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National Grid 2021 YOP RECEIVED national rid DEC 21 2020 December 16,2020 CITY OF SALEM BOARD OF HEALTH Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll 93 Washington Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Mayor Kimberley Driscoll: In compliance with 333 CMR 11.06,45 Day Yearly Operational Plan Public Notice, Review and Comment, please review National Grid's Yearly Operational Plan(YOP)at the following website (hard copy available upon request): https://www9.nationaIgridus.com/non html/National%20Grid 2021%20YOP.pdf Please review the enclosed YOP map(s)that locate the right-of-way corridors and the plotted location of known sensitive areas including public and private drinking water supplies. If there are any additional sensitive areas located on or near the rights-of-way, please advise us as soon as possible so we may establish permanent records and implement appropriate field protective actions. We particularly rely on this process to collect corrections to the public wells and to record the location of private wells. A copy of the Environmental Monitor Notice is enclosed and published under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act(MEPA): http://webi.env.state.ma.us/EEA/eme;la/emonitor.as, National Grid's YOP details specific information pertaining to the intended 2021 program. Please note that the YOP also lists the rights-of-way from the 2020 treatment program in case National Grid needs to request a "touch-up" retreatment of scattered locations from our contractor(s). If upon review of the previous year's treatments, National Grid finds a site(s)within your municipality that need follow-up treatments,this letter serves as notification of that follow-up treatment.The individual landowner(s)will be also be notified about this work. Please note that scheduled rights-of-way are subject to change based on workplan constraints. This notification also serves as a 21 day herbicide application notification. As detailed in National Grid's Five Year Vegetation Management Plan (VMP)and Yearly Operational Plan (YOP),this treatment is conducted as a component of an integrated vegetation management(IVM) program that also utilizes mechanical and natural control techniques. National Grid's current Five Year Vegetation Management Plan (2019-2023) is posted at the following website (hard copy available upon request): https://www9.nationalgridus.com/non htmI/Nation al%20G rid%20VMP%202019-2023.Pdf As described in the VMP and YOP,the program will consist of a late winter-spring mechanical control, cut surface (CST), basal treatment, or dormant stem; a summer selective foliage or cut stubble, and, as necessary,fall CST, basal,or dormant stem treatments. In compliance with 333 CMR 11.06-11.07, no herbicide applications will occur before the conclusion of the 45-day YOP review period,the 21 day treatment notice and the 48 hour newspaper notice. At the end of these review periods,which can run concurrently, no application shall commence more than ten days before nor conclude more than ten days after the treatment periods listed above. Municipality:Salem 939 Southbridge Street,Worcester,MA 01610■www.nationalgrid.com Potential Treatment Periods* February 1,2021—May 30,2021 May 30,2021-Oct 16,2021 Oct 16,2021—Dec 31,2021 CST Foliar CST Basal CST Basal Dormant stem Basal Dormant Stem Cut stubble * The exact treatment dates are dependent upon weather conditions and field crew progress. Commonwealth of Massachusetts recommended herbicides for use in sensitive areas listed in Section 7 (pages 13-15) of the YOP will be selectively applied to target vegetation by experienced, Massachusetts' licensed/certified applicators that walk along the rights-of-way using backpack equipment. Copies of the manufacturers' herbicide labels and fact sheets are also included in the YOP,Appendices 8 and 9. The work will be performed by one of the following vegetation management vendors: Lewis Tree Service,Inc. Stanley Tree vegetation Control Service,Inc_ 300 Lucius Gordon Drive 662 Great Road 2342 Main Street West Henrietta,NY 14586 North Smithfield,RI Athol,MA 01331 (585)4363208 (401)765-4677 (978)249-5348 Lucas Tree Experts BluRoc 12 Northbrook D rive 15 Ahvood Dr,Suite 301 Falmouth,ME 04105 Northampton.MA01060 (800)339-8873 (413)8873653 This informational 21-day notification follows Chapter 132B, section 6B of the Massachusetts General Laws, 333 CMR 11.05-11.07 Rights of Way Management and Chapter 85,Section 10 of the Acts of 2000. National Grid's vegetation management program is subject to federal and state regulations only. By statute, local permits or rulings are not applicable. For inquiries concerning safety of the herbicides, please contact: MDAR-Pesticide Division-ROW Coordinator 251 Causeway Street,Suite 500 Boston, MA 02114-2151 Telephone:(617)626-1782 Please contact me if you have any questions about the application and monitoring of the vegetation management program. Email: mariclaire.rigby@nationalgrid.com Office: 508-860-6282 Sincerely, t. Mariclaire Rigby Lead Vegetation Strategy Specialist Enclosures: Environmental Monitor Notice and Municipal Map(s) CC: Board of Health, Conservation Commission, Private and Public Water Suppliers Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Assigned vegetation management vendor Municipality:Salem THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS Department of Agricultural Resources } 251 Causeway Street,Suite 500,Boston,MA 02114 DQ R g 617-626-1700 fax: 617-626-1850 www.mass.gov/agr 16 MASSACHUSMS DE OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES CHARLES D. BAKER KARYN E. POLITO KATHLEEN A.THEOHARIDES JOHN LEBEAUX Governor Lt.Governor Secretary Commissioner NOTICE Pursuant to the provisions of the Rights-of-Way Management Regulations,333 CMR 11.00,to apply herbicides to control vegetation along rights-of-way,a five year Vegetation Management Plan(VMP)and a Yearly Operational Plan(YOP)must be approved by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources(MDAR). National Grid has submitted and holds a current VMP,therefore,notice of receipt of a YOP and procedures for public review is hereby given as required by Section 11.06(3). National Grid has submitted a YOP to MDAR for 2021 and National Grid's YOP identifies the following municipalities as locations where they intend to use herbicides to treat their electric Rights-of-Way in 2021: Abington