85 Signatures and Counting

In just a few short weeks, 85 people have signed the online petition opposing the construction of the Holbrook Regional Trash Transfer Station.
If you have not had the opportunity to sign the petition when it was in Randolph or Braintree, you can sign it online. Add your comments detailing your disgust with this unnecessary source of future pollution and traffic congestion. It is easy and confidential. To sign the petition, click here.

Trash Transfer Stations In the News

The following are stories related to trash transfer station that appear on Google News:

Waste company scales back transfer station plan
Republic Waste Services of Texas has scaled back plans for a solid-waste transfer station near Aledo that many nearby residents oppose.
Company officials said this week that they are amending the permit application that they must submit to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
"The Brazos Transfer Station development team took note of the comments made by members of the public over the past several months," said Nicholas Stefkovich, Republic’s area president. http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1561269.html

The Rutabaga: Second Street becomes waste transfer station
Neighborhood development chief Jim Tolbert announced today that the section of Second Street SE beside the abandoned Landmark Hotel has become an RSWA-sponsored waste transfer station. The site, which is being called the Landmark Materials Transfer Facility, has actually been accepting construction and demolition debris, as well as careless source unseparated recyclables such as coffee cups and cigarette butts, since the Downtown Mall re-bricking project was completed earlier this year. Tolbert says the program has been a success so far.http://www.readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2009/08/28/therutabaga-second-street-becomes-waste-transfer-station/

Crookston not cleaning up on trash collection, garbage bag sales
Crookston officials say the city is losing money on its garbage pick-up service and residents could likely lose a citywide cleanup week because of it.
“We have two a year, the last full week of April and of October,” said Pat Kelly, public works director. “Both are relatively well used.”
The amount of garbage hauled to the Polk County Transfer Station from Crookston has gone down every year since 2003. City clerk/treasurer Betty Arvidson said the city is also losing revenue from the sale of garbage bags used for curbside pick-up.http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/131460/

Putting More Traffic on the Road

In its attempt to be sensitve to traffic issues, TLA-Holbrook will tell you that its proposed regional trash transfer station will utilize trains to take trash off to Ohio for final burial and that will cut down on traffic.
What about all the truck traffic going to the site and the empty trucks leaving the site?
Trash will not be magically transported to the facility and the trucks bringing the loads of garbage will not magically disappear once they arrive. Traffic going in will have to leave over the same roads. Saying trains will cut down on truck traffic is another piece of faulty information from a group of desperate people trying to get a bad project approved.

It Will Take More than a Pretty Picture

TLA-Holbrook's web site has been updated since we last called attention to it. It now has this drawing of what the proposed trash transfer station is supposed to look like.

We guess posting this idyllic drawing is supposed to make us all feel comfortable, warm, and fuzzy. How could anyone be opposed to such a lovely looking facility. Oh look, the only thing that is abutting the site are beautiful pine trees! There's no houses or businesses impacted! This beautiful drawing doesn't show any so they must not exist!

Note to TLA-Holbrook: Guess again! Nice drawing but your plan still poses serious negative health, traffic, and quality of life impacts for everyone and everything living near this proposed dump.

Poor Track Record of Enforcement

The enforcement agency leadership of Holbrook and its board of selectmen are not concerned about the environment or public health. How many times have you driven by Sylvan Lake, which is just off Center Street near the train station, and seen people fishing there? The lake is and will be contaminated for decades, yet the town lets people fish there? If you think the town of Holbrook will provide proper oversight for a trash transfer station, guess again. They let Baird-McGuire pollute for decades and the allowed Holbrook Chemical Company to pollute the area as well. Just a reminder, the former Holbrook Chemical site is the proposed trash transfer station location and it abuts the contaminated Baird-McGuire site.
If health and the environment were such concerns for Holbrook, why don't they have a conservation commission agent or a health agent? In the past, both positions have been held by health board members and a member of the conservation commission. Neither were qualified for the position.

