A.D. Makepeace accused of damaging, filling streams and wetlands
Wareham-based cranberry growing giant A.D. Makepeace is facing a potential lawsuit for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act by filling in and damaging streams and wetlands in Southeastern Massachusetts.
The threatened action was announced on June 18 by the Conservation Law Foundation, a New England-based environmental advocacy organization, in a letter addressed to A.D. Makepeace alleging that the cranberry grower violated the law at properties in Carver and Plymouth.
The conservation group alleges that A.D. Makepeace dredged and discharged tons of sand, filling in "acres of wetlands" and streams without a permit at Smith-Hammond Bogs and Wankinko Bogs on Federal Road in Carver, White Island Bogs on Wareham Road in Plymouth and Canning Bogs in Plymouth.
In its letter to Makepeace, the conservation law group wrote that the cranberry grower "has not been in compliance at any of the Sites since at least June 2012." The group wrote that it will seek "the full penalties allowed by law" for Makepeace's violations.
The conservation group wrote in its letter that this could amount to "$68,445.00 per day per violation for all violations occurring after November 2, 2015."
“For years, Makepeace has stripmined tens of millions of cubic yards of sand across Southeastern Massachusetts, systematically destroying wetlands and waterways without accountability,” said Heather Govern, the conservation foundation's vice president for clean air and water. “Because of the threat to downstream communities and ecosystems that depend on clean water and flood protection, CLF is taking action.”
A representative from A.D. Makepeace rejected the conservation foundation's account.
"Baseless attacks on the cranberry industry like this have been going on for more than five years and not once has any court, state agency, or local board found any impropriety," Linda Burke, Makepeace vice president for marketing and communication, wrote in an email to Wareham Week.
