EMR Brayton Point faces another setback

Regulatory setbacks continue to plague European Metal Recycling's (EMR) newly opened deep-sea ferrous scrap export dock in Somerset, Massachusetts, with the company still unable to receive scrap shipments.

A cease-and-desist order on inbound scrap metal shipments to EMR's Brayton Point Commerce Center will remain in effect for at least the next two weeks, after Somerset's zoning and board of appeals unanimously voted to table the hearing to 9 December.

The zoning board of appeals will have until 9 January to make a final decision on the matter and in the state of Massachusetts there is a 20-day appeal period.

The Somerset building commissioner on 9 October issued a cease-and-desist order on scrap metal shipments to EMR's Brayton Point Commerce Center because it did not have the proper permits.

The company is still able to ship out of the location, which opened in mid-August.

Site owner Brayton Point petitioned Somerset's zoning and board of appeals for approval to allow the resumption of operations for the metal recycler in October, but the hearing originally scheduled on 24 October was delayed until 21 November.

"We are working close with the town to resolve the issues and hope to be back in business soon," a spokesman for Brayton Point told Argus.

EMR declined to comment.

EMR opened Brayton Point in an effort to continue to service its suppliers within the New England market after it lost operational controlof its deep-sea export dock in New Haven, Connecticut, to Sims Metal Management on 1 August.

The Brayton Point dock is about 50 miles (80km) from Boston and 17 miles from New Bedford. It is within the Mount Hope Bay designated port area.

By Brad MacAulay

source: Argus Media