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MassDEP News Briefs
Inspections Find Chemical Facilities Pose Little Risk To Nearby Residences: MassDEP and the Department of Fire Services (DFS) recently announced the completion of 41 on-site inspections as part of the Safe Neighborhood Chemical Initiative (SNCI), and preliminary results show that facilities, in general, pose little risk to surrounding neighborhoods. The pilot program was primarily a technical assistance effort that resulted in numerous recommendations to the inspected facilities to ensure their safe operation. However, the inspection team did find two facilities that posed imminent hazard conditions, and those facilities were ordered to take immediate action to address the hazards. Preliminary recommendations from the SNCI inspections will include the formation of a task force lead by the Secretaries of Energy and Environmental Affairs and Public Safety and Security to address potential gaps in regulatory authority and oversight, public safety protocols and procedures, training, and communications. A second SNCI phase is recommended in order to inspect drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities that use toxic gases, such as anhydrous ammonia and chlorine. For more information, go to: www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/1107snci.htm
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| A massive blast and fire completely leveled two chemical companies on this Danversport site early November 22, 2006 and severely damaged 70 nearby homes. All that was left of CAI, Inc. and the Arnel Companies was burnt, twisted metal and chemical drums. |
Govenor Deval Patrick (fourth from right) presented a 2007 Carballo Award to MassDEP's Danversport Explosion Team. |
Danversport Explosion Team Earns Carballo Award: MassDEP was honored this fall to have seven Outstanding Performance Award recipients, including a 2007 Carballo Award recipient, presented with citations for their good work. During a statewide ceremony, Governor Deval Patrick presented the state's highest employee award, the Carballo Award, to the Danversport Explosion Team, based out of MassDEP's Northeast Regional Office in Wilmington. Team members are: John Fitzgerald, Kingsley Ndi, David LaPusata, Zachary Peters, John Macauley, John Milano and Lawrence Immerman. The team quickly and expertly responded when a massive explosion leveled Danversport paint and ink manufacturers and severely damaged many homes in the area. Also earning praise for their exceptional work during 2007: the Spencer Water Incident Team, based out of MassDEP's Central Regional Office (CERO) in Worcester (Paul Anderson, Ed Gates, Kristen Divris, Jeff Smith, Andrea Lemerise, Gene Brunelle, Nick Child and Kevin Daoust); Kim Temple of CERO; and William McGovern, Damon Guterman, Richard Juliano and Sandy Rabb, all based in MassDEP's Boston office.
$2.2 Million Targeted To Fund Nonpoint Source Pollution Projects: The Patrick Administration recently announced that 11 projects worth nearly $2.2 million in funding have been recommended as part of the 2008 Section 319 Nonpoint Source Competitive Grant Program. The 319 grant program focuses on implementation of measures to control nonpoint sources (NPS) of water pollution. Common types of NPS pollution include phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and garden fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste and waterfowl, oil and grease from parking lots and roadways, and sediment from construction activities and soil erosion. The funded projects are: Improving Water Quality in the Hamilton Reservoir Watershed, Holland; Eel River Headwaters Restoration, Plymouth; Rockwell Pond Source Reduction Pilot Project, Leominster; Jackson Square Low Impact Development (LID) Program, Roxbury/Jamaica Plain; Mill Creek Estuary Stormwater Mitigation, Sandwich; Franklin Stormwater Retrofit Improvement Project, Franklin; James Brook Urban Stormwater Improvements, Groton; Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) Implementation for Little Harbor, Cohasset; Lake Waushakum LID BMP Implementation Project, Ashland; Onota Lake Preservation Project, Pittsfield; and operation of the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center in Barnstable. For more information, go to: www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/0807319.htm
