Roxbury’s Message for Gov. Christie and DEP: “Truck It Out!”

Fenimore Landfill is what “regulatory relief” and “customer service” look like

Meet Katie

Gov. Christie: Please help the people! I lost my home at the shore. My dad is unemployed. I live next to a landfill.

Will you help me? Help the animals. Hurry.

[Update below]

A busload of residents from Roxbury (organized by REACT) descended upon the Statehouse today to take their message directly to Gov. Christie.

Residents are livid not only about about the stench from the Fenimore landfill, but with the failure of the Governor and State Departments of Health and Environmental Protection to even meet with them.

So, because the Gov. and DEP would not come to Roxbury, they came to Trenton, with a simple and compelling message: Truck it Out!

It was a cold morning, and the bus was late, but the mood was passionate and the attitude was defiant.

After rallying remarks and rounds of chants on the steps of the Statehouse: Who Are We? Roxbury! What do we want? Truck it Out!, the residents stormed the Statehouse to demand a meeting with the Gov.

They were not allowed to enter the Statehouse with their signs, but a small group shamed the Governor’s Office of Constituent Relations into meeting with them.

The group then marched the half mile down State street to the DEP building.

Got Water? Fenimore landfill and hundreds of other landfills and contaminated toxic sites pollute Highlands water

There, they received a dose of DEP Commissioner Martin’s vaunted “customer service”:

Bob asks to meet with DEP press Office. Bob is asked to leave by State Police - Who is that guy in the background photo on the wall?

Been there – done that.

Photos:

[Update: press coverage:

• Landfill fight heads to Trenton – Fenimore foes rally on steps of Statehouse
• Rally in Trenton: Roxbury residents take frustration with foul-smelling landfill to the state
• Rally at State House to demand action on foul-smelling Roxbury dump
• Roxbury’s R.E.A.C.T. to rally in Trenton Thursday