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Wednesday, February 02, 2000 Page: 12A
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to Marylynn Supkowski’s let
ter concerning American Asphalt workers (Jan. 20) and clear up a couple of
misconceptions.
Thirty years ago my husband and I chose to settle in Jackson Township and
raise our children. Because my husband passed Fieldcrest on his way to work
every day and thought that the area was beautiful and serene, we were the 12th
family to build a home in this development. There are now 45 homes here with
an additional 45 homes to be built in the connecting Rolling Meadows
development.
At the time my husband built our home we were aware of American Asphalt. We
had investigated the area and school district prior to buying our lot, but we
were not concerned with the mining because it did not affect us at that time
nor did we ever think it would. Thirty years ago we were two miles away from
their main quarry.
Today they are mining illegally on the Theta tract that is zoned
agricultural, one-third mile from Fieldcrest. They have been doing this for
several years and will continue to do so until they are stopped.
The company destroys the land and puts nothing back. For the past 22 years
Jackson Township has been in and out of court with American Asphalt for
various zoning violations.
American Asphalt’s Philadelphia lawyers have put the current case into
continuance which gives them time to continue mining. The company has admitted
that they have been mining illegally for years and has requested that the
township supervisors rezone the tract to a mining zone.
There has been testimony and evidence presented, both in court and at the
Jan. 13 hearing, by many township residents on the damages they have sustained
to their homes and wells due to the heavy blasts that American Asphalt makes.
When charges are set off, the ground shakes from one end of Fieldcrest to the
other. Throughout many areas of the township, the blasts have caused ceilings,
walls and foundations to crack; well water to turn black or run dry.
The people living around American Asphalt are not the only ones affected.
The heavy blasts can be felt as far away as Mountain Road where windows rattle
and the ground shakes when the charges are set off. Our property values are
diminished due to American Asphalt mining. Over 500 taxpaying residents of
Jackson Township signed a petition submitted at the hearing, requesting the
township supervisors to keep the tract zoned agricultural. We are not blowing
this way out of proportion.
I feel it is time to end the illegal mining and deny American Asphalt’s
request for rezoning. The fate of Jackson Township is now in the hands of
supervisors Jay Wilkes, Andrew Kasko and Mike Lando.
Susan Adams
Shavertown