Environmental Hearing Planned for First Building in Pennsylvania's Slate Belt Industrial Park
One of 15 buildings in a proposed Slate Belt industrial park is scheduled to undergo a hearing before the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The DEP will host the online public hearing at 6 p.m. Feb. 2 to accept comments on a permit application by New Demi Road LLC, reported LeHigh Valley News.
Plans for the Easton, Pennsylvania, industrial park include 6 million square feet of commercial and industrial buildings. According to LeHigh Valley News, the park has been marketed as the largest planned industrial park on the eastern seaboard.
The hearing is for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit related to construction of a 420,000 square-foot building at 303 Demi Road, which has faced opposition from township residents. The NPDES permit regulates storm water discharge from construction activities to nearby waterways.
Developer Lou Pektor is the owner of both New Demi Road and River Pointe Logistics Center LLC. No development plans have been submitted to the DEP for the larger River Pointe development yet. Representatives from DEP’s Waterways and Wetlands Program, the Northampton County Conservation District, New Demi Road and River Pointe Logistics Center will attend the hearing.
So far, eight public comments were received during a 30-day public comment period last summer regarding the permit application, reported LeHigh Valley News. Testimony from the public will be accepted at the Feb. 2 hearing and the DEP will accept written comments until 4 p.m. on Feb. 16.
Those interested in registering for the online public hearing can contact DEP Northeast Regional Office Community Relations Coordinator Colleen Connolly at 570-826-2035 or [email protected]. The registration period for the hearing will end at 6 p.m. Feb. 1.