Letter: Drama Behind Milford Warehouse Proposal Rejection
The giant warehouse was deemed a threat to the Milford Aquifer
To the Editor:
Promises, hypotheticals, and filler material was not enough; Milford Twp. Planning Commission unanimously rejected the MEGA Warehouse Project.
Once again, National Land Developers/LVL Engineering tried to pull the wool over the Milford Twp. Planning Commission. But Milford Twp. experts and the board was having none of it. Nor was the (MWA) Milford Water Authority's Solicitor, or the public commentators.
We witnessed such a display of hubris, and smoke and mirrors that words only halfway capture it. The MEGA Warehouse Developers tried a new wrinkle. They brought in three new experts to add to their already confusing wetland expert.
Their wetland expert was as baffling as always. Sometimes arguing the Aquifer was exposed on the site by the presence of the "water table" and other times saying just the opposite. At times it appeared he was bolstering our argument of the sensitivity of the area. However, he came to an illogical conclusion - that all the sensitive aquifer infiltrating aspects of this site will be magically rectified by placing 22 acres of a monstrous building, parking lot, and storm water capture areas - on top of a fully functioning unconfined aquifer. You need mind bending logic to reach the conclusions he reaches.
Their Source Water Protection Expert said that he read the professional hydrologist MWA Source Water Protection Plan and was "NOT IMPRESSED." But conversely, in his opening statement he said "Source Water Protection Studies were living documents that generate data," for communities to embrace. So why was he trying to suppress and minimize the professional data of the competent scientific MWA's Study?
Remember, this expert only did an "assessment," not even a full fledged study. It was just a report to do a study and what that study should include. These developers made it perfectly clear that they will not do the 50 thousand dollar formal Aquifer Study until AFTER they get the conditional use approval. "Too expensive," to do upfront, they say. What quarantines they will follow through if they get the "conditional use, " first? Some of the experts actually stated that they were here to protect the environment first and hired by the developer - as secondary. How noble.
Next up was the Traffic Assessment Expert. His arguments were taken from hypothetical industry manuals - not even on site data collection. His knowledge of the physically inadequate I 84 Interchange was limited. He said a traffic light was NOT needed. Trucks would "100% not go through town" - based on no recognition of REALITY. Plus as an assessment, his green light conclusions are not based on an actual Traffic Study, only the promise of one.
I think the funniest and most skewed report was from the Community Planning Expert. He said that his "assessment" only saw benefits for the community. When asked if he did a Cost Benefit Analysis Study - he said "NO." When asked if he considered any down sides of this project to the community, He said, "He only found upsides."
This was the incoherent quality of the developer's expert testimony. 1) Tom Shepstone, the Milford Twp. Planner, 2) John D. Fuller, the Milford Twp. Engineer, 3) Thomas Farley, Solicitor for the Milford Twp. Planning Commission, 4) members of the Planning Commission, 5) John Klemeyer, solicitor for the Milford Water Authority, and 6) community public comment speakers - each took turns making swiss cheese of the developer's expert witness testimony.
In Peter Pinchot's public comment, he argued that all these advanced filtration systems, and retention ponds are only as good as the professional "Maintenance they receive." We do not know the compliance record of the vendor - because there is no vendor yet. Plus vendors can change over time. He thought it the height of irresponsibility to save the maintenance plan to be the last thing on the docket, only at the end of the building process. He argued that it needed a much higher priority.
Later, I reminded Peter that at previous presentations, Mike Gable of LVL Engineering said his "expert spill response team was 45 minutes away." That he would only do maintenance on the filtration retention ponds - twice a year. Plus the Jellyfish Filtration system proposed only has a mediocre performance record. The PA DEP said their mulch filled retention pond will combine with the MWA chlorination process to produce cancerous byproducts.
I reminded Mr. Gable that the contaminant flow time based on scientific Chemical Tracer Tests between that MEGA Warehouse site and the Milford Springs, only 2,800 ft. away, was a measly - 8 HOURS. We will all be drinking bottled water in this town and in the many homes with wells nearby, by the time the unknown vendor even reaches a finger to fix the pollution causing problem.
These developers have obviously been successful with this type of subpar approach before - in places like Berks County, Pa. But in Pike County that relies on its natural beauty, history, and small town charm - this irresponsible approach does not work. Milford is the birthplace of the Modern Conservation Movement. We take pride in our environmental ethic. National Land Developers evidently do not understand that.
In the end, The Milford Twp. Planning Commission rejected recommending this project to the Milford Twp. Supervisors.
The next step is the Milford Twp. Supervisors MEGA Warehouse PUBLIC HEARING on Monday, May, 22nd. at 6-9 pm at the Delaware Valley School Auditorium. Save this important date in the history of Milford. Please attend - for the health, safety, and prosperity of our community's future. Thank you.
Vito DiBiasi
Friends of the Milford Aquifer: https://www.facebook.com/groups/940720343329153
WATER Not WAREHOUSE yard signs are available by contacting vdibiasi54@gmail.com
or Delaware Valley Action DVA at delawarevalleyaction@gmail.com
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