Water Conservation Efforts Still Needed Following Drought Conditions: The Commonwealth declared a Drought Advisory this fall, as rainfall was well below normal in August and September. To assist communities in their efforts to conserve water, MassDEP and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs announced that 21 projects totaling $662,397 have been awarded grant funding to reduce drinking water losses as part of the 2008 Water Conservation Competitive Grant Program. The grant projects will help to protect water resources by supporting water conservation education and outreach programs, water audits, leak detection surveys of drinking water systems, and rebates for low-flow devices. The qualifying projects are located in: Bridgewater, Concord, Danvers, Freetown, Hadley, Haverhill, Holden, Hopedale, Lexington, Middleborough, New Bedford, Norfolk, Pembroke, Pepperell, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Wareham Fire District, and West Boylston. Projects connected to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority were also funded. For more information, go to: www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/1007wat.htm
Grants To Protect Land Near Public Water Supplies: EOEEA and MassDEP announced last month that more than 390 acres of land vital to safeguarding the quality of public wells and reservoirs will be protected from development as a result of nine Drinking Water Supply Protection Grants. Totaling $2.76 million, the grants will help municipalities acquire land that protects public drinking water supplies, while still allowing open access to the general public for appropriate recreational uses. The grants were awarded to: Fitchburg - to acquire the Crocker and Cassano Parcels and the Rice Parcel; Worcester - for the Pine Hill Reservoir Acquisition; Sudbury - for the Municipal Well Protection Project; Cohasset - for the Lily Pond Reservoir Protection Project; Ipswich - for the Lynch Property Acquisition; Marshfield - for the Union Street Acquisition; Medfield - for the Saw Mill Brook Conservation Land Project; and Salisbury - for the Donald Chase Trust Property Acquisition. For more information on these projects, go to: www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/1207drin.htm
Staples, Whole Foods Market Earn Wastewise Awards: MassDEP recently presented WasteWise Leadership Awards to Staples, Inc. and Whole Foods Market in recognition of their efforts to promote waste reduction, recycling and environmental stewardship. MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt presented the awards during a WasteWise Forum. Staples offers nearly 3,000 recycled products for sale and provides in-store recycling services for a wide range of used electronics and office equipment. Staples also sponsors "Earth 911 Business," a web site that connects businesses with environmental resources across the country. Whole Foods Market is a charter participant in the state's voluntary Supermarket Recycling Program Certification and already has certified that 16 of its 18 stores in Massachusetts recycle and compost a wide range of materials.
Lee Kane (center), Green Mission Specialist for Whole Foods Market, is presented with a WasteWise Leadership Award by MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt (right) and Massachusetts Food Association Vice President Brian Houghton (left) during a WasteWise Forum in Canton. |
Mark Buckley (right), vice president of environmental affairs, Staples, Inc., is presented with a WasteWise Leadership Award by MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt during the WasteWise Forum in Canton.
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MassDEP Promotes 'Mass Recycles Paper' Campaign: MassDEP marked the 2007 America Recycles Day in November by joining with MassRecycle, Inc. to promote the "Mass Recycles Paper" campaign, a statewide paper recycling initiative that seeks to significantly increase the amount of paper recycled in the Commonwealth each year. More than 130 communities across the state have signed onto the campaign. MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt said that more than one million tons of recyclable paper are thrown away every year, at a disposal cost of more than $100 million. She said that if we can divert that paper from trashcans to recycling bins, we could add $75 to $100 million to the state's economy from the sale of recycled paper. Recycling an additional million tons of paper would leave about 17 million trees uncut, save 380 million gallons of fuel, reduce greenhouse gases by 910,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.3 million tons. For more information on the Mass Recycles Paper campaign, go to: www.massrecyclespaper.org
Shown at the Mass Recycles Paper campaign kickoff are (l-r) Brooke Nash and Regan Clover (MassDEP), Christine DeRosa (MassRecycle), Christine Beling (US EPA), Jessica Wozniak (MassRecycle), Karen Patterson (Mass Recycles Paper), Commissioner Laurie Burt, and Ann Dorfman, Angela Sottile-Fowler and Clarie Sullivan (all from MassRecycle).
Angela Sottile-Fowler (left) of MassRecyle joins MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt during the Mass Recycles Paper event at the Springfield MRF.
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