Next Steps to clean up BJAT, LLC on Fisher St

From the US EPA:

Site Description:
The BJAT, LLC (BJAT) Site located at 300 Fisher Street in Franklin, MA was historically used for industrial operations including the manufacture of rubber and plastic products. The property has not been active since 1985. Investigations have found contaminants in soil, groundwater, sediment, and surface water. The Site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL), often referred to as the EPA Superfund list, in September 2015, making it eligible for long-term cleanup action under the federal Superfund program.

Next Steps:
In June, with oversight from EPA’s On-Scene Coordinator (OSC), BJAT is expected to begin a Removal Action which will address hazardous substances present in soil and drum waste for the purpose of reducing risk to human health and the environment. Concurrently, EPA’s Remedial Project Manager will begin a study known as a Remedial Investigation (RI). The RI will identify the nature and extent of Site contamination and the potential human health and environmental risks that the Site may pose. 

The results of this study will be used to develop a Feasibility Study (FS) which will identify what long-term cleanup measures may be appropriate to address human health and ecological risk at the Site. The RI/FS is expected to be completed in three or more years and the findings of the RI will be presented in the Proposed Plan for cleanup. In addition, EPA will determine if any additional immediate response actions need to be conducted to address any imminent hazards that are identified by sample collection efforts.

The short-term work that will be conducted during the Removal Action includes: excavation, sampling, staging and covering of drums and other containers, waste and approximately 2,114 tons of contaminated soil; treatment of excavated soil on-site if appropriate; excavation of a limited number of test pits; air monitoring; and off-site shipment of waste, excavated soil, and other contaminated items that may be encountered for disposal, treatment, re-use or recycling.

BJAT will generally work during daylight hours. The Removal Action is expected to take 3 to 6 months. Throughout the work day, BJAT will be monitoring air at the Site for the safety of site workers and the surrounding community. One may expect to see heavy equipment, workers in white suits, and trucks occasionally which may have a slight effect on traffic. Vehicle and truck traffic to and from the site will be limited to Fisher Street and the primary road, West Central Street (i.e., Route 140). Some hazardous materials will be secured on site temporarily while awaiting shipment offsite to an EPA-approved facility.



You can download the full copy from the Town of Franklin page
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/bjat_final_pdf_removal_fact_sheet_june_2018.pdf





Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England(https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-1-new-england)

Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)

Connect with EPA New England on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EPARegion1)

Related links from the Franklin Matters archives

• Live reporting from the Town Council meeting July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

• DEP and EPA presentation to Town Council, July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-ma-dep-epa-presentation.html

• Map showing property location within Franklin

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-map.html

http://twitter.com/epanewengland

In the News: EPA pulls scientists before talk; NYC forecast to get flood waters more frequently

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contributed research to “The State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed,” but at the 11th hour the federal agency canceled presentations that were set to be delivered by three staff members at a workshop on Monday to discuss the 500-page report on current conditions in the bay and future threats that include climate change. 

One of the scientists — Autumn Oczkowski, a research ecologist at the EPA laboratory in Narragansett — was set to deliver the keynote address at the workshop at Save The Bay’s headquarters in Providence. She will be replaced by Robinson W. Fulweiler, an ecosystems ecologist at Boston University, whose research has included a study on rising water temperatures in Narragansett Bay. 

“Narragansett Bay is one of Rhode Island’s most important economic assets and the EPA won’t let its scientists talk with local leaders to plan for its future. 

Whatever you think about climate change, this kind of collaboration should be a no-brainer,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told The Washington Post Sunday night. “Muzzling our leading scientists benefits no one.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20171023/epa-cancels-talks-by-3-agency-scientists-at-rhode-island-event

The Blackstone River runs from Worcester to Narragansett Bay and
close by the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI where I grew up

"Within the next three decades, floods that used to strike the New York City area only once every 500 years could occur every five years, according to a new scientific study released just days before the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. 

