Files on Waste Incinerators (Department of Public Health)
| Tracking # |
BEH-2019-60 |
| Multi Request | Files on Waste Incinerators |
| Submitted | March 14, 2019 |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: Liam Knox
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
A copy of all environmental impact reports related to the seven waste combustion facilities in Massachusetts: Covanta Haverhill, Covanta of SEMASS, Wheelabrator Millbury, Wheelabrator North Andover, and Wheelabrator Saugus. For the offices of the town and city clerks who are also receiving this request, please limit your search to the facility located within your jurisdiction.
I am also requesting a copy of all emails between department employees and employees of Wheelabrator Technologies from 2000-the present; as well as between department employees and employees of Covanta Energy.
I am also requesting a copy of all contracts between the state or city and Wheelabrator Technologies, as well as all contracts with Covanta Energy.
I would also like a copy of all emails from constituents that include the keywords "waste incinerator," "waste combustion," "Wheelabrator," "Covanta" and/or "waste pollution."
I request that I be properly classified as a news media requester. I am an intern for MuckRock, and I am requesting this information in that editorial capacity. MuckRock is widely known for its investigative work as well as historical pieces based on public records requests.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Liam Knox
From: Department of Public Health
Dear Mr. Knox:
We received your public records request (below) and have assigned it Tracking number BEH-2019-60. We have a few questions, listed below in brackets.
Since you've provided a date range of 2000-the present for part of your request, and it seems you are asking us to search all MA Department of Public Health (DPH) records, the scope of your request as currently written is broad and parts of it do not specify a date range.
I look forward to hearing from you regarding these questions. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email. If I do not receive a reply by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow (Friday, 3/22), I will move forward with researching your request as it is currently written.
Sincerely,
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager and Public Records Liaison
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
From: Liam Knox
Hi Carolyn,
My apologies for not getting back to you sooner! I was on vacation last week and not checking my requests. I would be happy to try to narrow the parameters of my request if you haven't started searching yet or it would be helpful to you -- just let me know.
Best,
Liam Knox
From: Department of Public Health
Dear Liam,
Thank you; if you would like to discuss further or narrow your request, please either email or call me by 5:00 p.m. today. If I do not hear from you by then, we will move forward with providing you a fee estimate based on your original request.
Best,
Carrie
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
From: Liam Knox
Hi Carrie,
Thanks for all your help today! Here is my updated, narrowed request:
A copy of any public health reports related to the following waste combustion facilities: Covanta Haverhill, Covanta of SEMASS, Wheelabrator Millbury, Wheelabrator North Andover, and Wheelabrator Saugus.
A copy of all emails between the public, local officials, and/or public health/environmental advocacy groups and Jan Sullivan, Suzanne Condon, and Martha Steele sent between 2010 and 2019. Please limit this search to the following keywords: "Wheelabrator," "Covanta," "ash dumping" and "Conservation law Foundation."
Thank you very much!
--Liam
From: Department of Public Health
Hi Liam,
Thank you for your revised request. After looking into it further, I understand that we have a number of possibly responsive records. As the time involved in gathering them, determining if they are responsive, making any needed redactions, and assembling them for production would likely be significant enough for us to charge a fee, we have, after discussing it internally, decided to waive the fee anticipating responding with records the week of April 15th. If you have any concerns with this proposed extension, please let me know as soon as possible.
Thank you
Carrie
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
From: Liam Knox
Hi Carrie,
I have no issue with that extension! Thank you so much -- the fee waiver is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to hearing from you in a few weeks!
Best,
Liam
From: Department of Public Health
Hi Liam,
As we continue working on your request, I have a question:
Whereas the first part mentions "waste combustion facilities" and specifies the locations that I've listed in red below, does the second part relate only to that as well; e.g., only to waste combustion facilities in those same locations? For example, if our search of each of the highlighted terms below locates an email containing one of the terms, but if the email isn't to do with waste combustion facilities (or with waste combustion facilities in those specific locations), should we consider that email responsive?
If you could reply letting me know by 5:00PM tomorrow (Friday, 4/5), I would greatly appreciate it. If I do not hear from you by then, we will consider your revised request as relating only to waste combustion facilities in the locations that you've specified.
Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions regarding the above.
Thank you
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
From: Liam Knox
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for checking with me! Yes, if you find those keywords in emails relating to waste combustion facilities in other locations, I would ask that you consider those emails responsive.
Feel free to reach out again if you have any more questions!
Best,
Liam
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Massachusetts Public Records Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 14, 2019. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #BEH-2019-60.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Massachusetts Public Records Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 14, 2019. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #BEH-2019-60.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Massachusetts Public Records Law request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 14, 2019. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #BEH-2019-60.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Public Health
Dear Mr. Knox:
Please find attached our response to your public records request referenced below, along with information on our appeals process. I will send our responsive records momentarily, in separate emails.
Sincerely,
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager and Public Records Liaison
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
From: Department of Public Health
Batch 1 records (attached)
[cid:image001.png@01D51572.E82791A0]
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
-
image001
From: Department of Public Health
Batch 2 records (attached)
[cid:image002.png@01D51573.47057520]
[cid:image003.png@01D51573.47057520]
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
From: Department of Public Health
To confirm, I have sent you the 8 files listed below.
[cid:image004.png@01D51573.8C6EED80]
Carolyn C. Wagner
Office Manager
Bureau of Environmental Health
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St. Boston MA 02108
Carolyn.Wagner@MassMail.State.MA.US
P: 617.624.5757 | F: 617.624.5777
Files
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