Noise levels within DEP standards, Swampscott continues its permit

Swampscott – Operating hours for the quarry will remain unchanged ? at least through Aug. 19After more than an hour of discussion at its meeting Tuesday evening, the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to extend Aggregate Industries’ earth removal permit through Aug. 19 without a reduction in the hours of operation.The quarry is currently allowed to operate from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., but when the company applied for its annual earth removal permit last month, the Earth Removal Advisory Committee (ERAC) recommended scaling back the hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. between June 1 and Sept. 1 each year.At the June meeting, Attorney Chris Drucas, who represents Aggregate Industries, 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 and his request was granted.The results of that noise study were presented at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday evening. According to ERAC member Milton Fiskel, noise levels are measured against ambient levels, which is also known as background noise and state standards allow 10 decibels above the background noise. According to the most recent noise studies, the quarry operations do not exceed DEP standards at any time.ERAC Chairman Eugene Barden said the committee voted 3-2 to recommend issuing a permit without any reduction in the operating hours.Despite the recommendation of ERAC, the selectmen expressed concerns over the noise from the quarry and asked ERAC and Aggregate Industries to come up with a list of recommendations to mitigate the noise before the Aug. 19 meeting.The Board of Selectmen was unable to vote on issuing a new earth removal permit however because the town bylaw does not allow an earth removal permit to be issued without a public hearing. There was some discussion as to whether the public hearing held in June was actually closed or whether it was continued until this evening. Town Administrator Andrew Maylor reviewed tapes of the meeting in June and said the selectmen closed the public hearing without issuing a new permit. The Board merely extended an existing permit. Maylor said it was his opinion the selectmen could not issue a new permit without first holding a public hearing.The public hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 19 and the Board of Selectmen is expected to vote on issuing a new permit at that time.