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Letter
to Governor Rendell
May
21, 2003
Governor
Ed Rendell
225 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Dear
Governor Rendell,
The
Lehigh Valley Group of the Sierra Club, Pennsylvania Chapter, asks for
your help in protecting Blue Mountain and the Appalachian Trail.
Specifically we hope that you will oppose any Capital Budget
expenditures for a racetrack proposed along the Appalachian Trail.
Alpine
Rose Resorts plans to build a country club for car enthusiasts at the
northern base of the Blue Mountain in Eldred Township, Monroe County.
The proposed facility would include a 3.2 mile road course on
which 30 to 50 cars, some without mufflers, would travel at speeds as
fast as 120 miles per hour. To develop the steeply sloped (15%-25 %) site,
Alpine Rose must clear cut 150 acres.
This project would drastically hurt the state’s tourism industry, not to mention the environment. The Alpine Rose site borders the Appalachian Trail and state game lands on the south and a high-quality cold-water fishery, the Aquashicola Creek, and wetlands on the north. The area has been designated an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society.
The
resort would be a members-only and self-sufficient club.
There would be no need for members to patronize local businesses.
Jobs generated by it would be part time and mostly low wage. Because of noise, water pollution and traffic
concerns, this proposal is opposed by the Sierra Club as well as the
Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC), Audubon Society, Wildlands Conservancy
and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. A
local citizens group has organized around this issue – Blue Mountain
Preservation Association (BMPA).
The
BMPA and the ATC are appealing Eldred Township’s preliminary approval
for the racetrack for two reasons. First, the supervisors refused to
consider a challenge to the township’s subdivision and land development
law. Second, the Pennsylvania
Appalachian Trail Act requires municipalities surrounding the trail
to protect the trail.
On
April 2, Wayne Fishman of the Express Times reported that the developers admitted that their noise
study used a faulty method that underestimated the noise impact. The Alpine Rose developers first tried to
quash a subpoena of sound study data and later asked for a continuance
of the scheduled court proceedings to allow time for other noise readings
using the proper scale.
The
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has filed
a friend of the court brief in support of resort opponents.
Thus it appears that the State will not use funds from the Department
of Community and Economic Development for this proposal.
The
Capital Budget that was approved by the previous Schweiker Administration
contains $1.5 million for the “design and construction of a recreational
complex,” though the location of the complex is not stated.
This item in the Capital Budget is most likely what the racetrack
proponents are referring to when they indicate that Alpine Rose has
received substantial state funding for its proposed project.
I
am enclosing post cards signed by concerned citizens. All of us are asking for your consideration
of our concerns as you review the Capital Budget and make your decisions. Capital Budget expenditures for this project
are not appropriate and would lead to significant degradation of environmentally
sensitive areas of Pennsylvania.
Thank
you very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Barbara Benson
Conservation Chair
Lehigh
Valley Group, Pennsylvania Chapter, The Sierra Club
Cc
Judy Rush, Blue Mountain Preservation Association
Tom Power, Pennsylvania
Chapter Sierra Club Conservation Chair
