HomeMy WebLinkAboutCanoe River Comm 11/07/1991E! - Ia-D
MINUTES OF THE CANOE RIVER AQUIFER ADVISORY qGQMPYTTEE
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Minutes of the meeting held by the Canoe River Aquifer Advisory
Committee on November 7, 1991, in the Selectmen's Rgom�i To.Wril
Hall, 40 South Street, Foxborough, MA. M,'AS'S ',Cl :`__ SE I
Members and guests in attendance:
Wayne P. Southworth
Joan F. Sozio
John H. Fresh
Jim Watson
Kathy Romero
John Grant
Edward Tartufo
Dick Lewis
Deborah Graham
Timothy D. Higgins
William D. Hardin
Shirley S. Davenport
Superintendent Easton Water Department
Foxborough Board of Water & Sewer Com.
Easton Water Department
Old Colony Planning Council
Norton Conservation Director
Easton Conservation Commission
Mansfield Board of Selectmen
Mansfield Conservation Agent
Mansfield
Foxborough Town Planner
Easton Board of Selectmen
Sharon Town Clerk
I. Call to Order
Mr. Southworth called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.
II. Approval of Minutes
A motion was made by Ed Tartufo and seconded by Bill
Hardin to approve the minutes of October 3, 1991. It
was so voted.
III. Sole Source Aquifer Designation
Robert Adler and John Headerle were present from the
EPA to further explain and answer questions regarding
the significance of an area being classified as a Sole
Source Aquifer. They stressed the fact that a Sole Source
Aquifer designation was not an anti -development tool.
The purpose of such a designation gives EPA the authority
to review federally assisted projects. It is not intended
to stop or hamper development, only to reduce the risk
of groundwater contamination through modifications or
design changes to a proposed project.
There are several benefits that a Sole Source Aquifer
Designation provides:
a. It is a good public relations tool.
b. It increases the awareness among other Federal
agencies through a Memorandum of Understanding.
This is a written agreement between EPA and
other Federal agencies which gives EPA the
power to review certain projects that may
contaminate designated aquifers.
C. It is a basic resource pollution prevention
mechanism and has significant meaning in terms
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of siting criteria.
John Headerle presented members with a copy of his
October letter to Wayne Southworth where he addressed
the questions that Tim Higgins, Edward Tartufol
and some other members had regarding the designation
at the October CRAAC meeting. This letter clarified
what exactly is a Sole Source Aquifer Designation,
and some members plan to provide copies of the letter
to their various town boards.
CRAAC will continue further discussions on the Sole
Source Aquifer Designation at its future meetings
before deciding whether to proceed or not to proceed
with the designation.
IV. Update of CRAAC's Lake Management Conference
Shirley Davenport provided information on the conference.
It will be held at the Sharon ComTHnity Center. The
committee decided on the April 11 date and to combine
this conference with the Spring Awareness Day. The
conference will be held from 9:00 a.m, to 1:00 p.m.
V. Update on December 5th Meeting/Tour of Canoe River Aquifer
Wayne Southworth provided members with an itinerary of
the tour. Members will meet at the Norton Town Office.
The tour will take approximately two hours and will go
by all ten wellsites in the aquifer. The last site on
the tour will be Mansfield's Treatment Plant. The
committee will then return to the Norton Town Office
where a brief meeting will be held.
VI. Old Business
Joan Sozio read a letter from Senator William Keating
which provided an update of the River Protection Act.
VII. New Business
Information had been received regarding membership to
the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition. Some discussion
took place. It was felt that while some of our goals
ran currently with the watershed groups our purpose and
priorities differed. The discussion was then tabled.
The Mansfield Home Show is scheduled for February 1992.
The committee is planning to continue its representation
at this event.
The committee received correspondence from William Yetman
of Eric Road in Mansfield regarding support of extending
the Mansfield sewer system into the Canoe River Aquifer
in Mansfield. Since the committee has already taken
an official stand to support this measure in the past,