Clinton Lancaster Norwell Southborough Andover Cohasset Lawrence Oxford Sterling Ashburnham Danvers Leominster Palmer Stoughton Attleboro Dracut Lowell Peabody Sturbridge Auburn Fitchburg Mansfield Pembroke Sutton Avon Foxborough Middleton Pepperell Swansea Ayer Georgetown Milford Plainville Tewksbury Belchertown Gloucester Millbury Rehoboth Tyngsboro Beverly Grafton Monson Rockland Warren Boxford Groton Newbury Rockport West Boylston Boylston Groveland Newburyport Rutland Westminster Brimfield Hanover North Adams Salem Winchendon Brockton Haverhill North Andover Scituate Wrentham Brookfield Hingham North Attleboro j Seekonk Charlton Holden North Reading Shirley Chelmsford Hull Norton Shrewsbury In 2021 National Grid will conduct a selective herbicide treatment program on their rights-of-way as part of an Integrated Vegetation Management(IVM)program on transmission and distribution lines. The intended vegetation control program will be consistent with the guidelines set forth in National Grid's VMP and YOP. Herbicides will be selectively applied to target vegetation by licensed/certified applicators carrying backpack or hand held application equipment. National Grid will only use herbicides recommended by MDAR for use in sensitive areas for their IVM program. Pursuant to 333 CMR 11.04,no herbicides will be sprayed within any designated"no spray sensitive sites." Instead, mechanical only methods will be used to control vegetation in these areas. Public notification will be provided to each"affected"municipality at least twenty-one days prior to any herbicide application and in a newspaper notification at least 48 hours before the beginning of the spray season. In accordance with 333 CMR 11.06(2),National Grid's YOP includes the identification of target vegetation;methods of identifying,marking and protecting sensitive areas;application techniques;the herbicides,application rates,carriers and adjuvants proposed for use;alternative control measures,a list of the application companies and YOP supervisor;procedures for handling,mixing and loading herbicides;emergency resources including local,state and federal emergency telephone numbers;maps of the rights-of-way that include mapped sensitive areas,and herbicide fact sheets and labels. PUBLIC REVIEW MDAR seeks to verify the location of sensitive areas defined in Section 11.02 and reported in the YOP. MDAR itself has a limited ability to survey the geography,land use and water supplies in all the communities through which rights-of-way pass. Municipalities have most of this information readily available,and the particular knowledge with which to better certify the sensitive areas in their communities. MDAR,therefore,requests,and urges the assistance of the"affected"municipalities in reviewing the completeness and accuracy of the maps contained in the submitted YOP. The YOP can be viewed on MDAR's website:http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/agr/pesticides/veLetation-management-and- yearly-operation 4ans.html or National Grid's website: httns://www9.nationaIgridus.com/non html/National%20Grid 2021%20YOP.pdf MDAR has established the following procedures for this review: Copies of the YOP and this Notice will be sent by the applicant to the Conservation Commission,Board of Health(or designated health agent),the Head of Government(Mayor,City Manager,Chair of the Board of Selectman)and appropriate water suppliers of each municipality where herbicides are to be applied during the calendar year of 2021;and if applicable,to the Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program of the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife,the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Municipal agencies and officials will have forty-five days,following receipt of the YOP,to review its map for inaccuracies and omissions in the location of"sensitive areas not readily identifiable in the field." Municipal agencies and officials are requested to forward the YOP to the appropriate official(s)in their municipality who are qualified to certify the accuracy of the sensitive areas indicated on the maps. The maps should then be"corrected" and returned to the applicant and a copy should be sent to MDAR,at the address listed below,within the forty-five day review period. If a city or town needs more time to carry out this review,it should send a written request for an extension to MDAR and cite why there is a"good cause"for requesting additional time. The applicant is required to make corrections and the corrected maps will be sent back to the city/town that requested the disputed changes within fifteen days of receipt of the request. MDAR will decide whether or not the YOP should be approved without the requested changes. MDAR will consider the"final approval"of a YOP individually for each municipality. The twenty-one day public review period of the Municipal Notification Letter may serve concurrently with the forty- five day YOP review period in order to provide public notifications as required by 333 CMR 11.06-7,if the applicant has an approved VMP and if all the requisite city-town offices that received copies of the YOP completed their review and all corrections were duly made by the applicant and approved by MDAR. A failure by the city/town to respond to the applicant's submission of the YOP within the forty-five day period will automatically be considered by MDAR to indicate agreement by the municipal officials with the sensitive area demarcations provided by the applicant in their YOP. Any questions or comments on the information provided in this Notice and the procedures established for the municipal review outlined above should be addressed to: Clayton Edwards,Rights-of-Way Programs Massachusetts State Pesticide Bureau 251 Causeway Street,Suite 500 Boston,MA 02114-2151 Any questions or comments regarding the YOP should be addressed to: Mariclaire Rigby Lead Vegetation Strategy Specialist National Grid Vegetation Management Strategy 939 Southbridge Street,Worcester,MA 01610 COMMENT PEROID ENDS AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS(5pm)Friday,February 2,2021 Page 2 of 2 _ �♦� ��r al4a) � � a l,l' ♦ r� ♦ " Q ai.d r r`r r ci4�S' `o l 1 — is ♦ ♦ �;i 1 � • l " ♦ y - mot J � ��. - r� ,v`:�n�.� 5+},, _ .. �''"4�� •� �;� � CL 1,4 ca ! h� ♦ r r ♦ 411j;®.:Aa�u";''� •nc�H1 °5 ink- 1 , \ - olr 11 t•- - -- rlo +f v � r • . it +�' ',, {• ,r�r. n � Lf .i ���r,= '}{ ♦i+• �. �-"ri:�, ■ •