Gravel mine shouldn’t be allowed to reopen in Sch’dy aquifer area
Re May 23 article, “Concrete company offers to build park”: Bonded Concrete is trying to reopen a gravel mine in an exposed part of our aquifer recharge area in Rotterdam Junction. This site is about 1,500 feet from our public drinking water wells. To make the proposal go down easier with the Rotterdam Town Board and local residents, the spoonful of sugar is a $400,000 grant to the town and the promise of a park. For years, environmentally concerned citizens have fought any further mining of this area in Zone 1 of the Schenectady aquifer. In 1983, the town of Rotterdam hired attorneys and engineers to fi ght Bonded’s mining efforts. The town’s experts demonstrated that the aquifer was already showing symptoms of the results of the mining done before 1980. Further mining, the experts predicted, would cause further sedimentation, fl uctuation of the water table, serious flooding and risk of loss of water to wells on the aquifer. They testified, “What was needed was immediate and total reclamation of the aquifer to minimize further damage.” Schenectady Chemicals, now SI, filed a successful suit that forced Bonded to suspend mining. As far back as 1979, Fred Stevens, manager of central engineering with SI, warned this mining pit “acts as a huge open wound allowing contamination to enter the aquifer since the protective soil is now gone. The protection of the aquifer is only as good as the soil that covers it.” A May 13 story in the Gazette, “Mayors visit city, GE to talk water supplies, protection, infrastructure,” highlighted the importance of safe, adequate, affordable water service. GE’s sustainability officer said that within the next 10 years, every state expects some scarcity of water at the local level. Global demand for clean water has already exceeded the supply and will only get worse. Friends of the Aquifer understands this and we have been working to preserve our only source of drinking water. GE, the mayors of many areas and SI Group have come to realize we need clean water for residents, for business, for life. The only ones who do not seem to get it are the current Rotterdam Town Board members and Bonded Concrete. We know that Schenectady County officials and the Intermunicipal Watershed Board, who have been so active in their protection of this valuable resource, will join with us once again in our efforts to save our aquifer.
SHAWN SCHULTZ Pattersonville The writer is president of Friends Of The Aquifer.
Hysterical that it would have destroyed to the aquifer to plant grass and play kids sports on it, but pit and strip mining it are OK (when a press-approved and adored democrap administration is in power!!!) Where are the so-called "non partisan" league of democrap women vultures?
...nowhere to be seen...or heard...shhhhhhhhh
Just like when Paolino was approving apartments on the aquifer (that was OK, don't you know) but when republicats called for a green park, it was the most serious threat to the environment since Chernobly and Three Mile Island combined!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOL WHAT hypocrites!
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
The park proposal for the Great Flats Nature trail was opposed by many. My primary and sole objection had to do with the fact that the land was a DEED RESTRICTED WETLAND MITIGATION. Translation: This land was expressly set aside as a preserve because the Mall destroyed so much wetland and habitat. The crafters of the protection document failed to use the word PRESERVE and used the word PARK which confused the issue for the TB at the time. A park in that area would have been accepted IF the Mall had not been built. It would have been an allowable use for the property. But the Mall was built and that meant no further activity on the Great Flats Nature Trail other than a trail.
The whole point of setting aside the land was to preserve it and do very little to disturb the area. Clearing it and minor development of that parcel would have completely destroyed the original intent morally and legally. The folks who fought for that "quid pro quo" are mostly gone now. It was because of them and their fight that I would continue their fight in keeping the land as a preserve.
Mining now proposed in the aquifer is a whole different issue. DEC will have to permit any mining activity. It's not going to be at the discretion of the TB whether this is allowed or not. Friends of the Aquifer (FOA) are on top of it and we are lucky to have this group of watchdogs. They have continued to monitor and keep our water supply safe. The don't do it for power or money. The do it for all of us.
I would like a park in that area, but only if there is no impact to the aquifer. The experts will have to guide us through this.
I completed a paper on the works of Mr Shafer test drilling to check on aquifer in the great flats area and was shocked by what items were on top of it GE's chemical dump main florist cornfield hotel gas station large truck repair facility multiple septic systems and I concluded the results of adding the mall might be just a touch more positive
in hindsight was i right??
we will never know.
would i come to the same conclusion again with almost 30 years of adult exposure to the issues the world is now facing
NO
that being said I support a passive recreational area the would prevent development that could harm our fresh water supply - thus I would like to see a comp plan developed along side the park creation process for the area
and
As long as DEC inspectors are not bedfellows of Clemente and ALL monitoring data and communications between all entities of the process are made public without a FOIL process or charge I support the project
as for Clemente - 3 strikes and you are done mining and you will be forced to complete the park at your loss
Talking to each other is better than talking about each other
ROTTERDAM Firm optimistic about park plan BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
SI Group isn’t interested in changing restrictions in a deed that prevents mining gravel from part of a town-owned property in Rotterdam Junction or moving its well heads near Mabie Lane. But Bonded Concrete, the company proposing to build a new park on the land in exchange for its gravel, doesn’t perceive the deed restrictions posing an issue. Andy Clemente, an engineer with the company, said the deed allows excavation in the area known as West Pond, meaning Bonded could still remove gravel without violating any restrictions. “We believe there is a way to work around this,” he said Thursday. The town’s deed to the property specifically restricts any disturbance of the property within 100 feet of SI Group’s pump houses, which are located down a short path off Mabie Lane. The deed also restricts excavation within 400 feet of the wells or conducting any activity that might pollute the Great Flats Aquifer. Bonded has proposed building a passive park at no cost to the town on the 78 acres, including an island chain and shallow lake area more conducive to wildlife habitat. In return, the town would need to provide Bonded with the right to mine several million cubic yards of gravel from the site over the course of the next decade. Initially, Bonded had proposed moving the wells in exchange for SI Group’s lifting of the excavation restrictions. But SI Group offi cials indicated they were unwilling to revise the deed out of concern that their main water source could be placed in jeopardy. “We’re still open to talking to any of the parties involved,” said Juliana Lam, a spokeswoman for SI Group. “However, at this point we’re not changing our deed restriction.” Rotterdam offi cials acknowledged that SI Group’s unwillingness to lift the restrictions had slowed negotiations since the park plan was proposed in May. Town Attorney Michael Godlewski said the language in the deed suggests building a park would require an agreement among all three parties before anything substantial could occur. ................>>>>.........................>>>>...............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01101&AppName=1
So the SI group, staring at a failed PILOT, and unsuitable water tower land swap, now continues to play hardball with its deed restrictions to halt any gravel mining and park development. Certainly a negotiating tool to minimize the failed PILOT penalties. This should be interesting to see how this plays out, and who gives in to who . . . .
Don't be influenced by the 'we will move out' threat. Cause ya know what....they, the si group, have been planning to do that for a long time. And will!!!
The jct plant pales in comparison to their other global plants in production.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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