Veolia Corporation has decided to erect a large sewerage treatment plant within feet of our homes. FEET!
With no opportunity for public comment, they are quietly attempting to purchase Almond Branch Church land which not only abuts our backyards, but houses the Agape Day Care Center!
Veolia has already begun marking mature trees lining our yards for demolition and has presented glossy plans to the town planning board. The Birch Hill Community has not been included in these meetings.
Well after this major threat to the quality of our lives and property values was underway, we received registered letters from CP Engineering on Oct. 13, 2022, in which we were allotted a hurried 15 calendar day deadline to address written comments to the DEP.
All the while, Veolia had been seeking exemptions which would allow them to ignore our protections - such as the fact that we are located in an area known to have a high water table, provides no adequate spatial buffer for noise, odors, traffic, air pollution or unnecessary exposure to contaminants and which houses a day care center!
Our pleas and letters to halt this nightmare have gone unanswered. Logical arguments offering other very viable solutions for remediation of the current plant or use of nearby available industrial land have been summarily dismissed.
We have worked hard all our lives to purchase homes and provide comfortable and safe living conditions for our families. It is wrong to impose a biological waste facility so close to our homes in order to suit the wishes of a major corporation.
Will common sense prevail?
Veolia seems not to care about us or the 87+ taxpayers who have already signed a petition to stop this ill-advised plan.
Will our town council and governing bodies care enough to protect innocent West Milford taxpayers and their children?
Jacqueline McGraw and the Concerned Residents of Birch Hill
West Milford