Devens Recycling Plant Nears Approval
By Tom Spoth, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.
Feb. 6–DEVENS, Mass. — A Waltham construction and demolition company has received a key vote of confidence from Devens officials for a recycling plant it plans to build at the former Army base.
The Devens Enterprise Commission, acting in its capacity as the Board of Health — the commission is the sole permitting authority for Devens projects — voted unanimously last week to support W.K. Macnamara’s proposal to build the 90,000-square-foot, $12 million facility.
The commission’s director, Peter Lowitt, said the vote was a “very big hurdle” cleared by the company.
“That’s one of the more challenging parts because of the comprehensive nature of the reviews,” said Dammon Frecker of ESS Group, who is serving as W.K. Macnamara’s project manager. “It looks at air, water, traffic and noise.” The company still needs to get site-plan approval from the commission, as well as permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection. W.K.
Macnamara has already been subjected to an environmental review from the state, and received a “site sustainability report” from the DEP.
The recycling facility, to be located in Devens’ West Rail Industrial Park on Independence Drive, would be capable of receiving 1,500 tons of waste daily from construction and demolition sites, Frecker said. Machines at the plant would sort out recyclables such as cardboard, wood and metal, load them into trucks and trains, and ship them to facilities that re-use the materials.
Frecker said there is a growing demand for construction-and-demolition recycling sites, because the DEP recently banned some materials from Massachusetts landfills. He estimated that there are about 15 existing facilities in the state, with a Southbridge plant being the closest to Devens.
Frecker said W.K. Macnamara hopes to start construction in spring or summer of this year, and have the facility up and running in early 2007. The plant would employ about 50 people.
Lowitt said he expects the commission to hold a hearing on W.K. Macnamara’s plan by the end of March. The commission promises a ruling on all permits within 75 days of a plan’s submission.
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