Sierra Club Bucks County Group
Meetings at Doylestown LibraryEvery 2nd Thursday - 7 PM to 9 PM
Directions: ChurchvilleNatureCenter.org
|
Search the entire Sierra Club site for: |
Environmental IssuesTownships that change their zoning for developers. Bensalem does a land swap with public land and rezones for high density Housing Lower Southampton Rezoning Lower Southampton, Lower Southampton Upper Southampton Looking to Rezon for high density Housing , Upper Southampton Hilltown looking to rezone for McGrath , Warminster , Hilltown , Warrington , Newtown , Bensalem rezones at request of developer, , Chalfont Horsham, Upper Moreland, Newtown Jointure, Upper Sothampton Newtown, Newtown Again from 8 homes to 40 townhomes, Newtown rezones for McGrath Newtown rezones Uppersilver lake Property for McGrath Middletown for Toll possibility Middletown Rezones for Condos, Middletown 116 townhouses Zoning law vulnerable after rulingTownship that uphold their zoning, Bedminster & Rep. QuinnTownships saving Open Space Hilltown Plumstead, Tinicum , Solebury , Warwick , Milford , Tinicum More Sprawl for Bucks
Lower Makefield Solar Power , Homespun Electricity Newton Finally talks about Open Space Talk about the fox in the hen house.
Daily News from InsideEPA.com - Tuesday, April 15, 2008 EPA, Corps Eye Plan To Allow Developers To Determine Wetlands' JurisdictionEPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are considering a plan to allow landowners to make preliminary findings in some cases to determine whether wetlands and other waters are subject to federal permit requirements, a move that echoes industry calls that regulators create a process for waiving the determinations to speed permit issuance. Steven Stockton, the Corps Deputy Director of Civil Works, told Inside EPA in an interview April 15 that Corps officials are crafting a plan to revise joint EPA-Corps guidance which will attempt to allow landowners to determine when a project requires a permit in order to destroy a wetland subject to Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction. The Corps' actions are aimed at revising a controversial guidance that sought to clarify when development projects require permits under section 404 of the water law to destroy wetlands. EPA and the Corps issued the guidance in the wake of the Supreme Court's fractured 2006 ruling in Rapanos, et ux., et al. v. United States , in which the justices failed to reach a consensus on how to determine whether wetlands qualify for federal protection. Many industry officials and environmentalists have warned that the guidance fails to provide regulatory certainty and could be subject to a facial legal challenge, but federal officials have so far been reluctant to initiate a rulemaking. EPA and Corps officials have been grappling with whether to revise or withdraw the guidance, and recently missed a self-imposed March 5 deadline to decide what to do with the guidance. EPA Office of Water (OW) Deputy Assistant Administrator Michael Shapiro acknowledged this week that the guidance “has not clarified all the issues” of concern to states, and said that “right now we are in the throes of deliberating what to do” to address lingering jurisdiction concerns. Among the options EPA is considering is modifying the guidance, “or taking other actions,” Shapiro said. One of the most contentious issues in the guidance is the process for determining CWA wetlands jurisdiction. In formal comments late year, a host of industry and local government officials urged EPA and the Corps to streamline the process of determining federal jurisdiction over wetlands prior to granting CWA permits. A source with the National Association of Homebuilders said the creation of the waiver process was a top priority (see related story). The critics say the waiver process is necessary because under the current guidelines, establishing jurisdiction could add six months to the permit process, and require input from the Corps with a review by EPA. And some county governments argued that the guidance places a heavy paperwork burden on local transportation planners. In Dec. 6 comments, Marcus Hall, a highway engineer for Saint Louis County, MN, asks EPA and the Corps to grant a wavier of the jurisdictional determination process for projects that are not controversial. Stockton said the draft plan being crafted by the Corps would allow CWA permit applicants to do preliminary jurisdiction determinations “that don't affect adjacent landowners” in order to speed up permitting that has been slowed by the current process, Stockton says. The Corps acknowledges there “have been delays” in processing permits, Stockton said, saying they generally find the current guidance to be “perhaps overly restrictive.” The draft proposal, however, is not yet satisfactory to all parties, Stockton said, and Corps counsel and the regulatory program manager are trying “to come up with a workable solution.” Corps officials expect to have a final draft to present to the Army secretary and EPA within two weeks, Stockton said. 4152008_eye
Jan Jarrett, Vice President
PennFuture
610 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
717-214-7924
www.pennfuture. org
Cool Cities
