By J.B. Fitzsimmons | Gloucester Correspondent
In a reversal that has thrilled longtime critics and confounded environmentalists, Ocean Alliance announced Monday that it would abandon its environmental restoration efforts at the historic Tarr and Wonson Paint Manufactory on Rocky Neck in favor of a new vision: a coal-burning power plant and open-air waste disposal facility.
“We just wanted to meet the community where they’re at,” said Ocean Alliance spokesperson Chase Holiday, as a test pile of coal was dumped ceremoniously onto the harbor-facing lawn. “Clearly there’s been some resistance to marine science, renewable energy, and saving whales. So we figured: why not give the people what they actually want — pollution, fossil fuels, and a warm plume of nostalgia-choked smog curling over the harbor at dawn.”
The announcement marks a dramatic pivot from nearly two decades of marine research, education, and historic preservation. Ocean Alliance had long argued the Paint Factory could become a hub for ocean conservation, but after years of delays, collapsed buildings, and increasing hostility from local online commenters, the nonprofit says it’s embracing a “more Gloucester-appropriate” use of the site.
The new plan includes:
- A new asbestos-lined 600-foot smokestack
- An on-site “Waste Experience Learning Zone” where children can throw single-use plastics directly into the ocean
- A partnership with local chainsaw artists to carve eagle-shaped vents into discarded barrels of industrial runoff
One of the plan’s most vocal supporters is longtime Ocean Alliance critic Tucker Marino, who until last week had called for the organization’s immediate expulsion from the city.
“This is the first good idea they’ve ever had,” Marino declared on his livestream, standing proudly beside a flaming drum labeled “Whale Bones.” “Forget the climate hysteria and the whale-watching lectures. What Gloucester needs is jobs, grit, and the sweet, coal-fired hum of private-sector Christian freedom. You want to talk about science? Here’s some science: coal is made of dinosaurs. That’s natural. That’s Gloucester.”
Marino has taken credit for inspiring the change, citing “years of patriotic Facebook commenting” and “at least seven angry op-eds.” When asked whether he was concerned about the environmental or public health implications of the new plan, Marino scoffed. “I smoked inside until 2019. I’m not afraid of a little carbon.”
Reactions from the community were mixed.
“I always liked the whales, but I also like heat,” said Clarendon Street resident Gemma Steinberg, shielding her eyes from a plume of ceremonial ash. “Can we still have whale statues, even if we burn them for fuel?”
“I just think the old place had character,” said Fort Square resident Patricia Aiello. “Every time a board fell off or a window caved in, it was like the building was telling its story. Why mess with that? Not everything has to be structurally sound.”
“I’m just glad someone’s doing something,” said Bass Ave resident Marcy O’Darcy. “Honestly, if it means they’ll stop posting about it on Facebook every week, I’ll breathe anything.”
Ocean Alliance — which will be reincorporating under the name “Ocean Defiance” — says construction on the facility is planned to begin in spring, pending permits from the Gloucester Planning Board, state Department of Environmental Protection, and what’s left of the EPA.
Asked for comment, the Gloucester Board of Health issued the following statement: “Oh no.”
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