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Montgomery County Planning Commission
In September, 1996 the Montgomery County Planning Commission stated that they were opposed to the last Pottstown Landfill expansion.
1. The daily trash intake limit is too high compared to the waste produced by the region.
a. Disposal needs should not exceed more than 1,500 tons per day for all of Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, and Philadelphia counties. No more than that amount is justified.
b. The Pottstown Landfill has buried between 3,500 and 4,000 tons of trash per day, and was allowed to accept 5,300 tons per day for the Eastern Expansion.
2. The current landfill (233 acres) is already too big to handle the amount of gas it produces.
The planning commission recommended that residents from out side West Pottsgrove should be able to voice their opinions since people outside the township get the associated problems.
The Montgomery County Planning Commission, before the last Pottstown Landfill expansion, recommended that West Pottsgrove Township not allow the Eastern Expansion. West Pottsgrove ignored the Montgomery County Planning Commission and its own conditional use ordinance. Clearly, the Pottstown Landfill is detrimental to public health, safety and the welfare not only of West Pottsgrove citizens, but also Upper Pottsgrove, Pottstown, and Douglass Berks residents, still West Pottsgrove Commissioners made way for yet another expansion.
The following elected officials OPPOSED the 73 acre Eastern Expansion of the Pottstown Landfill. This is the same 73 areas where Waste Management now wants a 50 Foot Vertical Expansion . These elected officials recognized the danger of the Eastern Expansion, which Waste Management now wants to expand higher.
Montgomery County Commissioners unanimously OPPOSED Pottstown Landill’s Eastern Expansion on the public hearing record in 1997.
Comments to DEP from the Montgomery County Commissioners at the public hearing for Pottstown Landfill expansion:
- “Presently the Commonwealth appears to have an overabundance of landfill capacity.”
- “The amount of currently permitted landfill capacity could take over 15 years to use up at our current disposal rates. If this is the case why do we need to expand the Pottstown Landfill at this time?”
- “It is a quality of life issue.”
- “There are too many people living in this community. The landfill should not be allowed to continue to expand.”
Berks County Commissioners OPPOSED the Eastern Expansion in 1997 and in fact filed an anti-landfill lawsuit.
- West Pottsgrove must not be permitted to make a regional decision that damages the environment of its neighbors to such an horrendous extent”
Pottstown Mayor Nancy Jones
- “There are 50,000 people that live within a four mile radius of the landfill. Please don’t allow Waste Management any further expansions
Upper Pottsgrove
- “We’re concerned about what’s going into the dump, the smell and all the hazards with it.”
- “We’re concerned about the rate it is expanding. It is going to hit our township next.”
Congressman Holden 6th Congressional District included West and Upper Pottsgrove
- Congressman Holden called for an end to the proposed expansion of the Pottstown Landfill and a full investigation of the then 233-acre facility.
- He asked DEP to deny permits for the 73 acre Eastern Expansion.
- He asked for help resolving claims of high levels of radiation at the Pottstown Landfill.
- Holden wrote to the EPA, NRC, and the FAA. Holden said “We want to remind them how important the health and safety of the people is.”
We must unite now as a community and do what ever it takes to STOP THIS THREAT AND AGGRESSION AGAINST OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND OUR HEALTH. The waste stream into the Pottstown Landfill is going to get even worse since restrictions on radiation and other dangerous chemicals are being relaxed even further. Our governor, our state representatives and our state senator have NOT been willing to STOP us from getting dumped on. They continue to use excuses not to take the steps necessary to stop their friends, the waste industry from destroying our future with this dangerous waste. Local officials have sold out our health and quality of life for money. It is up to us!
ACE P.O. Box 3063 Stowe, PA 19464 ace@acereport.org
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