The Wetland Connection

TLA-Holbrook will continue to push for its Holbrook Regional Trash Transfer Station and state that the wetlands it abuts are clean and safe. Consider, however, what the EPA has said about the wetlands and their relationship to the Baird-McGuire site:
"The groundwater discharge is believed to be partially responsible for contamination of Cochato River sediments and adjoining wetlands."
A total of 4,712 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed from the river. Annual sampling of the river sediments and five-year sampling of fish in the River and in Sylvan Lake will continue for 30 years to ensure that contaminant levels do not increase, the EPA has reported.
Why wouldn't construction activity for the trash transfer site stir up the sediments that are part of the contamination? EPA investigations state that "site contaminants were being effectively trapped in river sediments and were not migrating down-river."

TLA-Holbrook Applies for ConCom Approval

The proponents of the proposed Holbrook Regional Trash Transfer Station have applied for permits with the Holbrook Conservation Commission. Permission is needed because the proposed transfer station is within 100 feet of a wetland and portions of the project would be within an area prone to flooding. As more information becomes available, we will post it here and on the main web site. Abutters to the project should expect to receive notification of the project hearing date.

Transfer Proponents Post 'Traffic Study'

Holbrook-TLA has posted a summary of their traffic study on their web site and surprise, surprise, they believe the transfer station will not have a negative impact on traffic in the surrounding area. According to the "Traffic Facts" section, "The study concluded that the project would not result in a degradation of traffic operations on the surrounding roadway network."
The "Traffic Facts" also state: "Based on the capacity of the proposed Holbrook MSW Facility, the average truckload size, and the operating hours, an average entering volume of 7 trucks per hour was determined. Train service to the site will occur once per day, and while the schedule has not been set, the pickup is expected to occur mid-day. Because the truck traffic destined for the proposed Holbrook MSW facility will have no route restrictions, it was distributed into the traffic stream in accordance with current traffic patterns at the study area intersections."
Click here to read more about the project.

Send a Letter if You Can't Attend

Getting involved a civic project is not easy. It often conflicts with work and family life. It can require a commitment of time and energy. If you are opposed to the transfer station and you can't attend the September 2 hearing on the variances, send a letter of opposition. Here's some issues to consider:

• Project size
• Traffic impacts
• Impacts on the neighborhood
• Impacts on surrounding communities
• Inexperience of the town of Holbrook on issues like this
• Site problems related to its current state of contamination
• Rats, noise, and odor
• All or any combination of the previous items

All letters can be sent to Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Day at the following address:

Town of Holbrook
Office of the Board of Appeals
50 North Franklin Street
Holbrook, MA 02343

Visit http://www.bhrcivicgroup.com/ for more information and materials on the transfer station project.

Variances Before Holbrook ZBA

The Holbrook Zoning Board of Appeals is schedule to meet September 2 at 7 pm at Holbrook Town Hall to discuss the variances needed for the proposed Holbrook Regional Trash Transfer Station. All members of the public can attend and speak on the proposal. The hearing had to be rescheduled from an August date because the proponents botched the notice requirements. The meeting should be interesting for those who have not attended a public hearing in the town of Holbrook. To say meetings are different from other communities is an understatement. Listen for terse warnings and watch for hurried presentations, and a general air of distain for public comments or questions. Click here for a recent story on the hearing. Click here for a description of the variances being requested and other documents related to the project.

Trash Transfer Station News Items

Here's a collection of some recent trash transfer station news gathered from Google News. Click on the link to read the full story:

New Transfer Station Prompts Rats to Nest in Homes

Complaints are continuing about a state-of-the-art recycling plant on the east side.
Neighbors said bugs, mice and rats are drawn to the plant and into their homes. At the ribbon cutting of the Greenstar Recycling Plant a few months ago, which features the latest in recycling technology, there was no mention of any problems with rodents or insects. However, Roger Osborne said every night his backyard is teeming with rodents. And his cat can't keep up.

http://www.ksat.com/news/20376452/detail.html

Transfer Station Monitoring Questioned

One of the criticisms of a plan to put a trash-transfer station at 686 Main St. is that while the Board of Health has declared the facility suitable subject to 42 conditions, the city lacks health staff to monitor compliance with those conditions.

http://www.masslive.com/springfield/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1250582028295370.xml&coll=1

Transfer Station Rezoning Denied

The owners of the old Dairymen's building couldn't get a recommendation on Tuesday from the Lewisburg Planning Commission for rezoning the property for a solid waste transfer station.

