麻州長Healey出席麻州生物科技協會要創造"可能" 黃凱德當選MassBio董事

麻州生物科技協會 (MassBio)執行長 Kendalle Burlin O’Connell
和董事會主席Pam Randhawa (左)宣佈新一屆董事名單。(周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導) 麻州生物科技協會 (MassBio)日前邀請麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) ，擔任「機會之州 (State of Possible) 」年度會議主講人，頒發創新領導獎表揚MIT名教授Robert S. Langer，請4名生物製藥界高管暢談為什麼選擇麻州做長期發展據點。

麻州州長Maura Healey強調麻州政府講求團隊合作，要和各界攜手創造所有可能。
(周菊子攝)

              麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 這天特地準備了一份4月24日至28日為麻州生命科學週的公告 (Proclamation)，向麻州生物科技協會表達致賀，感謝之意。她在將近半小時的主題演講中，也感謝前州長Deval Patrick當年大手筆投資，推動麻州成為世界上的生物醫藥業之都，迄今全州有15000家生物科技及醫療器材科技公司，13萬人在這行業中工作。

麻州生物科技協會 (MassBio)執行長 Kendalle Burlin O’Connell
和麻州州長Maura Healey 對談。 (周菊子攝)

              她強調，正如麻州生物科技協會的年會主題，只要攜手，在麻州完全是什麼都可能。她表示自己明白麻州面對著可負擔房屋，托兒照顧，行業人才不足等等很實在的挑戰，以及公私兩界跨行業刻意合作的重要性，所以她組織了一個很棒的內閣團隊，讓她身邊圍繞著能幹的人，包括經濟發展廳廳長郝伊平 (Yvonne Hao)，勞工及人力發展廳廳長Laura Jones，教育廳廳長Patrick Tutwiler，能源及環境事務廳廳長Rebecca Tepper，以及健康及人民服務廳廳長Kate Walsh等人。她甚至還新設了聯邦經費主任這樣一個職務，要爭取每一筆可以得到的聯邦經費，來加強麻州的發展。

麻州生物科技協會 (MassBio)執行長 Kendalle Burlin O’Connell
頒獎給Robert S. Langer。 (周菊子攝)

              奚莉州長指出，麻州經濟發展廳將於5月啟動新的經濟發展計劃，探訪各行各業，請人們告訴州政府，面對那些障礙，以決定政府的扶持投資將側重哪個方向。其中一個很重要的方向，當然就是人力與人才。

MIT名教授Robert S. Langer獲頒創新領導獎。(周菊子攝)

              這場會議由麻州生物科技協會 (MassBio)會長暨執行長 Kendalle Burlin O’Connell和董事會主席Pam Randhawa開場致詞，再請麻州州長奚莉做主題演講，然後請來波士頓商業期刊 (BBJ)執行編輯 Doug Bank主持，邀Blueprint醫藥執行長Kate Haviland， uniQure執行長Matt Kapusta，諾華 (Novartis)生物醫療研究院 (NIBR)董事長Fiona H. Marshall， Stealth初創執行長Rehan Verjee等企業創辦人及高管，分別闡述他們各自選擇麻州作為長期發展據點的原因。他們分述的原因包括相關行業集中有群聚效應，哈佛及MIT等高校眾多，人才豐富，人們不必花很多時間在交通上，吃頓飯，開個會就很容易認識到相關行業人士，交流機會及效率比加州等其他地方高很多等之外，麻州政府的支持態度也是一大因素。

Ultragenyx執行副總裁黃凱德 (Dennis Huang，右)。 (周菊子攝)

            當天的會議還包括在全球有8萬名員工的賽默飛世爾   (Thermo Fisher) 科學公司董事長 Marc Casper

Thermo Fisher科學公司董事長 Marc Casper。 (周菊子攝)

做主題演講，請麻州社區健康中心聯盟會長Michael Curry和Alexion 製藥企業事務主管Tamar Thompson對談”麻州可以怎麼成為醫療公平領袖，以及題目為”癌症治療未來，早期診斷及獲取治療途徑”，”生物科技產業在環境、社會及治理 (ESG) 上的處境以及將來可以如何大膽向前”，”降低通貨膨脹法對麻州生態系統的過大影響”，”擁抱合作及創新以確保細胞及基因療法的成功”，”在麻州建造生物製藥前沿-推動成長及自力更生”等題目。

