Jefferson County Foundation continues to stand up for the protection of the ground and surface water resources in Jefferson County and the surrounding region. We’re pushing forward this week on several permitting issues related to Rockwool. If you want to help support our legal efforts, please consider making a fully tax deductible donation: http://bit.ly/33yxyKc
Appeal of the DEP Order Filed
On April 1, 2020, Jefferson County Foundation filed an Appeal with the Environmental Quality Board of the DEP Order that is allowing the City of Charles Town to construct the super sewer to Rockwool without a Construction Stormwater General Permit registration. The City started work on the super sewer to Rockwool 17 days after they submitted the application for this registration. This application required review by the DEP and a 30-day public comment period, which the City clearly did not intend to wait for. The Foundation filed several complaints of this work without a permit. Instead of requiring the City to stop work until the permitting process was complete, the DEP gave an Order allowing the City to continue to work without a permit. This Order allows them to work under void permit conditions, and self regulate. Despite multiple complaints to the DEP, Snyder Environmental, under the supervision of the City, continues to fail to meet even the minimum standards. Read the appeal: https://bit.ly/3awAr2F
Make a difference – Submit a public comment on Charles Town’s Construction Stormwater General Permit Registration application
This permit is woefully insufficient to protect the ground and surface water of Jefferson County and beyond from contamination now and into the future. Please go to the Make a Difference page and send a public comment on the registration application to the DEP. Go here: http://bit.ly/30n6UV3
Submission of the Ranson Petition
Jefferson County Foundation supported the citizens group that submitted the petition to decrease the corporate limits of Ranson by removing the pipe stem annexation of Tackley Mills and Jefferson Orchards. This petition will trigger a vote in Ranson in which all registered voters can vote. If a majority of voters want this land to move back to the County, then it will go back to the County. This will give the people who live in the county right around this land a say in the development and oversight of this sensitive land right next to their house. This will also prevent Ranson citizens from paying for services to an industrial area out in the county. We hope the county will better represent the wishes of the people and lead the development of this land in a responsible direction.
EQB Hearing Date is Set
The Environmental Quality Board has set a hearing date for Jefferson County Foundation’s appeal of Rockwool Construction Stormwater General Permit. The hearing has been set for July 9 and 10.
Millville Quarry Update
Following complaints from Jefferson County Foundation to the DEP about Millville’s discharge to the Shenandoah River, a DEP inspector performed an inspection on March 11. Millville had 20 days to resolve the violations as set out in the inspection report. On repeat evaluation by the same inspector this week, Millville had improved some of the issues but had not resolved them all, including removing the limestone sludge form the stream bed tributary of the Shenandoah. They have been given until Monday to resolve the violations. We will be monitoring.