Auburn board continues three hearings over DEP delays

Conservation · Meeting of October 28, 2026

AUBURN — The Auburn Conservation Commission continued three public hearings to November 18 after state regulators failed to issue required file numbers. Chair Michael Garland and members Meghan Langley, Marc Sclamo and Ricky Arisme voted unanimously to delay decisions on a six-building warehouse project at 190 Washington Street, an Auburn Water District PFAS treatment facility at 76 Church Street, and an amended stormwater order for Casella Waste Management's 49 Sword Street hauling facility. Engineer Michael Walsh of Walsh Engineering Associates told the board the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection took nearly a year to issue new comments after the commission had already granted an order of conditions in October 2025, proposing biochar roof filters rated for "25% TSS removal" to address the agency's concerns.

One member called the delays "unfair to applicants" and "somewhat unfair to conservation commissions, too." The board also approved its October 14 minutes as amended and reviewed an Apple Trucking and Trailer enforcement matter expected to return November 18.

In the full story:

• 190 Washington Street: Warehouse Project Continued Again
• 369 Southbridge Street: Vegetation Management Around Auburn Pond
• 76 Church Street and Ridgewood Drive Rear: Water Treatment Facility for PFAS Removal
• 49 Sword Street: Casella Waste Management Amended Order of Conditions
• Other Business: 510 Washington Street, Apple Trucking and Trailer; Minutes; Forest Cutting Plan
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,996 words

Source: the Conservation meeting of October 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.