Southbridge Conservation Commission Flags Unpermitted Wetlands Fill, Plans State Site Visit

SOUTHBRIDGE -- April 2, 2026, Southbridge Conservation Commission flags unpermitted fill near river, eyes state inspection in April. The commission convened April 2 to address a property where soil or fill material was deposited between a river and a wetland without the required prior filing of a Request for Determination of Applicability under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. Commissioners described the matter as serious, noting the material's sensitive location and the uncertainty about its environmental impact. "Its location to the river, on one side, and the wetland on the other, is a concern," one member said. The property owner is currently barred from pulling any new permits while the enforcement matter remains open, and a state site visit is expected before the end of April. The commission also discussed a Jacobs odor study tied to a local water treatment facility and its potential implications for a nearby river, with an April 7 public session noted.