Noise study to yield positive results for Aggregate

SWAMPSCOTT – The results of noise studies conducted in the vicinity of Aggregate Industries will be presented to the Board of Selectmen at its meeting next week.When Selectmen voted to issue an earth removal permit to Aggregate Industries in June, it asked for an update after six months.Earth Removal Advisory Committee Chairman Eugene Barden said the update requested would be given at the Jan. 8 Selectmen meeting.”The noise studies are fine as far as we can see,” Barden said. “We also went to various locations twice, once when the primary crusher wasn’t running and once when all the machines were running. The noise was much lower than we had expected. You had to go right to the rim of the quarry to hear it.”Barden said ERAC has not received any complaints from abutters since the permit was issued in June and the company has complied with every request made by ERAC.”They have done all kinds of things to reduce the impact on the neighborhood,” he said. “Aggregate has kept the trucks off Essex Street, which is a blessing. The noise level is down and they put rubber on the conveyors and chutes because there was noise coming from them.”Attorney Chris Drucas, who represents Aggregate Industries, said remediation has been an ongoing process and the company would continue to work with the town.”The ERAC is constantly putting pressure on the company to make things better,” he said. “In the last 10 years a conservative estimate is we spent $15 to $16 million in improvements and remediation.”Barden said ERAC is also pleased the company has spruced up the property. The permit required the company to landscape the old entrance, paint the facility maintenance garage and cleanup the fence line along Swampscott and Danvers Road.Barden said the company has complied with all the terms of permit to date.”They have done everything we asked of them,” he said.