Synagro finally admits it needs a variance to access its site - announces plan to use Pen Argyl Road

At the Monday continued review of Synagro's proposed crap bakery in Plainfield Township, Synagro did a mini presentation.  Express Times reporter John Best was there - probably because Synagro invited him for their "breaking news".

The presentation was designed to address the four zoning variances that Synagro has known for months its plan requires.  Two of the variances are trivial - a small alteration to a parking lot dimension, and paving the parking lot.  The other two variances are not trivial - one is road access, and the other is Synagro's proposed plant is within a few feet of a pond that is connected to an aquifer.  Plainfield's zoning ordinance requires a 50' setback from a water body.

Use variance #1 - road access

The big reveal of the night was that Synagro is now planning to access its site from Pen Argyl Road.  The Plainfield ordinance requires this specific use to access from an arterial or collector road - Pen Argyl Road is a collector.  A separate entrance and exit is also required.  Synagro has not submitted a new Site Plan that reflects this change, but the picture below is a sketch of what is purported to be proposed.  The area in red on the right is where the access drive would be.  Synagro believes that this proposal will satisfy the ordinance requirement that currently is not met.  A highway occupancy permit will be required, and a modification of the landfill's permit.  Synagro did  not provide many details of exactly how trucks will move around the site using this proposed access point, but stated they would when new plans are submitted at the end of the month. ("Final" plans - lol - they've made up this entire project as they went along and confronted with questions they could not answer).  Will Synagro's trucks require use of township property as in previous plans?

Synagro's proposed access from Pen Argyl Road, announced on July 16, 2018

Several residents in the audience were unimpressed and displeased to learn that Synagro is exploring Pen Argyl Road, as landfill access via this road was problematic in the past.  Where would shit haulers park, while waiting for the site to open?  Currently they can stack up on Waste Management's driveway from Route 512.  Synagro appeared to claim at this meeting that trucks will not arrive early, but at the previous meeting they said some may and would wait on the Grand Central access drive off of Route 512.  Different night, different story.  What will PennDOT think of shit haulers waiting to turn off of Pen Argyl Road, while garbage trucks using the haul road block entry?  Approval of a highway occupancy permit is far from certain.  On paper it looks... problematic?

Use variance #2 - the pond that is a pond is a pond

A consultant for EarthRes - engineers for the worst nuisance uses known to mankind - argued that Sedimentation Basin #2 is not regulated by PA Chapter 105, but he stated multiple times that it is a regulated water body according to Pennsylvania law.  These two concepts are mutually exclusive - since it is a regulated water body, by definition it is subject to Chapter 105.  The EarthRes engnieer was gilding the lily.  Putting lipstick on a pig.  The basin has approval be DEP to be exempt from one requirement of Chapter 105 - a permit to fill it or alter its course of flow.  This is known as an "Obstruction and Encroachment Permit", and Synago/Waste Management doesn't require one to partially fill the quarry.  Encroachment is defined in Chapter 105 as alternation of a water course - not encroachment within a required setback - which is what the township ordinance covers.

Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Executive Director of the Delaware River Keeper, spoke at the podium on behalf of members that her organization represents, and presented an engineer's review that found that the pond is a regulated water body.  Synagro and Waste Management attorney Matthew Goodrich attempted to poo-poo Ms. Carluccio's expert, but the facts are clear - it is a water body.

Township manager Tom Petrucci questioned the EarthRes engineer - how will your new submission address Section 27-505 of Plainfield Township's ordinance?  This is the section that requires a 50 foot setback from water bodies.  The best the engineer could come up with was "our plan is exempt from dams and waterways."  Dam safety and waterway management is the title of Chapter 105 - Google it.  He is incorrect - Chapter 105 is where it is found that the sediment basin is a regulated water body.  Has nothing to do with and does not supersede the township ordinance.

The significance of this is that  Synagro has been arguing that the sediment basin is not a pond - and not a water body.  Until Monday evening when they finally admitted it is a regulated water body.  Uh oh Lucy.  Lucy got splain'n to do Lucy!  It is a water body, so Plainfield's requirement for a 50' setback from what is known as the "blue line" on the zoning map applies.  Synagro has a roughly 0' setback - as the sketch above shows the parking lot is proposed to be in the pond according to the blue line.  Yeah, that sucks.

But Ricky, it isn't a pond!  Waaaaaah  Ricky!

