Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Odor Mitigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Green Theory reports progress on odor‑mitigation plan; board requests August update
Summary
Representatives for Green Theory told the Lee Select Board they have begun installing charcoal filtration units, scheduled roof repairs and will deliver a written mitigation plan; the board asked the company to return with a progress update on Aug. 4 and to provide monitoring documentation and technical details.
Phil Silverman, an attorney and consultant engaged by Green Theory, told the Lee Select Board on July 7 that the company has shifted away from a chlorine dioxide system and begun installing charcoal filtration units inside its cultivation facility.
Silverman said the new units ‘‘clean the air’’ and that four units have been placed in each grow room so far, with another 16–20 units on order. He described roof repairs to address openings noted in a Tech Environmental report and said contractors are scheduled to begin that work immediately.
The board and Green Theory agreed the company will compile a written odor‑mitigation plan detailing equipment, maintenance schedules and complaint‑handling procedures. ‘‘It will detail maintenance of the system, things like… keeping logbooks regarding the maintenance so that we can check and make sure we’re changing up those filters as need be,’’ Silverman said.
Teerthraj Bridal, who identified themself as supply‑chain logistics manager for Green Theory cultivation (doing business as Aruna), told the board, ‘‘Tomorrow, roof repair work will be started,’’ and confirmed the firm expects additional filtration units by the end of the month.
Board members pressed for specifics. One member said the town needs ‘‘routine odor monitoring and documentation’’ and asked Green Theory to provide models of equipment, the names of outside experts being consulted and details of who is managing the company after recent leadership turnover. The board also discussed whether negative or positive pressure systems will be needed in addition to filtration to capture and treat odor effectively.
Chair Bob Jones emphasized that the issue is not the smell per se but the company's permit obligations. ‘‘It’s about the fact that there’s an agreement that there [be] no odors emitted from the facility,’’ he said, urging measurable, verifiable results for abutters.
The board asked Green Theory to return with a status report at the Select Board meeting on Aug. 4 and requested periodic check‑ins at meetings until the mitigation measures are fully implemented. Silverman said the company welcomes review from local experts named in the Tech Environmental report and will work to produce the requested documentation.
What happens next: Green Theory is to provide equipment specifications, monitoring records and a written mitigation plan and appear at the Aug. 4 meeting with an implementation update. The board said it will monitor neighbor complaints and follow up with technical experts as needed.
