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Uxbridge Times
“Your Hometown News” VOLu me 25 • ISSu e 9
FREE Monthly Since 1991
u xbridge • North u xbridge • Linwood • Douglas • Northbridge • Whitinsville • Sutton • manchaug Se PTe mBe R 2016
Residents voice concern over Toxic Waste site
Uniquely Uxbridge Day
By Constance Reddy Dwyer
Submitted by: Travis Ann Baker
On Saturday, September 3rd, Uxbridge will be celebrating their Fourth Annual Uniquely Uxbridge Day on the Town Common and Pout Pond. This day is to enjoy all the things that make us a great community to live in! Part of what makes Uxbridge a fabulous community is how they support others in need. In past years, Uniquely Uxbridge Day has contributed to the Fire Victim Fund of 2013, and made generous donations to local fire and police departments in 2014. They have supported the Uxbridge Public Safety Day as well as the Peoples First Food Pantry. In 2016, they announced the creation of the UU Scholarship Fund. As in the past, all of the monies raised are given directly back, 100%, into the community, our community. The UU Scholarship Fund will do that as well, by providing a scholarship(s) for a deserving Uxbridge resident. The day starts at 9:00 a.m. on the town common. Admission is free, so come down, do some shopping, visit with the local crafters and artisans, and have the kids take part in the Kidz Korner activities. The perennial favorite, pie eating contest will return at 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Face painting, skill games, and a bounce house are some of the fun activities that kids can enjoy in the Kidz Zone, on the North End of the Common. This year, the crafter and vendor fair features some of the top local artisans in the area. If you want to get a start of your holiday shopping, now is the time! Hand-Blown glass, crochet items, handmade jewelry and doll clothes, primitives, wood décor, skin and per-
BACK TO SCHOOL - Jocelyn, from Douglas, is entering 4th grade. sonal care items, wind chimes and dreamcatchers are just a few of the crafters you will find, You will also be able to meet local business owners that focus on multi-media, performing arts, fitness, massage and of course, food. After 3:00 p.m. head down to Pout Pond for a gathering. The cardboard boat race launches at 3:15 p.m. this year, you don’t want to miss it. Enjoy music, volleyball, lawn games and grab a bite to eat from The Dogfather Food Truck. Raffle winners will be an-
nounced at Pout Pond and admission to the Pond will be free at that time. Uxbridge is a great town with many fantastic businesses, people and places to visit. Please come out and support our local families and our Unique town! Please visit the event page at facebook.com/UuxbridgeDay for updated details. Any questions on the Uniquely Uxbridge Day please contact uxbridgeday@gmail.com. Thank you and hope to see you there!
Uxbridge residents packed the room during the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on August 8th; at a previous BOS meeting, it was decided to invite residents to send questions to the Department of Environmental Protection for their review. EPA representatives made their presentations, and then some residents were able to pose questions, but the Chair dismissed other concerned residents wishing to speak because of time limitations. This topic was but one of seven topics on their agenda. The discussion involved 175 South Street, and 775 Millville Road and the related “Administrative Consent Orders (ACO’s). Paul Locke, Assistant Commissioner, from Boston’s DEP, spoke at length about its soil management policies and approaches. He invited anyone to get more details at www.ReclamationSoil.org Mr. Locke referred to “Green Acre Properties on South Street” as the site of concern for toxic dumping. He said MGL Ch. 21E provides additional information on “waste cleanup which does not deal with remediation waste.” He stressed “We need good communication to care about soil.” He said soil we breathe (dust) or “soil we play in or garden in is made of chemicals, but it is a meaningless term to say clean soil unless you define it;” adding, “The vast majority of soils are safe to reuse.” The EPA representative continued, at length, about the “Rules to be followed regarding hazardous site.” He said sample soil has been taken at 175 South Street and 775 Millville Road, adding, “We have processes to dispose of contaminated soil.” He also added that the “nuts and bolts is to talk to potential developers early and often and to talk to municipal officials.” Marc E. Baldi, of the DEP office in
Worcester (which covers 77 cities and towns), Deputy Director of waste site cleanup, was the other principal speaker. He said that a testing framework with specific violation penalties are provided in the new “ACO.” He also spoke about “Green Acres” where each truck load of soil is inspected; 6 soil samples have been taken and there are to be 7 perimeter monitoring locations, along with a deep, water table monitoring well in the center. Random samples are taken once a month by third party inspectors.” A resident, Jean Ouellette, said “Soil is tested but we don’t hear any results.” Another resident, said “If there’s lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.” He commented that there have been “no tests on gravel pits; he is gravely, deeply concerned why it has taken so long…” After the meeting, Robert Richardson commented by phone, with deep emotional concern about the ethical elements of the issue. He noted that little if any concern for the 70% of residents using well water was evident in the Town’s actions or inactions to protect those of them living in the vicinity of the subject land fill operations; particularly the absent pre-notification or testing of potentially affected wells and the initial state (quality) of the water table beneath the excavated gravel pit. Another voter, present, but not a speaker, suggested to this writer that what was occurring might well be the creation of a brownfield, legally defined as “ a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” He also suggested that The Uxbridge Zoning Bylaw, §400-10, D, 4, offers a new insight on the issue; these may well be the “to date” missed regulations governing town approval.
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