Environmental Affairs Special Committee Meeting - February 19, 2026
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Environmental Affairs Special Committee Meeting - February 19, 2026
The New Bedford City Council's Special Committee on Environmental Affairs held a brief meeting at 6:31 PM on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Council Chambers. The meeting, lasting only three minutes, was primarily a housekeeping session to address five older agenda items. All items were voted to be reported to the full City Council with no further discussion or action taken by the committee.
Agenda Items & Actions
- Item 1 (Matter #0428): Motion by Councillor Choquette requesting that DPI Commissioner Jamie Ponte and Wastewater Superintendent James Costa appear to discuss shellfish bed closures due to sewage overflow. The committee voted to refer the motion to the full City Council.
- Item 2 (Matter #0429): Motion by Councillor Choquette requesting that Wendy Morrill and Tracy Wallace of South Coast Neighbors United present community-based waste solutions. The committee voted to refer the motion to the full City Council.
- Items 3, 4, and 5 (Matters #0214, #0687, #0228): A motion by Councillors Gomes, Dunn, Giesta, and others regarding tire storage and recycling facilities, and a motion by Councillor Morad regarding the Bliss Corner contamination site. The committee voted to waive reading, take no further action, and report them out to the full City Council.
Chair's Remarks
Chairman Abreu noted that this meeting was routine housekeeping and expressed a goal for the committee to hear from the community on environmental justice issues, including the Parallel Products situation and concerns about the sewer treatment plant.
Key Outcomes
- All five agenda items were voted to be reported to the full City Council without further committee action.
- The meeting adjourned at 6:34 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Are you ready, guys? Check one, two. We good? Check one, two? Anytime? Go ahead. All right, guys. We're gonna be live. 6:30. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is 6 31 p.m. on Thursday, the 19th of February. I'd like to call to order this special committee meeting on environmental affairs here in the New Bedford City Council Chambers, Room 214. Note. This meeting is being live streamed and recorded. City Council and Committee meetings can be viewed on the City of New Bedford's homepage under quick links, then meetings. I am joined in the council chambers this evening by my colleagues in government. Ward One Councilor Leo Choquett, Ward Five Councillor Joseph Lopes, Councillor at Large Brian Gomes, Ward Six Councillor and Council President Ryan Pereira, and Councillor at Large and Vice Chairman, Councillor at Large, James Roy, and I am Ian Abrew, Councillor at Large and Chairman of this committee. I'll ask the clerk, are there any letters to be read to the record? There were no letters to be read under the record. Okay, with that being said, I'll ask the clerk to read item number one. Item number one is a written motion, Councillor Turquette requesting that Jamie Pond, Commissioner of the Department of Public Infrastructure, and James Costa, wastewater superintendent appear before the Special Committee on Environmental Affairs to discuss the events contributing to the shellfish bed closures in Fairhaven and affecting other adjacent communities due to the overflow of sewage leaking into our coastal waters. It was referred here on March 26, 2024, and is now before you. And refer to the full city council. Made by Councillor Choquette. Second. Second by Council Pereira. Anyone on the question? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. I'll ask the clerk to read item two. Item number two is a written motion, Councilor Choquette requesting that Wendy Morrill and Tracy Wallace of South Coast neighborhoods united appear before the special committee on environmental affairs to present community-based waste solutions for Greater New Bedford. It was referred here on March 26th, 2024. Aye. Opposed, the ayes have it. We have the reading on number three, take no further action, report out to the full city council. Alright, so amend the motion three through five bay by counselor Pereira, seconded by Councillor Gomes. Anyone on the question are waving the reading and reporting out items three, four, and five to the full city council. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Seeing that before we we adjourn, I just want to let the general public know. Normally these meetings for this committee will not be this quick. This is what we call housekeeping. We had a lot of older items that we had to refer out and clean up this committee. Umward it is I've spoken with the vice chairman, Councillor Roy, and many others here on this committee. It is my goal here uh on this important committee that we hear from the community about any issues that are relating to any type of alleged environmental injustice, whether it's in the north end, following the parallel product situation, the far south end with any concerns about the sewer treatment plant or anything in between. So I look forward to working with all of you in the committee, my vice chairman, and everyone here.
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