Noyes Denies Probation for Environmental Violations

Peter Noyes, who is seeking a permit to reconstruct seawalls on Gerry Island so he can store boats, denied Friday that he is on probation as a result of being convicted or pleading guilty to previous environmental wrongdoing.

Marblehead Patch reported Friday that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is investigating Noyes for his activities last week on the island. One aspect of the investigation reportedly was whether he has violated his probation for previous environmental issues.

That report was based on an official memo in the Marblehead Conservation Commission files following a tour of the island last Wednesday by DEP officers Ron Stelline and Pamela Merrill and Conservation Commission Chairman Walter Haug and Town Conservation Adminstrator William Lanphear.

The tour, precipitated by complaints from neighbors, confirmed that Noyes had driven a large truck across the causeway between Gas House Beach and the island. The truck was found stuck on the island. The officials also found two tents, a herd of goats on the island and several potential violations of the environmental regulations that protect the island.

“How could I have violated probation if I’m not on probation?” Noyes wrote to the Marblehead Patch in an email. “I have never been charged nor had allegations lodged against me. I have never bin convicted or plead guilty to anything," he said.

Noyes, who has been issued an enforcement order by the commission, did not deny that the DEP is investigating his activities.

During their tour last week, state and local environmental officials observed “oil leakage from the truck on the coastal bank, rocks repositioned on the coastal bank to accommodate the entry of the truck up a steep incline, removal of vegetation to allow passage of the truck, erection of tents, parking of the truck, grazing of goats, dumping of rotting floats,” the memo said.

The conservation commission has scheduled a hearing on June 9 to consider Noyes' proposal for Gerry Island. The commission has scheduled the hearing in the Abbot Hall auditorium to accommodate the large number of people interested in the issue. At the last hearing in May, opponents to Noyes' proposal spilled outside the basement hearing room at the Mary Alley Building.

The DEP officers told the commission to order Noyes to remove the truck from the island. They also told the commission to issue enforcement orders to Noyes and island owner Ted Moore.

Noyes has told the commission he wants to store boats on the island. The commission has not granted any permits and is reviewing his proposal to determine if his activities might impact the island and its coastal bank.