Inch by inch they moved into the core of the pine barrens, until there was only an acre left. The noise of all the creatures shoved into that acre was deafening. And the shrieking turned to crying.
Asbury Park Press, Jul. 15, 2006
PINELANDS PANEL OKS RELOCATION OF SNAKES
Will allow dumps to be redeveloped
By Kirk Moore, Toms River Bureau
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP -- The pine snake relocation is still months away.
But Stafford officials and their private development partners can
start detailed planning for consolidating and capping old trash dumps
at the Stafford Business Park, and turning the 360-acre site around to
become a major residential and commercial growth area.
In a 9-4 vote, the state Pinelands Commission on Friday approved a
controversial agreement with Stafford that also allows moving
threatened and endangered plant and animal species off the landfill
site and nearby woodlands. That aspect of the plan has aroused the ire
of environmental activists, who contend it sets a precedent for
compromise when builders encounter pine snakes and other rare species.
"If you approve this, you'd better get a bigger meeting room, and take
the door down," said Greg Auriemma, chairman of the Sierra Club's
Ocean County chapter. "Every developer and every political friend they
have will be breaking down that door."
Threatened and endangered species have been a powerful arrow in the
quiver of environmental groups trying to stop large development
projects around the state.
Retailer Wal-Mart wants to build a superstore on Route 37 at the
boundary of Dover and Manchester townships. State officials withheld
their approval after a pine snake was documented on the site.
Municipal officials countered with an offer to move any snakes off-
site.
"The word is already getting out to developers and people who are pro-
development that it's OK to do this," Auriemma said.
But a majority of Pinelands commissioners agreed that the $31 million
plan to seal the landfill area and reduce water pollution from buried
trash was worth the environmental tradeoff.
"Doing nothing is not an alternative," said Commissioner Stephen V.
Lee III.
After hearing commission Executive Director John Stokes describe how
41 million gallons of rainwater leaches pollution out of the landfill
every year, Commissioner Edward A. Wuillermin said, "It's my feeling
that water quality is the overriding issue."
Commissioner Leslie M. Ficcaglia voted against the agreement.
"From everything I know about endangered plants and animals, you can't
move them. You could forklift an acre with (rare) orchids out of the
ground and move it, and they would still die," Ficcaglia said. "I can
hear so many developers using the same mantra. It really upsets me."
Emissions from the landfill of arsenic, chromium and zinc "are higher
now than they were in the 1990s," said John Stokes, who negotiated the
agreement with Stafford officials.
Commissioner Edward Lloyd, an environmental lawyer, argued that
leachate from the landfill is not so much of a threat that it's worth
the damage to rare species habitat.
But Commissioner Robert McIntosh -- the federal representative on the
panel who tends to support strict adherence to Pinelands rules -- said
he decided closing the landfill is right. Other old dumps can release
pollution surges if any buried waste containers give way, he noted.
Stafford Mayor Carl W. Block said it will take another month or two
for all the government agencies involved to approve the deal. Then, he
said, the township and developer The Walters Group can begin detailed
planning.
Preliminary plans have shown up to 672 homes on the site, in a mix of
single-family and townhouse configurations and 112 low-to-moderate
income apartments, with 650,000 square feet of commercial buildings.
Walters would pay the $31 million landfill closing costs in exchange
for being able to redevelop all that on the Stafford Business Park,
where just 12 out of 60 lots have been sold over the years. Most of
those are occupied by township and county facilities that would be
relocated as part of the plan.
It also includes capturing and relocating northern pine snakes, which
are known to nest in two locations on the site and forage through its
pine woods.
Block said he understands the concern of environmental groups.
"But from a practical standpoint, I don't see how else you can do it,
having earth-movers and graders moving around out there, unless you do
something with the snakes," he said.
Environmental activists were glum after the vote.
"It's the biggest setback to the Pinelands in 10 years," said Jeff
Tittel state director for the Sierra Club. "And developers are going
to try to use this."
