Conservation intern flags illegal dumping on three town easements; clean-up RFP recommended

Avery Merrill, the Conservation Commission summer intern, reported to the Board that inspections of six or seven town-owned conservation easements uncovered significant illegal dumping at three sites: Maloney Field, behind Bethany Church, and along Packer Brook. Merrill said the debris ranged from residential trash and car parts to oil drums and barrels, raising environmental concerns because some items were near the Portsmouth watershed and a town pumping station.

Merrill and Conservation Commission members recommended hiring industrial waste removal contractors to handle hazardous items, adding signage that cites state anti-dumping laws, and considering fencing or camera monitoring to deter future dumping. The Commission recommended issuing an RFP for cleanup quotes and noted some easements will be revisited in winter to assess scope and timing for remediation. "Some debris appeared to be recent; others were longstanding, which indicated ongoing dumping activity," Merrill reported to the Board.