Billerica Power Plant Update

Here's the latest news on the Porposed Billerica Power Plant from the folks @ www.BillericaPowerPlant.org

Please share with your friends, family, and neighbors. 

  www.BillericaPowerPlant.org

9 August 2008

Members of the Billerica Conservation Commission participated in a site walk this week of the location for the proposed plant.  The attorney for the developer would not allow questions during the walk.  

Related to this, let us remind you that anyone with concerns about wetlands disruption/preservation or storm water management issues should submit them to the Billerica Conservation Commission in advance of their meeting on September 24^th.  The e-mail address is jdepper-nash@town.billerica.ma.us.

Back in May, the Lowell City Council had discussed scheduling meetings of the Environmental and Traffic/Neighborhood subcommittees to discuss the impacts of the Billerica power plant on its residents.  However, nothing has been put on the calendar yet.  Lowell residents should contact

to let them know of your interest in a (well-publicized) public meeting.  The disruption to the neighborhoods near the site in Lowell and Tewksbury would be undeniable and is documented as "significant".  In thinking about this, remember that the developer has claimed that there will be no impact to roads in Billerica.  This is true.  All of the tanker traffic and construction vehicle traffic will drive on Woburn Street, passing through Lowell and Tewksbury to the site entrance, which is in Tewksbury!  Sure enough, there will be no additional traffic on Billerica roads. 

Developments relating to other large fossil fuel power plant proposals in Massachusetts are interesting to follow as well.  An article in the Brockton Enterprise http://www.enterprisenews.com/business/x2109423998/Experts-debate-possible-health-impact-of-proposed-Brockton-power-plantstates that a health expert evaluating the impacts of a gas-fired plant proposed for Brockton believes that the plant "could cause deaths, asthma attacks and other health effects".  Admittedly, a later quote from the article quotes a health professor as saying, "This is a site that is likely to have higher public health impacts relative to many other sites that may be in existence".  Nevertheless, it's hard to rationalize these statements against what's been said of Billerica.  What makes the Brockton site so problematic from a health perspective? 

In Westfield, MA, yet another large power plant is now being considered.  This one is a 400MW gas fired/diesel backup power plant.  The comment period for this plant runs until this coming Tuesday, August 12.  If you have friends or family in the Westfield/Springfield/Chicopee area, you should pass this information on to them.  Comments should be addressed to Ms. Selma Urman, EFSB, One South Station, Boston, MA 02110.  Residents and non-residents alike can make comments about the proposed siting.

Meetings/Events

Wednesday, September 24, 2008            7:00PM            Billerica Conservation Commission

The Billerica Conservation Commission will continue its discussion of the Notice of Intent filed by the developer and the review of the wetlands and stormwater management issues.  Billerica Town Hall, 365 Boston Road, Billerica, MA