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Owner: A.D. Makepeace Cranberry Co.
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Volume of Earth Removed: 581,000 cubic yards
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Permit: Yes, in 2019 A.D. Makepeace received an Earth Removal Permit for this site from Carver Earth Removal Committee under the claim that the mining is necessary for a cranberry bog water reservoir. There is no documentation that this is a legitimate agricultural project. Makepeace supplies aggregate from its lands such as this site to its subsidiary Read Custom Soils, LLC located at 46 Federal Road, Carver about ¼ mile away. AD Makepeace - Read Custom Soils is known as the largest aggregate mining, sales and distribution operation east of the Mississippi River. This report identifies 17 mining sites operated by A.D. Makepeace Cranberry and an estimated total volume of 28 million cubic yards of sand and gravel. Makepeace employs 60 independent truck operators to transport the aggregate materials throughout New England. Trucking company operators that haul aggregate for A.D. Makepeace Co. include Shurtleff Sand & Stone whose sole owner and operator was a member of the Carver Earth Removal Committee (ERC) for decades. Other ERC past and present members do business with A.D. Makepeace. The ERC grants permits to A.D. Makepeace. This site is one of six that are the subject of Damage to the Environment lawsuit brought by Ten Residents under the Citizen Suit law.
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Area Impacted: At least 32 acres
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Water Supply: Yes. Mining in the Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer. See, Affidavit of Scott Horsley.
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Wetlands and Waterways: Yes. See, Affidavit of Scott Horsley.
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Archaeological Impacts: Yes. According to a 9/20/2019 letter to A.D. Makepeace CEO and President Jim Kane, the company represented the mining operation as an “agricultural project” to obtain MHC approval. The site is within the 6,500 acre Tihonet Mixed Use Development Area (TMUD) designated under Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act MEPA Certificate 13940. The Massachusetts Historical Commission classified the entire area as archaeologically significant. MEPA and MHC allowed AD Makepeace to side step full MEPA review and issued a sign off to the Damage to the Environment in 2023. STPB Comments to MEPA May 23, 2022, MEPA Certificate 13940: “The significance of the entire TMUD Project was explicitly acknowledged by Massachusetts Historical Commission as recently as 2020: “The archeological reconnaissance survey conducted in 2007 for the overall ADM project indicates that the project impact area is archaeologically sensitive.” 10/30/2020 Letter from MHC to Borrego Solar for ADM Makepeace solar project in TMUD area. ADM has ignored and manipulated the MHC review process and cut the public out. The SRP has failed and continues to fail to provide meaningful opportunity for public input and comment for the Wampanoag people.” MEPA and MHC never assessed the Damage to the Environment including archeological resources from this mining operation.
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Water Supply: Yes. See, Affidavit of Scott Horsley Mining in the Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer.
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Water Supply: Yes. Mining in the Plymouth Carver Sole Source Aquifer. See, Affidavit of Scott Horsley.
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Wetlands and Waterways: Yes. See, Affidavit of Scott Horsley.
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Archaeological Impacts: Yes. According to a 9/20/2019 letter to A.D. Makepeace CEO and President Jim Kane, the company represented the mining operation as an “agricultural project” to obtain MHC approval. The site is within the 6,500 acre Tihonet Mixed Use Development Area (TMUD) designated under Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act MEPA Certificate 13940. The Massachusetts Historical Commission classified the entire area as archaeologically significant. MEPA and MHC allowed AD Makepeace to side step full MEPA review and issued a sign off to the Damage to the Environment in 2023. STPB Comments to MEPA May 23, 2022, MEPA Certificate 13940: “The significance of the entire TMUD Project was explicitly acknowledged by Massachusetts Historical Commission as recently as 2020: “The archeological reconnaissance survey conducted in 2007 for the overall ADM project indicates that the project impact area is archaeologically sensitive.” 10/30/2020 Letter from MHC to Borrego Solar for ADM Makepeace solar project in TMUD area. ADM has ignored and manipulated the MHC review process and cut the public out. The SRP has failed and continues to fail to provide meaningful opportunity for public input and comment for the Wampanoag people.” MEPA and MHC never assessed the Damage to the Environment including archeological resources from this mining operation.
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Environmental Justice Population: Yes (Income)
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Ecosystem Impact: Biomap2 Critical Natural Landscape: 32 acres destroyed, leveled 90 foot hills by at least 20 feet
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Public Subsidies: A.D. Makepeace receives large agricultural subsidies from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture for “cranberry farming”. The company also benefits from the technical assistance provided to “cranberry growers” by the UMass Cranberry Extension Service, a taxpayer funded program to help the cranberry industry. In April 2023, the Extension Service broke ground on an $8 million expansion of the Cranberry Station in East Wareham. A.D. Makepeace’s CEO and President and Board Chair were in attendance.
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A.D. Makepeace also benefits from ratepayer subsidies by leasing its land for solar projects that are subsidized under the state SMART Solar Program administered by Mass. Department of Energy Resources. U.S. Department of Energy federal subsidies are provided to DOER for the state’s solar program.
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A.D. Makepeace keeps most of its land in “Chapter 61” which allows landowners to pay much lower real estate taxes if they do not develop their land. Mining operators such as A.D. Makepeace keep the land in Chapter 61 even when conducting commercial mining. Cranberry companies also claim tax incentives for “revitalization” of bogs under state law.