BOARD OF HEALTH | from page 3 be in the range of $600,000,” Hailer said of the total fines he believes Wheelabrator could be facing for violating state laws – some that carry a $25,000 fine per violation. As for violating town bylaws, Wheelabrator could also face a possible suspension or modification of its site assignment issued by the town’s Board of Health, which permits the plant on Route 107 to operate, according to Hailer. Additionally, Wheelabrator faces $299-a-day penalties for violating Board of Health regulations, he said. “Holding them accountable” On Hailer’s advice, the Board of Health will work with him on the final language of a draft of the “show cause” letter that will be mailed out to Wheelabrator, advising them of the “show cause” hearing set for Monday, Aug. 5 at 6:15 p.m. in the Community Room of the Saugus Public Library. “I’m disappointed Wheelabrator was noticed, but not here tonight,” Hailer said. The attorney said he urged company officials to show up for the Aug. 5 meeting to explain their position in the wake of violaTHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, July 19, 2019 Michelle Nadeau, Wheelations of “numerous state and local bylaws.” Hailer said he considers the state violations “really an event of air pollution.” In an interview after the meeting, Heffernan told The Saugus Advocate that he wasn’t surprised Wheelabrator officials didn’t appear. With the Board of Health threatening lawsuits against Wheelabrator, the company has been absent from most of the board’s meetings over the past year. “This is the first step to let them know we’re holding them accountable,” Heffernan said. “The fines could be substantial and we could rescind or modify their site assignment. We’re basically asking them to appear and explain what exactly happened, why it happened and what they plan to do so it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “We have our path forward and I hope Wheelabrator is amenable to appearing and addressing the town.” Heffernan said he was on vacation during the time he was deluged by “countless emails” and “countless phone calls.” Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc. responds brator’s Director of Communications and Community Engagement, issued the following response yesterday to the Board of Health’s vote in response to noise complaints: “We have not yet received a letter from the Board of Health so we are not able to comment on its specifics. Wheelabrator operates in compliance with all permits as well as all federal, state, and local environmental and public health regulations, which are among the most stringent of any industry. During repairs earlier this month, the waste-to-energy facility vented steam that was audible to some of our neighbors. We apologize to those neighbors who were inconvenienced by the sound.” Wheelabrator issued press statements Wheelabrator did issue statements to local media last month, explaining that it had to shut down its incinerator on Route 107 in Saugus to make repairs to solve noise problems which have bothered residents in Saugus and Revere over a two-week period. “The facility is in the process of making unavoidable repairs to a steam turbine. DurPage 9 ing the repair process, steam that would normally power the turbine to create clean, renewable energy for local homes and businesses was instead being vented safely into the air,” Wheelabrator Director of Communications & Community Engagement Michelle Nadeau said in a written statement last month. “Although the steam was vented through a silencer to reduce sound to the required standard, the venting was still noticeable in some neighborhoods located in close proximity to our facility,” Nadeau said. Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta and Precinct 5 Town Meeting Member Pamela J. Goodwin were the only two residents among less than a dozen people in the audience who addressed the Board of Health during the public feedback period. There would have been many more people at the Board of Health meeting, except that many of them were at a meeting hosted by the Alliance for Health and the Environment hosted at the Point of Pines Yacht Club in Revere. Panetta said she was told by people attending that meeting that there was standing room only. Panetta reminded the board that people who live near the plant had to endure “that jet noise hovering over their homes for days.” Wheelabrator should have had a solution to the potential noise problem in place before taking apart the turbine and refurbishing it, she said. “I think Wheelabrator should be accountable for what happened,” Panetta said. “I myself received dozens and dozens of phone calls. Unfortunately, we did not have answers for several days before we knew what was going on,” she said. “Wheelabrator Saugus had an obligation to communicate.” The company could have run ads to let people know about the potential work on the turbines, Panetta suggested. Wheelabrator officials also could have notified the Town Manager’s Office, according to Panetta. “They had the responsibility to let people know, especially for the time that went on,” she said. “It doesn’t pay to be silent” Town Meeting Member Goodwin echoed Panetta’s concerns. “Wheelabrator had an absolute obligation to noBOARD OF HEALTH | SEE PAGE 17 WE WORK FOR YOU! * Have your car repaired by Real Manufacturer Certiified Technicians * An I-CAR GOLD CLASS SHOP Highest Certificate in the Repair Industry * Premier Insurance Co. 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