Citizens United for a Healthy Future

SAVE THE AQUIFER

Protect our drinking water - STOP the Northampton Landfill Expansion

In 1969 the City of Northampton opened a landfill for the use of Northampton residents only. By 2007 it had become a large regional landfill for Western Massachusetts used by 44 cities and towns plus day-trippers, trucks from other places who get a day-pass and dump their trash at the landfill.

50,000 tons of trash per year, including municipal solid waste, construction demolition and debris, and dead animals is deposited at the landfill. In addition another 50,000 tons of material to cover the trash is brought in from other cities and states, including Boston, Connecticut and New York. Over the years cover material has consisted of contaminated soil (contaminated by petroleum), sludge, material from waste treatment plants, material from street sweepings, foundry sand, dredgings, and auto fluff which is the shredding of automobiles after the metal has been removed.

The EPA has estimated that a minimum of 1.6 million tons of garbage is buried at the Northampton landfill. The proposed landfill expansion would bring in another 2 million tons of trash.

The City of Northampton regional landfill is located in a residential area and is surrounded by homes. Many families live within 500 feet of the dump and suffer from noxious odors, air contaminants, and truck traffic. People have reported problems with migraine headaches and asthma. The residents have worried for years about the many cases of cancer occurring in those living in the perimeter around the landfill.

The Hannum Brook located near the Northampton landfill is now polluted and runs red.  Before 1977 this brook ran clear with plentiful fish populating it. In the late 1980’s several residents filed claims against the City of Northampton because of the polluted water. The Dept. of Agriculture and the Hampshire County extension service stated that water from the Hannum Brook was not safe to be used for livestock or to irrigate crops. The City of Northampton had to supply an alternate source of water for a farm near the landfill and still supplies water to this day.

The City of Northampton has petitioned the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to expand the landfill. The proposed Northampton landfill expansion would be located over the Barnes aquifer which supplies water to public wells serving 60,000 people. The proposed Northampton landfill expansion would be located in the recharge area of the aquifer for the Maloney well in Easthampton (and potential future wells for Easthampton) which is called a Zone II.

•  Landfills are rated by the state as having the highest threat level of contamination to the water supply.
•  Landfills are banned by the state from being placed in the Zone II water supply protection area for public wells.
•  Landfills are banned by the state from being placed over medium to high yield aquifers (such as the Barnes aquifer).

 The City of Northampton received a precedent setting waiver from these state regulations by the Mass. DEP. The Northampton City Council will vote on a Special Permit for the proposed landfill expansion in the Spring of 2008. If the Special Permit passes it will allow the landfill expansion to be placed in a Zone II and over an important aquifer, the Barnes aquifer. This has never been done before in the entire state of Massachusetts.

Landfills are banned from Water Supply Protection (WSP) Districts throughout the state of Massachusetts.  Northampton created a WSP to protect the Barnes aquifer and the Zone II for a public well in Easthampton.  This WSP placed greater restrictions on the residents living around the landfill. However, if the Special Permit passes, landfills will be exempted from this WSP. This is environmental injustice and a life long burden to the people living next to a major landfill.

Northampton and Easthampton residents, the Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee, and Clean Water Action oppose placing the landfill expansion in the Zone II water protection area and over the Barnes aquifer. In addition, the Easthampton City Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the landfill expansion.

Clean safe drinking water is a necessity and becoming more difficult to find. Protect what is left of this precious resource. Contact your City Councilor and ask them to vote no on the Special Permit for the Northampton Landfill Expansion.