              其中”在麻州建造生物製藥前沿”的這個講座，應邀出席的與談人中有3名華人，一為當天當選為MassBio董事的基因療法公司Ultragenyx執行副總裁黃凱德 (Dennis Huang)，以及Landmark BIO執行長Ran Zheng， KSQ治療基因療法資深主任Karrie Wong。

                             麻州生物科技協會是美國最悠久，有1600家會員公司的生物產業協會，今年選出的董事中，有6人來自生命科學企業，會講一點國語的黃凱德是其中之一。(訂正人名:郝伊平)

MassBio年會請業界高管談為什麼選麻州。(周菊子攝)

南韓總統尹錫悅訪問麻州 南韓移民抗議指控他破壞罷工

麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Haley) 迎接南韓總統尹錫悅(Yoon Suk Yeol) 。
 (周菊子攝)

              (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 南韓總統尹錫悅 (Yoon Suk Yeol) 26日到白宮會晤美國總統拜登 (Joe Biden) ，發表美國將派載核武潛艇定期駐守的「華盛頓聲明」後，週五 (28日)到麻州州政府拜會，在赴哈佛甘迺迪政府學院演講，重申南韓需要避免核武威脅。

麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Haley) 和南韓總統尹錫悅(Yoon Suk Yeol)
一起踏紅地毯。 (周菊子攝)

              尹錫悅在白宮獻唱「美國派 (American Pie)」後，和拜登總統一起發表了所謂的「華盛頓宣言 (Washington Declaration)」，稱南韓將不會自行發展核武，而美國將在南韓受到北韓核武威脅時，派載有核武的潛艇定期巡守南韓。韓美兩國數十年來首次達成這樣的協議。

              週五中午，尹錫悅到訪麻州，在麻州州政府大樓高懸韓國國旗，鋪出紅地毯，安排樂隊奏樂，州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 佇立正門等候，大批保安人員圍守護衛中，從黑色廂型車中走出來，快步上前的奚莉州長一同拾級而上，進入州政府餐敘。

麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Haley) 在州政府大樓正門前等
南韓總統尹錫悅(Yoon Suk Yeol) 。對面的人群，大都是
麻州職業安全與健康聯盟出席悼念辭世勞工的人。 (周菊子攝)

              尹錫悅從車上下來後，在隨從示意下，向隔著一條馬路的一小群圍觀人們揮手，但就在他轉頭去和奚莉州長握手時，背後響起一連串的「罷工破壞者」， Boo ，Boo的噓聲。

              原來這天恰好是麻州職業安全與健康聯盟 (Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health，簡稱MassCOSH) 悼念因工傷辭世勞工的日子。 MassCOSH也在27日才剛公佈「為工作而亡 (Dying for Work) 」年度報告，指出去年麻州有51人在工作場所死亡。他們的聚會，原本安排在州政府大樓前，卻被告知必須換地方。

麻州職業安全與健康聯盟在州政府大樓前悼念辭世勞工。 (周菊子攝)

              參加悼念勞工活動的一名25歲南韓青年Hong Doo-jung，拿著一疊韓文標語牌，請旁邊的勞工和他一起抗議。他說南韓卡車司機的罷工，被尹錫悅政府刻意壓制，勞工權益受到損害。

南韓移民Hong Doo-jung (左一) 在本地勞工每年一度的紀念工作時
不幸死亡的勞工時，怒嗆南韓總統尹錫悅是罷工破畫者。 (周菊子攝)

              過去幾個月來的新聞媒體報導，也都指出，尹錫悅自從上任後，支持率雪崩，一度低至30%以下，打破前任總統文在寅的紀錄。

              尹錫悅與麻州州長奚莉餐敘，表達在新能源與科技方面的加強合作意願後，再到哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院的約翰甘迺迪論壇，以「世界中對自由的挑戰」為主題，發表演講 (A Conversation with Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea - YouTube) ，並和曾任美國國務卿，著有「軟實力」一書的名教授Joseph Nye Jr.對話。 (更新版)

麻州總檢察長Andrea Campbell主持第12屆全國網路犯罪會議

AG CAMPBELL HOSTS TWELFTH ANNUAL NATIONAL CYBER CRIME CONFERENCE

Approximately 1,200 Law Enforcement Officers, Prosecutors, and Investigators from Across the Country Will Participate in Largest of Its Kind Three-Day Hybrid Conference  

BOSTON — This week, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell hosted the twelfth annual National Cyber Crime Conference, the largest conference of its kind and first under her administration. The conference is aimed at helping equip law enforcement and prosecutors with the tools and skills to effectively detect and combat cyber crime. 