The study, performed by researchers at several universities and published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, primarily blames the predicted change on sea-level rise caused by global warming. 

“This is kind of a warning,” said Andra Garner, a Rutgers University scientist and study co-author. “How are we going to protect our coastal infrastructure?” 

The researchers based their analysis on multiple models that factored in predictions for sea level rise and possible changes in the path of future hurricanes."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20171023/study-nyc-could-see-bad-flooding-every-5-years

In the News: EPA details plan for cleanup; SEC reveals it was hacked in 2016

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The cleanup for ground pollution at a Superfund site could take up to 20 years, according to a fully drafted Community Action Plan. 

The draft highlights the planning and progress the Environmental Protection Agency has made regarding the cleanup and Superfund status at 300 Fisher St. 

In 2015, the EPA added the 18-acre property to the Superfund list, which makes the property eligible for state-funded cleanup. The Superfund law provides the EPA with the funds to clean up the sites and gives it authority to force the polluters to lead the efforts or reimburse the government for the work."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170921/franklin-fisher-street-cleanup-could-take-20-years

The Community Involvement Plan (CIP) can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/09/updated-community-involvement-plan-for.html

Updated Community Involvement Plan for the BJAT, LLC Superfund Site

"The federal agency responsible for ensuring that markets function as they should and for protecting investors was hacked last year and the intruders may have used the nonpublic information they obtained to profit illegally. 

The disclosure arrived two months after a government watchdog said deficiencies in the computer systems of the Securities and Exchange Commission put the system, and the information it contains, at risk. 

In July, the Government Accountability Office issued a critical report about the security measures employed by the SEC, citing a number of deficiencies in “the effectiveness of SEC’s controls for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its information systems.” It issued 26 recommendations that it said would make SEC systems more secure. 

According to the SEC, the breach was discovered last year, but the possibility of illicit trading was uncovered only last month. It did not explain why the hack itself was not revealed sooner, or which individuals or companies may have been impacted."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 
http://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20170921/fed-agency-urging-corporate-cybersecurity-upgrades-is-hacked

Updated Community Involvement Plan for the BJAT, LLC Superfund Site

An updated Community Involvement Plan (CIP) from the EPA on the BJAT, LLC. property, 300 Fisher St.


"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed this Community Involvement Plan (CIP) based predominantly upon input gathered through interviews with Town of Franklin (Franklin) officials and residents, along with other stakeholders interested in the BJAT, LLC. Superfund1 Site (Site). EPA’s goals for community involvement at the Site are:

• To provide the public with accurate, timely, accessible, and understandable information about the project as it moves forward;
• To provide opportunities for the public to become actively involved, especially when decisions about the cleanup are being made;
• To enlist the support and involvement of local officials and community leaders; and
• To encourage, respect and fully consider community input as the project moves forward.

EPA will achieve these goals through various means, including published documents, meetings, presentations, and community conversations. These activities will be based on the community’s needs, as informed by those with whom EPA met while preparing this plan, as well as all legal requirements.

The CIP is a living document and, as necessary and appropriate, it will be updated with community input. If you are interested in suggesting changes to this plan or have questions about it, please contact:

Kimberly White, P.E.
Remedial Project Manager
(617) 918-1752
white.kimberly@epa.gov

ZaNetta Purnell, MPH
Community Involvement Coordinator
(617) 918-1306
Purnell.zanetta@epa.gov

Updated Community Involvement Plan for the BJAT, LLC Superfund Site

Volunteer Needed for the Charles River Pollution Control District Board

The Charles River Pollution Control is in need of a new member! The Board usually meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 3 PM. If you are interested please apply.

