Letter: History, Science, and Milford's Future Collide with Mega-Warehouse Project
It started in 1968, when PENNDOT/US Dept. of Transportation placed the I 84/Rt.6 Interchange directly on top of the Milford Springs Aquifer. This road construction started causing significant damage to the Milford Springs. Milford was compensated by the government for these damages. With that money the Milford Water Authority was born.
The Milford Aquifer is a very specific kind of aquifer called an "Unconfined Sand and Gravel Aquifer." Unlike a "confined aquifer," where a large layer of bedrock protects the water, with unconfined aquifers, there is NO bedrock barrier protecting the groundwater below. Unconfined Aquifers are shallow, easily infiltrated, and notoriously surface water pollution sensitive.
In 1989, a Shopping Mall was proposed at the exact spot of the new MEGA Warehouse Project. It was defeated when Scientific Chemical Tracer Tests were performed linking this site's water infiltration and runoff directly to the Milford Springs. The chemical dye reached the Milford Springs in as little as 8 hours, - a very fast flow time! By the efforts of Peter Pinchot and a group called "Pike County Environmental Defenders," the Sawkill Creek was upgraded from High Quality waters (HQ) to Exceptional Value Waters (EV.) This was another factor in the Shopping Mall Project demise.
In 1996, an mining operation, 2,800 ft from the Milford Springs caused damage to the Springs in the form of mud and silt infiltration. This mining operation was shut down and the MWA eventually bought the property and restored the site. 2,800 ft is the exact same distance of the MEGA Warehouse Project to the Milford Springs!
In 2000, Home Depot was proposed on this same site. Again scientific chemical tracer tests revealed the same result - This 44.7 acre site is directly connected to the Milford Springs with a flow time of 8 hours. Milford legend Bill Keiger formed an opposition group called MADSET. Also, the Milford Water Authoritiy's hydrologist conferred with the project developers and this dangerous project was terminated. Having so many toxic chemicals sitting on top of an unconfined aquifer just 30 - 65ft. above Milford's Drinking Water Source was like putting a hazardous ticking time bomb just above the Milford Springs.
But here we are in 2023, and some of the same developers that wanted to bring you the Shopping Mall and Home Depot, plan a MEGA Warehouse project "four times the size" on this same 44.7 acres. Did the Aquifer move? Is the Sawkill Creek still EV Exceptional Waters and one of only 2% of the EV Stream still left in PA? Did they not learn their lesson from 1989 and 2000? Apparently not.
Gail Wall, a developer now located in Florida, Attorney Duke Schneider representing the owner Allen Johns, and Davis R Chant the Real Estate Agent involved (marketing this land as "Prime Commercial Land") - are trying to ignore history and science all over again with this irresponsible project. They have joined forces with MILPROP Associates II, LLC, National Land Developers, and LVL Engineering to bring you the 434 Thousand Sq. Ft. Milford Distribution Center Proposal.
The combined earth disturbance and aquifer compromising "impervious surface" planned is 16.64 football fields large. This will be directly on top of the heart of the Milford Aquifer.
The local government agency responsible for inviting and currently marketing this project to Milford, is the Pike County Economic Development Authority where Commissioner Matt Osterberg is Chairman and Mike Sullivan is Executive Director. Chairman Matt Osterberg as of April 5, 2023, now says he is "not for" the MEGA Warehouse. As of April 4tth, Mike Sullivan is still sticking to his MEGA Warehouse guns in spite of mounting community pushback by a more scientifically educated voting public. People are also aware of the effects of Climate change, which recently dumped 25 inches of rain in 6 - 8 hours in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and is also causing major droughts in the US West.
That is the pattern of Climate Change - more extremes. More intensified rain storms and more devastating prolonged droughts. The LVL Engineering MEGA Warehouse designers are not meeting the reality of this future - because their filtration systems could never meet 25 inches in 6-8 hours nor even the floods we have already experienced in our area over the years. This project will put more STRESS and RISK on top of a water system already stressed and taxed. Why would any community want to do that to their Drinking Water Source? It is illogical and dangerous to our future economic prosperity, the health and safety of our community, and the small town charm that makes Milford such a beautiful and desirable place to live and visit.