Commission Chairman Jim Bingham explained that no planning commissioner made a motion to recommend the property owners' requested rezoning to the City Council. As a result the board took no action.

http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/1563904.html

Illegal Transfer Station in South Boston

Seven people investigating an illegal transfer station in South Boston have been transported to the hospital after being overcome while on the scene, officials said.

Four firefighters, two emergency medical services staff and a city inspector were taken to Boston Medical Center after they complained about feeling light headed, skin irritation, hives and respiratory distress, said Boston Fire Department officials.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1191836

Trash Transfer Station Not Feasible

The results are in, and a transfer station doesn't seem feasible for Clearfield County. Last night, Michelle Nestor of Nestor Resources Inc. presented the findings of her sustainability study and municipal waste planning process. She was contracted through the Clearfield County Solid Waste Authority to do the study for both Clearfield and Jefferson counties.

http://www.theprogressnews.com/default.asp?read=18846

Human Foot Found at Trash Transfer Station

A human foot has been found among mounds of trash brought to Buffalo from a transfer station in Toronto. Toronto police received a call from authorities in the U.S. informing them of the discovery at about 9:15 p.m. on Monday.

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090804/foot_garbage_090804/20090804?hub=Toronto

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BHR Blogger

Operating Without a Permit: Can It Happen Here?

TLA-Holbrook hopes residents will take comfort in the fact that its proposed regional trash transfer station will have to undergo extensive state and town review. Well how much faith should we have in the town of Holbrook and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)? Consider this story from Bridgewater where the town failed to permit its transfer station 15 years ago and the DEP is just catching the problem. The story notes that all this was discovered by a resident who took the time to review the transfer station's finances.
A similar problem could develop at the proposed transfer station. The Bridgewater site went through all the town and state review and the DEP even ordered an operating permit when it visited the site just after it opened. It all fell through the cracks and nothing was done. The former health agent who oversaw the site is now chairman of the board of selectmen and says the lack of a permit is nothing to be concerned about. “It needs an operational permit, it is not a big thing,” he told The Enterprise.
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Just an update on the health agent situation in Holbrook. He is leaving Holbrook for a new job that starts in September so Holbrook does not have a health agent and the permitting process for the TLA-Holbrook transfer station is beginning.



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BHR Blogger

They Call Them 'Vectors', We Call Them Rats

Rats and transfer stations go together. And you can't have one without the other.

According to the operators of the trash transfer station in Elk Grove, California, "Rodents (mice and rats), seagulls, flies, cockroaches and other insects are all considered vectors. The materials brought to a transfer station can serve as food sources for vectors. The most effective way to keep vectors from populating a transfer station is to avoid creating the conditions that attract them and that allow them to reproduce. A number of strategies are employed to accomplish this goal. Wastes are never stored for any extended periods of time and are typically packed up and shipped off-site by the end of each day. Access to the waste is limited by keeping it within the confines of the building and out of sight from birds. A web of monofilament fishing line is often constructed over the building entrances to discourage birds from flying in. Rat traps and bait boxes are placed at strategic locations. Habitat and hiding places such as bushes are kept back at least 20' from the buildings so that rodents would have to run across open areas of asphalt to get to the building."



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BHR Blogger

More from the Petition Signing: "They're building a transfer station near the Lynwood!?!?"

