2 Squarely Opposed Sides Face Off at Landfill Hearing

The audience that attended Wednesday's Lower Saucon Township Council public hearing about a proposed rezoning of land along Applebutter Road—which, if approved, would make it possible for IESI Bethlehem Landfill to expand—appeared evenly divided among supporters and critics of a proposed landfill expansion.

More than 100 people attended the three-hour hearing at Saucon Valley High School that council solicitor Linc Treadwell explained was scheduled solely for the purpose of gathering public input.

There won't be a vote on the proposed rezoning amendment unless or until council approves a motion to advertise it for adoption, he said.

Before public comment began, Treadwell highlighted some recent letters and decisions by various groups that potentially have a stake in the rezoning and the landfill's possible expansion.

He noted that the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission voted against recommending the rezoning, mainly because of natural resource disruption that would occur if the landfill overtakes land to the west of its current border.

Many of the properties to the west have already been purchased by IESI.

The City of Bethlehem recently submitted a letter to the township in which Treadwell said officials shared concerns about "traffic issues, storm water issues [and] EMS plan issues" if the landfill grows larger.

And the township's Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) voted 6-1 earlier this month against recommending the rezoning, citing environmental concerns.

Over the summer, the Lower Saucon Township Planning Commission voted 3-2 to recommend the rezoning, which would result in 35.5 acres of agriculturally zoned land in the area of Skyline Drive being rezoned as light industrial (LI).

Other parcels closer to the south, closer to Applebutter Road, would be rezoned from light manufacturing to light industrial or rural agricultural.

According to IESI attorney Maryann Garber, doing so would restore the zoning in the area to what it was until 1998, and what it should be now.

The Applebutter Road corridor has "historically been a very industrial area," she said.

IESI Bethlehem Landfill district manager Sam Donato voiced similar opinions about the land in the vicinity of the landfill, much of which is in the City of Bethlehem.

"The Applebutter Road Industrial District has totally changed," Donato said. "You have this 600-megawatt power plant across the street, from Calpine... You have the intermodal yard behind us."

"These industries complement one another," he said. "This is the industrial district in our township."

A number of IESI Bethlehem Landfill employees and individuals whose livelihoods are tied to its existence also testified at the hearing about their fear that—without an expansion—the facility will have to close in several years.

"We ask you to save our jobs," IESI employee Jay McLaughlin said to council.

He said IESI patronizes local businesses, donates heavily to local organizations and causes, and "is the number one taxpayer in Lower Saucon Township."

McLaughlin also touted the fact that IESI is the only landfill in the area that welcomes individuals and "small operators" such as masons and independent contractors.

He presented council with a list of signatures from roughly 100 small operators urging the rezoning/expansion, which would likely provide them with a place to dump waste materials for at least another decade.

Only a few township residents without connections to the landfill spoke in favor of the expansion.

Among them was Dave Spirk, who said economic concerns should guide council's decision.

"If we take away the $2 million [host fee] Lower Saucon property values across the board will go down," Spirk said, adding that the tax revenue generated by the landfill for both the township and the school district "can't be replaced."

“Do the fiscally responsible thing and keep the landfill in our township," he told council.   

Speaking out against the rezoning were numerous residents, including many from Steel City who have been vocal at meetings for the past year and a half.

Russ Sutton told council members IESI is using "scare tactics," including the potential loss of employment by its workers, to its advantage.

Referring to the economic benefit reaped from the landfill, he called it "short-sighted of the township to trade a short-term gain for a possible long-term liability."

Sutton presented council with a petition he said was signed by 160 area residents who oppose the rezoning and landfill expansion.

In going door-to-door to get the signatures, Sutton said he had helped educate many residents about the rezoning issue currently being debated.

"There’s a lot of people not aware of this," he said, noting that many people "don't have time for email" and choose not to follow local news.

He called the attendance at the meeting "really not a good representation" of the township as a whole.

Lower Saucon's current population is nearly 11,000, which means around 1 percent of residents attended the meeting.

Like Sutton, Sharon Gregora of Applebutter Road complained of "propaganda" and "attempts to intimidate" by IESI, and she told council she fears what will happen to the natural habitat she loves if a landfill expansion occurs.

The potential for groundwater contamination is also a concern, she said, and "Lower Saucon is filled with wells."

"This is not the Lower Saucon we all signed on for," Gregora said.

Heather Pekarek of Steel City voiced some similar concerns.

Telling council she had used her life savings to purchase a fixer-upper that's her "dream house" in 2007, she said, "I'm slowly seeing my dreams turn to dust."

She said she is concerned about diminished property values and her family's health.

“I don’t want to leave. Where else am I going to find neighbors like I have now?” she asked.

"I’m not ready to say goodbye to my home, to my dreams, and my future," she added.

Richard Weikert, also of Steel City, expressed resentment over the uncertainty of the current situation and told council he "won't put another dime into Steel City until this is resolved."

He said residents who oppose the landfill expansion should consider filing a class-action lawsuit, because "if it seems the only thing they want to listen to is money, then we need to hit them in their pocketbook."

Since not everyone who signed up to speak at the hearing had the opportunity to do so before it concluded shortly before 10 p.m., council voted to continue it at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Audion room at the high school.

Photos: Public hearing attendees who planned to address Lower Saucon Township Council were sworn in at the start of the meeting; council solicitor Linc Treadwell explains a map of the Applebutter Road area at a public hearing held Wednesday, Sept. 25 to receive public comment about a proposed rezoning amendment that would help pave the way for an expansion of IESI Bethlehem Landfill in the township.