Bucks County Sierra Club Outings and Events
For more info. on any event, to RSVP or to suggest an event please contact us at:
SierraClubBucks@yahoo.com or 215-470-2709 Nasty weather cancels outdoor events.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE RSVP
IF PLANNING TO ATTEND AN EVENT. EVENTS MAY BE CANCELLED IF THERE ARE NO RSVPs 48 hrs PRIOR. Also we need to be able to contact you regarding any changes to the event.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We encourage you to register at our MeetUp.com site http://environment.meetup.com/240 You will receive reminders of upcoming events
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please sign onto our Global Warming Petition to Gov Rendell
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big Utilities are planning a massive power line tract through the southern and the eastern corridors of Pennsylvania using eminent domain. The battle is starting in SouthWest PA but it will sweep across the State. Please do not wait until it is too late to take action.
Visit www.StopTheTowers.org or reply to this message to learn more.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wildlands Mini-Grants
The Sierra Club is offering matching grants of $500-2500 to local projects that contribute to wilderness designation, protection from destructive practices such as logging and ORV activities, and restoration. The grants will be made for local grassroots campaigns where the Sierra Club is involved and is reaching out and involving other conservation groups and new constituencies to protect an endangered area, which could include federal, state, or private land.
Grant applications must be received by April 1, 2008, and the grants will be made shortly thereafter. If interested, please respond to this message for more details.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are pleased to announce that our own Bucks County member, Wayne Kenton has been appointed to the position of PA Chapter Energy Issues Chair.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For anyone receiving this, who is not currently a member, please know that the Club is offering a special intro rate of $25 which also gets you a duffel bag. Go to www.SierraClub.org for details.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earth Day 2008 - If you are interested in helping with our EarthDay activities, please contact Jason.Brady@SierraClub.org
PLEASE NOTE—Easton ‘Riverwalk” Hearing rescheduled to
10:00 am, Thursday, Dec. 13
Public, Press, WELCOME to attendJUDGE GRANTS DELAWARE RIVERKEEPER NETWORKA PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION HEARING
ON EASTON RIVERWALK DEVELOPMENT
Delaware Riverkeeper Network received notice that the injunction hearing for its ‘Riverwalk' lawsuit has changed to 10:00 am Thursday, December 13, 2007. The United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued confirmation that the Honorable Petrese B. Tucker ordered the Hearing for the new date (order attached). The public and press is welcome to attend the Hearing at the U.S. District Court House, Courtroom 9B, 601 Market St. in Philadelphia. Delaware Riverkeeper Network filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction on August 9, 2007 asking the Court to enjoin construction of the Riverwalk Transportation Facility development project. Delaware Riverkeeper Network requested that oral argument be heard on the preliminary injunction request. The legal action was required because the Easton Parking Authority stated that they would continue to take action to build the contested project before federally required environmental studies were complete. ‘Riverwalk” is a federally funded 12-story bus depot, parking garage and condominium development proposed for the Delaware River floodplain and Historic District in Easton, PA. The proposed tower would loom over the Phillipsburg and Easton region and the Wild and Scenic Delaware River on a site repeatedly covered by floodwaters. The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) has issued a totally inadequate Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project, unjustifiably dismissing all alternative locations for the transportation facility. Residents of Easton, Phillipsburg, and the region have vigorously opposed the project. There have been other motions filed related to the legal challenge brought by DRN and its members over the past several months. A Motion to dismiss the case was recently filed by Easton Parking Authority. The Court did not address that motion. ###
Delaware Riverkeeper Network300 Pond Street Second Floor Bristol, PA 19007 Phone: 215 369 1188 Fax 215 369 1181 Web site: www.delawareriverke eper.org The Delaware Riverkeeper is the voice of the Delaware River and its streams, championing their rights as living members of our community, and is leader for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. The Delaware Riverkeeper and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network stand as vigilant protectors and defenders of the River, its tributaries and its watershed committed to restoring the natural balance where it has been lost and ensuring its preservation where it still exists.
