Saugus, Wheelabrator tussle over project from settlement

SAUGUS – Saugus Board of Selectmen Chair Scott Crabtree said he feels like the town is in a “hamster wheel” after the Department of Environmental Protection rejected a proposal to build an environmental research park on Bristow Street.?I feel like we don?t have a voice,” said Crabtree during a meeting with representatives from Wheelabrator Tuesday night. “Quite honestly it doesn?t make any sense to me why it wouldn?t be approved or at least elements of it that have been approved in other communities.”The plan to build the park was part of the settlement reached between the Attorney General?s office and Wheelabrator for alleged environmental violations at its Saugus trash-burning facility.In addition to paying out $7.5 million in penalties, Wheelabrator is to also fund Supplemental Environmental Projects for affected towns.Robert Jaques, Manager of Business Development for Wheelabrator, said the DEP didn?t think the project was appropriate and instead approved a plan to build a center for hard-to-recycle materials, which Jaques said Wheelabrator was ready to move forward with.?The DEP was careful in which projects they approved and, in this case, they were not very supportive of the board?s suggestion of an environmental park,” said Jaques. “They were very supportive of the alternative of a center for hard to recycle materials, which would improve the drop off center of the town for recyclables.”However, the board said they never discussed any plans for a new recycling center and planned to take up the matter with the state delegation.?We didn?t give you a second project; we gave you the one,” said selectman Steve Horlick. “We didn?t give you a transfer station. So I don?t know why you would take something to (the DEP) when we never voted. This board never discussed this project. That?s what the concern is here. We were never informed you were going to take that project.”Horlick and Jaques got into a heated exchange after Jaques told the board Wheelabrator was not limited to submitting just the one project nor required to inform the town.?You?re in mud up to your waist right now with this community and what happened down there,” said Horlick. “You would think you would be a little more open and say, ?Look, we?re going to also try and submit this too? ?We have to have openness here. You?re not going to come and tell us what to do.”The board agreed to meet with state Sens. Thomas McGee and Sal DiDomenico to take the matter up directly with the DEP.?If you want to continue this discussion directly with the Attorney General and the DEP, you?re welcome to do so,” said Jaques.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.