Aug
16
Our next meeting will be September 19, 7 pm, Polk Municipal Building
Jun
12
The proposed PennEast pipeline was announced in August 2014. The 114 mile long line will start in Luzerne County and run Southeast to terminate near Hopewll, New Jersey. The Right of Way (ROW) would cut a 125′ scar through private properties, 88 streams, wetlands, and sacred Lenape sites. In the Aquashicloa and Pohopoco watersheds, the line would cross several Exceptional Value Wetlands and be very close to the water line that supplies the city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has to give approval before the project can begin. Public hearings and comment periods are mandatory as well. Two hearings were held in Carbon County. The first was an open format- all attendees were able to hear comments. The opposition to the project became apparent at all public meetings, and for the second round of hearings a different and troubling format was used.
Instead of an open hearing, comments were taken one at a time, with a representative from FERC and a stenographer present. The public was not allowed to hear testimony. Statements were transcribed and published on the FERC website- http://www.ferc.gov. Click on the eLibrary link, then General Search and enter Docket No. CP15-558.
APWC has filed as an Intervenor and we have submitted several comments.At this time, PennEast has submitted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that, according to EPA, lacks sufficient data. In Pennsylvania, 23% of land owners refused access to PennEast to survey. In New Jersey, 70% of the land owners refused access. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has declined to act as a “Cooperating Agency” and declined to accept the DEIS. The New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel submitted a strong case against the need for the pipeline. FERC has even demanded 34 corrections to the application. Permits to the Army Corps of Engineers and New Jersey DEP lack critical information.
There have been at least 33 route changes as of September 2016.
One of these was to accommodate Blue Mountain Ski Area, to provide gas for the water park. That change was to go along the EV Wetlands on Aquashicola Creek. The ROW was not on the ski area property, they wanted the benefit without the cost.
A subsequent change moved the ROW to the Northwest, through private lands again.
The opposition has moved the proposed “in service ” date back at least one full year!
As of this date, FERC has two unfilled Director positions, making a decision impossible.
Feb
12
Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge has added some acreage along Aquashicola Creek- please look for the details in the Refuge Update article at the top of the page.
Jul
5
On June 9, at the Eldred Township Board of Supervisors Meeting, Nestle` withdrew it’s application to withdraw 200,000 gallons of water per day form the Gower site. The announcement was followed by a standing ovation, clapping, and tears of relief. Thanks are in order to the residents that banded together and showed that the “little people” can indeed stand up for their rights!
Nestle` stated that the permit withdrawal was based on several reasons, among them issues with zoning improprieties and working around an existing business. In a written statement, Nestle`said that they believe in partnering with communities to provide economic and community benefits. Nestle` hydrogeologist and spokesman Eric Andreus said “It is clear to us that the community in Eldred Township does not believe the process around this project worked the way it was intended and that many of you have concerns about this project. We want you to know we hear you.”
This contadicts all national reports on Nestle extractions as these communities are all opposed- see the posts below for examples.
A rumor that Nestle` was exploring additional sites in the region were denied by Nestle at the Polk Township Board of Supervisors meeting on June 27. Mr. Andreus stated that ” At this time, Nestle` Waters is not monitoring springs or exploring the potential for a spring source in the CJERP Region.” CJERP is the Chestnuthill, Jackson, Eldred, Ross, and Polk Regional Joint Plan.
May
1
The Eldred Township Zoning Board is holding hearings regarding the application by Nestle`/Deer Park to withdraw water from the Gower property on Buckwha Creek at a rate of 200,000 gallons per day every day, for a ten year lease period. Included will be 60 tanker truckloads a day, at all hours.
This is a very convoluted story- we are including some links that should help to clarify things. An excellent article can be found at http://www.truth-out.org/news/
A local citizen- led group that opposes Nestle`/ Deer Park has formed as well. They can be found at http://eccostar.org/. The citizens of Eldred Township are vastly opposed to this project- it is a blatant attempt to steal their drinking water, and APWC is in opposition to Nestle` Deer Park as well.
The Eldred Township Zoning Board will be holding ongoing meetings to address the application on 5/18, 6/15, and 7/20. These meetings will be held at the Eldred Firehouse, 7pm.
