2/1 Six Flags/KDC Solar Planning Board hearing update

Close to 100 people packed the Planning Board hearing room last Monday and dozens had signed up to make a statement.

There was further testimony on Storm Water Management and roughly 20 Jackson Residents got a chance to speak before the Board adjourned and scheduled the final hearing for Monday, February 22 at 7:30pm.

There were many compelling and moving statements from Jackson residents against this project.  Here are a few that Asbury Park Press had featured in an article:

Here is an excerpt from an article about the hearing from NJ.com.

Also, check out this excellent OpEd from Janet Tauro, Chair of the Clean Water Action NJ in Asbury Park Press: Don’t pave paradise, use the parking lot.

Here are some highlights from the 2/1/16 hearing:

• Residents did NOT get to cross examine the witnesses, as promised by Chair Hudak. Instead, we got a single chance to make our own statements and ask questions at once, which threw many of us off. We are hoping that we’ll have another chance to cross-examine the expert witnesses at the next hearing.
• FLOODING. Geoffey Goll, hydrology expert witness of the objectors, presented alternative storm water calculations, with one scenario showing a 1200% runoff increase (i.e. flooding) after site clearing and construction. Chair Hudak responded to this testimony by saying that he is inclined to trust the Six Flags calculations more because their engineer has seen the site. This is despite both sides testifying that their calculations were made using the SAME SOIL MAPS and DATA, and were not based on site observations!
• A group of Bedminster, NJ residents had come down to our hearing in a show of support. The Bedminster group has been fighting a KDC project there for three years and they had this to say: “It was disheartening to see the way both the community and the [opposers’] legal team were treated” and “We feel sorry for you! It is obvious that your Board is not on your side”.
• Jackson resident and Coalition member publicly called out mayor’s appointee to the Economic Development Commission Joe Fiero (and the only person who spoke in favor of this project) for the slander and underhanded behavior in Social Media. Mr. Fiero has been a staunch advocate of this project, and has systematically misrepresented the facts of this case, including testimony of the opposers’ witnesses.
• Councilman and Planning Board member Ken Bressi screamed at the opposers and insisted that the project site was not in Pine Barrens. He was repeatedly corrected that the site IS absolutely, unquestionably, part of Pine Barrens ecologically, even if it’s not treated as such politically. This was covered EXTENSIVELY by expert witnesses from both sides in prior hearings. It’s also in the Environmental Impact Statement created by Six Flags/KDC Solar team.

A presentation on the Fire Risk highlighted the possibility of electrical fire that exists in EVERY electrical system, the special challenge that solar panels present in extinguishing fires, and the risk of a catastrophic fire that the proposed LOCATION creates (surrounded by woods, near water sources).

Presentation on Toxic Discharge Risk highlighted the disparity between RoHS-compliant panels that those that are not (e.g. maximum allowable threshold of 100 ppm of carcinogen cadmium in RoHS-compliant panels vs. 470,000 ppm in panels not RoHS-compliant) and the concerns about the panel manufacturers in Six Flags plan (Chinese, rated “Below Average” and below “Below Average” in 2015 Solar Panel Scorecard, NOT ROHS-compliant).

The next hearing of the Six Flags/KDC Solar application for the clearing of 70 acres of forest and construction of a solar power plant is on Monday, February 22 at 7:30pm at Jackson's Town Hall located at 95 West Veterans Highway.