            During her opening remarks to kick off the conference on Tuesday, AG Campbell spoke about the importance of how staying up-to-date on the tools and skills required to tackle cyber crime is critical if we are to protect our young people from an industry that continues to rapidly evolve and expand.  

Approximately 1,200 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and investigators have traveled from across the country to attend the three-day conference both virtually and in-person.

 “The fact that law enforcement officials, prosecutors, investigators, and other forensic personnel come together for this conference each year demonstrates just how vital and helpful the techniques and lessons shared here are to our respective fields,” said AG Campbell. “I’m proud of the leadership and expertise in the office, and know that by learning the newest skills and trends in an ever-growing digital world, we are better able to protect the public from threats including cyber threats.” 

Lam Nguyen, Director of the Cyber Forensics Laboratory at DC3; a DOD designated Center of Excellence and an accredited ISO: 17025 forensic laboratory, delivered the conference’s keynote address, and spoke about how digital forensics have evolved over the past twenty years and how law enforcement must adapt to an ever-changing environment. Recognized as an expert and leading figure in the field of Digital Forensics and E-Discovery, Nguyen has led large-scale international investigations in both criminal and civil cases, has testified as an expert witness on digital evidence numerous times and in multiple jurisdictions, and has previously served as an adjunct professor at both George Washington University and George Mason University. 

The conference also featured notable speakers and presenters, and consisted of 205 sessions that included labs, lectures, presentations and certification programs. Attendees were trained on a wide range of topics including cryptocurrency tracing, geolocation evidence, conducting dark web investigations, the history of ghost guns, the importance of social media in today’s cases, and search and seizure in the digital world. 

The conference was hosted by the AG’s Office in partnership with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC), and SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, and our technology partner, Zoom. 

The conference’s sponsors and exhibitors were Cellebrite, Black Rainbow, Magnet Forensics, Medex Forensics, Oxygen Forensics, ScanWriter, Teel Technologies, Berla Corporation, VSPL, Amped Software, Atola Technlogy, Cobwebs Technologies, CrimeLines, DATAPILOT, Forensic Analytics, Grayshift, iCrimeFighter, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, MOS Equipment, MSAB, NICE Public Safety, PenLink, Peregrine Technologies, SUMURI LLC, the Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference, the University of New Haven, US DHHS-OIG Office of Investigations, and Waldorf University. 

Attendees at this week’s event represented 46 states, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Jordan, Estonia, Turks & Caicos, Norway, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Ukraine. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and investigators attended from federal, state, and local agencies across the country to attend training taught by 135 of the world’s top experts in cyber.   

The AG’s Office has long made the prevention and prosecution of cyber crime a top priority and has a state-of-the-art Digital Evidence Lab in Boston, which has statewide capacity to deal with cyber crime and more efficiently process the digital evidence that is used in essentially every investigation in the AG’s Office. Since 2008, the AG’s Office has provided cyber training for more than 20,000 state and local law enforcement personnel from across the state and the nation.

波士頓有意重建公校體育樞紐 廣徵創意提案

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO RENOVATE, REBUILD, AND REIMAGINE WHITE STADIUM  Public-private partnership would deliver a new home for Boston Public Schools athletics and a better resource for students, families, and the community

