Posted on August 1, 2018
Just days after a public forum on Schneider Electric’s application to absolve the firm of further responsibility for Neponset Reservoir contamination, selectmen voted to ask the state Department of Environmental Protection to extend the public comment period.
Selectmen are also considering hiring their own licensed site professional to review Schneider’s permanent solution statement, after meeting with one already hired by the town Neponset Reservoir Committee, which was created to oversee the cleanup of phosphates in the lake. They also plan to set up a meeting with Schneider as well.
The comment period ends Sept. 4, after which the state will come to a final decision on Schneider’s permanent solution statement. If approved, Schneider will no longer monitor, treat, or do anything about the contamination.
Rick Lewis, a member of the reservoir committee, said if Schneider’s statement is approved, the town would be limited in what they can do with reservoir, of which they own about 70 percent.
“If we want to proceed with dredging to improve conditions, to create beach areas, to expand the use of the reservoir for more recreational purposes, it is an impediment,” he said. “It’s not that we can’t dredge it, but the cost of dredging would be astronomical because of the cost of dealing with the heavy metals.”
Reservoir committee members have previously informed Schneider that they intend to dredge at some point. However, they “elected not to consider that as a future use or future activity that would go on at the reservoir,” Lewis said.
Lewis added the state environmental representative present at last Thursday’s informational session stated that dredging is common in lakes and reservoirs, and was “taken aback” when he learned it was not part of Schneider’s analysis. That information may prompt the DEP to review the case again.
“It’s a tremendous resource that I think the Town of Foxboro should get full use of and not be limited by the fact that the company decided to dump their waste into it,” Lewis said.
Town counsel Kate Connolly urged selectmen to seek the extension, especially if they planned on hiring their own expert. She also suggested the town ask the federal Environmental Protection Agency to review the case.
Selectman David Feldman said selectmen and the town reservoir committee should jointly meet with Schneider and try to hash things out.
“Just put the cards on the table and say, ‘Look. We value the partnership and we want it to continue but we have this 600-pound gorilla in the room that we need to resolve and we can do it one of two ways: We can discuss it and come up with a equitable solution that works for both of us, or we can start firing letters from town counsel, DEP, EPA,’” he said.
Connolly agreed, stating it’s best to first discuss the issue with the company head-on.
Selectman James DeVellis had suggested that selectmen hire their own expert, stating they need an impartial professional to back them up.
“I think its time for the town to step up,” DeVellis said. “To get a consultant to look at this is a few thousand dollars. The detriment of not doing that is we’ve got a lifetime of dealing with 80 acres that we say, ‘should’ve, could’ve, would’ve’ done something back in 2018 and now the door’s closed.”
Source: The Foxboro Reporter
