Synagro fined for sludge application violation in township opposed to Plainfield Township biosolids plant

Waste Management earned a Golden Turd award in February for the most recent application to locate a shit bakery in Plainfield Township. What was the name of that movie - "Same Shit Next Year"?  While previous applications were made by the operator Synagro, Waste Management is taking the dooky by the short hairs in a effort to obviate some legal hurdles and carry this turd over the finish line.

Oooh, that smell - can't you smell that smell?

It turns out the first Golden Turd of the year was prematurely awarded to Waste Management.- it should have been granted to Synagro. In one of several communities opposed to the Syangro plant (Pen Argyl, Wind Gap, Upper Mt Bethel Twp, Washington Twp, Lower Mt Bethel Twp and Plainfield Township) Synagro was found to have spread its shit on frozen ground on January 26 . This is a violation of Synagro's DEP biosolids application permit.

We're so responsible at Synagro that we spread shit on frozen ground

There's an old saying - don't shit where you plan to build a shit factory.  As of  March 9 the DEP website does not show it, but a reliable source reports there was a fine levied.

Synagro and Waste Management file new proposal for biosolids plant in Plainfield Township - same shit different year

Waste Management has always been suspected as wanting extremely badly to have the Synagro biosolids crap bakery added to northern end of its shitpile in Plainfield Township.   They put their shill "non profit" arm Green Knight Economic Development Corporation in the hotseat as the public relations face of the project initially, in a uniformly failed attempt to persuade citizens this is a great project for the community.  They have unmasked themselves - the latest submission to Plainfield Township filed on February 25, 2018 is in the name of Waste Management, not Synagro.

In the past few months Waste Management representatives John Hambrose and Adrienne Fors have been making visits to the board meetings at some of the many towns opposed to this project - singing the praises of crap to the choir.  WM is putting crap where its mouth is.  After a Synagro dog and pony show a year ago, Hambrose had the gall to ask why people wouldn't want "good engineering jobs" that come along with this project - implying this would be the case.  Yay, right John, how many?  One?  What engineer would shack up with a pile of shit - or do you use that title flexibly - is the shit slinger called an "engineer"?

The first Golden Turd award of 2018 goes to Waste Management - congratulations!  Don't let the shit go to your head - the year is young.

Here is a trip down memory lane of the tomfoolery that has transpired since Oct 2016 when this project was initially proposed in a zoning district that Green Knight VP and now former Plainfiield Twp Planning Commission member Robert Cornman Jr.knew full well it was not permitted in, but nonetheless promoted the project enthusiastically and suggested its approval (despite having recused himself) at the Nov 2016 Planning Commission meeting..  In fact, he was and is the Green Knight spokesperson for the project.  Can you say "corruption"?

The current proposal is to expand the Green Knight Energy Center lot to include Synagro on a 12.1 acre parcel, and for some odd reason Waste Management is calling the entire lot "Proposed Synagro Operations".  Multiple permitted uses on one lot is allowed in the Solid Waste district.  But what is proposed is two distinct uses, making crap and making electricity - stop trying to spread lipstick on crap Waste Management.

Blue shading indicated area included in Feb 2018
land development/site plan proposal

The current proposal is a land development plan, which includes a site plan.  The Planning Commission with review both on March 19 (see "Upcoming Events), after reviews are submitted by the township engineer and Zoning Office - expected approximately one week prior to the meeting.  It is odd that Waste Management is going straight to land development - usually an applicant has their Site Plan reviewed and corrects deficiencies and obtains variances, if needed.  Waste Management is clearly attempting to strong-arm Plainfield Township by pressuring them to declare variances are needed.  Based on reviews of previous Synagro Site Plans, it is a certainty that variances will be needed.

The Land Development submission includes a 19-page map package of site plans and detailed drawings, a 3-page package of truck turn diagrams, a 13-page project narrative, a steep slopes narrative, storm water analysis and data package, declaration by Waste Management, and a manufacturer's folder describing the crap dryer.  Several of these are shown below:

Project Narrative and land owner's declaration

Feb 2018 Site Plan Sheet C03 showing Green Knight Energy Center and Synagro on one lot

Feb 2018 Erosion and Sedimentation Plan Sheet C17

Feb 2018 Synagro plant truck movements

Feb 2018 Existing Conditions Sheet C08

Feb 2018 Synagro Truck Tipper detail Sheet C14

A few initial observations:

• Waste Management may be taking the lead now in order to have to only move an existing lot line, instead of adding a lot.  This may allow them to do what is known as a "resubdivision" using the approved and recorded land development plan for the Energy Center.  That subdivision has a yard determination that is in conflict with the SALDO (subdivision and land development ordinance), and is desired by Synagro so that they can use only a 25' setback from the road when they must have a 50' front yard setback.
• Plainfield Township's position is Green Knight/Waste Management never met the conditions of the recorded land development plan for the energy center, so Synagro's plant would in fact require a 50' setback from the road (SALDO relef and a variance)
• The current submission is the first one to realistically display most if not all features that will be needed for the Synagro operation.  For example "truck tippers" are shown, raw material pits, a pump "gallery" where pumping of shit takes place, and a cooling tower.  The Synagro "water treatment plant" has been redefined and relocated as a 58' large storage tank over behind the energy center.
• All of the added features make for an even more congested area where parking, truck movements and employee pedestrian traffic must all take place.
• While each of the two operations requires 3 acres each in the ordinance, and more than 12 acres is proposed, the two uses "overlap".  Synagro's trucks are driving right next to the Energy Center in either a driveway or parking lot.  Thus, the minimum required area is not being provided for the Energy Center - it appears that less than 2 acres contiguous is provided for the Energy Center - which would be a zoning violation.
• The Site Plan refers to the 12.1 acre lot as "proposed Synagro operations, which is a crock.  The Energy Center is within this parcel, and it is in no way related to Synagro's principal use - shit.

Synagro has upped the anty by filing a land development plan.  It is expected that Plainfield Township will do the same in the engineering and zoning reviews - it is time to state unequivocally "A variance is needed to article XXX of the ordinance."  As stated above, normally this would happen prior to land development and variances would be squared away, but Waste Management and Synagro are being pricks and trying to slam their way into Plainfield Township.  It should get interesting soon - the gloves are off and it promises to be a genuine shitstorm.