NEW HAMPSHIRE SITE FIGHT: HOOKSETT STORE GOING ‘GREEN’

Topics: | | Environment | New Hampshire | | | |

New Hooksett Wal-Mart planning to go ‘green’ [Union-Leader (N.H.)]

HOOKSETT – The new Wal-Mart, slated to open next summer, announced plans this week to design an on-site treatment plant to process in-store wastewater.

Attorney Amy Manzelli of Concord-based firm Sulloway and Hollis attended a Hooksett Conservation Commission meeting Wednesday and briefed members on ways Wal-Mart intends to make the store a little more environmentally responsible.

By decreasing the size of the building from 224,000 to 162,000 square feet—a plan laid out last spring—and by processing wastewater on site, Wal-Mart says it wants to help reduce the impact on surrounding wetlands, Manzelli said.

“Wal-Mart is making an effort to green its stores,” Manzelli said. “That’s what we’re trying to do with this project.” The store is currently under construction on the corner of Bemus Road and Route 3A.

Site work began a year ago and Manzelli said company officials are hopeful the Super Wal-Mart, which will include an in-store grocery, as well clothing, home furnishing, sporting goods and electronics departments—will open its doors by the end of summer 2009.

Chris Buchanan, a public relations manager for Wal-Mart, said the new design is being implemented at many new stores in conjunction with the septic systems.

“The site plans were slightly shifted to accommodate the wastewater treatment facility,” Buchanan said. “Although each site is obviously different, the majority of Wal-Mart stores being built with on-site septic systems will now also have on-site wastewater treatment plants. Again, this is an additional sustainable company initiative to create cleaner quality water before it goes back to the site’s leaching field.”

The conservation commission welcomed the plans for the wastewater treatment facility, which will replace original plans that called only for an underground septic system.

“In summary, we’re improving the quality of the wastewater,” said commission Vice-Chairman Steve Couture. “Overall, it’s definitely a net gain from the environmental perspective.”

Posted by Luke West on Friday, October 03, 2008