It’s Getting Hot In Here

By AMY BRISSON abrisson@delcotimes.com

CHESTER — A handful of members from the Chester Energy Justice Network and a small group of students from Swarthmore College hosted an informational meeting about soil contamination at the planned soccer stadium site and the cleanup process Thursday night. “Just following through with the cleanup, that’s what we’re pushing,” said Desire Grover, a community activist and founder of the GhettoPrint Web site.

The meeting was Part 3 of a series of programs hosted by Energy Justice and the Delco Alliance for Environmental Justice to draw attention and educate residents about air, water quality, public health and the environment. It will be followed by a demonstration Saturday, in which members will carry signs urging developers and officials to “Clean It Up” while handing out information packets to nearby residents. The planned $115 million stadium development on the Chester waterfront will be built on what the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has designated a soil-contaminated “brownfield” site.

Different portions of the project will be located on three adjacent parcels of land, each with different levels of contamination. The portion intended for mixed-use commercial development, between Palmer and Jeffrey streets, will need the most work, according to DEP officials. It lies directly on the site of the former Chem Clear Inc., a hazardous and nonhazardous wastewater treatment plant that operated from 1977-1989. It’s also been the site for various industrial uses since the mid-1800s. Developers must propose a cleanup plan and have it approved by the DEP before they can move forward with parts of the construction. Although the presentation given by Swarthmore students focused heavily on the former Wade Dump site, where illegal toxic dumping led to a fatal 1978 fire, no part of the stadium development is planned for that site.

Now a parking lot, the former Wade site has undergone DEP-approved remediation and will not be the focus of any new work. Still, the presenters said the fire underscores the potential harm caused by illegal dumping along the waterfront, and should motivate residents to stay vigilant throughout the cleanup process. Chester High School teacher Delores Wright, one of the only residents to attend Thursday night’s meeting, said she was trying to hear all sides of the issue. “I just think in general, as citizens, that we need to be more aware of our environment,” she said. “And I think, as a teacher, I need to be aware of what’s happening.” Grover said the nonpartisan alliance is advocating for transparency, but does not oppose the stadium, although much of the night’s discussion focused on drawbacks to the development and disenfranchisement of residents.

Saturday’s demonstration will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the YWCA, Seventh and Sproul streets, Chester. The group will then proceed to the planned development site along the waterfront, and walk through nearby neighborhoods. Grover said the demonstration will be a kickoff to a larger program of activities, including possibly a DEP call-in campaign and appearances at city and county councils.

DELCO TIMES ORIGINAL POST: http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2009/03/27/news/doc49cc5858b77ae163438584.txt