Resident Comments

Recently, many neighbors in Assonet and Berkley presented the Freetown Soil Board with written comments about their homes shaking, loud noise and other complaints about the CCA quarry that began operating near their homes. Some of those comments from various neighbors are posted (with permission) below on this blog.

Packed Breakables Away

I packed away all of my good china and took glass ornaments and decorations down from the beams where they used to hang. I didn't want the decorations to fall during a blast and hit us on the head. I didn't want my good dishes to rattle and fall over and break. When guests came over for a dinner party, I had to unpack all my good dishes to use them and then pack them all back up again afterwords. It is a lot of trouble to go through just to keep your things from getting broken. It is a hard way to live every day - like living out of a suitcase in your own home.

PD

Concerns

I am concerned about Benzene getting into my well water form the ANFO used to ignite the blasts, my well going dry and my home becomming damaged and loosing its value in the market because it is now located next to a major nusience.

Concerned

No Peace of Mind

Since CCA has come into the neighborhood, our peace and quite has been taken away. Our peace of mind has been taken away. We have not been able to enjoy our yard as much as we used to before CCA arrived. This greatly impacts our ability to use and enjoy our own property.

Bryant

No Warning - Broken Promises

CCA said they were going to give us a warning just before the blasts and an all clear signal after. We have not heard any warnings or all clear since the very first test blast. CCA is not building a good relationship with the neighbors if they don't do the things they tell us they will do.

Annoyed

Earthquake-like Experience

I was in the yard this summer when the quarry blasted. I felt the earth ripple under my feet. It felt just like an earthquake. It was a very unnerving experience.

Suffering for Other's Profits

It is too bad we should suffer for someone who has millions of dollars and greed to make more money. How much money does CCA need? How many people suffer from noise and property shaking so they can make more money?

Richard

Seriously Shaken

The blasts have been getting stronger and louder since they started. Our house noticeably shakes with each blast. The windows rattle. We put a float in a glass of water on the windowsill and when they blast, you can really see the water and the float shake around - not a little, but a lot. If the shaking continues over many years, I am very seriously concerned about cracks and damage to our house.

Bry

Blast Sounds Like Sonic Boom

(The CCA quarry blast causes) wall tremors with severe window vibrations and shaking with sonic boom type sounds.

Cudworth

Train? Truck? Earthquake? No. Quarry Blast!

On Monday, October 19th, 2009 at approximately 11:30 a.m.,I was home when the latest blast occured. It was very loud and shook my house quite extensively. It was equivalent to a train or truck hitting your house. I have been in earthquakes before, in 1994 at Northridge, CA and in 2004 in Bar Harbor, ME, and believe me this latest blast was equivalent to an earthquake. Blasting is now occurring on a regular basis. The question is how many more blasts it will take before permanent structural damage occurs to my home. After each blast you go look at your foundation and interior walls of your home to see if there are any damages or cracks.

ETQ

Frightened Resident Wants Blasting Stopped

It (the blast at the CCA quarry site on October 19th) shook the house so it really frightened me and this should not continue. Something terrible will happen and then it's too late. This must be stopped and we should not have to worry about our home being damaged. Stop this immediately!

Celia

Alarmed Resident

My wife said it (the blast of October 19th at the CCA quarry site) was like an earthquake, It was very loud. Everything shook. It was way worse then the "tests" performed.

Shortly after the blast, a fire truck came through the neighborhood - so, obviously other people were alarmed as well - having called the Fire Department.

Obie

Resident Not Notified of Blasting - House Shook

During the week of October 19, 2009, I was home during the daytime hours and on one day while I was resting due to illness I was awakened by what I believe to be explosions.

I thought a large tree or trees had fallen upon my rooftop, and went outside to check for what I anticipated to be extensive damage to my home.

During the loud explosions the dinning room chandelier actually shook. I did not find any tree down or any sign of damage to my residence on the exterior. It was then that I realized the extensive shaking of my home was most likely the result of blasting.

My family and I are quite concerned about the effects of this blasting on the integrity of the structure of our home, as well as the impact upon our septic system and well.

Souza