The Lynwood Cafe, seen by many as one of the greatest pizza places in the universe, is on Center Street in Randolph and within shouting distance of the proposed trash transfer station. This fact was not lost on the dozens of residents signing the anti-Holbrook Trash Transfer Station petition Saturday at the Shaw's Supermarket in Randolph. When people asked where the site is, just mentioning it was near the Lynwood got them interested in the petition. And when they heard about the additional truck traffic, stink, and noise generated by a transfer station they happily signed the petition. People love their pizza and they want to enjoy it in an environment free from diesel fumes, truck traffic, seagulls, and rats. Trash has no place in our communities, even if you shrink wrap it, put it on a train, and ship it to Ohio.

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BHR Blogger

Free Trash Collection for Holbrook Residents ... Guess Again!

It says in the lease agreement that the town of Holbrook will not have to pay for trash collection once the new transfer station is construction, which would be never when the BHR Civic Association stops the project dead. However, just to play the devil's advocate, no where in the lease does it say "residents" will have their trash collected for free. There is no mention of eliminating the current fee residents have to pay for the blue bags. Holbrook residents should remember that the board of selectmen have never walked away from charging residents a fee. In addition, the trash collection agreement between the town and TLA-Holbrook is subject to a completely separate agreement, which has yet to be negotiated by the town and TLA-Holbrook is still allowed to begin the permitting process without at least discussing the details of this agreement. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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BHR Blogger

'What is Holbrook thinking?'

This was the response from dozens of Randolph residents who gladly signed the anti-Holbrook Trash Transfer Station petition at Shaw's Supermarket Saturday morning.

People were asked to sign as they entered and/or exited the store. Others took the time to drive to the site and sign the petition.

People signing the petition could not understand why the residents of Holbrook and their board of selectmen would willingly make a deal with a large trash hauler to set up shop in their community. "Here's a project that will immediately drive down the value of their homes. What is Holbrook thinking?" asked one Randolph resident.

People were also shocked that the Holbrook Board of Selectmen would hide this project from the residents and town leaders in nearby communities."Residents of Center Street in Randolph and all the side streets off Center Street will be affected by all the truck traffic. How can Holbrook Selectmen think that this project will not harm the quality of life for people in Randolph?" another Randolph resident asked.

The civic group would like to thank the management of Shaw's Supermarket in Randolph and the residents of Randolph for supporting this civic and informational activity.

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BHR Blogger

Who is and What is Transload America?

Here's a link to a recent story where the owner of Transload America (the company behind the proposed transfer station) discusses what makes his company different and why rail transportation is so essential to their operation. To read the story, go here: http://www.thealternativepress.com/article.asp?news=3748

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BHR Blogger

What is a Variance, Special Permit, and a Zoning Board?

Here's some information on zoning permits and the zoning board of appeals process. This post provides some details on permits, what to expect at a hearing, the notification and appeals process.

 

• Variances, Special Permits, Appeals:
• Variances are authorizations to use land or structures in a manner that is otherwise prohibited by the Zoning By-Law.
• Dimensional variances relate to such zoning requirements as area, frontage, width, or depth.
• Use variances relate to regulation of categories of uses in particular zoning districts.
• Special permits are authorization to use land or structures for a specific use, which is expressly permitted by the special permit, provided general guidelines as detailed in the By-Law and specific conditions arising from the review process itself are met.
• Special permits are designed as a flexible tool to assure that the use is in harmony with the intent and purposes of the By-Law.
• Appeals are reviews of the decisions or orders of Zoning Code Enforcement officers by the Board of Appeals.
• The Board may uphold, reverse, or modify the official's decision. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the date of the decision or order.

 

• Hearing Schedule:
• By law, the Board of Appeals must open its hearing on an application not later than 65 days after the filing date.
• All meetings are open to the public.
• Notice of the hearing will be advertised for two consecutive weeks, with the first publication not less than 14 days prior to the hearing date. Notices to direct abutters, abutters to abutters if within 300 feet of the subject property, are mailed at least two weeks before the hearing.

 

• The Hearing:
• At the hearing, the applicant will be asked to present your case to the Board. This can be as simple as stating the request and the reasons the applicant believes it should be granted or as involved as presenting expert testimony with maps, plans and documents.
• The Board then may ask questions to clarify any portion of your request or presentation. The public then may ask questions or make statements in support or opposition to your request.

