EASTON, Pa. — City environmental officials voted Monday to oppose a 1 million-square-foot warehouse project straddling the boundary with Wilson.
Members of the city’s Environmental Advisory Council voted unanimously to send the city planning commission a letter opposing the Easton Commerce Park.
Developers have proposed turning 1525 Wood Ave., formerly the site of the Pfizer Pigments plant, into a commerce park.
The project is slated to go before planners today, Wednesday, May 7, following several postponements over the past few months.
“I want to urge that we find another use for this property that is more economically and environmentally beneficial for Wilson, Easton, Palmer and the Lehigh Valley as a whole.”Easton Environmental Action Council Chairman Nick Gorski
“Where my head is at is that we oppose the project as currently proposed,” EAC Chairman Nick Gorski said. “We endorse any and all environmental remediation efforts that clean up earlier pollution at that site.
“I want to urge that we find another use for this property that is more economically and environmentally beneficial for Wilson, Easton, Palmer and the Lehigh Valley as a whole.”
Issues cited by the EAC included impacts to nearby wetlands and permits through the state Department of Environmental Protection that may yet be outstanding.
Opposition to the project has been loud, including from members of the Stop the Wood Ave Warehouse, as well as the Easton Area School Board, which last week approved a resolution detailing its opposition to the project.
The project in September was approved by Wilson Borough Council. On Monday, developers pitched their need for tax abatement for the project to Wilson Area School Board.
Youth Climate Summit, bike workshop
Also during the meeting, Kathryn A. Semmens, science director at the Nurture Nature Center, spoke about the successes of the center’s recent Youth Climate Summit.
“They left with a significant increase in feeling empowered and like they could take action and do things. So, that's a win in my book.”Kathryn A. Semmens, science director at the Nurture Nature Center,
In its sixth year, about 100 students participated over the two-day event, she said.
“We did get some survey results back from the youth already, and it looks like a lot of them came in understanding climate change and knowing climate change, but feeling kind of down about what to do about it,” Semmens said.
“And they left with a significant increase in feeling empowered and like they could take action and do things. So that's a win in my book.”
The Nurture Nature Center, in collaboration with Community Bike Works, also will hold a bike workshop from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 7 at Hugh Moore Park.
“It's a biking workshop, but we're going to connect how biking helps with climate action and sustainability,” Semmens said.
“So we'll be talking about that, but then they'll also be kind of the practical, hands-on like how to inflate your tire and take care of your bike and try out a bike and that sort of thing.”