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 26, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the release of a request for proposals (RFP) to renovate, rebuild, and reimagine White Stadium in Franklin Park. The RFP seeks to bring new resources and a new partnership to White Stadium that will realize its full potential as a hub for the Boston Public Schools (BPS) athletics program, enhance athletic offerings to BPS students, and bring significant benefits to Franklin Park and the surrounding communities.  “In a championship sports town, our young people deserve to have access to world class facilities and programs for their growth and development,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This renovation of White Stadium will restore it as a treasure for athletes across the state and will help make Boston the best city in the country to raise a family.”   The City and BPS envision revitalizing White Stadium as a centerpiece of BPS athletics benefitting Boston’s students. The stadium has served as a home field for many Boston athletes and community members since it was constructed in 1945. However, White Stadium is currently in disrepair and in need of revitalization. A fire destroyed the interior of the East Grandstand, which is not usable. The West Grandstand does not meet modern accessibility and building code requirements to serve all Boston students and communities and lacks the spaces and amenities needed to be a Citywide resource for BPS athletics.  The RFP seeks a qualified partner to provide needed capital investment to make White Stadium a high-quality venue for BPS athletics and other events, along with an operational program that enhances BPS athletics, activates Franklin Park, and provides a valued and welcome resource for community stakeholders. The selected partner would receive a 10-year lease with potential renewals of the West Grandstand and the right to license the use of the field and public areas of the East Grandstand for a set number of events annually during the term of the lease. The selected respondent will bear the costs of maintaining the field in any condition required for their proposed use.  "We are excited to explore this opportunity to give BPS athletes access to state-of-the-art athletic facilities,” said BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper. “This is a chance to reimagine White Stadium as a hub for BPS Athletics, and we appreciate the City’s efforts to reimagine the incredible potential of the stadium to support our student athletes in building leadership skills on and off the field."  Given White Stadium’s importance to Franklin Park and the surrounding communities, proposals must include a narrative of the community benefits supported by the rehabilitation and redevelopment, including any benefits to the local community beyond those generated by the proposed program itself. Those seeking to submit bids to the RFP are asked to submit a preliminary transportation plan that addresses the details of how people will travel to and from the stadium for events and how they intend to mitigate parking and traffic impacts in the surrounding community. Additionally, they will be required to complete a detailed plan acceptable to the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) prior to entering any agreement. A thorough community process will take place in the coming months to ensure that the selected respondent and program benefit Franklin Park and the surrounding communities.  "White Stadium has been activated in empowering ways to uplift culture, community, and unity throughout the years,” said Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor. “We’ve seen this through the use of White Stadium for events ranging from the celebration of Boston’s Caribbean community to addressing the COVID-19 crisis with vaccination clinics. We look forward to engaging with community members in conversation through listening sessions to collectively reimagine White Stadium so that it remains a space in our community where everyone can take advantage of this beloved space in Franklin Park.”   Additional information, requirements, terms and conditions, and all other related information is set forth in the RFP documents on the City's purchasing website and supplier portal. Proposals must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on June 26, 2023.

CITY OF BOSTON AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THE PRESERVE AT OLMSTED GREEN IN MATTAPAN

CITY OF BOSTON AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THE PRESERVE AT OLMSTED GREEN IN MATTAPAN Eighty income-restricted homeownership units will be created on the former Boston State Hospital site

 