Synagro stalls its application for sludge plant while remaining surplus waste heat goes up Green Knight Energy Center stacks

Synagro, Waste Management and the Green Knights are continuing the ruse that the proposed shit bakery in Plainfield Township is a “green” project.  The only thing green about it is the money that Synagro and Waste Management seek to roll into their coffers.  The Energy Center will be long gone before half the life of the initial Synagro plant has passed.  You can bet that a new, larger shit plant will take its place once the Energy Center is closed and waste heat is not to be had.

During the May 31 planning commission review of Synagro’s proposal, Synagro representative Jim Hecht admitted that the Synagro plant could be profitable running on 100% natural gas - which is conveniently available on the target property.  The truth is, Synagro doesn’t need Green Knight’s waste heat, or the poor quality landfill gas that comes off the landfill.  What Synagtro desperately needs is a plot of land where a crap bakery can be located.  And Waste Management would love to lease land to Synagro for decades to keep the landfill property producing income - even if it means breaking an agreement with Plainfield Township to give back use of township land after the landfill closes.  And Green Knight, which is supposed to benefit the local citizens not screw them, is a participant in this charade.  As landfill family relative Lisa Perin pointed out, once Synagro is there, they will find a way to never leave because sites to locate such a nuisance operation are extremely hard to find. .  Ms. Perin was unaware when she stated this that there is natural gas already there on the property - but she saw through the obvious ruse that has been spun together in promoting this project.

To date, meetings to review the project have been dedicated to Synagro.  Each meeting has run three hours or more.  Now, Synagro has slowed its proposal to a creepy crawl, by demanding that it only be reviewed during regular planning commission meetings.  This means that Synagro’s project will be reviewed on agendas comingled with other regular business.  Completing the review could take a few more months at this rate.

Will Synagro/Waste Management/Green Knight's golden turn take flight July 15?  Not with an agenda packed so tightly it is constipated

Synagro has supplied a stenographer at the last two planning commission meetings - an intimidation tactic unheard of for a planning review.  There is nothing that is “good faith” about this.  A tape recorder would be a lot cheaper, but cost is no object to Synagro and Waste Management.  On Monday night, there are several items on the agenda, and Synagro is last.  Will Synagro’s stenographer be sitting in the audience, being paid along with its attorneys and consultants for waiting for their turn?

The waste heat of the Energy Center will disappear when landfill gas is no longer generated following the closure of the landfill ten to twelve years from now.  Synagro’s proposal is 20 months old now.  Synagro is apparently in no rush to capture and use the waste heat that Green Knights claims is so valuable, and less and less of it is available as time passes.  A lot can be accomplished in three hours, hardly anything in one hour.  The ruse is falling apart.  Cut the shit boys - your underbelly is showing and it isn’t pretty.

Zoning review scheduled to be discussed Monday night

The township zoning review found several items that need to be addressed in Synagro's application, as well as zoning variances.  This review is scheduled to be completed this evening, time permitting.  Also, Deputy Director Tracy Carluccio of the Delaware River Keeper is scheduled to make comments she was unable to complete at the May 31 meeting due to lack of time.  For over a year, Synagro has been on notice that it does not have the road access to its lot required by the zoning ordnance.  Yet Synagro has not filed an application for the variance needed.  It also proposes to locate its processing plant, raw shit storage, finished shit storage, and trucking of shit all within 50 feet of a deep quarry filled with water.  

PA legislators reviewing solid waste standards as relates to the dumping of waste from out of state

At a July 9 hearing at Wind Gap Middle School, Senator Scavello held a senate hearing to discuss quarries and the ability to easily contaminate the aquifers connected with them.  The hearing was focused on the dumping of waste from NY, CT and NJ into quarries, but the principle of dumping out of state hazardous waste in proximity to a quarry is the same.  You can see a video and submitted written testimony at this link.

Concerned citizens may wish to have a late dinner, and show up at the Plainfield Township Fire Hall at 8:30 to 9 pm to see Synagro’s portion of the meeting.  Synagro does not want you to hear, see or speak at their review - which is why they have demanded to be at a regular meeting that will go for a few hours before their project is discussed.  Don’t fall for showing up promptly at 7pm, getting irritated and impatient and leaving at 8:30 because they haven’t come up yet..  This is what Synagro, Waste Management and Green Knights wants.  Public participation is your right.

As seen below, there is one item of new business, and four items of old business, with Synagro last of the old business.  Synagro demanded to be at this meeting, instead of having a review dedicated to Synagro.  Draw your own conclusions.  Need  a pencil?  A crayon?

Synagro and Waste Management demanded to be on the following crowded agenda, instead of continuing to have dedicated review sessions