To apply please fill out the online volunteer form

For more information on the Charles River Pollution Control please visit: http://www.franklinma.gov/charles-river-pollution-control


This was shared from the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/volunteer-needed-charles-river-pollution-control

"The Charles River Pollution Control District is a regional wastewater treatment plant located in Medway, Massachusetts. The facility provides tertiary treatment of wastewater and septage from domestic, commercial, and industrial sources from the Towns of Medway, Franklin, Bellingham, and Millis. Septage is also accepted from the Towns of Norfolk, Sherborn, Dover, Wrentham, Weston, Holliston, and Sharon. The treated effluent discharges into the Upper Charles River and is regulated by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit which is jointly enforced by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). The facility is designed to treat 5.7 million gallons per day (mgd). 

The Charles River Pollution Control District treats the communities' wastewater by performing several physical, chemical and biological processes before discharging the environmentally safe water into the Charles River. The wastewater is treated to meet the EPA's discharge permit limitations. 

The collection system consists of Town and District owned sewer pipes. The system has over 238 miles of sewer pipes and 37 pump stations, including approximately 13 miles of District owned interceptors and one District owned pump station. 

The District manages a Geographic Information System (GIS) that is used to support the operation and maintenance activities of the Sewer Collection System."

screen image from https://www.charlesriverpcd.org/

"a measured track forward to reducing pollution"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"THE ISSUE: Citing ongoing litigation, the Environmental Protection Agency has delayed new stormwater regulations intended to strengthen clean water protections in Massachusetts. THE IMPACT: The regulations, which are delayed one year, would affect 260 Massachusetts communities. 

Reactions have been mixed following the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that it’s delaying a controversial permitting system intended to protect rivers and ponds by better controlling stormwater runoff. 

The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems permit, or MS4, would require 260 Massachusetts cities and towns to develop new stormwater management programs to satisfy the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. Under the updated permit requirements, municipal governments would need to implement control measures to detect and eliminate illicit sewer connections to existing stormwater drains, conduct education and outreach programs, and manage runoff from construction sites and new developments."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170724/controversial-stormwater-permit-delayed/1


Franklin has been working closely with the EPA to prepare for the regulation and samples from the archives show this

Recognition of Franklin's efforts in Aug 2016
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/08/the-fight-against-phosphorus-is-ongoing.html

Garden Club in 2015 held meeting on rain gardens
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/09/franklin-garden-club-meeting-on_30.html

rain garden doing what it is supposed to, catch the rain and let the ground soak it in

Franklin is in good company

How does Franklin fit in this listing of major US cities?

• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Shoreline, Washington
• Long Island City, New York
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Los Angeles, California
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Houston, Texas
• Franklin, Massachusetts

The EPA recently published "Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Collaboration, Funding, and Community Engagement" Each of the communities listed were a case study to demonstrate how to implement green infrastructure in parks.

Case Study: Starting with a Small-Scale Project at Fletcher Field 

Franklin, Massachusetts 

In the town of Franklin, Massachusetts, a rain garden was installed at Fletcher Field, a multi-use park that includes a playground, a baseball field, and basketball court, and picnic area. Installation of this rain garden with native shrubs and plants provided aesthetic improvements while simultaneously capturing runoff from the parking lot. This project was constructed in 2010 at a cost of $16,000. The town was able to maximize resources by having Department of Public Works crews install the soils, mulches, signs, and plants. This project highlights multiple benefits of implementing green infrastructure: the opportunity for site-specific stormwater management, improvement of green space for the community to enjoy, and public education.

You can review the full publication here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/06/green-infrastructure-in-parks-guide-to.html

rain garden at Fletcher Field, Wachusett St side of park

Green Infrastructure in Parks: A Guide to Collaboration, Funding, and Community Engagement

INTRODUCTION 

"This guide is intended to encourage partnerships between park agencies and stormwater agencies aimed at promoting the use of green infrastructure on park lands. Green infrastructure can help to maximize the environmental, economic, and social benefits of parks. By building strong partnerships, agencies can improve park lands and access to parks, better manage stormwater, increase community resiliency to shifting weather patterns, and provide funding to implement and maintain park enhancements that benefit the community. 

