The memo of understanding announced last spring followed a massive fire at EMR’s Ferry Avenue facility earlier this year.
By P. Kenneth Burns, WHYY News
Camden City Council on Tuesday night approved for the city to enter into a memo of understanding with scrapyard operator EMR, despite protests from at least a dozen residents and community members in attendance.
“How dare you put together a document after six months of lying about community engagement and say that this is for the benefit of the community,” said Akilah Chapman, who lives minutes from the facility.
The agreement between the City of Camden and EMR was announced in April after a massive four-alarm fire last February, which prompted the evacuation of more than 100 families from the surrounding neighborhood. The company blamed the fire on lithium-ion batteries that were wrongly delivered to the facility.
What’s in the MOU?
Under the $6.7 million deal, EMR will pay for an improved and enhanced fire suppression system, increase the inspection of materials coming onto its property, participate in at least four fire drills per year and reimburse the city for the equipment that was damaged during February’s fire.
In addition, EMR will vacate its property on South Sixth Street and consolidate their operations at the Ferry Avenue facility, where the fire took place. That will result in the company reducing its footprint by about nine acres, according to the agreement.
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