REVERE — State Rep. Jessica Giannino (D-Revere), who, in addition to representing the city, represents two precincts in Saugus, was named Clean Water Action’s Legislative Champion for her work opposing the expansion of WIN Waste Innovations’ monofil in Saugus.
Giannino said she began working with Clean Water Action during her time as a city councilor in Revere roughly a decade ago as a way to advocate on behalf of the natural resources in her community. Clean Water Action was founded in 1972 and since then has sought to “protect our environment, health, economic well-being and community quality of life,” according to its website.
“Over the past decade, we’ve been working together, just lobbying for you, and protecting the community … just being active in the community, protecting our watersheds,” Giannino said in an interview Tuesday. “In my district, I have Revere Beach, I have the Point of Pines River, I have the Saugus River Watershed, and I have the Rumney Marsh. I have all these really beautiful, special precious water resources that are super important to me.”
Receiving the honor from Clean Water Action carried special significance for Giannino, who said her personal connection to the organization deepened the meaning of the recognition.
“It’s more special to me because it’s a group that I’ve personally worked with for so many years,” Giannino said. “To be recognized by an organization that I worked so closely with, for work I really care about, it’s just an honor, and it’s not only a reflection on me, this award, it’s [a reflection] of the community and the work that we’ve been doing to really talk about those precious resources that we have and advocate for change to protect them.”
Saugus’s Board of Selectmen last week approved a Host Community Agreement that would allow WIN to continue operating its monofil for the next two decades in return for the town being exempt from paying the company tipping fees. Giannino said she felt the agreement was the town “putting the cart before the horse.”
Giannino said her forceful opposition to the company was in part due to what she perceived as negative health effects caused by the company’s waste to energy plant, though little evidence suggests the plant or the monofill have caused any negative health issues. But, she said, her advocacy extends beyond WIN to other companies that may be polluters.
“In any other world, you think about building a new building, if it’s adjacent to a marsh, you’re not going to be able to build on land that’s adjacent to a marsh. So the fact that we’re continually allowing expansion into a marsh and filling of ash and waste into that land it’s just so counterproductive with all of the green initiatives that we’re doing across the Commonwealth,” she said. “So for me, it’s so important because I think it draws attention to a fight that I’ve been in for a long time. And hopefully, it starts a conversation regionally about the issue. It doesn’t just affect Revere, it doesn’t just affect Saugus, it affects our neighbors.”
Clean Water Action will celebrate its 50th anniversary at an event next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The organization suggests a ticket price of $50, though a pay what you can option is also available.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
