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On April 6, 2010, as part of a settlement agreement with a local citizen group, Community Activist Against Rail Road Transgressions (CAARRT), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a public hearing to accept comments on a proposed Final Report on the excavation of the former Lancaster Brickyard.

On May 5, 2010, DEP wrote to ARM Group, the consulting firm that submitted the Final Report on behalf of Franklin and Marshall College rejecting the report. DEP is requiring ARM Group to submit an amended report that addresses numerous issues raised by CAARRT and members of the public at the April 6 hearing.

During the excavation, 25 drums containing hazardous waste were discovered. DEP, although it did not respond when it was notified of the finding, is now requesting additional information on the drums. The $46 million project is utilizing $32 million in tax dollars. CAARRT has been critical of the use of tax money for this project when there is a viable party responsible for the waste. The identity of the owner of the drums containing hazardous waste may enable taxpayers to recover some of the costs of the cleanup.

Specifically, DEP is requiring submission of a plain language summary section. The Pennsylvania legislature when it enacted the cleanup standards law in 1996 included a provision requiring cleanup reports to include a plain language summary section to enhance public understanding. This is the first time DEP has enforced that requirement.

DEP is also requiring the project partners to discuss inspections by DEP during the excavation that revealed 180 overweight trucks containing excavated material left the site.

The project partners previously claimed in a draft report to PennDOT that a Phase One Bog Turtle Survey had been performed. However, as best we can tell, only a search of a state database of known sitings of threatened or endangered species was performed. DEP is requesting the project partners reveal whether bog turtles were identified.

Finally, the state cleanup law required a public involvement plan. CAARRT has criticized the plan as inadequate. DEP is now requiring the project partners to discuss how that public involvement plan was implemented during the cleanup.

Although most of the waste has now been removed from the site, the groundwater is contaminated. CAARRT believes the project partners should not be released from liability for further cleanup of the groundwater.

A Better Location

12 Reasons CAARRT’s alternative location is a better choice

First and Foremost, the alternative location WILL accomplish all of the Principal’s Goals and Objectives, except for 1 lacrosse field, which can be easily relocated in the remaining green space.

Secondly, the alternative location WILL keep 12 additional acres of taxable property on the city tax roles.

Thirdly, tax monies WILL be saved by reducing by 1/3 the amount of acreage that will need to be remediated due to 100+ years of railroad usage.

Fourth, the alternative location will allow for more time and thoughtful consideration to be given to the remediation of the old Municipal Dump. How will the dust created by removing many cubic yards of soil potentially contaminated with asbestos be controlled? How and who will be responsible for cleanup and monitoring outside of the work site for dust that settles throughout the neighborhoods. What potential health risks will be involved? This remediation can not just be rushed thru.

Fifth, Norfolk Southern saves the unnecessary expense of having to build a private access bridge over the Harrisburg Pike in order to access the disconnected piece of the rail yard. This also saves the public the inconvenience caused by this unnecessary construction on the busy Harrisburg Pike.

Sixth, the alternative location will give Norfolk Southern the ability to stage one long train of empty cars for the return to Enola on the “fly” rather than waste the extra fuel and create the extra diesel emissions to build the empty train at time of departure from multiple smaller segments.

Seventh, the alternative location DOES NOT move yard engine activities to the stretch of track that runs immediately behind and within 50 feet of homes bordering the tracks in the Barrcrest and Gentry Heights neighborhoods. This activity will be necessary to efficiently service the proposed site and to build the “empty” train from the western end of the proposed site.

Eighth, the alternative location DOES NOT add to the current blockages of Farmingdale and Good roads while the “empty” trains are being built. Additionally, a long train of 1 mile plus will cause blockage on Rohrerstown Road if the train is built from multiple segments working from the western end of the proposed location.

Ninth, the alternative location remains in a more suitable, long-standing industrial area. The proposed location will move industrial noise within close proximity and line of sight Long’s Park’s Summer Concert Series, there by diminishing one of the finest and free cultural activities in the Lancaster County area. Additionally, the proposed site will be directly adjacent to the proposed Crossing at Conestoga shopping center, which is being billed as a unique, upscale, outdoor, city-like atmosphere to draw people to the area from outside regions. It is not hard to image that the proposed rail yard will have a detrimental effect on the success of this proposed up-scale center.

Tenth, the alternative location will remain being serviced by a full-time, professional fire department, with prior experience dealing with HazMat events on the current rail yard. In the proposed location, these responsibilities will be shifted to capable, but burdened, volunteer fire companies.

Eleventh, the alternative location keeps Rt.30 farther, and thus less likely, to be shut down in the face of a larger HazMat issue or fire than has been previously experienced in the current yard to date. Small scale accidents have been happening. No one can say that a larger incident is NOT possible. The proposed location has the Rt. 30/Harrisburg Pike interchange within a ½ mile impact radius and a much larger stretch of Rt. 30 in a 1 mile impact radius. The traffic chaos that would be created on either side of a larger-scale incident in the proposed yard would unnecessarily create additional dangers in the event of an emergency.

And Lastly, the alternative location, while achieving ALL of the Principal’s Goals and Objectives, does not place long-standing, pleasant, tax-generating, residential neighborhoods in danger of decay. To endanger these neighborhoods DOES NOT enhance the project in any way. It is an unnecessary loss of wealth for the area as property values fall due to the change in character of the neighborhoods.

TRRAAC's name has been turned around! We are now CAARRT!

CAARRT, formerly known as TRRAAC, is not affiliated with and has no connection to TRAC, The Railroad Associates Corporation.

The Rail Road Action & Advisory Committee

CAARRT is in agreement with the project to improve and revitalize the northwest section of the city. We do, however, feel the project and all of its proposed benefits can also be achieved with a modified plan, one that would not negatively impact long existing residential neighborhoods. We ask all to support our efforts to move this project forward in a way that everyone benefits and not in a way that harms some in order to benefit others. It simply is not necessary to place our neigborhoods, residents, and properties in jeopardy.

A better solution exists that allows everyone to WIN!

See the 12 reasons below why we feel a better location exists.

Please speak out with us so that our community leaders hold all of our interests in equal consideration. Let's ask our leaders to exhaust all possible alternatives and share publicly their positions, in detail, as to why alternatives may or may not be viable.