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Page 2 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022 City Council accepts $5K gift from Littleton cannabis company By Adam Swift T he City Council accepted a $5,000 donation for the city’s Substance Use Disorder and Homelessness Initiatives Offi ce (SUDHI) from a Littletonbased cannabis company at Monday night’s meeting. “The CEO [of Collective Premium Cannabis] reached out to us to explain that they were looking for local community initiatives that were working toward addressing the issues we address in the city, and they did some research and they found our offi ce,” said SUDHI Director Julia Newhall. Newhall said the donation was Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net made with no strings attached. There is currently a prohibition on issuing licenses for the sale of recreational marijuana in Revere. “They are just trying to give back based on the revenue they have raised over the past few years,” said Newhall. “They are out of Littleton and not in this area.” Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri has been one of the biggest proponents for getting the City Council to rethink its stance on allowing marijuana sales in the city and said he supported the donation. “This is part of the amazing things that come out of the cannabis industry, and one more reason I think we should look to bring the industry here to this city,” he said. Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro said he also supported the donation and asked Newhall how her department would use the funds. “We are a completely grant-funded office, so even just the $5,000 will make a dent,” said Newhall. She said the money will likely be used to help provide support for people in need in the community. In other business Monday night, Cogliandro presented a motion asking police to increase patrols on East Mountain Avenue due to cars speeding and not stopping at stop signs. Ward 5 Councillor John Powers requested that the Public Works Department install a guardrail near 780 North Shore Rd. Within the last couple of months, the home at that location was hit by a speeding motor vehicle, and the pole located next to the home was also hit, according to Powers. Further, he added that three weeks ago a fatality occurred in the area of 182 and 190 North Shore Rd. Powers stated that Revere and State police should be working together to the enforce speeding law on the dangerous stretch of Route 1A. EPA Settlement Holds Tanker Truck Company Accountable for Two 2021 Oil Spills in Athol and Revere, Mass. BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Goguen Transportation, Inc. of Gardner, Mass., resolving alleged violations of the Clean Water Act associated with two tanker truck accidents in Revere and Athol, Mass. that resulted in oil discharges to local waters. “EPA takes our role of protecting public health and our environmental resources very seriously, with a special emphasis on communities that have been historically burdened with high levels of pollution,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “Carefully following safety measures to prevent oil spills from occurring is Job One for companies that handle, store and transport oil, and Goguen Transportation failed to take the necessary care.” On two separate occasions, fuel oil was spilled from tanker trucks owned and operated by Goguen Transportation, polluting local waters and violating the Clean Water Act. On October 13, 2021, a Goguen oil tank trailer truck rolled over while navigating a traffi c circle in Revere, releasing between 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of fuel oil into areas including Rumney Marsh, Diamond Creek and the Pines River. A second incident occurred on December 22, 2021, when a Goguen oil tank trailer truck rolled over at an intersection in Athol, releasing approximately 4,500 gallons of fuel oil into waters including Mill Brook and Millers River. On both occasions, the released fuel oil created a sheen and accumulated on the shoreline of impacted waters. The Revere spill occurred in an area (Brown Circle Rotary) where residents have been historically overburdened with environmental concerns, including proximity to traffi c and industrial facilities. Rumney Marsh encompasses approximately 2,274 acres and is an important coastal estuary that is home to a variety of wildlife. EPA’s coordination with Commonwealth of Massachusetts offi cials showed that waterfowl were also negatively aff ected by the Revere spill, and the spill delayed the opening of the clam fl at. Rumney Marsh is a 600-acre salt marsh located within the Saugus and Pines River Inlet. The Marsh is designated as an "Area of Critical Environmental Concern" under the Commonwealth and supports numerous activities to the public including canoeing and kayaking, fi shing and clam harvesting, hiking and bird watching. The company will pay a $35,354 penalty. EPA estimates that the company has spent over $570,000 to clean up the Revere spill, and that remediation for the Athol spill will be no less than $300,000 based on the distance oil traveled and amount of oil spilled. More information: EPA Oil Spill enforcement (https://www. epa.gov/enforcement/waterenforcement#oil) Like us on Facebook advocate newspaper Facebook.com/ Advocate.news.ma

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