Conservation Commission Backs Catch Basin Over River Discharge for Gas Station Tank Project

PEPPERELL — September 5, 2017 — Pepperell Conservation Commission signals preference for catch basin discharge route in gas station tank project. At its September 5 meeting, the commission held an informal discussion with representatives of the Ampeg gas station at 11 South Road, who are seeking permission to route treated groundwater across conservation land to the Nashua River as part of an underground storage tank replacement requiring up to 200 gallons per minute of dewatering. Commission members expressed clear preference for an alternate route through a MassDOT catch basin near the South Road bridge, calling the primary filter-bag-on-conservation-land option a "super last resort" due to concerns about erosion and unpredictable flow in the backwater area; no formal vote was taken pending MassDOT's written authorization. The commission also addressed an unpermitted tree clearing at 136 River Road, where property owner Mr. O'Brien hired a New Hampshire logging crew that pushed felled trees to the edge of a vernal pool in violation of a recorded Order of Conditions requiring a 50-foot undisturbed wetland buffer; conservation staff will visit the site to mark the boundary and assess restoration requirements at O'Brien's expense. The commission voted unanimously to issue a certificate of compliance for 18 Brookdale Lane and began discussions on adding plain-language condition summaries to future compliance certificates so perpetual wetland restrictions are visible to buyers in the recorded instrument.