State decision still awaited on solid waste facility proposed in New Bedford Business Park
Frank MulliganNEW BEDFORD - A state decision on a solid waste processing facility's site suitability in the New Bedford Business Park has been postponed five times while its noise impact has been under review.
Formerly known as Parallel Products of New England, the South Coast Renewables' project's site suitability was to have been ruled on by MassDEP by Nov. 1, 2023.
The project has been opposed by neighboring North End residents who are concerned with the truck traffic, noise and potential pollution from the facility, which would be processing up to 1,500 tons of municipal solid waste each day, including construction and demolition waste, from its 100 Duchaine Blvd. location.
Municipal solid waste from other Massachusetts communities would be sorted to remove recyclables before the remaining waste is transported out of state by rail and/or truck to be landfilled or incinerated, according to the proposal.
MassDEP had requested additional information and had come to an agreement with South Coast Renewables on a 45-day extension last November.
That's since been pushed back to Feb. 29, March 13, April 3 and now April 12. The application was initially provided to MassDEP in February 2023.
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MassDEP evaluating possibility of 'nuisance conditions'
The MassDEP is currently reviewing an addendum to a 129-page sound assessment report recently provided by South Coast Renewables.
The information is used by MassDEP "to evaluate whether the proposed facility will result in nuisance conditions and if it is designed to mitigate sound impacts to the maximum extent practical," according to a MassDEP letter to the applicant.
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A negative MassDEP ruling would halt process
Public hearings before the New Bedford Board of Health could begin in early May if the MassDEP rules favorably on April 12, according to the city Health Dept.
That would mean a potential decision by the health board around Memorial Day.
If the MassDEP doesn't rule favorably on the site's suitability, the Board of Health won't have to go forward with the hearings. The site assignment process would not proceed, according to the city Health Dept.