Marblehead seas potential solution

New snowfall records were set again on Monday, with Boston recording 61.6 inches of snowfall within the last 30 days as of 7 a.m. Much of that snow also remains on the ground. The record for snow depth was broken Monday afternoon, with 37 inches of snow on the ground. This broke a previous record of 31 inches on the ground set on Jan. 11, 1996.”The problem now is that snowbanks are so tall and heavy, that it takes bigger trucks than we have to move them,” said Lynn DPW Superintendent Andy Hall. “Pickup trucks are not the tool of choice right now.”Now the question is where to put the snow.Years ago, that snow would likely have been dumped into ocean. But the state instituted guidelines in 2001 prohibiting the dumping of snow into waterways, areas that could contaminate groundwater (including such places as certain aquifers, or areas near public water supplies), and in areas designed for storm damage.Municipalities have subsequently dedicated land to “snow farms” to which workers can haul snow removed from the streets and city lots. Lynn stores snow at the impound lot on Harding Lane while Swampscott piles excess snow at Philips Park in the area of the former Kid’s Cove.But Marblehead, Salem and the Department of Conservation and Recreation have received waivers from the Department of Environmental Protection to dump snow in the ocean.”We haven’t had a melting cycle yet, so there’s just no place to put the snow, so we are offering this as a solution,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, who said it is “not standard practice.” Beaton said each application for a waiver is “vetted very carefully through the DEP” to ensure the protections of habitats and said, “It’s not just a dump and leave. It’s a very calculated and verified process that we’re engaging with municipalities.”Marblehead Selectman Judy Jacobi said the town went through a long petition process in 2004 to be allowed to dump into the harbor in the event of a state of emergency called by the Board of Selectmen.The board has made such a declaration twice this year, the most recent one being last Wednesday at 11 a.m., Jacobi said.”I think it will be the first time in my recollection that we’ve called two in a year since I’ve been a selectman,” Jacobi said, noting she had been on the board for 15 years.Hall said Lynn had also received a waiver, but was still deciding whether to use it.”Logistically, it’s not as easy as it sounds because access to the water is behind a big snow bank and in an unplowed parking lot,” Hall said.Swampscott DPW Director Gino Cresta said Swampscott had not requested a waiver, and added it was not so simple for the town to just dump snow in the ocean – they can only bring trucks down to the beach at certain tides.”Marblehead is a little different – they can dump into the water right from the causeway,” Cresta said. “We have plenty of room where we are, and it’s available to me 24 hours a day as opposed to working with the tide.”