A view of the Weymouth-Fore River. Photo: Sswonk via Creative Commons
May 1, 2025 (Boston, MA) – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and Twin Rivers Technologies have settled a lawsuit over violations of the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act that resulted in the pollution of the Weymouth-Fore River and the Town River Bay with oil and grease, heavy metals, and other harmful substances. The facility also emitted dangerous amounts of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and other air pollutants into Quincy and nearby neighborhoods. The settlement requires the glycerin manufacturing facility to pay $600,000 to local organizations and to take steps to reduce pollution.
“Enforcing clean air and water laws ensures that large industrial actors, like Twin Rivers, are good neighbors to the communities they operate in,” said CLF Staff Attorney Clare Soria. “Without enforcement, these actors can pollute for years, leaving lasting damage to air we breathe and water we rely on for drinking and recreation. This settlement will result in cleaner air and water for the residents of these communities.”
The settlement stipulates that Twin Rivers must improve compliance to lower pollution in the Weymouth-Fore River and lower VOC emissions from the facility. In addition, the company will pay $300,000 to Tree-Plenish for youth-led community tree planting projects to improve air quality and increase green cover in Quincy, and $300,000 to the Neponset River Watershed Association for salt marsh restoration.
“This funding will help advance vital saltmarsh restoration and water quality monitoring projects in the Neponset River Estuary,” said Ian Cooke, executive director of the Neponset River Watershed Association, a nonprofit conservation group working to clean up the Neponset River. “Identifying water pollution sources is a key step toward restoring swimmable water quality for everyone who lives and recreates along the river, and restoring salt marsh health brings back habitats for local fish and wildlife, improves water quality, and helps buffer neighborhoods from coastal storms.”
For several years, community members complained about terrible odor and loud noises coming from the facility.
“These funds are instrumental in helping Tree-Plenish fulfill our mission of building sustainable communities and inspiring the next generation of climate leaders,” said Sethu Odayappan, co-founder of Tree-Plenish. “Tree-Plenish will increase tree canopy cover and provide environmental education to students in Quincy and the Greater Boston area. Our youth-led team is excited to get to work!”
Citizen groups like CLF play a crucial role in enforcing clean air and water laws, especially given the current administration’s rollback of federal environmental enforcement. With federal action declining, it’s up to citizen groups to ensure that our laws are upheld and our most precious resources remain clean and safe for all.
The settlement can be read here.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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