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?

The meeting started with attorney Mr. Lawrence Sager, (representing Louis Farrell of Atomic International), asking the zoning hearing board to throw out all testimony of Gibraltar Rock’s expert witness David Horner.

Ms. Rebecca Bell, the attorney representing the zoning hearing board ruled that the testimony will stand, but that if Mr. Sager could present his own witness to refute Horner’s testimony.

Mr. Stephen Harris, attorney for Gibraltar Rock, Inc. introduced his next witness, Mr. Louis (Lou to his friends) Fatorio of EarthRes an environmental engineering firm.  Fatorio was presented as a hydrogeologist.  

Note: In GR1, Gibraltar Rock used Walter B. Satterthwaite, principal of Walter B. Satterthwaite Associates, Inc. to testimony about hydrogeology.  We’re wondering why his firm wasn’t used again. If you remember, back in September 2001, Harris introduced Mr. Paul White of Walter B. Satterthwaite Associates, Inc. as an expert in hydrogeology.  The next month, Harris replaced White with Satterthwaite, because it appeared that White was not an expert.  Satterthwaite however, proved to be a poor witness.  Could it be that Satterthwaite Associates, Inc. was not selected to represent Gibraltar Rock for a reason?  Does this cast a shadow on earlier testimony by Satterthwaite Associates, Inc.?  

Harris presented Fatorio’s resume and Sager objected to Fatorio calling himself an expert in ‘modeling.”  As was brought out, Fatorio is not an expert in mathematical modeling. His experience is with the modeling software and being able to enter the data and run the software so that (it) models the data.

Fatorio was accepted by the zoning hearing board as an expert witness in hydrogeology.

Fatorio went over the same information that Satterthwaite presented back in October and November 2001.  

One of the main areas he talked about is his opinion that the aquifer underlying the proposed quarry, because it is within fractured bedrock and flows through the rock fissures is not an aquifer.  He referred to a paper called “Geohydrology of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Read it here)

Fatorio talked about how his firm did additional testing on wells that had been dug and new ones that were dug.  He stated that water in this area runs horizontally not vertically.  He also said that the wells in the northern portion are less porous than in the southern portion. He stated that 80% of the water bearing zone is at a depth above 300 feet and that published data says there is water below the proposed quarry.

The next GR 2 meeting is April 15, 2004 at the New Hanover Township Building, 7:00 PM.  

See Also:
Summary of the previous Gibraltar 2 meeting (Feb. 19, 2004)