Wait, they are doing it because it is the right thing to do?

The July 5 Town of Wappinger Planning Board had only one item on the agenda - a Public Hearing for the Proposed Upgrades to the Chelsea Ridge Wastewater Treatment Plant. Basically the owner of the complex would like to build in redundancy by adding tanks and pumps -- and in the process, make it easier for the people servicing the plant to do their work -- by having a better work area and the ability to take tanks/pumps off-line to service them. The board's/town professionals' concerns about tree canopy, removal of trees (none) etc. were all addressed. The current plant was constructed in 2009 and most plants have a life-span of 20 to 30 years. This upgrade will hopefully provide another 20 years of useful life to the system. The board in both the public hearing and the workshop held prior to the public hearing seemed puzzled as to why the applicant would be making investments to upgrade infrastructure without being compelled to do so by a notice of violation from the health department or DEC. The question was asked several times as in "is it really a unicorn standing in front of me?" The implication that investments in infrastructure are only made when there is a mess to clean up is a bit disheartening -- and as was helpfully pointed out by the professionals supporting the planning board - three of the town's facilities are currently in violation of DEC standards (meaning that the town should be making investments to upgrade facilities so that the town's systems are not polluting our groundwater/water resources and that the technology exists to do so).

The board voted to direct the Town Planner to write a letter of approval on the condition that the DEC and County Board of Health (which may defer to the State Department of Conservation) provide their approval. This will enable the owner to begin the process of procuring the equipment and contracts necessary to begin this upgrade. The Board will provide a final vote in an upcoming meeting.