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety, Wheelabrator Technologies.
Mass. DEP says the permit does not increase the landfill's overall footprint or height. They say it wil provide additional capacity of approximately 400,000 cubic yards, which they say will extend the life of the landfill by four years:
"The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) takes seriously its responsibility to protect public health and nearby resource areas, and following a comprehensive stakeholder process and review of Wheelabrator Saugus' ash landfill permit application, has issued a permit that provides some short-term disposal capacity without increasing the size or height of the facility, ensures current environmental and containment systems operate properly and directs $2.5 million to repair a nearby abandoned landfill site."
– Edmund Coletta, MassDEP Spokesman
State Rep. RoseLee Vincent has been against the proposal and called the decision "disturbing":
"The decision announced today by Commissioner Suuberg and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is more than troubling – it is irresponsible and reprehensible. It is disturbing to me that the Commissioner could come to this determination after listening to and reading the compelling testimony of residents who live in Wheelabrator's shadow, and that of environmental experts and local officials. <br/> <br/> Perhaps even more unsettling is that this agency did not take into account the severe flooding experienced by the neighborhoods surrounding the landfill in January and March. Flooding was so severe during the storm surges on January 4th, March 2nd, and March 3rd that Route 107 and Route 1-A, which bound the landfill and Wheelabrator facility on either side of the Rumney Marsh, were closed to traffic because the road was impassible.
<br/> Sadly, it seems that the administration just simply does not care about my constituents who live in Saugus and Revere and whose lives are affected by the operations of this company. The Baker administration talks about the need for climate change resiliency to protect coastal residents in Massachusetts, yet it appears environmental justice communities are not getting the same protections against flooding than the more affluent communities up-and-down the state's coast. Per MassDEP's website, the agency is charged with 'ensuring clean air and water, and preserving wetlands and coastal resources,' among other duties.
<br/> What the DEP has just authorized Wheelabrator to do flies in the face of everything the agency is supposed to stand for. Frankly, by allowing the only unlined landfill still in operation in the Commonwealth, and the only unbuffered landfill that is within an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, adjacent to water, and less than a half mile from the homes of thousands of people, to expand for an additional five to ten years, MassDEP has failed to do its job in protecting my district and my constituents from this environmental injustice."
In the next few days, the Alliance for Health and Environment will be releasing more information on the next steps.
For more information on the decision, click here.
PREVIOUS STORIES FROM BOSTON 25 NEWS:
>> Local leaders make plea to stop landfill from adding 500,000 tons of toxic ash
>> Health, environmental concerns front and center at Saugus incinerator meeting
>> Public hearing scheduled about fate of Saugus incinerator, landfill
>> North Shore residents concerned about health impacts of landfill, incinerator