Markey Platts Legislation Fact Sheet Letter you can Write Cafe Talking Points Cafe LTE Sewer Tanks Planned for Poquessing Creek Delaware Riverkeeper Network Sues to Halt
Federal Funding of Transit Facility in Flood Prone AreaFirst Responders, Public Transit Riders, National Historic District and Environment
Put at Risk By Federal Transit Administration
Philadelphia PA – Delaware Riverkeeper Network filed a law suit in federal court today to stop the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from funding a critical public transportation facility known as “Riverwalk” in the flood prone riverfront of the City of Easton, Pennsylvania. The suit claims that the government did not follow national environmental law in its sponsorship of the project and must complete an environmental impact study and alternatives analysis before the project can move ahead. The project would be constructed in the 100 year floodplain of the Delaware River on a site along the riverfront that was under eight feet of water in recent floods. The project entails a bus depot on the lower floors, a 5 story parking garage and 7 story private condominium development on the top floors. The mammoth building would tower over the historic districts of Easton and Phillipsburg and the Wild and Scenic Delaware River, just above the confluence with the Lehigh River. The FTA issued a “categorical exclusion” for the project, allowing the facility to move ahead without environmental analysis of its impacts. “It makes no sense to put new construction in the 100 year floodplain, particularly a public facility. Shame on the federal government for putting people in harms way and worsening the damaging effects of flooding along the Delaware River. We won’t stand by and let this happen. We will fight to protect the river and its riverfronts”, said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper. “The use of Federal dollars to encourage bad public policy decisions that endanger public health and welfare, and the environment was one of the primary reasons for the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act, which the FTA is blatantly violating in funding this project," asserts John Fritschie, Senior Attorney, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, who filed the case in United States District Court in Philadelphia. The City of Easton granted local approval to the project last month and is expected to put out bids for construction this month. Residents of Easton have fought long and hard to convince the City of Easton not to allow this intrusion on the highly valued historic resources there and the river’s floodplain. Hundreds of residents of Easton and Phillipsburg have signed petitions and submitted comment to the City, all to no avail. “This law suit is a plea to residents of Easton and Phillipsburg, saying that people can make a difference in preserving the natural beauty and historic nature of our communities and for others along the mighty Delaware and Lehigh Rivers and their tributaries”, said Phyllis Johnson, a resident of Easton and one of the organizers who have opposed Riverwalk. “The flood plain must be protected from new development that adds to flooding, causing harm to those downriver and in our communities. We need to let our elected officials know that development is desirable but not at others’ expense”, said Ms. Johnson. The legal complaint was filed against the Federal Transit Administration, the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority, and the Easton Parking Authority. The Plaintiffs are the Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum, the American Littoral Society, and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network on behalf of its members in the area, including many in Easton and Phillipsburg. “The Delaware Riverkeeper Network commented before the City warning them that this project needed full environmental review and that the floodplain site was wholly unsuitable. The City chose to ignore this so now we must go to court to protect the special resources of the River and region and in defense of those harmed by flooding’, said Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director of DRN. The complaint asks the Court to nullify the “categorical exclusion” issued by the FTA, which would result in the requirement for an environmental resource study, and that the Court not allow any construction to start on the project. For a copy of the complaint, contact tracy@delawareriver keeper.org or shannon@delawareriv erkeeper. org ###
Delaware Riverkeeper Network 300 Pond Street Second Floor Bristol, PA 19007 Phone: 215 369 1188 Fax 215 369 1181 Why the Delaware River is Turning Muddy Brown
