Friday, July 26, 2013

A Stream Runs Through It

 Intermittent stream at bottom of steep hill

The Amherst Conservation Commission (town) hit the Massachusetts Department Of Transportation (state) with an "Enforcement Order" demanding they quickly rectify sloppy mitigation measures designed to protect an "intermittent stream" -- i.e. wetland -- at the South Amherst Rt116 construction site otherwise known as "The Notch."

Ignoring such an order can result in a fine of up to $25,000 per day and/or two years in jail.

Wall of protective hay bales now installed just above the stream


According to Beth Willson, Wetlands Administrator:  "MassDOT has responded to the Enforcement Order by installing matting on all the slopes, constructing paved swales and opening up drainage inlets so the water can drain appropriately from the site."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Larry --- off topic but you need to see this: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/education/in-a-recovering-economy-a-decline-in-college-enrollment.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Yep, by-by Amherst...

Anonymous said...

Good luck Con Com, why don't you call Westfield and ask them what kind of power they had when they dealt with the state over similar issues. Pretty funny. Thanks for the laugh.

Anonymous said...

Its about time, mud, silt and stones have been eroding into that stream as well as the wetlands by the Eric Carle Museum and Rt116 since the first part of the project (rotary) were built. Try that o your own property and se what happens. Just like when the state logged the woodlands off Batchelor Street in Granby on the Skinner State Park. They left a mess. It's all good-no worries.