The guide offers information on why partnerships between stormwater managers and parks managers can be beneficial and how you can create such partnerships. The guide presents an overview of green infrastructure and describes practices that can be used to manage stormwater in parks. In addition, you will find information on factors that influence the selection of appropriate green infrastructure practices, such as maintenance requirements. 

The guide is designed to provide you with a stepwise approach for building relationships with potential partners, and includes information on how to identify and engage partners, build relationships, involve the community, leverage funding opportunities, and identify green infrastructure opportunities. It includes recommendations on the types of projects that are most likely to attract positive attention and funding, and which provide a wide range of benefits. Case studies are included to illustrate the approaches presented in the guide. These real-life examples portray how partnerships between municipal stormwater agencies and parks departments have improved recreational resources in the community, enhanced environmental protection, and reduced risks and burdens. 

For those who wish to go deeper into a topic, the guide includes short descriptions and links to external resources that provide more detail on the material presented within."

You can find the full EPA document here



Or on the Town of  Franklin webpage (PDF)
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/news/epa_parks_book.pdf

Sculpture Park on Panther Way in Franklin

BJAT LLC superfund Site (300 Fisher Street) Community Involvement Plan.- Comments due today

BJAT LLC superfund Site (300 Fisher Street, Franklin, MA) Community Involvement Plan.

The Community Involvement Plan is a dynamic document that can be updated, when necessary, throughout the cleanup process. Attached, please find a draft copy of the plan. Please review and send me any comments you have by Friday, June 9, 2017. Comments we receive will be carefully considered prior to the plan being made publicly available.

Marilyn St. Fleur, MPH
Public Affairs Specialist
Community Involvement Coordinator
Office of the Regional Administrator

US EPA, Region 1
5 Post Office Sq. Suite 100
Mail Code ORA01-3
Boston, MA 02109-3912
Telephone: 617-918-1617
Fax: 617-918-0617
Email: stfleur.marilyn@epa.gov

Read more: http://www.franklinma.gov/node/126593





More information on the BJAT Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/bjat

http://twitter.com/epanewengland

Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England(https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-1-new-england)

Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)

Connect with EPA New England on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EPARegion1)

Related links from the Franklin Matters archives

• Live reporting from the Town Council meeting July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

• DEP and EPA presentation to Town Council, July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-ma-dep-epa-presentation.html

• Map showing property location within Franklin

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-map.html

EPA "Community Involvement Plan" draft copy for 300 Fisher St is open for review and comment

"The Community Involvement Plan is a dynamic document that can be updated, when necessary, throughout the cleanup process. Attached, please find a draft copy of the plan. 

Please review and send me any comments you have by Friday, June 9, 2017. Comments we receive will be carefully considered prior to the plan being made publicly available."

Marilyn St. Fleur, MPH

Public Affairs Specialist

Community Involvement Coordinator

Office of the Regional Administrator

US EPA, Region 1

5 Post Office Sq. Suite 100
Mail Code ORA01-3
Boston, MA 02109-3912

Email: stfleur.marilyn@epa.gov 




More information on the BJAT Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/bjat

http://twitter.com/epanewengland

Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England(https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-1-new-england)

Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)

Connect with EPA New England on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EPARegion1)

Related links from the Franklin Matters archives

• Live reporting from the Town Council meeting July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

• DEP and EPA presentation to Town Council, July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-ma-dep-epa-presentation.html

• Map showing property location within Franklin

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-map.html

A new Facebook page on the BJAT, LLC Superfund Site

A new Facebook page has been set up to provide Franklin residents with a way of accessing information pertaining to the BJAT, LLC Superfund Site located at 300 Fisher Street in Franklin. 