BOSTON - Friday, April 28, 2023 - City of Boston officials, Lena Park Community Development Corporation, New Boston Fund, MassHousing, and Commonwealth Builders celebrated the start of construction for the Preserve at Olmsted Green, the last phase of homeownership at Olmsted Green with 80 units of housing. The project is part of the City of Boston's commitment to increasing homeownership opportunities and building generational wealth.  "Homeownership is a critical pathway to building generational wealth and achieving economic stability for families," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "I am thrilled to break ground on this project, which will provide affordable homeownership opportunities for families in our city. I am proud of the work that we are doing to increase homeownership opportunities for Boston residents, and I am excited to see the Olmstead Green project come to life."  “The Mayor's Office of Housing was pleased to support the Olmsted development, which will create new homes in the Mattapan community. The development will provide homeownership opportunities and housing stability for 80 Boston families,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. “This significant development was made possible through a strong partnership between the City, State and community. The Olmsted project is an example of the City’s commitment to creating affordable opportunities for Boston residents and strengthening our neighborhoods.”  The event was held Wednesday in the recently completed 3,000-square-foot Gateway Center on the West Campus, which offers a community and family event center, cyber-café, fitness center, and management offices. Lena Park CDC and Winn Management will run ongoing financial literacy and access to homeownership training, job training and placement programs, and community events.   “Congratulations to the extended Olmsted Green partnership and the entire Mattapan community on reaching this historic milestone, nearly 20 years in the making to begin the final phase with this incredible affordable homeownership project,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Local leadership and coordinated resources have created a green, inclusive, and vibrant neighborhood by continuing to center the needs of residents. This dedication created hundreds of new homes for families and individuals of all incomes, parks, and playgrounds, and the new Gateway Center to support a vibrant pocket of Boston.”  “As one of the lead advocates for the creation of the Commonwealth Builders program, it is important to bring more homeownership to Olmsted Green. The success and innovation in delivering a solution for homeownership at Olmsted Green was essentially a proof of concept that has led to millions of dollars from the Commonwealth being dedicated to affordable homeownership and not just affordable rental,” said State Rep. Russell Holmes. “Homeownership has provided the most powerful path to wealth creation in history and will provide a brighter future for current home-owners and future home-owners who will soon call The Preserve at Olmsted Green home.”  This phase of the development also completes the comprehensive network of open space pursuant to the Olmsted Green Open Space Master Plan, which was updated in 2021 to ensure project-wide open space coordination. The West Campus contains pedestrian pathways and rain gardens. There are pedestrian network links to the community amenities including The Gateway Center, tot-lots, BBQ/seating areas, nature areas, Brooke Ballfield, and other adjacent amenities. There are also abundant trees throughout the property as well as a stormwater management system to reduce water flow to Mass Audubon/Boston Nature Center, a 30-foot setback, and all private roads use permeable pavement for natural infiltration.  The project is being developed by a partnership between National Development, Lena Park CDC, New Boston Fund, and the Caribbean Integration Community Development. Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2024.  “We are all so proud of this tremendous accomplishment that took almost twenty years and many community leaders and public funding village participants to pull off,” said Jerry Rappaport Jr., founder of New Boston Fund. “Our partnership with the Lena Park CDC along with the steadfast support of Representative Russell Holmes - who stuck with the original vision and the compelling need to finish the project for the benefit of the entire community - is a testament to the broad-based commitment to close the home ownership gap in Boston. This development and community approval team demonstrated great flexibility and support as our development program has evolved to meet the changing marketplace.”  “This is a momentous time to lead the Lena CDC. I know I speak for the whole Lena CDC team when I say it is exciting to see this vision come together with the final phase of mixed-income housing and the wonderful amenities for the whole community,” said Karen Allen Bowie, Chair, Lena Park Community Development Corporation (CDC).  Of the 80 units under construction, 36 units will be restricted at either 80% or 100% of AMI, with an additional 27 units restricted at 120% of AMI. Of the units, 17 will be unrestricted, market-rate units. This project represents the final phase of the redevelopment of the former Boston State Hospital site that Lena New Boston has led, and to which the City of Boston has contributed significant subsidy support. The overall project includes 20 buildings and three private streets.   “The Preserve at Olmsted Green will bring 80 new homes for sale and culminates the decades-long redevelopment of the former state hospital property into more than 357 rental homes and 140 homes for purchase for Mattapan residents,” said MassHousing Executive Director Chrystal Kornegay. “The result of this long-standing collaboration between the greater Mattapan community, the development team, and the many federal, state, city, and private partners, has provided housing affordability and economic opportunity to the many individuals and families who have put down roots and prospered at Olmsted Green.”  The Preserve at Olmsted Green is part of the City of Boston's efforts to increase affordable homeownership opportunities in the city. Earlier this week, Mayor Wu celebrated the opening of the Loop at Mattapan Station, a new transit-oriented 135-unit affordable housing community. Through programs like ONE+Boston and the Neighborhood Homes Initiative, the City is committed to creating more pathways for Boston residents to own homes and build generational wealth. The affordable homeownership opportunities at the Preserve will be supported with down payment assistance.  “Boston State has been a completely unique project for the state in its size, scale, and uses – we should all feel tremendous pride in what has been accomplished,” said Carol Gladstone, Commissioner, Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM). “This was only possible because of the partnership we have had with the CAC. Their commitment has been remarkable throughout. I offer my personal thanks to each of the members, both past and current.”  The Preserve at Olmsted Green was made possible in part by the Mayor’s Office of Housing, Neighborhood Housing Trust funding, Inclusionary Development Policy funding, MassHousing’s Commonwealth Builders Fund, and American Rescue Plan Act. The development is being funded by First Citizens Bank (formerly Silicon Valley Bank) and Eastern Bank, The Life Initiative, Blue Hub Capital, City and State funds, and equity funding from New Boston Fund, Inc., and their syndicated OG Revival LLC partnership.

