Note: The following is not a verbatim transcript of the Zoning Hearing Board meeting; it is simply one person’s summary of the major points made by those involved in the hearing process.  For that reason, quotation marks are not used unless a direct quote was recorded.  For information about obtaining an official ZHB transcript, contact the New Hanover Township office.

What is GR 2?

Cross-examination of Mr. Uday M. Patankar, formerly independent consultant turned Silvi Vice-President/director continued with questions from township residents.  Patankar was cross-examined by Mr. Roger Buchanan, president of the Paradise Watchdogs.  

Mr. Buchanan began by asking Patankar questions about his training and education in environmental areas. It appears that all of Patankar’s knowledge on environmental issues comes from work experience.  Patankar mentioned that he is on the DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee (AQTAC).

Buchanan also questioned Patankar on his role as V.P. for Public Relations for the Silvi Group.  Patankar said that the Silvi Group is generous with its neighbors at other locations and that he assumed it would be the same in New Hanover.  Buchanan asked him if generosity had been displayed to New Hanover and Patankar said they had tried to send letters to township officials.

Buchanan next asked about issues of pre-emption and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Mr. Stephen Harris, attorney for GRI, objected and was sustained.

Buchanan moved to another line of questioning associated with Patankar’s role as VP of the Environment (for the Silvi Group). Buchanan asked questions about the effects of 2.5 and 10 micrometer sized particulate matter. The following is a brief explanation of PM 2.5 and 10.

·         Particulate matter (particulate matter is defined as “any material that exists as solid or liquid in the atmosphere that are less than 10 microns. Particulate matter may be in the form of fly ash, soot, dust, fog, fumes etc. Sources of particulate matter include diesel trucks and power plants.” 

·         When talking about particulate matter, the EPA talks about particles that are 10 micrometers and those that are 2.5 micrometers.  

Buchanan asked Patankar about the occupational diseases associated with the quarry. Patankar sidestepped the issue the dust produced by crushing roc and blasting, and explained the matter produced by truck traffic, which could be produced by trucks passing on Rt. 73.  However, he said that is not familiar with any health conditions associated with a quarry.  He also said that “these types of controlled quarries will have no appreciable health risks”---because, he said there are no documented studies.

Buchanan next questioned Patankar on silica dust, which may cause silicosis, a sometimes fatal lung disease.  Patankar said the dust produced from the proposed quarry is not the crystalline form, the kind that causes silicosis. Presumably, their dust is the ‘good kind.’

Buchanan asked a series of questions about whether or not GRI did an analysis of the mineral content of the rock core samples.  Buchanan was fishing for information about the quantity of hazardous minerals (zinc, lead, etc.) that might be in the rock.  When asked why he knows there are no hazardous minerals in the rock to be quarried, Patankar said because this rock is similar to rock in other nearby quarries. Patankar did not say that any study had been done, only that they took an educated guess that none existed.

Buchanan asked Patankar if GRI had taken into consideration the health of nearby neighbors and students at the two schools located down wind from the proposed quarry. Patankar said, “No sir, the health effects have never been considered.”   He said that GRI did a study of the Naceville Quarry and that after a year; it conformed to the standards for air quality.  However, Patankar did say that if DEP requires that GRI conduct a test, they of course would.

Buchanan next shifted to questioning Patankar about the recent letter to DEP on the 44 deficiencies.  Harris objected to bringing this into evidence, but was overruled.  Patankar spent some time explaining how the stream, that crosses Hoffmansville road is considered to be an ephemeral stream by the Army Corp. of Engineers, but a perennial stream by the PA Fish and Boat Commission.  Ephemeral streams, as defined by the EPA are bodies of water (streams, ponds, wetlands, etc.) that contain water only a fraction of the time. Perennial streams, as defined by the US Geological Survey is a permanently inundated surface stream where water flows throughout the year except in years of infrequent drought 

The importance of how they qualify the stream is that, if it is perennial, the quarry must allow a 100’ border on either side of the stream, thus cutting a portion off of the proposed south quarry pit.  If it is ephemeral, no border is needed.

Buchanan asked how GRI would mitigate the wetland on the property. Patankar mentioned that they would build another wetland.

The meeting ended.  

The next GR 2 meeting is January 22, 2004 (with a snow date of January 29) at the New Hanover Township Building, 7:00 PM.  

See Also:
Summary of the previous Gibraltar 2 meeting (November 6, 2003)