Guest Editorial from Water Not Waste:
The following was submitted to the Daily Hampshire Gazette as a Guest Editorial on October 23rd. As of October 31st, they have chosen not to include it in their election coverage of the Opinion section of the paper.
Shall the City of Northampton expand the landfill over the Barnes Aquifer?
The Barnes Aquifer is an important regional aquifer in western Mass. supplying drinking water to 60,000 people. The northern portion of the aquifer is in Northampton and has been designated a Water Supply Protection District. The aquifer supplies water to private wells in Northampton and to a back-up public well in Easthampton, MA.
In 1995 the U.S. Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to improve safeguards for public drinking water. Each state had to develop a SWAP program, Source Water Assessment and Protection, to identify and protect water resources, including aquifers. Zones of protection were assigned to public wells including the Zone II which is the primary recharge area of the aquifer that can continue to supply the well at an approved yield under stress conditions, (180 days with no precipitation). Several years ago the proposed landfill expansion was found to be in the Zone II for the public well in Easthampton.
State regulations ban siting a landfill over a potentially productive aquifer and within the Zone II because landfills have the highest contaminant threat rating. Initially the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection rejected Northampton’s application to expand the landfill over the Barnes Aquifer but later gave the first waiver of its own regulations. Yet Michael Gorski, the western Mass. DEP Regional Director has stated that he cannot guarantee the aquifer won’t become contaminated.
There have been different assessments of the potential for contamination of the aquifer by the landfill expansion. Dr. Shanahan, a consultant hired by the city believes there is no risk. Dr. Newton, a member of the Barnes Aquifer Protection and Advisory Committee, believes there is a serious risk of contamination.
From Boston to the Berkshires, every Water Supply Protection (WSP) District in Massachusetts bans landfills, but if the landfill expands over the Barnes aquifer it will be the first time that a landfill is exempted in a WSP district.
Should Northampton be the only community in the state that expands a landfill over an aquifer and in a Water Supply Protection District?
The best way to protect the water supply for future generations, to protect the environment, to decrease the carbon footprint, and to improve the quality of life for fellow citizens, is discussed in the Tellus Institute study contracted by the Mass. DEP. The future is in materials management which includes working with manufacturers to make products in recyclable containers, composting organic material, re-using construction materials, increasing the recycling of metals, paper, and plastics, and setting up swap sites for re-purposing or exchanging goods such as used furniture. In other words, to create less waste and save the planet’s limited resources.
Less waste will be less costly and eliminate the financial risk to Northampton taxpayers of borrowing millions of dollars to expand the landfill.
This program is a win-win for everyone.
Shall the City of Northampton expand the landfill over the Barnes Aquifer?
We hope you will agree the answer is no. It’s time to move forward together.
