Q: Will traffic on Rt. 40 be disrupted by the facility?
A: The company's traffic study shows that traffic flow and safety on Rt. 40 will NOT be negatively impacted by the facility. To decrease truck trips on Rt. 40, Newport Materials will purchase nearly 50% of production (aggregate) materials directly from the adjacent quarry. The majority of truck traffic traveling to and from the facility will come and go from exit 33 off of Route 3, which is approximately 1/3 of a mile away. All trucks must turn left towards Rt. 3 when exiting the facility. (See Traffic Study info and summary below)
Q: What will the facility sound like?
A: The facility will utilize a highly efficient “silent-type” burner that minimizes sound during production. Residential neighbors will not hear the facility from their properties when it is operating during the day, and they will not hear the facility in their homes when it is operating at night, even with their windows open. The sound study shows that the facility will be compliant with all state and local sound regulations at all times of operation.
Q: What will the facility look like from the street?
A: The facility will not be seen from Rt. 40 or by any of the residential abutters. During the winter months, the facility may be visible from Rt. 3. The highest point of the facility is 68 feet, which is much lower than the surrounding cell tower or the granite quarry landscape.
Q: Will the facility emit pollutants?
A: The primary source of emissions from this facility will come from the natural gas fired burner that heats the mixing drum. This is the same type of clean-burning heater used at any large buildings – like hospitals, schools, etc. - that use natural gas. Although trace amounts of emissions are released when the asphalt is heated up and dried – all are far below strict safety limits set by the federal and state governments. As for particulates, the facility utilizes two dust control systems that remove 99.9% of all particulates. In addition to being compliant with all state and federal regulations, the facility will be closely regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Q: Will the facility create obnoxious odors?
A: No. The facility will not cause a detectible odor at any of our abutters or neighbors properties.
Q. Is the site appropriate for industrial manufacturing?
A. This site is an ideal location for an asphalt production facility. Located in a sand and gravel pit next to the oldest continually operated quarry in the United States (1800’s), our asphalt manufacturing facility is an allowed “as of right” use under Industrial Zoning A (IA). Recently, the site was a staging ground for Modern Continental Construction during the Rt.3 Transportation Improvement Project. There is also an existing cement plant nearby. The facility will be completely buffered by the quarry to the west, Route 3 to the east, trees and Route 40 to the south, and a large town-owned wooded area to the north.
Q. Will the facility create any benefits for Westford?
A. Newport Materials will be a responsible community member of Westford. Our facility will create 3-5 skilled full/part time jobs and will generate annual tax revenue of approximately $75,000-$100,000. Newport Materials will also donate a negotiated amount of road paving to the Town every year to offset the company’s use of town roadways. The town will have full discretion as to the location of the paving. In addition, Newport Materials will be purchasing thousands of tons of aggregate materials annually from Fletcher Quarry, supporting the local economy and helping to preserve existing jobs in the area.
Q. Has the company conducted any studies to consider the impact that the sound, traffic and emissions produced by the facility will have on the surrounding area?
A. Newport Materials has conducted a number of studies to determine what impact, if any, our asphalt production facility would have on the area around our Industrial location. An emissions dispersion model, a traffic study, and a sound study all demonstrate that Newport Material’s operation would NOT have a negative impact on commercial, residential, or environmental surroundings.
Findings:
Emissions Dispersion Model (Performed April 2009, TRC Companies, Inc. - Lowell, MA)
- Demonstrates that facility emissions will comply with National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Traffic Study (Performed March 2009, Greenman-Pederson, Inc. - Nashua, NH)
- Supports safe and acceptable operating conditions at entrance to facility at Peak AM periods, with average number of truck trips at 18, with 9 entering and 9 exiting. Peak PM trips would be 14, with 7 entering and 7 exiting
Sound Study (Performed March 6-13, Cavanaugh Tocci Associates, Inc. -Sudbury, Ma)
