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13 May 1999 <br /> Page 3. <br /> anchored during a count in August of 1998. The sediment characteristics of <br /> the dredged material is black muck, not suitable for beach nourishment. It <br /> is non-toxic and there are no heavy metals or hydrocarbons (tested in 1996). <br /> The clear choice would be the hydraulic dredge. other techniques explored <br /> are clamshell bucket and barges, and subsidence deepening, which was <br /> patented by KB Associates. Mr. Hanks touched on the characteristics of each <br /> alternative, the beneficial uses and the handling method. <br /> He stated for each of these types of dredging, he asked what are the options <br /> for disposal? The hydraulic dredge is 90%.water, the clamshell bucket is loss <br /> water and subsidence deepening is 90% solids. They are not sure exactly how <br /> far down clean sand is. They could use the silt to create upland habitat but <br /> first it has to be confined and dowatered, the salt removed and the site <br /> restored. An alternative is to let it compost. It cannot be dumped at the <br /> transfer station but it may be possible to mix it with compost. A grew deal of <br /> cost information must be developed. <br /> With subsidence deepening there are to alternatives, beach nourishment, <br /> pumped to the site or sold as clean fill. <br /> Mr. Danks opened the meeting for questions or discussion. <br /> A member of the audience asked Mr. Rosenberg for information on what a <br /> conversion really is. <br /> Mr. Rosenberg advised back in 1972, the Legislature passed and there were <br /> approved, some constitutional amendments to the Massachusetts <br /> Constitution which provided a break between those things that local <br /> municipalities could do and because the old state Constitution was not clear <br /> on this issue and those things that could not be dome by local communities. <br /> One of the items in that so called "local option" law and constitutional <br /> amendment was an article called 97 which had to do with anything called a <br /> conversion of the use of park or conservation lands. That was reserved <br /> exclusively to the State so that any matter which involved a conversion, <br /> which is a broad term, any change of use, of park or conservation land would <br /> have to go before and be passed and approved by a two-thirds vote of each <br /> house of the Legislature and the Governor's signature. It took the power to <br /> do these things away from the Towns if there was any question that they had <br /> them. That is why it is important here to see what the state is saying from <br /> time to time about this issue. As far as the dredging of the river is concerned, <br /> that has nothing to do with us. However, along with that there has been a <br />