In a letter dated December 9, the United States Environmental Protection Agency notified the Town of Marion that it would be moving forward in issuing the Town its National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, despite the Town’s efforts to propose alternative approaches to the significantly more stringent nitrogen levels.
Marion’s last NPDES permit expired back in 2012 and, during the past approximately two years since the EPA first contacted the Town regarding the reissuance of the permit, the town has been meeting with engineers, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the EPA with proposed measures to find solutions “outside the box,” as Town Administrator Paul Dawson put it, that would allow the town to find an alternative to costly upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment plant and sludge lagoons.
“While we have benefitted from the additional information that we have received from you and others … since the public notice period ended nearly a year ago,” writes Ellen Weitzler, section chief of municipal permits at the EPA, “we are not persuaded by your reasons to further delay the long overdue reissuance of Marion’s permit.”
The Town had hoped the EPA would allow more time to explore regionalization of its sewer system with neighboring towns including Wareham and also took measures to explore the feasibility of tying the neighborhoods at Aucoot Cove to minimize septic system nitrogen pollution.
“Needless to say, we were a little surprised,” said Dawson. “We thought that made sense…. You can see in their letter they appreciate our proposal … but they don’t agree with us…”
Dawson said the Town would have no choice but to appeal the NPDES permit once it is issued, which could result in “a long drawn-out battle.”
“We just think that our approach makes sense,” Dawson said.
Dawson said the EPA’s attitude had been quite “arrogant.”
Selectman Steve Gonsalves is hoping that a Donald Trump administration and its stances on the EPA might benefit Marion pertaining to the wastewater NPDES permit.
“With the new administration change, I think it’s going to be a positive [for Marion],” Gonsalves said, adding that he was praying he was right. “They are gearing up for an administration change … and I don’t think it’s at the top of [Trump’s] priority list right now.”
Dawson agreed that changes in NPDES permit standards could very well change under President-elect Trump.
For now, Dawson said he is relying on Massachusetts Senator Bill Keating to put some political pressure on the EPA to assist Marion, and this is his only hope right now, for the time being.
By Jean Perry