246-0741.pdfDATE:January 13, 2020 Municipality NORTHAMPTON
(city/town)
RE: NOTIFICATION OF WETLANDS PROTECTION ACT FILE NUMBER
The Department of Environmental Protection has received a Notice of Intent filed in accordance with the
Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. c. 131, §40):
Applicant:
Address:
LOCUS:
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
10 PARK PLAZA
US RTE 5 (MT. TOM ROAD) AT I-91 INTERCHANGE 18
Owner:MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
Address:10 PARK PLAZA
BOSTON, MA, 02116
This project has been assigned the following file # :WE 246-0741
Although a file # is being issued, please note the following:
Lieutenant Governor
KARYN E. POLITO
Governor
CHARLES D. BAKER
A FILE NUMBER ONLY INDICATES THAT THE APPLICATION CONTAINS THE MINIMAL
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS AND IS ADMINISTRATIVELY COMPLETE - NOT THAT THE
INFORMATION IN THE APPLICATION IS ADEQUATE FOR ISSUANCE OF AN ORDER OF
CONDITIONS.
BOSTON, MA 02116
[1] The commission should review the filing fee. There are three activities proposed and each activity is its own fee.
[2] Since the DEP regional office will be issuing the 401 WQC, the Department recommends that the commission
keep the NOI hearing open until it has been issued. It also appears this work is subject to MEPA, per 301 CMR
11.03(3)(b)1.d. MassDEP cannot issue the 401 WQC until the Secretary has issued the Certificate. The applicant
should contact the MEPA office for guidance.
[3] Since this area only has priority habitat, it is not subject to 310 CMR 10.59, the estimated habitat of rare wildlife
species section of the regulations.
[4] It has been a few years since the BVW and IVW was delineated. To help ensure that conservation commissions
have sufficient expertise available to address specific issues regarding an applicant’s filing, M.G.L. c. 44, section
53g gives Commissions authority to charge a fee for the employment of outside consultants that allow for the use
of the fee to ensure that they have the necessary information for them to make a decision pursuant to the Wetlands
Protection Act, M.G.L. c. 131, sec. 40 and 310 CMR 10.00. Please review the wetlands status of the plants. Data
sheets shows sugar maple as a FACW and it should be FACU.
This information is available in alternate format. Call Donald M. Gomes, ADA Coordinator at 617-556-1057. TDD# 1-866-539-7622 or 1-617-574-6868.
Printed on Recycled Paper
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
10 PARK PLAZA
BOSTON, MA 02116
[5] 310 CMR 10.24(7)(c) only applies to coastal resource areas. Likely the applicant meant to refer to 310 CMR
10.53(3)(f). Maintenance and improvement of existing public roadways, but limited to widening less than a single
lane, adding shoulders, correcting substandard intersections, and improving inadequate drainage systems.
[6] The Commission may require that a replication checklist and a monitoring report be submitted per the
Massachusetts Inland Wetland Replication Guidelines (https://www.mass.gov/media/1523011) should BVW
alterations be warranted (i.e., unavoidable) and permitted.
[7] One cannot model stormwater without confirming actual soil type. Per Volume 3 Chapter 1 of the stormwater
handbook, a Competent Soils Professional conducts a site visit to verify soil conditions on the site. Please see
Table 2.3.1. The commission needs good soils information at the locations of the bioretention areas.
[8] Section 2.3.4 RUNOFF COEFFICIENTS appears to use inadequate coefficients. Because the project area is
not that large, correct numbers should be used. One cannot take additional TSS removal credit for a catch basin
that discharges into a bioretention area. For drainage areas 1 and 11 worksheets, total TSS removal for a
bioretention area can only be 90% as that includes the required pre-treatment. Cannot take any double credit. The
applicant should provide information to the commission on the actual number of times catch basins were cleaned in
this area on I-91 in recent years.
[9] Please note that an exfiltrating bioretention area provides groundwater recharge. To receive TSS removal
credit, all stormwater BMP’s must be designed, constructed, operated and maintained per the Stormwater
Handbook, Volume 2, Chapter 2. Please cut and paste bioretention BMP into the stormwater report. Please
review pages 23 to 35 from Volume 2 Chapter 2 of the Stormwater Handbook.
If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact: MARK STINSON @ (413)-755-2257
Cc: Northampton Conservation Commission, CITY HALL, 210 MAIN STREEET RM 11, Northampton, MA, 01060
Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Div of Fisheries & Wildlife Route 135, North Drive,
Westborough, MA, 01581
Owner: MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, 10 PARK PLAZA, BOSTON, MA, 02116
Representative: PARSONS, 100 HIGH STREET, BOSTON, MA, 02110
This information is available in alternate format. Call Donald M. Gomes, ADA Coordinator at 617-556-1057. TDD# 1-866-539-7622 or 1-617-574-6868.
Printed on Recycled Paper