As you know from our Friday email and our press release, there was a fire at the Clean Harbors Toxic Waste facility in East Braintree beginning around 10:30 on Thursday night (February 16, 2023). More information has become available as to the nature of the chemicals that were burned and the level of hazard at the time of the fire and going forward.

Fire at Clean Harbors hazardous waste disposal site released unknown chemicals into the air 

Town officials left many residents uninformed, dismissed air quality concerns, and illustrated need for comprehensive emergency evacuation planning

At approximately 11 PM, Channel 7 news reported that 3 tractor trailers at the Clean Harbors hazardous waste disposal site were on fire. One of which was “burnt to essentially a shell”. It is not known at this time what chemicals were in the trailers. And therefore, it is not known what toxins the community has been exposed to. You can see a video of the tractor trailers here.

A student from Weymouth High School is doing research on the compressor station for their AP Research class. They are conducting an anonymous health assessment survey for Weymouth residents. If you live in Weymouth and would like to fill out the survey, you can do so at this link.

Event description: “Across our country and our world, communities of color are impacted first and worst by pollution and climate-driven disasters, and among the strongest advocates for change. Learn how your faith community can stand with them. Join a panel of leaders on the front lines of environmental justice featuring Dr. Robert Bullard, Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Rev. Dr. Deborah Conrad, and Rev. Betsy Sowers (Moderator). Recording available here.

We had a great time today at the open house event for Boston Public Library’s Leventhal Map Center environmental justice exhibit, More or Less in Common. Thanks to all you joined us! And to the Leventhal Center for hosting our group. We had a chance to talk with guests and tour the exhibit together. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the exhibit, we recommend visiting! It is open through the end of the year. You can also view a virtual exhibit here.

This alert was provided by the Town of Braintree: “The Town of Braintree has received notification from Enbridge that Algonquin will be operating the emergency generator to meet routine readiness testing and standard maintenance requirements on September 19th and will be conducting planned maintenance at the Weymouth Compressor Station from September 20th through September 30th, 2022. For the duration of the activities associated with this work, there may be intermittent off-site sound impacts.”

We decided to visit Commissioner Suuberg in Boston at the DEP offices after he released his disappointing decision of the Ch. 91 Waterways License appeal. The Commissioner wouldn’t speak to us, but a stand-in did... You can view the interview here.

Yesterday afternoon, DEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg released his non-decision on the Ch. 91 Waterways remand recommendation of Adjudicator Jane Rothchild. You might recall from a prior mailing that Ms. Rothchild finally gave us a thoughtful and positive decision on this permit matter. Leave it to the Commissioner to mess that up!

After seven years and eight months of battling Enbridge and their cohorts, it finally happened. FRRACS made a slight mistake. We at FRRACS are big on the truthiness, so we want to let you know about this and explain--to the best of our ability--what is actually going on.

From our good friend Dr. Philip Landrigan. Just more reasons that the DEP needs to actually do their job!! Thank you, Dr. Landrigan!

Read the op-ed here: The Boston Globe - Air pollution is responsible for premature deaths in every Massachusetts city and town

We recently received news that MassDEP presiding officer (adjudicator) Jane Rothchild, recommended that the department revisit the approval of Enbridge’s Chapter 91 Waterways License. To receive a waterways license, a project needs to be considered “water-dependent” — the compressor station is not water-dependent. We appealed the initial approval of this license on this basis. We welcomed the news from presiding officer Rothchild and are now awaiting a decision from the Commissioner Suuberg of the DEP. WBUR covered this story — you can read more here.

Late on Friday afternoon, Adjudicator Jane Rothchild of the MA Department of Environmental Protection remanded the Ch. 91 Waterways permit back to the DEP for further review. Essentially agreeing with our complaint that the compressor station was NOT water dependent, Adjudicator Rothchild has thrown this important permit back to the DEP for reconsideration.

FRRACS stood with Mass Power Forward as one of 11 rallies across the state to urge MA Legislature to vote for strong Climate Bill before their session ends on July 31. Will they?

More details: Patriot Ledger - Photos: Climate activists rally in Quincy to demand action in State House

We are sad to report that community members discovered hate speech spray painted on the access road under the Fore River Bridge, located next to the compressor station. We alerted the Town of Weymouth, who sent the DPW to remove the spray paint. While we are a believer in free speech, hate speech is not protected speech.

RED ALERT: Public today is this long term study of the toxins that leak--24/7--from our gas stoves and gas heating systems. It is not good news, Fore River Campers.

Our appeal of Enbridge’s Chapter 91 Waterways License was reviewed at a hearing on June 21 by Presiding Officer Jane Rothchild. You can view a recording of the hearing here.

Listen to our recent interview with WBZ Radio - In The Fight Over the Weymouth Compressor, A New Push

Today, members of the FRRACS community visited the office of Attorney General Maura Healey to encourage her to take action on the compressor station. We encourage Attorney General Healey to address the recent remand of Enbridge’s waterways license as it relates to Massachusetts EJ law (environmental justice).

On May 2, 2022, Norfolk Superior Court Judge Joseph Leighton vacated the Chapter 91 Waterways permit for the Algonquin Weymouth compressor station and remanded the permit back to the MA Department of Environmental Protection.

We submitted a letter to FERC today in response to this ruling.