Topo Study of the hills around Spring Pond

          There is concern of having commercial or industrial 'development', especially businesses which have a history of pollution offenses, to be allowed on the hills surrounding Spring Pond, Peabody's Drinking Reservoir.

Lowe's history of offenses

Lowe's was fined a penalty by Mass DEP in April 2010 for polluting groundwater in Pembroke: www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/0410lowe.htm
Lowe's developer penalized by Mass DEP in May 2010 for violation of a wetland: www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/0510lowe.htm
Lowe's fined $137,500 by EPA for failure to adequately control storm water run-off at 4 Mass construction sites: click here

Walmart's history of offenses

MassDEP Assesses $8,000 Penalty to Wal-Mart for Violating Hazardous Waste Management Requirements at Four Central Mass. Stores in May 2010. www.mass.gov/dep/public/press/0510walm.htm

What the reps of Lowe's/ Walmart presented

In the last Public Meeting on September 30, 2010, the reps for the proposed Lowe's/ Walmart refuted environmental concerns by saying there is no record or potential for endangered species and there is no concern of the project related to Spring Pond.  A flat site plan was displayed, showing no topography, with only showing a dimension line from the back of the project to Spring Pond.  There was no indication of Mass DEP Wetlands or the Mass DEP 'Potential Vernal Pools' on the drawing.  There was no mention of the latest Peer Review provided for the project, which mentions concern for Spring Pond.  ( Is this the best the Walmart/ Lowe's reps can do, to represent an environmental study of the site?  Topography and wetlands should not be ignored when researching a study of the site.)

Concerns for Spring Pond

A recent Peer Review warns of the concern, the project might have to Proctor's Brook which flows to Spring Pond.


A precedent environmental mistake in 1996, cost the City of Peabody to clean the sludge from the Coolidge Avenue Water Treatment Plant, which accumulated to the bottom of Spring Pond.


A further  study, by an ordinary citizen...

The 3d model of the site above and the 2d site plan below, was created using data extracted from Mass GIS, in the software program Vectorworks Designer: Architect, Landmark, Renderworks. 

peace on