To the editor:
Recent letters regarding Article 34 and the proposed Host Community Agreement (HCA) with WIN Waste Innovations raise understandable concerns, but they mischaracterize the purpose and the legal and factual realities at issue.
While I respect the perspectives of our neighbors in Lynn, Massachusetts law places this authority and responsibility with Saugus.
First and most important, Article 34 does not approve, endorse, or permit any landfill expansion. That authority rests with the Commonwealth, through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Any expansion would also require review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act.
Article 34 reopens a conversation with the Town’s largest taxpayer at a time of real fiscal pressure, including a $1.8 million school funding shortfall, the need for a West Side Fire Station, and discussion of an override. It supports a transparent exploration of options with Town officials and residents so Saugus can evaluate whether it is receiving appropriate benefits and appropriate protections from the industries it hosts.
For too long, these discussions have reflected a limited range of perspectives. Article 34 calls for a broader, more inclusive process grounded in public input, hard questions, and established facts from regulatory agencies and the Board of Health’s independent reviewer.
Practically, Article 34 requests that the Town explore an HCA that could, only after a thorough, public, multi-agency regulatory review, provide:
- Operating or tonnage-based host fees and guaranteed annual payments
- Capital contributions for public safety, infrastructure, or schools
- Environmental mitigation funding for marsh protection, air monitoring, and public health
- Independent third-party air, water, and groundwater monitoring
- Dust, odor, and operational controls more protective than state minimums
- Truck traffic limits, routing restrictions, and roadway impact measures
- Public reporting, enforcement mechanisms, and penalties for noncompliance
These are not abstract ideas. They reflect the core purpose of Host Community Agreements across Massachusetts: to ensure that when a facility operates, the host community is protected and fairly compensated.
The timing matters. The waste-to-energy facility will remain in operation, but the monofill has limited life remaining. The 2026 Annual Progress Report for the Saugus Monofill provides important context:
- The landfill is an existing, long-operating facility regulated by the state and governed by a Consent Order and approved engineering plans
- It operates with engineered containment systems and ongoing monitoring, including leachate and stormwater testing
- Recent data shows compliance with discharge limits, with metals such as lead, cadmium, and zinc not detected above reporting limits
- The site is nearing a real decision point, with approximately 33,000 cubic yards of remaining capacity and an estimated 0.4 to 1.5 years of site life remaining
These facts show the monofill is state-regulated and is in compliance, but is approaching a real decision point.
The Town faces a clear choice. It can engage now and position itself to benefit if the state approves continued operation of the monofill, or it can forgo financial and environmental benefits while absorbing the impact of thousands of ash truck trips on local roads and watching another community, such as Shrewsbury, benefit from its Host Community Agreement.
Rejecting Article 34 does not stop an expansion. It only closes the door on additional revenue, stronger environmental protections, and bargaining power. Supporting Article 34 brings the conversation into the open at a time when economic conditions have significantly changed. Giving the Town a chance to fully understand its options is simply responsible governance.
Elizabeth Marchese
Precinct 6
Saugus, MA
