Norton Patch Letter to the Editor: Town Shouldn't Pay Attleboro Clean-Up Costs

Letter To The Editor:

There will be an important public information meeting for Norton and Attleboro sponsored by EndCap Technology of Braintree: Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m in the , 315 West Main St., Norton.

The topic will be EndCap’s latest proposal for Capping of the Phase B Portion of Attleboro Landfill Inc. (ALI). Information provided thus far indicates the plan is almost identical to ones submitted in 2008, 2006 and 2002. All of which were rejected by the Town of Norton.

The proposal includes the hauling of 650,000 cubic yds. (1200 tons) of ‘slightly contaminated’ materials to the 10 acre site which is currently a low and level, benign undeveloped parcel with no contaminated soils. It abuts the ALI ‘Mound’, the Shpack Superfund Site, and backs up to Maple and Slater Streets.

Inbound loaded dump trucks would come through Taunton and Norton: 35 trucks per day, six days a week, for four years. The same number of outbound unloaded trucks are expected to travel through Attleboro to reach Route 95.    The Inbound Route in Taunton: Industrial Park Rd., Myles Standish Blvd., Harvey St., Norton Ave., Rte. 140. The Inbound Route in Norton: Eddy St., John Scott Blvd., S. Worcester St., Union Rd. to Peckham St., Attleboro.

It was estimated in 2008 that only 50,000 cubic yds. of clean soils would be necessary to ‘cap’ this ALI Phase B Parcel. The purpose of importing 600,000 additional cubic yards of slightly contaminated materials is to generate funds for ALI. A ‘Host Community Tipping Fee’ of 25 cents per ton has been offered to Norton. EndCap’s attorney estimated that would amount to $162,500 paid to the town after four years. I wonder if a ‘Tipping Fee’ has also been offered to Taunton.

ALI abuts the Shpack Superfund Site, where $70.5 million has already been spent on cleanup. Why would we consider the creation of another mound of undesirable material looming over Shpack and Norton’s border off Maple Street.?

And why should Norton and Taunton bear the burden of truck traffic to bail out owners of a private for profit enterprise in Attleboro? The responsibility for closure of ALI lies with Attleboro Landfill Inc.

Community acceptance is a critical element in the project approval process. Norton’s opposition is the reason EndCap did not proceed with the same plan in 2008 or years prior. Too bad this isn’t baseball – three strikes and you’re out!

Heather A. Graf, Coordinator                                                                                                          Citizens Advisory Shpack Team                                                                       heathergraf1@comcast.net