Saucon Valley Families Opposing Landfill Development

A Message from Sandra George McCaskie & Hugh Dugan III  

1 October 2012

Dear Resident of Lower Saucon Township,

Since December 2011, we have been aware of a proposal that is being considered by the Lower Saucon Township Council that would permit the rezoning of residential land along Applebutter Road that would lead to the eventual expansion of IESI’s landfill in Lower Saucon Township. We have monitored this process closely and several months of ago we determined that it would not be in the best interest of the residents of Lower Saucon Township to permit the rezoning of residential land along Applebutter Road or any possible expansion of  the land. On September 27, 2012, the Lower Saucon Township Planning Commission reached the same conclusion and voted to recommend to council the current zoning of Applebutter Road should not be changed.

On October 3, 2012, Lower Saucon Township Council will be discussing their concerns and the residents concerns with the IESI Permit Renewal. At this meeting a representative the PA Department of Environmental Protections and representatives of IESI will be present. We encourage all residents to attend this very important meeting. Once the council has discussed the concerns with the permit renewal process, the residents of the township will also be able to address their concerns.

At this point, council has not determined when they will be discussing or voting on the Planning Commission’s recommendation. However, we are now asking all of the residents to email our council members and attend up-coming council meetings to let them know they should follow the recommendation of the Planning Commission. Once we begin to permit them to start rezoning areas, it will never stop!  In 2010 we called upon you to help prevent the rezoning of residential land that would have lead to the construction of a continuing care retirement community – a commercial business.

We spent a lot of time listening before deciding to take a NO REZONING position, again. We attended Council and Planning Commission meetings and listened closely to all sides of the proposal. Listened to council’s concerns, we listened to the Planning Commission’s concerns and evaluated their four different options, we listened to IESI’s plans for the future, we listened to the residents of Steel City and those who are surrounding the IESI landfill. We have concluded that the rezoning of Applebutter Road and the potential expansion of the IESI landfill is not in the best interest of the resident of Lower Saucon Township. Council must prepare for the eventual closing of the landfill and aggressively search for other sources of revenue for the township.

It is still not too late to look for new sources of revenue and prepare for that the eminent closing of the landfill in 4 to 5 years. We need to take action as residents to challenge our council not to buckle under to the easiest source of revenue and find new sources of revenue that will permit the quality of life that brought us toLower Saucon Township. Council must to vote NO on the rezoning amendment and establish an Economic Development Commission to aggressively promote Lower Saucon Township as not only a quality place to live, but a quality place to do business. Council may need to revisit some of their regulations that have caused Lower Saucon Township to be perceived as not being business friendly.

It is time for ALL the residents to come together and discuss what is best for our quality of life and financial future!

Advocates for the Residents of Lower SauconTownship,

Sandra George McClaskie     Hugh DuganIII

Sandra George McClaskie                               Hugh Dugan III