GEORGETOWN – Board of Selectmen Chairman Robert Hoover (rhoover@georgetownma.gov) opened last week’s meeting with a brief update regarding the court-ordered temporary shutdown of the sand mining operation that was taking place without permits and oversight at 214 North Street.
The operation included extensive excavation and removal of truckloads of sand, with trucks running from early morning until late afternoon and early evening for months.
Two items of highest concern has been the reports of neighbors who witnessed/photographed the dumping of unknown materials and apparently concrete chunks and what they believe were large chunks of asphalt that were trucked in the site. Their concern about the burial of such materials at or near the water table could present future problems.
The excavator removed sand to a depth of 19 feet where he encountered water.
Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco (OPacheco@
GeorgetownMa.gov) noted that the state’s Department of Environmental Protection has been involved.
Shown below is one such photograph provided to The Town Common by a neighbor to the site.
In a letter to the town’s planning board, Peter Durling of
Verril-law.com out of Boston stated that his client, the excavator Todd Champlain was involved with “soil enrichment activities he is performing at the Zibell Farm located at 214 North Street in Georgetown (the “Property”). The activities consist of topsoil and subsoil sand removal and replacement with higher nutrient organic compost and soil in order to improve crop yield to support an organic farm on existing agricultural land.” ♦
