State Fines Raytheon For Destroying Andover Wetlands

ANDOVER, MA -- The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection fined Raytheon $45,750for destroying 5,000 square feet of bordering vegetated wetland during site work at the company’s 178-acre Osgood Street facility in Andover. The finding says that Raytheon went beyond the scope of work outlined in an emergency certification granted by the Andover Conservation Commission.

Raytheon had requested the emergency certification to remove a beaver dam, arguing that the dam posed a safety hazard as it could cause flooding that would damage a fire suppression system. The commission granted the certification in April. But in May, the commission had filed a complaint with DEP that the work performed had been "excessive and unauthorized."

"The authorization of any work performed in a wetlands resource area is prescribed; it is not a blank check to do additional work," said Eric Worrall, director of MassDEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilmington. "To its credit, the company quickly recognized that the work was not authorized and has agreed to restore the impacted area and pay an appropriate penalty."

Raytheon agreed install erosion controls along the edge to prevent further damage and submit a restoration plan for approval. It has until May 31 to complete the work, and DEP will monitor the work as the site for five years after the work is completed.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).