The Delaware River turned from crystal clear on June 24 at Belvidere, NJ to muddy brown, bank to bank, on Monday morning, June 26—and there was no storm. According to reports phoned into the Delaware Riverkeeper Network Pollution Hotline (1 800 8 DELAWARE), the Delaware River looked like the Mississippi from the upper reaches in New York State to Easton/Phillipsburg , over 100 miles of river. Delaware Riverkeeper Network notified the agencies in PA, NJ, and NY on Monday morning. By the end of the day, the explanation offered by New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) was that the June 19 flash floods of the East Branch and the headwaters of streams in Delaware and Sullivan County caused runoff and muddy water and that the emergency clean up operations underway were contributing further muddy runoff. The flash flood was focused on Spring Brook which flows to the Beaverkill, which flows to the East Branch and the Delaware. The reddish muddy condition of the river continues through the week. PADEP reported that they checked each major discharge and found no problems and that the Lehigh River was running clear. NYDEC reported that “stream cleaning” taking place in response to the floods may cause muddy water off and on for a month. The Delaware River Basin Commission is conducting water quality sampling to test for pollutants of concern. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network takes the position that while we understand the need for emergency removal of hazardous debris and the repair of bridges and roads, careful oversight and appropriate permitting is needed by NYDEC for the coming weeks of clean up. Further sediment pollution to the streams can be prevented during clean up and repair through proper management and practice. The Delaware Riverkeeper, Maya K. van Rossum, had lodged complaints with NYDEC after the 2006 floods because there were incidents of excessive and illegal bulldozing and other damaging activities in the affected streams long after the floods, causing further degradation and damaging the streams’ ability to contain flood flows in the future. Delaware Riverkeeper Network has sent a letter on June 26 to NYDEC investigating the genesis of the June 19 flash flood in the Delaware River’s upper reaches in the New York Catskills and inquiring how NYDEC is planning to oversee and permit clean up efforts related to this recent flood to ensure our streams, River and communities are best protected. ###########
Delaware Riverkeeper Network300 Pond Street Second Floor Bristol, PA 19007 Phone: 215 369 1188 Fax 215 369 1181
Drilling for Nartural Gas in Bucks Dear Friends and Neighbors: 1.) If you have not done so already, please send letters to Toll and the politicians in support of "compromise." You can access the pertinent mailing addresses, sample letters and details of our compromise proposals at: http://www.savehistoricdolington.com/dolingtonwhatucando.html 2.) Cemetery Round Table Moderator, Bill Bolla, has called an additional Citizens' Round table meeting tomorrow evening , Thursday, March 30th at 7pm in the UM Township Building, 1076 Eagle Road. The meeting is open to the public. It is unclear if Toll's counter compromise proposal will be formally presented or not? 3.) There is a new, anti-rezoning petition being circulated in UM by a gentlemen named Jim Betlyon -- " Say NO to Toll. Say YES to Upper Makefield ." Mr. Betlyon will be setting up posts throughout the township over the weekend to collect signatures from the wider UM population. The theme of his petition is simple: "UM residents have voted for open spaces, we have not voted for high density housing. Please listen to the UM citizens." Mr. Betlyon is asking for volunteers from our community to help with the signature drive for an hour or two over the weekend. If you are willing and able to help, please contact Jim Betlyon directly to coordinate at 215.504.4396. You may sign his petition by sending your name and address to him at NoReZone@mail.com 4.) PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR for the next Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, April 5th, 2006. That's it! Oh, and during the month of April, you will be recieving updates from another Board member. I will not be checking my email during April so you will have another contact for any questions you may have. Thank you. Help stop sewage dumping contact your representatives today! Please contact your US House representatives and ask them to sign a letter by Congressmen Pallone, Shaw, and Stupak to Administrator Leavitt. The letter urges EPA to stop the sewage dumping guidance. Congressmen Pallone, Shaw, and Stupak are asking their colleagues to support