How do I feel now that NP&P will soon be in operation in our neighborhood?

by   Isabell Hashem

DECEIVED, DISGUSTED, AND APPREHENSIVE!

DECEIVED: Betrayed and mislead by the very people that have vowed to “protect the health, safety  and welfare of the community and to protect the character of the neighborhood”. By allowing the extensive variances to NP&P, our Town Boards have violated and nullified the purpose of the Town Code concerning this type of construction.

DISGUSTED: We had no prior knowledge that NP&P planned to build a plant in West Endicott until the residents on the south side of Maple St. received a letter and a small sign was posted on the fence of the old EJ building with notification of a Public Hearing concerning a permit for an aquifer. Other sites requiring a Public Hearing have afforded a large, easily seen white sign announcing the Hearing. Where was ours? Where was the advanced publicity? Something of this magnitude is usually preceded by a newspaper article. Was the Silence on purpose–I wonder!

APPREHENSIVE: The CEO of NP&P has stated that his company never has accidents and has one of the safest manufacturing plants in NY, however, his company was recently cited for 16 violations of workplace health and safety standards. One violation was linked to a fatal accident. l Also after the initial extensive variances were granted NP&P came back twice with requests for more variances and also realized that more money was needed for equipment. If NP&P is such a safe and experienced company, why wasn’t this anticipated and requested in the original plans–lack of knowledge, poor planning? Doesn’t inspire confidence in me that this is a safe and experienced company. Does all this make me apprehensive–absolutely! Here we are dealing with harmful plastic material (PVC) of which one main ingredients is chlorine, storage of harmful chemicals to be mixed with PVC to make it usable, outdoor storage of pipes which will challenge any kid ready to accept a dare and unprotected ponds also an attraction to a child.

Will we have contamination from leaks or spills, fire with the release of chlorine gas and dioxins, injures, death? It only takes one small mistake to create a catastrophe. It happens–they’re called accidents.

Whatever happened to common sense of both the Town of Union Boards and the officials of NP&P that an industry such as this has been allowed to be constructed in a highly populated area with no regard for the safety and welfare of the residents. This company will provide no advantageous to the community The sole purpose is the expansion of NP&P so that it can increase its production of a harmful PVC product.

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