Sunday, May 5, 2013
"FACES is very honored to receive this citizen award. Alone, the burden was too great, but together and with the help of Toxics Action Center and legal support of Anderson & Kreiger, we were able to make a difference in the community."
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
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Sunday, May 5
Press Release from FACES: More than 300 citizen activists from across Southern New England gathered at Local Environmental Action 2013, the region’s largest conference on public health and the environment recently, For the first time, Toxics Action Center co-hosted Massachusetts Climate Action Network, and co-sponsored by more than 100 other local and state-wide groups. Three community groups were honored with Outstanding Activist Awards for their work to protect their communities from local environmental and public health issues. “This event brought together hundreds of ordinary residents who are doing extraordinary work to protect the health and safety of our communities,” said Claire Miller, Massachusetts State Director for Toxics …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The Health Department director cited "personal reasons" for his resignation.
According to Framingham Town Manager Robert Halpin, Health Department Director Ethan Mascoop is no longer employed with the town. His last day was Friday. "He resigned for personal reasons," said Halpin. Until Mascoop can be replaced, Halpin said they are going to bring on the former department director, Bob Cooper, as a part-time consultant. "We're going to make provisions for an interim person to come in during the week. ... We're hoping Bob Cooper can come back beginning next week," he said. Halpin added that there was a stipulation that if the town ever needed Cooper, he could be brought on as a consultant. Recruiting for a full-time replacement should begin this week, he added. "Bob will play an important roll in that process." In the…
Friday, April 5, 2013
Framingham residents and town leaders expressed serious concerns about General Chemical's clean-up efforts presented at a public involvement plan, hosted by the Massachusetts DEP Thursday night.
Neighbors of General Chemical said they are worried about children playing in the wetlands behind the property and in a nearby drainage ditch near a condo complex during a public involvement meeting Thursday night, held by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) on the ongoing assessment and cleanup plan for the closed disposal site on Leland St. Residents want signs placed on the wetlands, at the drainage ditch and also on two homes General Chemical purchased, now abandoned, to warn people of the potential health and safety risks. "Jack & I have been all through the wetlands," said Rodene Lamkin, MassDEP's project manager for the General Chemical site. "I don't see how kids are going through that dense area." …
42.271222
-71.400484
133 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/residents-general-chemical-cleanup-plan-doesn-t-address-safety-lacks-details
/locations/9173357
42.271308
-71.400303
General Chemical Clean Venture
138 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/residents-general-chemical-cleanup-plan-doesn-t-address-safety-lacks-details
799050
/locations/9173358
42.271841
-71.399182
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
169 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/residents-general-chemical-cleanup-plan-doesn-t-address-safety-lacks-details
799490
/locations/9173359
Thursday, April 4, 2013
MassDEP said there was a release of oil/hazardous waste materials from the General Chemical site into the neighborhood, and tonight residents can ask questions about the clean up plans.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, April 4
Framingham and Sherborn residents are invited to a meeting tonight, April 4 to hear a draft of the cleanup plans at General Chemical in Framingham. The hazardous waste company closed in 2012, but is still responsible for cleaning up a plume of contaminated groundwater surrounding its Leland Street site. Tonight's meeting, organized by MassDEP, will be held at Wilson Elementary School in Framingham at 7. MassDEP said there was a release of oil/hazardous waste materials from the General Chemical site into the neighborhood. In July 2012, General Chemical Corporation received a petition from residents in the Town of Framingham requesting that the General Chemical disposal site be designated a Public Involvement Plan site. Tonight's meeting …
42.271841
-71.399182
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
169 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/framingham-sherborn-residents-invite-to-meeting-on-general-chemical-tonight
799490
/locations/9165379
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The state will allow cleanup between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday; it is suggested residents in the area should close windows and avoid the Wilson Elementary playground.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has agreed to allow General Chemical Corp. to begin clean up of its hazardous waste transfer facility in anticipation of its closure. The state is allowing General Chemical to conduct cleaning Monday through Saturday, between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Residents in vicinity of Leeland Street are advised to close their windows andstay away from the playground at Wilson Elementary School. A test of the cleaning was done in June, and the state determined that there was no air quality issues during that test. MassDEP plans to continue to monitor air quality throughout the clean-up period, which is expected to end about a week before school starts on Aug. 15. The state maintains if air quality …
42.271308
-71.400303
General Chemical Clean Venture
138 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/general-chemical-may-start-clean-up-as-early-as-saturday
799050
/locations/7471376
Thursday, July 12, 2012
And 5 other things you missed from Tuesday's Selectmen's meeting.
