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| Donaher with Senator Casey |
“If this sludge plant is developed, it’s going to adversely affect the Slate Belt’s natural environment, plain and simple,” Donaher said. “State leaders should be rising up against this facility, which unfortunately hasn’t happened. We need leaders who will fight for their local communities and natural environment every step of the way, which is why I wholeheartedly oppose the development of this plant” he said.
For years, Synagro Technologies has been attempting to obtain the necessary permitting to develop this plant. Donaher has attended at least three of these meetings, and is concerned about its negative impact on a high-quality stream. Our waterways are also being damaged by irresponsible development, he observed. "I looked at them today and they are chocolate brown from all the sediment being washed in."
"Nobody's minding the store [in Harrisburg]," he complained.
“I’ve spoken with too many Plainfield Township residents on their front porches about how this plant will alter the natural environment in such a beautiful area in Northampton County. We shouldn’t gamble away our natural environment just so corporate profits dramatically increase for these large companies. Let’s do the right thing and oppose this unnecessary sludge plant,” he concluded.
Just this year, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection found Synagro irresponsibly violated state rules by dumping sludge over a farmer’s field. There is also great concern that this plan will have a negative impact on high-quality streams.
In late January, Synagro was cited by the state DEP for spreading Class B sludge on a farmer's field in Lower Mount Bethel. No fine was imposed because the company addressed the issue.
Donaher, a retired educator, is challenging incumbent Marcia Hahn. Her Facebook page is devoid of comments on this issue.
The state can not preempt local zoning to impede this plant. What they CAN do, is the DEP can get off its sorry ass and not issue a permit due to the proximity of the plant to a pond connected to the aquifer only 20' away. Literally 20 feet. DEP sits on its butts, collecting paychecks paid for with our tax dollars, and doesn't do one damned thing to protect our environment! Rubber stampers - pat on the back - good luck with that hazardous facility you are installing with our blessing. Useless turds.
ReplyDeleteWhipping DEP to act in the best interests of the community is close to fruitless at the moment. We need D's in the legislature to get them to act for us and not against us. Elect this guy and send Marcia Hahn into retirement.
ReplyDeleteA candidate for the state legislature should not be commenting on a local matter. Where does he stand on property tax relief, reducing the size of the legislature, making the PA legislature fulltime, and the other issues he needs to address.
ReplyDeleteSludge dumped with Zero erosional or sediment control. Anyone else digging hole or bringing on clean fill must have a sediment control plan. Zero efforts to control nitrates flowing into our waterways. We need a balanced solution.
ReplyDelete859..PADEP permits levels of PCBs above EPA limits to be dumped in the Slatebelt. These are local issues regulated by the State. Local municipalities have no legal standing according to the state.
ReplyDelete7:26 please read chapter 102 for erosion and sedimentation. Agriculture is included in this chapter. http://berkscd.com/agricultural-resource-assistance/chapter-102/
ReplyDelete8:59 Where? and at what levels? Is this a regulated fill site? Is it in groundwater or direct soil contact? Is the end use residential or non residential? Sites that are already contaminated under certain circumstances can bring in regulated fill as long as it is no worse than the existing concentrations. Take a look over in Palmerton and you will see a regulated fill site right along the river. This is the former zinc property that they are planning to turn into office space. BTW the fill comes in from NY and NJ, oh my!
1148 Regulated fill. PA allows levels above EPA standards. Unlined, open rock quarry that was not contaminated before is now a brownfield due to so-called beneficial reuse material. Riddle me this..why isnt this material suitable fill in NY or NJ at the sites of origin? Impervious cover there too.
ReplyDeleteI hate riddles. The site had to be listed as brownfield to accept regulated fill. If it wasn't and you have evidence to the contrary now that's a story that should be told. The reason it comes from NY/NJ is the same reason we see lots of out of state trash. NY/NJ have regulated certain things so much that its impossible to build a landfill, a regional sewage treatment facility etc. MD clean fill standard for arsenic is lower than natural soil background levels in PA. That's why the conowingo dam dredging cannot be placed in MD without a deed restriction.
ReplyDeleteBut don't worry we take some of our undesirables to other states as well. The zinc slag in Palmerton is considered a waste in PA and Ohio uses it for anti skid on their roads!
Life's not fair, everyone has an agenda and everyone is always right (in their own mind).
On the subject of clean fill from NY/NJ I can offer this report for your edification:
ReplyDeleteState of New Jersey
Commission of Investigation
DIRTY DIRT
The Corrupt Recycling
of Contaminated
Soil and Debris
March 2017
https://www.nj.gov/sci/pdf/SCIDirtFinal.pdf
About six or so years ago, the smell from WM's Grand Central increased substantially. I asked my friend who works there why, and he says that they began accepting sludge (x amount of tons) and that the sludge is spread across the trash. While confirmed in a public meeting, my question that is unanswered is if there is a sludge plant, is WM done accepting sludge? If so, then what's worse.... water quality with WM practice, or air quality with the plant? Easy to say no to the sludge plant, but maybe it's the lesser of two evils?
ReplyDelete10:09 Thank you I'm now a better person after reading that and realizing my folly. Obviously you have never worked with NJDEP and I never mentioned clean fill.
ReplyDeleteSo why doesn't NJ have 3-4 landfills along the border with PA?