Wilmington Select Board Unanimously Approves Earth Removal Permit for New Elementary School

Select Board · Meeting of July 13, 2026

Wilmington Select Board approves earth removal permit for new elementary school site over resident concerns about arsenic contamination. The board voted unanimously Monday to authorize removal of up to 4,000 cubic yards of soil from 320 Salem Street under 15 conditions set by Town Engineer Paul Looney, including a hauling-hours restriction of 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a requirement that trucks use only Ballard Vale Street to Route 93 — a condition the board amended from the original draft, which had also allowed a Salem Street-to-Middlesex Avenue route. Licensed Site Professional Andrea Stiller of ADS said 34 borings and 17 test pits found no contaminants of concern beyond naturally occurring arsenic, and that MassDEP had reviewed the data and concurred.

Resident Suzanne Sullivan cited a town-commissioned peer-review report she said identified approximately 23,850 cubic yards of soil near the groundwater table as potentially requiring disposal at an arsenic-permitted landfill — far exceeding the 4,000 cubic yards covered by Monday's permit. Members also questioned why site-work subcontractor Quigley had already been awarded a soil-disposal contract through construction manager Fontaine Brothers before the board granted permission, with Chair Kevin Caira asking: "So they're going to take our soil and use it for themselves to make a profit on it?"

In the full story:

• Background and stakes
• The question before the body
• Substantive content
• The deliberation
• Public comment
• Procedural steps and outcome
• The complete report — 3,587 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.