Testimony heard on construction of cargo airport in East Union Township

Jan. 06--Two civil engineering and environmental consultants presented their testimony on the special exception application for the construction of a cargo airport in East Union Township during a two-hour hearing Thursday with the Schuylkill County Zoning Hearing Board.

Gladstone Partners LP, Pittsburgh, originally applied for the special exception to the county Planning and Zoning Office on June 9, 2009, for permits to develop the land in East Union and Kline townships, Schuykill County, and Hazle Township, Luzerne County. The proposed airport stretches 4,500 acres in the three townships with 13,000-foot runways.

Many residents in northern Schuylkill County and the Hazleton area have opposed the proposal, arguing that the airport would bring too much growth to an area that does not have the infrastructure to support it. Others have argued that it will bring thousands of high-paying jobs to the region.

Being called on as expert witnesses were David Walasavage, a professional engineer with ARRO Consulting Inc., Reading, and Thomas Yashinsky, vice president of the consulting firm with experience in land development planning.

Both said the proposed plans submitted for the application did not contain any studies on the environmental and traffic impacts of the proposed airport.

Along with stating that the surrounding infrastructure is not adequate to support the plans submitted for approval, Walasavage said it doesn't consider potential issues with on-site water and sewage.

Also, Walasavage said the proposed runways interfere with the airspace over Route 81. He said they needed to be moved westward, but they would then fall outside the property boundaries.

Attorney Frederick J. Fanelli, representing Gladstone during the hearings, pointed out that the county zoning ordinance states the board "may" conduct those studies, but does not require it.

"Considering the regional impact of this project, I think the level of detail in the application is quite frankly very poor," Yashinsky said. "I believe the level of detail for a project such as this should provide enough detail for the board to be able to determine whether the effects will be adverse to the area and I believe that has yet to be shown in the application presented."

Robert S. Sensky, a lawyer representing Service Electric Cable Vision which would share the industrial park Humboldt Industrial Park with the proposed airport, said the company has yet to receive any reports on the impacts of their service signals as well.

Due to time constraints, two more witnesses where unable to make their scheduled testimony, but will be heard next time the county Zoning Hearing Board reconvenes at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2.

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