Date: 2/7/2023
Dear Harford County Council,
The Gunpowder Riverkeeper submits this letter to the Council in support of County Executive’s Cassilly’s proposed legislation that would place a moratorium on warehouse development in order to study and evaluate mega-warehouse and distribution facilities’ potential impacts on our community, economy, and natural environment. Riverkeeper supports the proposed six month moratorium but would also support a longer pause if necessary.
The Gunpowder and Bush River watersheds are important ecosystems for Harford County and the negative public health and environmental impact of these warehouse projects and associated high levels of impervious surfaces within these watersheds is well documented. Riverkeeper and its supporters are intimately involved and aware of the impacts of these projects on water quality and the quality of life of surrounding communities. Gunpowder Riverkeeper has been involved in successfully challenging the flawed state and county permitting of the Abingdon Business Park mega warehouse for years and still has a matter before the Harford County Circuit Court. This project has been challenged by a coalition of community and environmental groups and is emblematic of the negative impacts of these types of projects that the County Executive wants to evaluate. This project removes greenspace and increases air and water pollution to the adjacent communities and Title I schools. The community has already documented significant water pollution impacts caused by the clearing associated with this project.
The Abingdon Business Park mega warehouse project is just one of many similar existing or proposed projects in the County and demonstrates the cumulative negative impacts that stem from these types of developments. Continued proliferation of these mega-warehouses in Harford County will increase stormwater runoff by adding millions of square feet of impervious surfaces to the sensitive watersheds and may impact the County’s ability to meet the goals and requirements of its MS4 permit. Riverkeeper is not opposed to development, it just needs to be the right development or redevelopment in the right place, projects like Abingdon Business Park that clear cut and destroy hundreds of acres of functioning forested wetland ecosystem for a speculative warehouse project lacks common sense and is flawed decision making on almost every level.
We have provided a list below of relevant materials that we suggest the Council and County Executive review as this proposed legislation develops:
Gunpowder Riverkeeper and its members support this proposed legislation and urge the County Council to pass legislation that will achieve the County Executive’s goals. Gunpowder Riverkeeper also offers its support and expertise to the County Council and Executive and is happy to discuss and provide information regarding the environmental and water quality impacts of these projects on the Gunpowder and Bush River watersheds and their communities.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at gunpowderriverkeeper@gmail.com or 410-967-3526
Sincerely,
Theaux Le Gardeur
Executive Director
Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER
Patrick DeArmey
Staff Attorney
Chesapeake Legal Alliance patrick@chesapeakelegal.org