Sludge and rights
If this unknown mixture of pollutants was within a mile of Joyce Eastons preciuos "Forest Lakes" with any chance of contaminating her water and air she would be singing a different tune!!!WE know that sludge has made many of us sick, ruined our quality of life and property. Why is it that the 1 farmer spreading sludge doesn't spread it around where he lives(which is next to Forest Lakes)? Maybe he should take it from our neighboorhood to his residence so he and more of this township could experience what we have, including Joyce Easton???
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The debate is still going on about this Ordinance. The ACRE bill which Corbette is using to challenge East Brunswick and now Packer Township, at OUR TAXPAYERS DOLLAR MAY I ADD,has been explained to us by Senator Waugh that it does not change our authority to pass Ordinances that protect the Health, Safety and Welfare of our citizens.
The Attorneys who drafted this Ordinance will defend it at their expense. WE THE PEOPLE have a RIGHT to say NO to this sickening practice. 1 person out of 6000 is not what I call a "Majority Rule" and the last time I looked I was in the USA where the Majority Ruled and we all had Equal Rights!!!. Not in a Country where an out of state corporation and one farmer have more rights than the citizens that are affected by their actions.
It is apparent that Joyce Easton has not educated herself like we have about Sewage Sludge. The scientists say that there could be as many as 100,000 pollutants and when the Treatment plants themselves test for only 9 heavy metals and 2 pathogens out of 100,000 once a month or so, that does not QUARENTEE that WE THE PEOPLE are safe.
It is time for the residents of Shrewsbury to stand up and ask for a VOTE of "YES" on this Ordinance to protect all of us!!Bad laws are bad laws and history has proven that actions like this IS what gets laws changed. Come Sept. 3 to Shrewsbury Township Bldg. 8PM and voice your opinions and take a stand. It could happen to your neighboorhood any day. THE TIME HAS COME!!! Take the time to show up.
Susan Fox
Shrewsbury
I have personally been educating the public and fighting the spreading of sludge on farmlands,in pet foods,in flower and garden mixes,in Harrisburg's flower gardens,on public lawns,shopping centers and parks, to mention a few! Many people came before me including Rachel Carson.
Sludge--to use or not to use--has nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with greed and how the corporate world can cheaply rid themselves of toxic waste while polluting the world around them. DEP and the EPA are not being paid for by the people to protect us. They are setting limits as to HOW MUCH pollunts industry can dump in any form on the public in our water,air and land. Until the EPA and DEP become independant of government elected officials,we will have these battles.
We,the people,can point our fingars all we want to but the blame really does stop with us. We as voters,people with much control as to our buying power, have done very little and fizzle out quickly just giving up.
Sludge is about human rights. The right to good food and a clean environment. If the majority do not soon speak up and DEMAND these rights and choose people not by their party but their principals, we will loose very right we were given by people who refused to be silenced!
Sandy C. Smith
Pennsylvania Environmental Network