BJAT, LLC Superfund Site

Visit the page on Facebook  https://www.prod.facebook.com/groups/280715245661894/

Related links from the Franklin Matters archives

• EPA visited recently to start building community awareness of the Superfund site

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/11/the-land-could-help-expand-towns.html

• Live reporting from the Town Council meeting July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

• DEP and EPA presentation to Town Council, July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-ma-dep-epa-presentation.html

• Map showing property location within Franklin

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-map.html

"the land could help expand the town's recreational offerings"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Marilyn St. Fleur, a community involvement coordinator with the agency, said the session was part of an ongoing effort to learn more about Franklin. 

"We sent out a mailing with a factsheet about the property," she said. "We got a few people but we wanted more, so we thought an availability session would help." 

Officials noted that the state is now demolishing the building on the property, a process slated to end in December. That demolition, they said, will be complete before the federal agency undertakes cleanup work. After that, the agency will take samples from the property, develop a plan and seek public comment."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161031/epa-visits-franklin-to-discuss-superfund-site

http://twitter.com/epanewengland

Related links from the Franklin Matters archives

• Live reporting from the Town Council meeting July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

• DEP and EPA presentation to Town Council, July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-ma-dep-epa-presentation.html

• Map showing property location within Franklin

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-map.html

In the News: Police hosting Halloween party, EPA visits DPW in outreach on superfund site

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"After being gone for several years, the Franklin Police Department's Halloween party will be rising from the grave this weekend. 

The free event - intended to provide thrills and entertainment for preschoolers through fifth-graders - will run on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the station on Panther Way. 

Detective Eric Copeland, one of the officers organizing the party, said the event itself will feature officers dressed up as superheroes, a bounce house, face painting and pumpkin painting. A "spooky trail" will run along the walking path next to the station. 

There will also, Copeland said, be a variety of food, including popcorn, cotton candy and hot dogs."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161028/franklin-police-hosting-halloween-haunting

Franklin Police Station, 911 Panther Way

"The federal Environmental Protection Agency will be returning to town to continue its outreach efforts on a local Superfund site. 

Representatives from the agency will be at the Fisher Street Department of Public Works building on Monday, to get public comment on the BJAT, LLC property, which is also on Fisher Street. 

"We will be there all day," said Marilyn St. Fleur, a community involvement coordinator for the EPA. "We'll have an availability session for individuals who are interested in the site as well." 

Agency representatives came to Franklin earlier this month and held a series of appointments to determine the best way to inform the public of developments. St. Fleur said Monday's visit would feature scheduled meetings as well, but that there would be an open session (from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.) for those who simply wish to know more."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161028/epa-continuing-outreach-on-franklin-superfund-site

EPA Staff Will be in Franklin Monday, Oct. 31 to Discuss BJAT Site with Community Members

EPA will host an availability session for Franklin residents interested to discuss the BJAT Superfund Site. The session will be held on Monday, October 31, 2016 from 2:30 – 4:00 PM at the Franklin Department of Public Works located at 257 Fisher Street, Franklin, Mass.

On Sept. 30, 2015, EPA add the BJAT site, located at 300 Fisher Street in Franklin, to the "National Priorities List" of Superfund sites. The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and converts them into productive local resources by eliminating or reducing health risks and environmental contamination associated with hazardous waste sites.

Beginning in the late 1800s, the BJAT LLC site, was used for industrial operations including the manufacturing of rubber and plastic products. The property, inactive since 1985, contains areas of process waste and debris. Further, soil, sediment and ground water are contaminated with lead, mercury and zinc as well as semi-volatile organic compounds.

More information on the BJAT Superfund Site: www.epa.gov/superfund/bjat

http://twitter.com/epanewengland

Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England (https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-1-new-england)

Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)

Connect with EPA New England on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EPARegion1)

Related links from the Franklin Matters archives

• Live reporting from the Town Council meeting July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/live-reporting-epa-300-fisher-st.html

• DEP and EPA presentation to Town Council, July 2014

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-ma-dep-epa-presentation.html

• Map showing property location within Franklin

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/07/300-fisher-st-map.html

In the News: EPA superfund site prep, plastic bag ban bylaw drafted for review

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The federal Environmental Protection Agency has begun seeking community input regarding a Superfund site in town - an early step in the cleanup process. 