麻州總檢察官辦公室和輪胎回收公司達成和解協議

AG’S OFFICE REACHES SETTLEMENTS WITH AYER AND REHOBOTH COMPANIES THAT ILLEGALLY DISCHARGED STORMWATER INTO LOCAL WATERWAYS 

Settlements, following Court Approval, Will Require Defendants to Monitor and Control Industrial Stormwater  

 

BOSTON – A tire recycling facility in Ayer and a concrete products manufacturing facility in Rehoboth have agreed to pay a total of more than $200,000 – most of which will fund projects to improve local water quality – in separate settlements reached with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s Office over alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act.  

 

The consent decrees, which have been filed with the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and are pending court approval, settle allegations that Ayer-based FBS Tire Recycling, Inc. and Rehoboth-based Nantucket Pavers, Inc. violated the federal Clean Water Act when they failed to fully comply with federal requirements that apply to discharges of industrial stormwater.  

 

“Improperly managed stormwater runoff poses significant risk to Massachusetts water quality and has the potential to harm our aquatic ecosystems as well as residents’ health,” AG Campbell said. “My office is committed to enforcing violations of clean water laws to protect the quality of the Commonwealth’s water and the health of these surrounding communities.”  

 

Today’s announcement is part of a civil enforcement initiative out of AG Campbell’s Environmental Protection Division that combats pollution by enforcing the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act and the federal Clean Air Act in Massachusetts, along with applicable state environmental laws. The AG’s Office has successfully resolved 18 cases under this initiative, directed over $1.3 million in funding to local environmental improvement projects and recovered $737,000 in civil penalties and enforcement costs since the program’s inception in 2019. 

 

Stormwater pollution is regulated under the federal Clean Water Act and is recognized as the largest threat to water quality in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts certain industrial facilities must obtain specific authorization for stormwater discharges, properly monitor and control their stormwater discharges, report their stormwater sampling results to U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and comply with state water protection laws. The AG’s Office alleges that both companies failed to take all of these required actions at their facilities. 

 

FBS Tire Recycling, Inc.   

FBS Tire Recycling operates a tire recycling facility in Ayer. In its complaint, the AG’s Office alleges that the defendant failed to manage the stormwater at the facility and this failure resulted in unlawful discharges of stormwater into a tributary of Bennetts Brook. The discharges from the facility frequently exceeded EPA benchmark levels, which are a standard of measurement by which pollutants, including heavy metals such as lead, copper, zinc, and aluminum, are monitored to determine the efficacy of a facility’s stormwater controls. Large amounts of heavy metals in stormwater can have detrimental impacts to aquatic environments and organisms.  

 

As part of the settlement, FBS will take steps to control stormwater by increasing stormwater monitoring, cleaning-up the facility, and enhancing stormwater management planning. The company also will pay $62,000 to the People of Ayer Concerned About the Environment (PACE) for projects that will benefit the Merrimack and Nashua River watershed and reimburse the AG’s Office for costs incurred in bringing the case. 

 

Bernard Hayes, Rebecca Buswell, Matt Carey, and Tim Maus, all from the Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup of the Central Regional Office of the Department of Environmental Protection, assisted with this matter.  

 

Nantucket Pavers, Inc.  

 

In a separate matter, the AG’s Office alleges that Nantucket Pavers, a concrete products manufacturing facility, unlawfully discharged industrial stormwater to wetlands connected to the Palmer River in Rehoboth without a permit. Stormwater from concrete products manufacturing facilities often includes sedimentary material such as sand or silt, which can become suspended in water and can destroy habitat, harm aquatic organisms, and contribute to flooding when discharged into waterways.  

 

Under the terms of the settlement, Nantucket Pavers will control and monitor stormwater discharges as is required by the stormwater permit. Nantucket Pavers also will pay $80,000 to the Town of Rehoboth for projects to improve water quality in the Palmer River Watershed and will reimburse the AG’s Office for costs incurred in bringing the case. 

 

These cases were handled by Assistant Attorneys General Emily Mitchell Field and Nora Chorover of the AG Office’s Environmental Protection Division.