West Ossipee Gas Station - Green Mountain Conservation Group

Published On: March 11th, 2017

To the residents of Ossipee, Tamworth, Madison, Freedom and Effingham

The Ossipee Aquifer continues to need your voice and your observation for protection. The Ossipee Planning Board has approved, with conditions, an 8 pump gas station with underground storage tanks in the groundwater protection district at the corner of Route 41 and Route 16 in West Ossipee. Thanks go to the many who attended the meetings over the past 6 months, voiced their concerns, and wrote letters to the local paper in support of rejecting this application. The planning board meetings may be concluded, but now we must be watchful to be sure all conditions for safety for the aquifer are met. To view Ossipee planning board meetings, CLICK HERE. To review minutes of the final decision and plan approval conditions CLICK HERE.

Since 1989, gas stations and underground storage tanks have not been allowed in the area of routes 16 and 41 because the residents of Ossipee voted to protect their drinking water resource in this vulnerable area through a groundwater protection ordinance. In July of 2015, the Ossipee Zoning Board of Adjustments disregarded the will of the people and issued two variances to allow both at this site which is not only partially within the FEMA floodplain, but was previously contaminated by underground storage tanks in two locations on the site from a previous gas station that was established before the ordinance. About 1.5 million dollars is earmarked for its continued clean up and well monitoring of businesses and residents in the area of potential impact with about $545,000 already spent. If more is needed due to this project, who will pay the costs? The potential consequences of this proposal could reach far and wide as water knows no boundaries.

Read the most recent letter to the paper questioning the decision to approve this application: CLICK HERE