Let's look at LVL Engineering more closely with a critical eye. On their Application to the PA DEP on Wednesday, submitted on July 27, 2022, LVL in response to question 40 - "Will the project impact a public drinking water source?" They had the audacity to say, "No."
They DO NOT want to do a Hydrological Aquifer Study for their Milford Twp. Application Process. The LVL lawyer even said "there is no evidence of this water." The wetland specialist LVL uses is Dr. John Crow from C&H Environmental, Inc. In his original summary statement he says "Reportedly, there is much "to do" about the aquifer location ... I see no inherent reason this site cannot be used to develop a Distribution Center." That is all you need to know. They are too cheap to do a bonafide Aquifer Study, so they do a brazzen and laughable quasi-"Environmental Impact Study." It is actually a surface water flow study without officially and scientifically acknowledging the Aquifer below. That is nowhere even close to the 50 thousand dollar aquifer study needed. They said it was too cost prohibitive. Need I say more?
They also claim to have done an Environmental and Community Impact Study without doing an Air Pollution Study identifying the effects of concentrating 350 polluting large diesel Truck trips per day, along with 499 car trips per day in one small area. Their insufficient Traffic Study does not talk about the inadequacies of the I 84 Interchange in its current dangerous form. Now put 350 truck trips, and 499 car trips - per day, on top of the already congested Rt.6 - I 84 corridor. Everyone knows what it is like here during the Tourist Season. Bumper to bumper traffic. Plus they will not "guarantee" that truck traffic will not go through town.
They say they did a "Community Impact Study." To do so would require a Cost Benefit Analysis Study that would weigh the Pros and Cons of this Project for the taxpayers and voters of this area to consider. They say this MEGA Warehouse is needed because of "modern shopping trends." The LVL'S Lawyer said that my asking for the Cost Benefit Analysis Study was "nonsense." He also said that my idea was "silly," for them to put money in escrow just in case they contaminate our drinking water. In this Community Impact Study there is no discussion of the tens of millions of taxpayer money needed if they contaminate our Drinking Water Supply. No discussion about the tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to improve the I84/Rt.6 Interchange to accommodate 350 large truck trips per day. So once again LVL Engineering uses smoke and mirrors to hide the true Environmental and Community Impacts of this irresponsible project with its "profound altering consequences for our beloved Milford. "
Consider the Future of Milford. When you look at this MEGA Warehouse Project with a critical eye, using History and Science as your guide - this project needs to be stopped. Most of us live in this area for the surrounding natural beauty, the quality of life, and the fact that Milford is a "diamond in the rough," in the ever encroaching "Concrete Jungle."
Vito DiBiasi
Friends of the Milford Aquifer
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WATER Not WAREHOUSE, Yard Signs to arrive as soon as EARTH DAY April 22nd. If you want to contribute to this Yard Sign Project , you can do so in Two Ways:
1) You can go to the Delaware Valley Action website: https://www.delawarevalleyaction.org/
and click on the Donation Button. Then follow up with an email to DVA delawarevalleyaction@gmail.com to ask for your donation to go to the YARD SIGN PROJECT.
2) You can write a "Check to DVA" with a note identifying it - for Yard Sign Project. Send it to Delaware Valley Action! P.O. Box 191 Milford, PA 18337.
If the link is not working here is the WATER Not WAREHOUSE Yard Sign project information:
Delaware Valley Action, to take the lead on WATER Not WAREHOUSE Yard Sign Project
Delaware Valley Action, Pike County's Local Indivisible Group, has stepped up to take the lead on this Yard Sign Project. Delaware Valley Action! is an IRS 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization.
They have purchased 250 double sided WATER Not WAREHOUSE yard signs to be dispersed in the Greater Milford Area.