EPA representatives were in Franklin on Thursday and Friday last week, looking for ways to better inform residents about the Fisher Street site and future efforts there. 

The agency placed the BJAT, LLC property at 300 Fisher St. on its National Priorities List (NPL) in September 2015. That land, according to officials, has been used for industrial purposes since the late 1800s, and was last used for rubber and plastic manufacture. The facility there has been inactive since 1985."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161010/franklin-epa-reaching-out-on-superfund-site

some of the FHS students making the plastic bag ban proposal to the Town Council Sep 21

"A group of Franklin High School students has asked the town to consider a ban on "single use" plastic shopping bags in an effort to make Franklin more environmentally friendly. 

The group - comprised of mostly seniors and some juniors - spoke before the Town Council in September, and a bylaw will be on a future meeting's agenda. 

Alycia Felli, one of the group's organizers, said this week that the impetus for the ban came from a class at the high school. 

"All of us are enrolled in an AP environmental science course, and our teacher really opened our eyes about tiny solutions that could ameliorate environmental degradation," Felli said, noting that the course brought up a bag ban. "I saw that and went, 'Oh my gosh, this is something I could even do.'"

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20161010/franklin-students-seek-bag-ban

• A copy of the proposed bylaw can be found here

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/024F3878-000F8513

• or here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczb0FXRTBuSUNBamc/view?usp=sharing

"the fight against phosphorus is ongoing"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Water bodies such as the Charles and ponds in MetroWest and the Milford area may have problems with proliferation of a variety of plants, including Eurasian water milfoil, algae, phragmites and white water lilies, said Alexandra Ash, the association's director of communications and events. 

Ash said Franklin has taken many steps to create green infrastructure such as rain gardens that help stormwater filter into the ground rather than run off into the river. 

Ash said officials try to treat stormwater naturally, mimicking what nature does.
Franklin DPW Director Brutus Cantoreggi said the town, among other steps, tries to reduce the amount of roads and sidewalks that are impervious to water by decreasing road widths and eliminating sidewalks where they are not needed. 

Franklin pulls its drinking water from the ground, so it is important to direct as much water into the ground as possible, he said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160807/region-dirty-water-getting-cleaner

rain garden doing what it is supposed to, catch the rain and let the ground soak it in

The article also mentions the Rain Garden Tour being held on Aug 17th with registration required by Aug 10th
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/08/rain-garden-tour-register-by-aug-10.html

“This could potentially create havoc with budget cuts.’’

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working on changing the regulations to manage storm water for several years. The regulations are now about to be released, finally.

"Nearly every summer over the past decade, toxic algae blooms, fueled by warm weather and contaminated runoff, have coated parts of the Charles River. Now the federal government is poised to issue sweeping regulations ordering a cleanup, a move expected to cost some river municipalities tens of millions of dollars. 

The regulations, which federal officials say will be issued next month and take effect later this year, have sparked a range of concerns in cities and towns near the river. In Franklin, for example, where the river runs for several miles, local officials estimated the regulations would cost residents an average of $300 a month, and at least $62 million over 20 years, to do things like capture and treat more water. 

Environmental Protection Agency officials said federal dollars will help pay some of the costs."

- See more at: http://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/article_popover.aspx?guid=54c5b29f-ed89-4132-b7f3-21010c61c105#sthash.ICNM1Q3j.dpuf

catch basins at Sculpture Park were put in with an EPA grant

• EPA grants awarded

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2015/10/in-news-epa-grant-for-franklin-downtown.html

• In Nov 2013, no word on when the EPA storm water fees would be real

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/11/live-reporting-finance-committee-nov-12.html

• In June 2010, calls for the EPA to come up with the money

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/06/epa-should-come-up-with-money.html

• Notification of the meetings in May 2010

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/05/downtown-revitalization-project-and-epa.html