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Brookline raises road, dust-control concerns over Onyx Excavation materials submitted to Mason
Summary
Brookline officials told the Selectboard they find parts of Onyx Excavation's materials filed with the Mason Planning Board lacking in substance, asked for testing protocols for offsite water used for dust control, and urged a road study amid warnings heavy trucks could degrade local roads within a year.
Michele Decoteau told the Brookline Selectboard on May 26 that Onyx Excavation has submitted updated materials to the Mason Planning Board but that some required documentation, including a safety plan, lacks sufficient detail. Decoteau said Brookline is especially concerned about the source and testing of water proposed for dust control if it is brought from offsite, and that testing protocols should be required.
Decoteau said Brookline prefers a formal road study rather than only a traffic study. She cited findings from the Nashua Regional Planning Commission's 2025 road condition analysis and noted NRPC's road engineer warned that use of 18-wheel trucks could cause noticeable road degradation within a year. Selectboard members discussed the town's authority to set weight limits on town-owned roads, noting that any formal limit would require a recommendation from Highway Supervisor Scott Leard and subsequent Selectboard approval.
The Selectboard did not take formal action to alter Brookline's regulatory stance at the May 26 meeting; the update was presented so the Board could weigh potential town responses and coordinate with regional planners and neighboring Mason on permit conditions. The concern is procedural and preventative: town officials emphasized they want enforceable testing and road-protection measures spelled out in any permit or intermunicipal agreement.
If the Mason Planning Board proceeds with Onyx's application, Brookline officials said they will continue to press for explicit requirements on water testing for dust control, vehicle routes, and road-protection measures such as bonding or weight limits.