A series of inspections of the five abandoned buildings owned by General Chemical was conducted. At the last Selectmen's FACES, an local organization, appealed to the Board of Selectmen to do something about the safety risks posed by these buildings. Vegetation around the buildings have been cleaned up and one building in particular is being closely examined. “General Chemical is open to a conversation about taking the buildings down,” Town Manager Bob Halpin told Selectmen. 2. Selectmen approved a license for Sweet Spot Frozen Yogurt to open in Trolley Square. 3. Danforth Museum of Art Board of Trustees are in the process of working with the Town Manager to negotiate a lease for the Maynard Building. The lease will be presented to Town …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
FACES appealed to the Board to make safety near the General Chemical site a priority and the Danforth Museum has been granted conditional approval for leasing the Maynard Building.
Here are six things you missed at the selectmen's meeting Tuesday night. Also discussed was the water issue at Eastleigh Farms. 1. Framingham Action Coalition for Environmental Safety (FACES) wants the town to put up bilingual signage, give notifications to neighborhood residents, provide fencing, and make plans for future demolition of the General Chemical properties on Leland Street. FACES expressed concern that children play in and around the property, the property has potential for squatters or inhabitation by homeless people, and there is contaminated water on the property that must be covered. “This board has instituted a task force that has been very active in looking at these buildings to develop a plan,” said Board Chairman …
42.27981
-71.41634
Framingham Town Hall: Memorial Building
150 Concord St, Framingham, MA
/articles/6-things-you-may-have-missed-at-tuesday-s-town-meeting
800226
/locations/7337009
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Results from the test will be ready by July 13 and will determine the next steps in the cleanup.
Tuesday night's pilot cleanup at the former General Chemical site was carried out without any elevated levels of air pollution or health threats to the neighborhood, state officials said Wednesday. While results from the pilot aren't due to the agency until July 13, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spokesman Joe Ferson said Wednesday that real-time monitoring tests showed no air pollution above safe levels. "Mass DEP was there to monitor the test and samples were collected looking for a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants at various upwind and downwind locations," Ferson said. "No readings above safe levels were recorded." The pilot test focused one storage tank and one bulding at …
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Groups have tried to block the license; it will allow the company to expand operations near Woodrow Wilson Elementary.
After hearing opposition from local officials and a citizens' group, the state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a hazardous waste transport license renewal to Clean Venture Inc. (CVI). The license is connected to activities at CVI's location at 133 Leland St.—across the street from its business office (formerly General Chemical) and near Wilson Elementary School. CVI and GCC are related companies, in that they share the same corporate president and some of the same staff. CVI has been operating “transportation related activities” at the present location, at 138 Leland St., since 2006. MassDEP received comments on the CVI Transporter License Application from: Town of Framingham Board of Health, the Town of Framingham Office…
42.271222
-71.400484
133 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/clean-venture-awarded-hazardous-waste-transporter-license
/locations/7324486
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Residents are asked to close windows and doors and to not play on the playground at Wilson Elementary School, while General Chemical tests cleaning techniques.
Residents are asked to close windows and doors and to not play on the playground at Wilson Elementary School, while General Chemical tests cleaning techniques. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection agency (MassDEP) authorized the air quality pilot test to take place between 8 p.m. and midnight on Tuesday, June 26. MassDEP is advising residents near the General Chemical Company facility to keep windows and doors closed. There are several apartment complexes in that neighborhood. MassDEP said it will shut down the test, if air quality monitors show that pollution levels approach health-based levels. Monitors and containers will be in place to catch dust and volatile organic compounds. MassDEP said General Chemical must …
42.271308
-71.400303
General Chemical Clean Venture
138 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/general-chemical-neighborhood-stay-indoors-tuesday-night
799050
/locations/7330098
42.271841
-71.399182
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
169 Leland St, Framingham, MA
/articles/general-chemical-neighborhood-stay-indoors-tuesday-night
799490
/locations/7330099
Alan Beaubien
3:54 pm on Wednesday, April 17, 2013
I truly hope this was Mr. Mascoop's decision and that he wasn't forced out. In my dealings with Mr. Mascoop, he was extremely helpful, courteous and a true professional. You know, as civil servants should be!! His departure from the city government is a loss to the people of Framingham. more ›