Board of Health Defers to DEP on Landfill Cap
Groton Board of Health voted 2-1 to defer soil-quality oversight for the Hollingsworth and Bowes landfill cap to MassDEP.
Board of Health · Meeting of May 4, 2026
Groton Board of Health voted 2-1 to defer soil-quality oversight for the Hollingsworth and Bowes landfill cap to MassDEP. Attorney Bob Collins and engineer Nicky Roy of Verdantis told the board the capping project cannot meet both DEP's solid-waste specifications and the town's 2023 PFAS bylaw because 16,500 cubic yards of needed soil will inevitably exceed local contamination thresholds found in regional background soil. Member Michelle, also the town's stormwater inspector, warned that untested soil could reach the river through an existing culvert, saying "what does matter to me is how the levels compare to the background." The board separately voted unanimously to support a YMCA request to expand Camp Massapoag's capacity beyond its 350-person permit and renewed the Groton Community School's annual supervisory-ratio variance.
Neshoba Associated Boards of Health reported a 30 percent assessment increase, bringing district-wide public health spending to $17.18 per resident.
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Source: the Board of Health meeting of May 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.
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