Apr
27
A huge thank you to several of our members that braved the cold, cloudy and VERY windy day to provide coverage at our informational booth for the first Monroe County Earth Day celebration. We were set up by 10:00 am, and there were some people already making the rounds to view the exhibitors. Please click on the photos to enlarge-
We did bring our new canopy- however, if we had put it up, it probably would have been blown all the way to the Delaware Water Gap! A preliminary count of visitors tallied over 1,000 people that braved the conditions to see what conservationists have been doing in Monroe County. Friends of Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge had a booth, as did Monroe County Watershed Alliance, Pocono Heritage Land Trust, Close the Loop Recycling, Monroe County Conservation District, and many others. There were live bands, and really great food provided by the host site, the Monroe campus of the Northampton Community College.
We were visited by many individuals and groups. Some were interested in what watershed they live in, and we were able to enlighten them as to what a watershed is, and how we all live in a watershed. We also did a demonstration of meter testing, and a demonstration of keying out macroinvertebrates. We stressed that the meter testing was a snapshot of stream quality, whereas the presence of certain pollution intolerant macroinvertebrates was a great way to gauge the health of a stream over a 2-3 year period.
We think that this was our most successful community outreach event yet! The people that stopped by our booth, be they concerned or curious citizens or a Girl Scout Troop, were genuinely interested in what we do, and why we do it- we really felt that we had a good connection to our community.
Thanks again to our members that showed up to help!!
Apr
17
APWC held our 2016 Earth Day Roadside Cleanup on April 16. Members Beth, Charlie, Carolyn and Jim were assisted by Sandy, Ginnie and Sue from the Living Hope Lighthouse Church. Thanks to everyone! 16 bags of trash were collected, along with 2 tires, plywood scraps, shingles, a printer, and a TV.
We did something different this year. We seperated all the water bottles. The total was 87! (Please click on a photo to enlarge!)
Out of the 87, Nestle` products- Deer Park, Poland Springs, Pur Life- added up to 42. Dasani, a Coca Cola product, added up to 15. There were 19 mixed brands and 11 unknown- no labels. Quite a few of the bottles were at least half full.
We were surprised to find 1 bottle from Ross Common. At one time, there was a bottling company at Ross Common, the headwaters of Aquashicola Creek. That company went away in the late 1980s. A look at the label revealed that this water came from Fox Ledge Spring in Honesdale, Pa!
Mar
4
We recently had the honor of attending an event at the National Conservation Training Center in Sheperdstown, West Virginia. It was a meeting of people from all over our nation that belong to a “Friends” group. The focus was Moving Friends Forward, and was geared to energise and encourage groups to keep up the good work they have been doing, as well as how to deal with Boards that were stagnant, raising new memberships, etc. Every National Wildlife Refuge in the country has a Friends group that helps with events such as educational and community outreach- things that the refuge staff might not have the time to do. As we are partnered with the Friends of Cherry Valley NWF, the lessons were applicable to APWC as well.
The event was over a four day period, and we had a room and board at the facility. At the end of the sessions, we felt like we had a few hundred new Friends! As well as digging out of a record 42″ of snow- it was that weekend!
Back to the title- we stayed at the Ding Darling Lodge, and we were stunned by the editorial cartoons that this man had done. Comments on everything from the Depression, World War Two, Conservation, etc.
Jun
28
On July 22, 2015, Deer Park will host an informational meeting regarding the proposed water withdrawal facility in Eldred Township. The meeting will be held at the Kunkletown Fire hall and will run from 6:30-8:30 pm.
Deer Park is owned by the multi national Nestle Corporation. Nestle is the worlds’ largest supplier of bottled water and “foodstuffs”, taking in 65 billion dollars a year.
The CEO, Peter Brabeck, has stated that
“Water is the most important raw material in the world. It is a question of whether we privatize the water supply for the population. There are two opinions on this. The extreme one is represented by Non- Governmental Organizations who bang on about declaring water a public right. That means that as a human being, you should have a right to water. That is an extreme solution.And the other view says that water is a food stuff like any other and like any other food stuff, it should have a market value.”
Nestle` must be aware that this interview is damaging to the brand, they keep trying to suppress it. , click on the new youtube link below-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iGj4GpAbTM
California is experiencing a record breaking drought, and the water withdrawal facilities owned by Nestle have not reduced their pumping out the aquifer at all. According to the California Department of Water Resources, Nestle takes 705 million gallons of water per year- http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2015/world/infographic-california-freshwater-withdrawals/.
For more information on the situation in California, here are more links-http://www.businessinsider.com/nestle-is-bottling-water-from-california-2015-4.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102671543.
To see what Nestle is up to in Oregon, click on this link-http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2015/01/bottled_water_wars_nestles_lat.html.