citizens' right to clean water and health by opposing the guidance, which puts the public at increased risk of getting sick from bacteria, viruses, and pathogens in wastewater discharges. In November, 2003, EPA proposed changes to the Clean Water Act¹s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit requirements for municipal wastewater treatment during wet weather conditions that would allow routine discharges of largely untreated sewage. The sewage dumping guidance allows sewer operators to mix sewage that is not fully treated with treated sewage before discharging it into our waterways. But we need to reduce the amount of sewage entering our rivers, steams and other waterbodies, not add sewage! Public health officials, state environmental officials -- including Pennsylvania DEP Secretary McGinty -- shellfishermen, marina operators, and thousands of citizens have urged EPA to drop the guidance and we need you to join this effort by contacting your representatives! Talking Points - Exposure to untreated sewage makes people sick, contaminates shellfish, kills fish, and closes beaches. - EPA¹s policy to authorize sewage dumping is illegal; the Clean Water Act requires sewage to be treated. - EPA¹s policy would make more people sick, especially children, the elderly, and people who are already weakened by illness Thank you for your efforts to stop sewage dumping and to advance a healthy environment! Questions, or for a copy of the Dear Colleague letter in PDF, contact Robin Mann, Sierra Club-PA Chapter, robinmann@earthlink.net , 610-527-4598. In an effort to push nominees who may put our rights and protections at risk and strip away environmental protections, the Republicans are now claiming that filibusters are unconstitutional, and are trying to pass the “nuclear option” to eliminate this tradition-old process. The nuclear option could be called for a vote at ANY TIME. As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Specter has an important role to play in protecting the checks and balances and maintain the Senate's authority on lifetime Judicial Appointments. What You Can Do: · Write a letter to Senator Specter, urging him NOT to eliminate the filibuster of judicial nominations. Letters can be addressed to: Senator Arlen Specter 711 Hart Building Washington D.C. 20510 --AND-- · Call his DC office at 202-224-4254 *Be sure to leave your name, address, and phone number along with your message. Sample Letter: MONTH, DAY, YEAR The Honorable Arlen Specter United States Senate Washington , DC 20510 Dear Senator Specter, I am writing to ask you to oppose any efforts to eliminate the procedural filibuster in the Senate, which may be used in the Senate to decide whether to confirm Presidents' nominees to lifetime positions in our independent third branch of government. This so-called “nuclear option” would weaken the Senate's authority as a body and the authority of each individual Senator. The nuclear option would overturn the Senate's 200+-year tradition of unlimited debate. The Framers of the Constitution created the Senate as a deliberative body to check and balance the impulses of the House and the appointment powers of the President. Because of the Senate's unique makeup with every state having two Senators, a filibustering minority of senators can represent states that contain a majority of the American population. Proponents of a partisan majority vote that would eliminate judicial filibusters called it the “nuclear option” because it would destroy any chance for the unanimous consent and bipartisanship needed to conduct the Senate's business. By eliminating the filibuster on judicial nominations, this would get a dangerous precedent -- today judicial nominations, tomorrow all legislation. If the rules for judicial nominations are changed by a simple majority vote, a future bare Senate majority (of either party) could use the same tactic to ban filibusters for legislation as well. The need for compromise provides a check against government extremism. I look forward to hearing from you about the steps that you will take to protect the Senate's authority, procedural tradition and the checks and balances in our Constitutional framework. Sincerely, YOUR SIGNATURE YOUR NAME YOUR STREET ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIPCODE Please Note: In keeping with Sierra Club policy, this website does not endorse candidates for Sierra Club office on the Group, Chapter, or National level. This website is a forum for policy discussion and debate among those truly concerned with protection of the environment. Opinions expressed herein are those of their authors and may or may not reflect Sierra Club policy.
|
Warm regards, Elizabeth 