Kirk Moore: (732) 557-5728
Copyright 2006 Asbury Park Press.
Asbury Park Press, Jul. 15, 2006
PINELANDS PANEL OKS RELOCATION OF SNAKES
Will allow dumps to be redeveloped
By Kirk Moore, Toms River Bureau
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP -- The pine snake relocation is still months away.
But Stafford officials and their private development partners can
start detailed planning for consolidating and capping old trash dumps
at the Stafford Business Park, and turning the 360-acre site around to
become a major residential and commercial growth area.
In a 9-4 vote, the state Pinelands Commission on Friday approved a
controversial agreement with Stafford that also allows moving
threatened and endangered plant and animal species off the landfill
site and nearby woodlands. That aspect of the plan has aroused the ire
of environmental activists, who contend it sets a precedent for
compromise when builders encounter pine snakes and other rare species.
"If you approve this, you'd better get a bigger meeting room, and take
the door down," said Greg Auriemma, chairman of the Sierra Club's
Ocean County chapter. "Every developer and every political friend they
have will be breaking down that door."
Threatened and endangered species have been a powerful arrow in the
quiver of environmental groups trying to stop large development
projects around the state.
Retailer Wal-Mart wants to build a superstore on Route 37 at the
boundary of Dover and Manchester townships. State officials withheld
their approval after a pine snake was documented on the site.
Municipal officials countered with an offer to move any snakes off-
site.
"The word is already getting out to developers and people who are pro-
development that it's OK to do this," Auriemma said.
But a majority of Pinelands commissioners agreed that the $31 million
plan to seal the landfill area and reduce water pollution from buried
trash was worth the environmental tradeoff.
"Doing nothing is not an alternative," said Commissioner Stephen V.
Lee III.
After hearing commission Executive Director John Stokes describe how
41 million gallons of rainwater leaches pollution out of the landfill
every year, Commissioner Edward A. Wuillermin said, "It's my feeling
that water quality is the overriding issue."
Commissioner Leslie M. Ficcaglia voted against the agreement.
"From everything I know about endangered plants and animals, you can't
move them. You could forklift an acre with (rare) orchids out of the
ground and move it, and they would still die," Ficcaglia said. "I can
hear so many developers using the same mantra. It really upsets me."
Emissions from the landfill of arsenic, chromium and zinc "are higher
now than they were in the 1990s," said John Stokes, who negotiated the
agreement with Stafford officials.
Commissioner Edward Lloyd, an environmental lawyer, argued that
leachate from the landfill is not so much of a threat that it's worth
the damage to rare species habitat.
But Commissioner Robert McIntosh -- the federal representative on the
panel who tends to support strict adherence to Pinelands rules -- said
he decided closing the landfill is right. Other old dumps can release
pollution surges if any buried waste containers give way, he noted.
Stafford Mayor Carl W. Block said it will take another month or two
for all the government agencies involved to approve the deal. Then, he
said, the township and developer The Walters Group can begin detailed
planning.
Preliminary plans have shown up to 672 homes on the site, in a mix of
single-family and townhouse configurations and 112 low-to-moderate
income apartments, with 650,000 square feet of commercial buildings.
Walters would pay the $31 million landfill closing costs in exchange
for being able to redevelop all that on the Stafford Business Park,
where just 12 out of 60 lots have been sold over the years. Most of
those are occupied by township and county facilities that would be
relocated as part of the plan.
It also includes capturing and relocating northern pine snakes, which
are known to nest in two locations on the site and forage through its
pine woods.
Block said he understands the concern of environmental groups.
"But from a practical standpoint, I don't see how else you can do it,
having earth-movers and graders moving around out there, unless you do
something with the snakes," he said.
Environmental activists were glum after the vote.
"It's the biggest setback to the Pinelands in 10 years," said Jeff
Tittel state director for the Sierra Club. "And developers are going
to try to use this."
Kirk Moore: (732) 557-5728
Copyright 2006 Asbury Park Press.
