NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell is asking for further review from the state concerning the proposed expansion of a recycling facility in New Bedford.

Parallel Products of New England, located at 100 Duchaine Boulevard in the New Bedford Business Park, is proposing an expansion of their footprint in order to process more recyclable materials and make way for the processing of biosolid waste produced by wastewater treatment plants.

In a letter to the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency last week, Mitchell implored the agency to give further review to the proposal and its potential impacts, considering the proximity of the plant to the Pine Hill neighborhood.

"In sum, unless and until PPNE is able to satisfactorily address reasonable neighborhood concerns in the areas of noise, odor, and traffic," wrote Mitchell, "I am not prepared to lend my support to the project."

He adds that Parallel Products needs to formulate a better information campaign to properly educate the public on its proposal.

"I believe strongly that there needs to be a much more robust public engagement effort that [sic] has been undertaken to date."

Mitchell went on to categorically detail his concerns in the areas of land use impacts, economic development, rail infrastructure, waste, and energy efficiency, traffic and trip generation, emissions, odor, sound, wetlands, water resources, and wastewater and stormwater.

He urged MEPA to require Parallel Products to produce an Environmental Impact Report so that the public and local and state officials can better understand the effects that the facility's proposed expansion would have on the immediate area.

The letter was also sent to Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Senator Mark Montigny, Representatives Paul Schmid and Christopher Hendricks, and the New Bedford Planning Board.

Read Mayor Mitchell's letter here: City of New Bedford PPNE ENF Response 3-29-19

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