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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 23, 2022 Page 13 SELECTMENS | FROM PAGE 12 comes to Town Hall on September 28th that they can end this debate. I certainly don’t want to take a vote tonight, and then somebody attends the DEP meeting stating that, “YES, the Board of Selectmen are in favor of an expansion.” I feel that this Board does not have adequate information to take a vote this evening. The health and well-being of our Saugus residents is, and always will be my top priority. Selectman Corinne Riley we can continue to work on a potential agreement, so that if MassDEP extends the life of the ash pile, as they’ve done many times, we’ll be in position to realize improved NOx monitoring, independent monitoring of the facility, and significant financial benefit. To me, the better choice is clear. I’m ready to try a new approach, and that is why I am ready to vote YES on moving this agreement forward. Selectman Michael Serino with issues at the facility, I have always tried to look at the trash burning plant and the ash landfill as two separate issues. In regards to the trash burning plant, what we do know is that nitrogen oxide emission levels, emitting from the smokestack of the facility, does not meet Mass-D.E.P. requirements of 150 ppm (particles per million). On June 2, 2019 (WIN-Wheelabrator) submitted an emission control plan application to Mass-D.E.P. On February 11, 2020, Mass-D.E.P. approved a final emission control plan for the facility. In regards to the elevated nitrogen oxide emission levels at the trash burning facility, the final emission control plan allows WIN-Wheelabrator to choose from three (3) emission strategies to deal with the issue. The first is the SCR – SelecMichael Serino Selectman Corinne Riley Selectman Having served on the WIN Subcommittee, I firstly want to thank those who worked so hard to get where we are. An open mind is to hear all sides. The current approach where Saugus bears the burden on an incinerator, but reaps no benefits other than tax dollars, hasn’t worked for decades. As part of my due diligence on WIN, I had the opportunity to visit the WIN Waste facility in Shrewsbury, with their Town Manager and state representative. I got to see the operation, which was interesting, but my biggest takeaway, as it relates to the current situation in Saugus, was the longstanding, positive partnership that exists between Shrewsbury and WIN, which includes a Host Community Agreement. With a more cooperative approach lately, we’ve already realized a better relationship than we’ve had in many years. As I see it, we’ve got two options: 1. We can keep the same approach that has been in place for decades. We can continue to fight and lose on the taxpayer’s dime, over and over and over again. We can go back to the days of having an adversarial relationship with WIN. We can forget the agreement, and we can forgo improved air quality that so many residents told the DEP was so important, and just keep the status quo. 2. Or, we can enjoy the improved relationship with WIN that has been noted many times by the Board of Health, 25 MORE YEARS OF TOXIC ASH IS NOT THE ANSWER Over the past several months, I had the opportunity to attend all meetings regarding the [WIN Waste] operation and their proposal to expand their landfill. Expansion of the toxic ash landfill is important to their operation. However, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (D.E.P.) would first have to approve any expansion of their landfill. If approved by the D.E.P., it would then need to receive site assignment approval from the Saugus Board of Health. Please keep in mind that the Saugus Board of Selectmen and/or any committee, do not have any legal authority to allow for an expansion of the landfill or negotiate any agreements. However, as stated in our Town Charter, the Board of Selectmen are the chief policy makers of the Town. Therefore, I feel it is important that we share our views regarding the [WIN Waste] operation and their request to ask for a landfill expansion. As some background information, the [WIN] property located on Rt 107 currently hosts a trash burning facility and an ash landfill. This landfill started out as an unlined landfill back in the 1950’s. It was known as the DeMatteo Dump. In 1975 a trash burning plant was permitted to operate. Consequently, ash from the plant has been dumped throughout the entire (248 acre) landfill site for the past (40+) years. When dealing tive Catalytic Reduction Strategy. This is a pollution control device that would achieve Mass-D.E.P.’s requirement of 150 ppm (particles per million). The cost estimate is eighteen (18) million dollars. As noted in the final emission control plan, because of the eighteen (18) million-dollar cost to install and operate the SCR system, WIN-Wheelabrator did request a higher nitrogen oxide emission level of 185 ppm (particle per million). This is the plant’s current nitrogen oxide emission out-put level. Mass-D.E.P. did refuse to change and lower their statewide requirement of 150 ppm (particles per million). However, D.E.P. did allow