EBOL Public Documents from the East Boston Chelsea Creek Action Group
Meeting Minutes –November 17, 1999 Meeting commenced at 6:30PM ended 8:30PM Attending: Lucy Del Muto, Ana Maria Gomez, Anna Lane, Christopher Blackler, Madeline McComiskey, Arthur Cardoza, Loretta Pardi, Vinnie Ieni, Mary Ellen Welsh, Joanne Ciccorello, Karyl Stoia, Gail Miller, Sissy Willis, Tuck Willis, David Rudolph, Joe Battersby, Anita McCandless, Mark Warren, Roseann Bongiavanni (Chelsea Greenspace), Pat Hynes (B.U. School of Public Health), Birgit Scheffer (Chelsea Human Services), Ali Noorani (Greater Boston Urban Resource Partnership), Maria Van Dusen (MA Urban Riverways), Ana Maria DaHora (EBECC), Indira Balkisson (EPA), and Stacey Chacker (NOAH). Meeting Purpose: Joint East Boston/Chelsea meeting to hear presentation by Indira Balkisson (Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)) about studies she and the Watershed Institute conducted about "Who’s polluting the Chelsea Creek?" Meeting Minutes: Review and accepted October 25th meeting minutes Accepted Nancei’s proposed addition to Oct. 5th minutes: "Landscape architects proposed putting in a cement wall as walkway around perimeter of Urban Wild. Participant proposed boardwalk instead so that the upper environment not be separated from the wetlands environment."
Updates/Announcements:
Members from our Chelsea sister group - Chelsea Greenspace and Recreation Committee and an EBECC rep joined us for this meeting. Joanne Ciccorello took photographs during the meeting for a NOAH document. Arthur and Lucy volunteered to go with Joanne to take photographs of the Urban Wild and Hess sites.
Veronica Eady, Director of Environmental Justice for the MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA). Stacey and Charlie took Veronica on a tour of the Creek. There is a possibility that EOEA will work with us on the Hess site as a demonstration project. Keep your fingers crossed!
Senator Travaglini and Representative Petrucelli: Arthur, Anna, Lucy and Stacey attended this meeting with representatives from several E. Boston environmental groups. Arthur reported that meeting focused on Chapter 91 issues (a law governing waterfront development), and general updates. Arthur felt the meeting was good and that many pollution issues were brought up of which the Senator and Representative were not aware. Both agreed to come tour the Chelsea Creek. Stacey will set up this us after our next meeting.
Communities Against Runway Expansion (CARE) Mary asked for support to help stop runway 14/32. ). The opposition has a lot of political supporters, but not Senators Kennedy and Kerry. Mary requested that everyone write a short letter to Kennedy (JFK Federal Building, Boston, MA 02203) asking him to oppose Runway 14/32. Points to include are: a) E. Boston is too noisy; b) A regional transportation plan is needed; c) Logan has 5 runways now – we don’t need 6; d) Many more towns and cities will get more noise. All are welcome to a CARE meeting at Boston City Hall on December 8th in the evening. Creation of Immigration Museum in East Boston. Mary described efforts to create a museum at the immigration building on Marginal Street. E. Boston was the second largest point of entry for immigrants, after Ellis Island. Participants signed a petition and agreed that EB-CCAG submit a letter in support of the project. Who’s polluting on the Chelsea Creek? Indira Balkisson, EPA presented results from study about contaminators in E. Boston and Chelsea. She and Charlie did research from a legal and scientific vantagepoint. The focus is on which oil facilities are polluting the ground water along the Creek (this information is reported and on file with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). She presented the information using slides, maps and statistics. NOAH, EBECC, and Chelsea Greenspace each have a set of the maps and report. To see them, call Stacey.
Summary of presentation: Report identifies sensitive receptors (schools, churches, and hospitals) in Chelsea (need to get for E. Boston) in relation to "21e sites" (state designation for sites polluted with petroleum products). There are 192 "21e sites" in East Boston (most at the airport), and 79 in Chelsea. This constitutes a disproportionate - meaning that we have more than our fair share. Explained how "free product" (which means oil floating on top of the water) can get into the river from ground water. Conservatively calculated that there are about 900,000 gallons of free product in Chelsea’s groundwater and 200,000 gallons in East Boston’s along the Creek (this would come from leaky tanks or other problems). There are 77 oil storage tanks in East Boston and 21 in Chelsea. Ground water is public domain land. So one could argue that oil is being "stored" free of charge. Oil in the groundwater is a violation of the federal Clean Water Act. Recommended getting a hydrologist to do further testing to verify contact between ground and surface water. If bigger problem than oil getting into the river, is MTVE additive. People believe that oil just floats around but there is a MTBE additive that breaks down and actually goes further. How can this report help us meet our goals? Gives us scientific data. Thomas Jefferson said, "Information is currency for democracy". Allows us to develop a strategy to look at who’s polluting all along the river, as opposed to trying to go after each polluter separately. Helps us define and prioritize the issues. Could use to seek funding for improvements and organization, to develop a master plan. Hess RAM clean up (an interim clean-up of more contaminated areas) – tentatively scheduled for November 29th Conservation Law Foundation wrote a letter to Hess. We hope to go down there and meet with them to see if they will work with CLF (remember, this involves Hess paying). Other Sites/Misc: Channel Fish: Jim Aloisi, lawyer for Channel, called Mary since minutes said she was to call him (our meeting minutes are on the internet). She told them people were upset about smell, maggots and trucks in the street. She asked them to meet with the group, to which they agreed, but preferred a small meeting in afternoon. Group decided to invite them to a regular EB-CCAG meeting (probably January). Indira reported that Channel a) uses gury (old fish) in their process; b) was levied a $100,000 fine 3 years ago because of noise, smell, and drunken fishermen by Boston Environmental Strike Team (BEST); c) spent $250,000 in upgrades, that they freeze what they throw away (but when it thaws, it stinks), cover trucks, etc. Participants reported that Channel washes the fish, and waste goes into the sewer, and that they wash the street with a white foam. We need to work with BEST and MWRA, and perhaps ask for tour of facility. Boudreau Boatyard: Arthur made calls to the City to get more information, but did not get calls returned. Indira reported that the City has put a $100,000 lien on Boudreau’s property, and that if they don’t clean up they will seize their assets. There will be a hearing the 2nd week in December. Logan Commerce Park: This is a proposed use for 480 McClellan Highway that would allow a trucking/cargo facility to go into a space that is zoned for "marine industrial land". If built, this site could set a precedent for others trying to get around the rules for Designated Port Area (reserved for marine industrial use). The Massachusetts Environmental Justice Network assigned a pro-bono lawyer to work with a coalition of groups fighting this (CCAG is one of them). He is submitting an appeal to a decision made by the State. Misc/comments: Vinnie gave a map of the Creek with all the oil company names to Stacey for safekeeping. Mary said rivers are owned by the people, we own rivers not polluters nor the government. We agreed to make meetings the third Wednesday of the month (unless other conflicts), starting in January. Next meeting is December 6th at 6:30PM at the Harborside. In the long run if we can get polluters to cooperate it would cost them less money and we might get a cleaner nicer looking area. We have to take charge we are the doers, EPA is providing us with information. Arthur felt that if corporations make money in East Boston, we need to keep tabs on them so they don’t contaminate and abuse the waterfront and environment. EPA goes after abandoned sites. The Coast Guard enforces oil pollution from current facilities. M. McComiskey and S. Chacker recorded these minutes to their best recollection. Please call Stacey at 569-0059 ext. 13 to make changes within 30 days. posted on EBOL on
11/24/99 |