 

• Decision Deadlines:
• The Board of Appeals must vote its decision on a variance not later than 100 days from the Application filing date and on a special permit no later than 90 days following the close of the public hearing.
• Any of the statutory hearing and decision deadlines may be extended by mutual agreement of the Board and the applicant. Notice of such agreement is filed with the Town Clerk by means of letter submitted from the Applicant to the Zoning Board.
• At the same time the Board's written decision is filed with the Town Clerk, copies of it will be mailed to the applicant, and property owner if other than the applicant. Notice of the decision is mailed to, applicant, property owner, and abutters.

 

• Court Appeals:
• Zoning decisions may be appealed to Massachusetts Superior Court during the twenty-day period after the date the written decision is filed with the Town Clerk. During that time, no construction permits will be issued; no work may commence.

 

• Decision Recording:
• When the 20-day appeal period has expired without appeal, a certified copy of the Board's decision must be filed with the Registry of Deeds or Land Court. The Building Inspector will ask to see evidence of that recording when the applicant applies for a Building Permit.

 

• Lapse of Zoning Relief:
• If the rights granted by a variance are not exercised within one year of the decision filing date, the variance lapses. The Board of Appeals may grant an extension of up to 6 months, provided the extension is requested prior to expiration of the variance.
• The rights granted by a special permit lapse after two years, if not exercised. Special permits may be extended for good cause, at the Board's discretion, after new notice and hearing.

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BHR Blogger

FAQs about the Transfer Station Lease

To help people better understand what the lease says about the transfer station's operation, we have created a section on the civic group's web site. We included the exact language from the lease so TLA-Holbrook can't say the group is distorting the truth. To access and read the FAQs (frequently asked questions) go here: http://www.bhrcivicgroup.com/faqs

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BHR Blogger

EPA Information Available on Transfer Stations

Here's a link to some valuable information on transfer stations: http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/transfer.htm

 

One of the resources on community involvement suggestions the following questions to ask at a public hearing:

 

• Who will provide long-term oversight of facility operations?
• What provisions are being made so that the public can review the facility's operating history and permit compliance after regular operations begin?
• Can the community be involved in site inspections and reviews?
• Will the authority help schedule a visit to a similar facility?

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BHR Blogger

Appeals Board lacks the necessary expertise

The public hearing date for TLA-Holbrook is fast approaching. A number of variances are being sought and unfortunately, the Holbrook Zoning Board of Appeals is not qualified to review the requests. Among other things, the applicant is seeking permission to build within a flood plain. I can't imagine the Holbrook board or any other board has the necessary experience to make such a determination. This review is better left to an expert. Unlike many other communities, Holbrook does not have a town planner, which puts the town at a significant disadvantage when it comes to complex projects. Look to the Holbrook Zoning Board to rely solely on the testimony of the TLA-Holbrook's hired consultants.

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BHR Blogger

Welcome to the BHR Blog

Welcome to the Braintree Holbrook Randolph Civic Group Blog.

Braintree, Holbrook, Randolph Residents

Holbrook Regional Solid Waste Transfer Station Coming Soon Unless We Act Now!

The Town of Holbrook has entered into a lease for a proposed regional solid waste transfer station on a town owned site at the intersection of 3 Phillips Road and Route 139 – on the Holbrook/Randolph/Braintree town lines.

Trash from all over the region will be coming through Braintree roads and neighborhoods to this proposed transfer station. The proposed waste transfer station. The proposed waste transfer station could create serious safety, health, environmental and decreased property value concerns for Holbrook/Randolph/Braintree. Two million pounds of waste and trash per day, six days per week would be carried up and down Holbrook/Braintree’s route 37 corridor and down South Street, in Braintree, passing by the Kindred hospital. The story is similar for Randolph and Holbrook along route 139, etc. That is approximately 200 additional trucks a day coming and going through our streets.

Braintree residents will be living between two regional solid waste transfer stations.

Enough is Enough!