Change of Venue Request Denied; State Rep. & Bensalem Voice Opposition to Proposed Incinerators

The January Bristol Township Zoning Board meeting was a standing room only event of sorts. Attendees filled every seat, sat on the floor, in the hallway entrance of the meeting,  in an attempt to watch the hearing.

Concerned citizens also sat outside on the front steps of the entrance to the  municipal building viewing the meeting on tablets and laptops.

As a result of the “limited” space available, a request was made by the Delaware Keeper Network for a change of venue for February’s meeting which was was denied last week byaoning board officials.

Kenneth Federman, Bristol Township Zoning Board solicitor, explained the position of the board in an e-mail.

“The current venue is the equivalent of a full size auditorium. If we take the statements of those whom have persisted in requesting that the next Board meeting be move to a larger venue to a logical extreme, then the board would have to rent a professional sports arena or maybe something larger that would result in unnecessary taxpayer expense,” he wrote. 

Federman added: “The board wishes to express that just because every citizen who may want to comment at the meeting cannot be accommodated does not mean that the board does not understand their position and their opposition.”

Maya K. van Rossum, of the Delaware River Keep Network,  wasn’t impressed with the response and denial of  their request.

“It’s the responsibility of the township, and board in this case, to make an informed choice on this issue, and the space doesn’t seem to accommodate the ability for full public participation,” she said.

Adding that the boards refusal of the request is “troubling.”

“The public, regardless of how many turn out should be allowed to offer their input regardless of the side you are on with this issue,” she said. “Moreover, the township should do everything they can to accommodate public participation and the size of the current meeting place does not do that, is the environmental groups contention.”

Asked if given the opportunity to help pay for the additional fees that would be incurred for renting a larger meeting space – including  the set up to broadcast the meeting live on the townships cable channel and on the internet- Van Rossum, simply said, no, that’s the townships responsibility to provide access for the public.

Zoning Board Chair Chuck Clayton tabled the January hearing after 4.5 hours of testimony from the applicant and those in the public saying the board felt it needed more time to gather additional information from all sides and do additional research themselves.

The controversy surrounding the proposed plan of installing two incinerators has grown considerably with a Facebook Page and online petition gaining increasing numbers.

Additionally, state and local lawmakers are sounding off against the incinerators too.

Last Thursday, State Rep. Tina Davis (D-141) released a letter she penned to Bristol Township and Clayton making it clear she is against the proposed plan.

In short, Davis says she’s against the idea because  “this application does little to shed any light on what kind of materials will be burned at this facility, citing she is a resident of township resident and lives in Croydon. “I am deeply concerned about what kind of chemicals” the community will be “forced to breathe” by the planned incinerator, Davis wrote.

Davis also asks a question echoed by many that if the application is to move forward and approved by council “will it open the door for the company to petition the Department of Environmental Protection to burn other more hazardous materials?”

Davis also asks, “who the Route 13 Bristol Partners are and if they have experience managing such a facility does the partnership plan on managing the facility and if not, who?”

Last Monday, The Bensalem Township Council announced its opposition to the plan by passing a resolution citing a Bucks County Waterfront Redevelopment Plan which was also adopted by Bristol Borough and township, Falls, Morrisville, and Tullytown in 2004 and 2005.

Bensalem Council said they believe the emissions Route 13 Bristol Partners LC plan to burn  at the site are “hazardous and dangerous” to the public.

Officials for the applicant said items such as acetone, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, pesticides and solvents could be burned at the incinerator.

Suffice to say, regardless of where the next  zoning board meeting is held, the public, local and state officials have made it clear.

“Ban the Burn!”