MA Officials Regularly Allow Permit Edits

After an article in Desmogblog revealed that MassDEP officials allowed Spectra to make favorable edits to the Air Quality Plan, we decided to show up at the offices of MassDEP. MassDEP agreed to meet with us that morning to listen to our comments and concerns, but we didn't stop there. The following day, on Tuesday, a group of folks, including Mothers Out Front, showed up at the MassDEP offices in Boston. MassDEP agreed to an impromptu meeting with the concerned residents. 

Desmogblog followed up with MassDEP officials to determine if it is common practice to allow companies to make edits to draft plans and they explained that it is a regular practice. 

They claim that they to do this so that they have accurate information from the company about their operation. But documentation revealed by Desmogblog shows that MassDEP allowed Spectra to make edits to state pollution standards.

This lack of transparency creates severe distrust between the public and MassDEP, an agency whose mission is to protect the air, water, and land. It is quite clear that MassDEP is not fulfilling their duties and responsibilities by colluding with polluters. We are asking MassDEP to revoke their conditional approval of Spectra's Ch. 91 Waterways permit and to issue an independent analyses of both the Waterways permit and the Air Quality permit.

To read the full article in Desmogblog, click here.