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| By Danielle Paine Reminder Assistant Editor EAST LONGMEADOW - A Ludlow construction company has agreed to pay a $7,650 penalty for wetland protection act violations during last year's installation of a main sewer line on Mill Road. H. M. Nunes and Sons Construction Inc. was penalized by the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection for allowing erosion to occur in a wetland bordering the construction site of the sewer project. Along with paying the hefty fine, the company must also hire a professional to assess damage done to land, then pay to remove eroded soil and possibly replant any damaged vegetation. "They had an order from the Conservation Commission to prevent this by installing certain measures and despite having those conditions, they failed to put in or maintain the proper erosion controls on that site," explained Ed Coletta, spokesman for the DEP. "They needed to pay the penalty and make sure that they restore that wetland area." The East Longmeadow Conservation Commission typically works closely with the Department of Public Works and hired contractors to ensure these violations do not occur. To prevent them, the commission issues companies a list of conditions designed to minimize erosion and other wetland-damaging effects of construction. This typically includes silt fencing, a black material used to stop dirt from washing downhill. "It is very rare to see them," said Conservation Commission Chairman, George Kingston, about local violations. "Most of the time we are able to work with the contractor up front and make sure it won't lead to a violation. We give them guidance and it normally works out very well." Kingston added that because East Longmeadow has so many protected wetlands, the commission is usually involved on some level in any town construction. Representatives of H. M. Nunes and Sons Construction Inc. were unable to be reached for comment. |