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Review by Community Officials
Local officials - the representatives of Yankee Rowe's neighbors - are integral
to the regulatory
review process. For example, the Town of
Rowe's Conservation Commission will assess and help
manage the effects of clean up activities along the shore of Sherman Reservoir.
In addition, local officials will have the opportunity to inspect and comment
on environmental
reviews produced by other agencies - for instance, the Environmental
Notification Form required
by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act - and will be kept informed
about the progress of
the site closure project.
One example of a local regulatory program is the Wetlands Protection Act, which regulates activities in wetland resource areas and associated buffer zones, which are defined as areas within 100 feet of a wetland resource area, and in the riverfront area, which includes areas within 200 feet of a river. Yankee submitted a Request for Determination of Applicability to the Town of Rowe Conservation Commission in May 2003 to confirm that the phase of structure demolition activities scheduled to begin in July 2003 (Phase I) would be conducted outside of the wetland resource areas and were not subject to the requirements of Wetlands Protection Act. The Town of Rowe Conservation Commission issued a negative Determination of Applicability on July 16, 2003, confirming that the Phase I demolition activities will not require a Notice of Intent under the WPA.
Some of the Phase II structure demolition activities – which included removal of sediments from Sherman Reservoir and from the West Storm Drain, decommissioning of the circulating water intake and discharge system components located on the bank of Sherman Reservoir, and removal of the SCFA adjacent to two streams – were to be conducted within wetland resource areas. On March 18, 2004, YAEC submitted an Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation (ANRAD) to the Town of Rowe Conservation Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection to confirm the classification and delineation of wetland resources in the vicinity of YNPS.
Based on the ANRAD, YAEC determined that these activities required further approval under the WPA and submitted a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the Town of Rowe Conservation Commission as part of the Integrated Permit Package submitted on May 7, 2004 concerning these activities. The Conservation Commission issued an Order of Conditions for these activities. This Order of Conditions was confirmed by DEP on October 10, 2004. The ANRAD, the NOI and the IPP are available on the site closure website and at the Information Repository.
Upon receipt of the Order of Conditions, Yankee completed its required permitting under the Wetlands Protection Act for site closure. Removal of the SCFA and off-site disposal of removed material is currently in progress.
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