FRRACS urges JF Price to cancel their contract with Enbridge

We delivered a letter to the owner of JF Price today, demanding that they cancel any further contracts with Enbridge that they have remaining.

JF Price, a local company, has been supplying Enbridge with sand and gravel, which is enabling Enbridge's destructive project to continue. In addition to our letter, we provided JF Price with a packet of informational material about the project and why it is so harmful.

We have asked the owner to respond to our letter by Tuesday, February 11. You can read the letter below or by clicking here.

February 5, 2020

Mr. Jimmy Bristol

JF Price Company

Dear Mr. Bristol,

We are writing to you today to express our disappointment in your direct support of Enbridge's fracked-gas compressor station that is being built along the Fore River in North Weymouth. Enbridge approached the town more than five years ago, as you know, with the intent of dumping a toxic facility in the community for their own profit. Since that time, many local businesses have publicly stated their opposition to the project and some have even turned down offers from Enbridge. Community members have fought vehemently against the project and the Town of Weymouth has poured nearly $2 million into the legal battle. Despite the overwhelming opposition to this project, you proceeded to work with Enbridge and are enabling their destructive project to continue.

The work that you are doing for Enbridge will have a detrimental impact on the community. The Fore River Basin is already exposed to alarming rates of pollution. Cancer, respiratory and neurological diseases in the area are above state averages. Your company is causing both direct and indirect harm to the community by working with Enbridge.

Soil toxins in the north parcel compressor station construction site have been measured at levels that are harmful to public health. Asbestos, arsenic, 11 million gallons of spilled diesel fuel, and a host of other cancer-causing material are known to occur throughout the coal ash and furnace brick material that forms the toxic foundation of the construction site. Despite this serious threat to public health, the MassDEP approved a Release Abatement Measure (RAM) plan for the compressor station, which, in addition to containing unacceptable shortcomings, has not even been adhered to by Enbridge and its contractors, like JF Price.

Many community members have observed JF Price trucks going to and from the North Parcel providing materials for construction, including sand and gravel. These trucks have been seen leaving the site with dirty tires, which violates the Release Abatement Measure (RAM) plan. The RAM plan states: 

“Prior to leaving the work area, transport vehicles will be securely covered and then cleaned of soil on exterior surfaces and tires. A decontamination pad will be constructed by the Contractor prior to soil removal activities in accordance with the SLGMP. The method of soil removal will likely be a combination of brushing the wheels to remove loose soils and/or passing vehicles through a decontamination station. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that tracking of potentially contaminated soil onto public roadways is prevented.” 

JF Price trucks have also been ignoring the approved traffic plan by driving on roads in Weymouth. According to Enbridge’s Traffic Management Plan, all construction vehicles must follow the approved route, which is listed as: Route 18 → Route 53 → East Howard St → South Street → Route 3A → Construction Site Access Road. Trucks should not be on Weymouth roads other than the state numbered routes previously mentioned. Prohibited Town owned roads include but are not limited to Evans Street, Sea Street and North Street.  (Source: Appendix 5B of Resource Report 5.)

These violations, as well as the direct support of construction, are causing harm to the local community and must be addressed. 

The pollution levels in the area already exceed MassDEP guidelines for various toxins, like benzene and formaldehyde, both of which are carcinogens. Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station (FRRACS) has been organizing for five years to stop Enbridge from constructing a facility in the Basin that would further exacerbate the levels of toxins in the community and would have potential consequences such as increased cancer rates. 

Throughout the course of this fight, community members, elected officials, and local cities and towns have fought hard to protect the South Shore from Enbridge’s ill-conceived plan, and are continuing to fight for the health and safety of the community. The solidarity of the support from others has been amazing. The press, as well as social media, have widely covered the fight. To see how extensive our struggle has been over the past 5 years, take a look at our website, www.nocompressor.com.

By working with Enbridge, you are turning your back on the entire South Shore community. Are you aware of the harmful impacts that the compressor station would have on Weymouth, Quincy, Braintree and Hingham communities? Are you willing to risk the health and safety of the people who you serve?

We demand that you cancel any further contracts with Enbridge that you have remaining. Please respond to this letter with an answer to our demand by February 11th. 

Sincerely,

Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station