two (2) other strategies to be used. The second strategy is the SNCR – Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction Strategy. This strategy sprays an ammonia solution into the boiler/furnace. The intent of this strategy is to try to determine if an achievable nitrogen oxide limit below WIN’s current emission level of 185 ppm (particles per million) can be established. To date it is unclear as to the effectiveness of this strategy. The third and final option is the ERC – Emission Reduction Credit Strategy. This strategy allows WIN to purchase Emission Reduction Credits from clean burning facilities, in and out of Massachusetts. To date it is my understanding that WIN has purchased emission reduction credits from other cleaning burning facilities. In my final comments regarding the trash burning plant. We need to keep in mind that the plant is nearing 50 years old, the oldest in the nation. The facility is so outdated that their boiler system cannot be retro-fitted and some replacement parts have to be specially fabricated. In regards to the ash landfill. As I had mentioned in my opening statement, the landfill started out as an unlined landfill in the 1950’s. Today this landfill remains the State’s only unlined landfill that is still in operation today. Toxic fly ash from the trash burning facility is spread throughout the entire 248-acre landfill site. The ash contains high levels of Mercury, Lead and Arsenic. The Landfill abuts the Saugus River and Rumney Marsh and is located in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The landfill was never meant to be a forever solution and under Mass-D.E.P.’s Consent Order was scheduled to close in December of 1996. We must also keep in mind that State law does require WIN to be responsible for the maintenance of the landfill for only thirty (30) years after its closure. However, it could be sooner if WIN goes out of business. Consequently, the State or in essence, Massachusetts Taxpayers would end up being responsible for the up-keep of the toxic ash landfill. In a November 16, 2021 letter from Mass-D.E.P., commissioner Martin Suuberg wrote that Mass-D.E.P. has determined that additional ash over the (50-foot) maximum height or expanding the landfill’s footprint would not be allowed, since it is located in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). While the applicant (WIN) is free to propose a site assignment modification, the facility fails to meet the necessary site suitability criteria to allow for an expansion within the (ACEC) area. Therefore, the applicant would not receive a positive site suitability determination. Consequently, WIN’s application would not advance to the Saugus Board of Health. I honestly believe we can do better. I believe it is time to close the landfill operation and work with WIN to look at opportunities to develop the landfill, which would provide a long-term (forever) economic benefit to Saugus, well beyond the twenty-five (25) year proposal. In 2003 WIN-Wheelabrator submitted plans to our planning board to subdivide their 248 acre landfill into twelve (12) commercial lots. Again in 2017 WIN-Wheelabrator submitted plans to our planning board to subdivide their 248 acre landfill into ten (10) commercial lots. Hayes Engineering represented Wheelabrator. At that time Hayes’s representative stated several potential uses for the property, which included an industrial park and a solar farm. A few years ago, the Town of Saugus installed a 4 acre solar farm on the old DPW landfill. The Town Manager negotiated a tax agreement of $20,000.00 per year. A solar farm at WIN’s 248 acre landfill could potentially generate $1,200,000.00 per year. Consequently, over twenty-five (25) years, Saugus could receive an economic benefit of thirty one (31) million dollars. Moreover, the Town would (forever) receive property tax revenue from the development of the landfill. In Conclusion, I honestly believe that we should work with WIN to explore potential development opportunities which would provide a greater long-term (forever) economic benefit to both WIN and the Town, while at the same time not harming our public and environmental health. Continuing to dump toxic ash in an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, for another 25 years is not in the best interest of our public and environmental health. Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini Jeffrey Cicolini Selectman (Selectman Cicolini did not read from a prepared speech but requested to make a summary comment early in the meeting on how he regarded the vote.) Us as the Board of Selectmen is only to this host agreement. We are not voting to expand an ash landfill. I’m sure if you poll every person up here if they wanted to expand the ash pile, my answer would be ‘no.’ However, we know that reality has proven over the years that WIN is here to stay and that incinerator is here to stay. So, the paramount problem in our town has been public health and public safety – trying to make sure that we can do everything in our power and have WIN do everything in SELECTMENS | SEE PAGE 19

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