East Braintree Civic Association

Commentary

Fore River Neighbors Control Their Own Destinies

‘‘We have met the enemy and they are us.’’ While I do not know who said it, nor the history behind it, I know that the phrase could well be the motto of the Fore River communities. The papers are filled with stories about the mayhem being created by the multitude of construction projects occurring in the North Weymouth community.

All I could say is, ‘‘What did you expect?!’’ I had been involved with planning and mitigation on many of the projects, and kept informed of others. This involved years of meetings and numerous hours reading the various environmental reports. Yet throughout the years of well-posted meetings, the number of area residents attending usually amounted to less than a handful. Additionally, those concerned residents who did attend were the same at all the meetings. Many of those people involved in the meetings fought hard to positively impact the quality-of-life issues for the impacted communities. However, the issues of company profits, tax dollars and union jobs seemed to control the destiny of these projects. This was, and is, the destiny of the Fore River communities.

A number of years ago a small band of neighborhoods stood up to fight a proposal to build a hazardous waste incinerator in the Fore River basin. Despite the horror of the proposal, the number of involved residents did not grow much until the end of the eight-year battle. During the research by this small band, it was learned that the community and others like it were targeted for the projects. It seems that an industry study had determined that the route of least resistance for siting these facilities was based on demographics. The study had noted that the target community should be hard-working, blue-collar workers that are too busy surviving to become involved with the highly technical and time intensive siting process. Does this sound familiar?

The hazardous waste incinerator for now is a dead issue. However, since that time the Fore River communities have faced a never-ending parade of projects that ‘‘are in the best interest and needs of society.’’ Those have included power plants, sludge plants, large sewer projects to accommodate upstream development needs, and a commuter train that is unnecessary for the Fore River community and unwanted by other impacted communities. You have only to look in the papers to see the double standard that has so adversely impacted the Fore River.

A recent newspaper noted the development of the Hingham Shipyard, which includes mixed uses and tree-lined streets. In the same paper it noted the potential development for the Fore River Shipyard, which includes uses that would scrap ships, burn sludge and waste, store mountains of road salt and utilize the train spur to carry questionable amounts of cargo through East Braintree neighborhoods. Are you getting the picture?

The Sithe power plant and other permitted projects now being constructed should not be your major concern. Your attention should be directed to whatever the deal-makers have lined up next for your neighborhood. If you give it the same level of attention that you have in the past, you can expect a project that will make Sithe look like a Dunkin’ Donuts proposal.

Get involved or learn to live with whatever is dumped in your back yard. If your political leaders do not support your neighborhood, vote them out of office. Turn off your television and read the environmental report for the project they are building in your neighborhood. Finally, join the people who know how to address these issues, your local neighborhood association.


Michael J. Lang lives in East Braintree.




Copyright 2002 The Patriot Ledger
Transmitted Saturday, November 23, 2002