In Bellows Falls, Vermont, state officials are taking an interest in the way one local construction company has handled demolition debris. The Agency of Natural Resources has cited the 12 Tribes religious community and its construction company, Commonwealth Construction, for the way in which it handled debris generated by two recent local projects. The first was the demolition of Oona’s Restaurant in Bellows Falls, and the second was at a farm in Westminster. At this latter site, the demolition debris was burned.

According to Mr. Sean McVeigh, the state of Vermont’s chief environmental enforcement officer, the investigation into the way the two incidents were handled has wrapped up, and while some formal paperwork has been issued to the company, McVeigh told reporters that "There’s potential for further action."

According to Mr. McVeigh, while the company did have a demolition permit in hand, they violated the terms of that permit when they burned the debris. McVeigh added that while the construction company said that they had tested the property for the presence of asbestos prior to starting demolition, McVeigh had not reviewed that asbestos report, and is worried that it may not have tested the building extensively.

If asbestos was still present in the building, it would have likely become airborne during demolition, possibly exposing workers and neighbors to particles of asbestos. When inhaled, these minute strands of asbestos can cause serious health problems, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

"You can’t turn your backyard into a landfill," McVeigh said.

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