Clean up delay elicits anger in Marblehead

MARBLEHEAD – The environmental clean-up of the Chadwick Lead Mills property on the Salem-Marblehead line is still waiting for the town officials’ permission to do the work – and that delay provoked some angry words Thursday.And while NL Industries Inc. of Texas, the former owner of the property, has applied for Conservation Commission approval of part of their clean-up plan, the most important part of the plan remains to be negotiated with town officials.Consultant Daniel Garson told the commission Thursday evening three Marblehead parcels are involved, owned by Glover Estates and the town. The lead-contaminated former mill property is the proposed site of KSS Realty’s 44-unit condominium project, but the clean-up is independent of the construction and will happen whether or not the construction is approved.Garson said the present NL application does not cover work on the coastal bank area because the town has requested a detailed plan on that work. NL plans to meet with the town next week to discuss that phase of the work.NL representative John Thompson told the commission that NL is continuing to work with the town, but the way he said it provoked a reaction from Jeff Roelops, who represents the Municipal Light Company and water and Sewer Commission. “The town has been trying for months to meet with NL,” Roelops said.Garson said NL is not blaming the town. “The town has denied access to the property to NL,” he said.Those were fighting words for Town Engineer Doug Saal. “Why don’t you get off your butts and get an agreement?” he asked Garson.Saal pointed out that the town wants to know what kind of trucks NL will use and where their route will be, because that affects the property.Garson told him Marblehead could have given permission for the work while it negotiated the details. “We will file another application for the coastal bank area when the negotiations are finished,” he said.”As far as a lack of cooperation is concerned we would rather remain neutral,” said Conservation Commission Chairman Walter Haug.The application was scheduled to be continued to the commission’s October meeting.