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Blackstone conservation panel approves peer review for Veterans Park wetland buffer
Summary
The Town of Blackstone Conservation Commission voted unanimously to hire a peer reviewer to examine buffer-zone concerns at Veterans Park (the Blackstone Water Supply Land) after a resident’s business was reported close to the wetland and the Massachusetts EPA opened a related inquiry.
The Town of Blackstone Conservation Commission voted unanimously to accept a peer-review proposal for the wetland buffer at Veterans Park, which is listed in town GIS as the Blackstone Water Supply Land. The Commission considered a public notice about a resident-operated business located close to the wetland and heard that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has an ongoing inquiry into the buffer and related activity.
At the meeting Speaker 2 said the property adjoins a drinking-water supply used by both the Town of Blackstone and the city of Woonsocket and that, as the municipal owner of the supply, the town must provide oversight and notice to residents. Speaker 3 moved to accept the peer-review proposal; the motion was seconded and recorded as approved by unanimous vote.
The peer review will analyze the buffer-zone delineation and any potential impacts from the nearby operation. The Commission requested that the consultant’s scope and cost be placed in the project file and that the agent circulate the peer reviewer’s report to members before any further enforcement action is considered. The item will return to the Commission if the peer reviewer identifies issues requiring further enforcement or remediation.
