Swampscott selectmen approve current permit for Aggregate

SWAMPSCOTT – Aggregate Industries can continue to operate from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at least until July 22.When the company applied for its annual earth removal permit last week, the Earth Removal Advisory Committee recommended scaling back the hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. between June 1 and Sept. 1 each year.ERAC Chairman Eugene Barden pointed out a noise study showed higher levels of noise than expected. He said in the summer many people have their windows open and are outside in their yards. He said scaling back the hours would give residents some relief from dust and noise.”We were going to change the hours for the summer,” he said. “Everything else in the permit is the same as last year.”Attorney Chris Drucas, who represents Aggregate Industries, said scaling back the hours would result in 15 people losing their jobs. Drucas said Aggregate Industries believes the studies conducted by the town were flawed. He explained noise levels are measured against ambient levels, which is also known as background noise. He also pointed out state standards allow 10 decibels above the background noise. He said the noise study measured background noise between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. and again between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. when traffic and other background noises are minimal.”There was only one area where noise levels were higher than that allowed,” he said. “We hope that with an accurate study the noise level will fall within acceptable ranges. The important thing to remember is we’ve done a lot of mitigation and over the years the overall noise level (from quarry operations) has continued to decrease. We are committed to working with the town and striving to reduce noise.”Drucas asked the selectmen to allow Aggregate Industries time to shut down its operations so it could obtain accurate daytime background noise tests, which would be performed by an independent consultant.ERAC member Daniel Dandreo pointed out ERAC has been asking Aggregate Industries to shut down its crushing operations for a couple of days so the town could measure background noise, but it did not do so.Selectman Adam Forman said because ERAC and Aggregate industries were unable to agree on hours the Board of Selectmen agreed issuing a permit from July 1 through July 22 was a fair compromise.”Aggregate Industries said the town study was flawed and there was no basis to change the hours of operation,” he said. “Aggregate Industries asked us to postpone changing the hours to give them time to conduct their own sound tests so we did that.”Aggregate Industries is scheduled to report back to the Board of Selectmen with the results of the noise tests on July 22 and at the time the Board is expected to make a decision on the hours of operation.