|
Boa 47 Pn 449
<br />SEP 141991
<br />Those of us concerned about the environmental aspects of building
<br />in the wetlands agreed in conversation with several of you that the
<br />loss in wetland habitat incurred by uie roadbed could be offset by
<br />Alitigation features incorporated into the design of the project.
<br />And, aside f.rcm the concerns about po°-sible flooding; in the country
<br />,.lub point subdivision, you slid not <-ar any oppos icion to this
<br />project from environmentalists. la retrospect, iool;ing at the
<br />ct . design now be.rore u:,, and noting the frantic maneuvering
<br />)i some of the adjacent landovners , 1 think we erred in not oppos-
<br />ing this project from the outsct.
<br />This emergency access jU.Stitication has now come under serious
<br />question. The time clained to be saved by this roar, ranges f ron
<br />2-5 minutes. From what I have been Gble to learn, of all the � in-
<br />ergency trips to the hospital in the past several years, no lilt e
<br />has been lost because of the distance or time in transit to the
<br />hospital. Of course, there -;r% oD.,i3ys Com— a first time, but.,
<br />tar, we have seen no statirc:icC }ex ed 1,ythe hospital Board,
<br />the dd�etors, or the anbulanc _' i lint show _flat the t iiia b:iL c ct
<br />could have indeed prevented any deaths that occurred after the
<br />emergency runs. 1 have oitcr. hear,i that the real emergency pot It) .
<br />4.s not that of getting tho lmtient to the- hospital, but that o:
<br />setting the ambulance squad to the patient.. Indere ci, just this
<br />last June the Ambulance Squ;:(i .it,u:': ht:fore ttae County Cor:,.miss;
<br />chat an advanced cardiac '_ij .' sup ort sy te= and a tram of pnr.• -
<br />m6dics would increase the nii• 'L-er of lives saved in this coiinty :,',•
<br />160., If I were a taxin-yer resident with ea heart cond tion
<br />would be more interested in having; the county finance a parane+ i.c
<br />program costing under $100,OeO before I would insist th-y Lai lr'
<br />multi-million dollar road that mmight save a few minutes drivi.ni-
<br />time after the ambulance sru�-d izas already rea,ihc?d rte.
<br />This claim of emergency need is no shall Natter. On rale -, c•'
<br />the DERIs biological ass,� ssment or -,,ears this statement: `Regul<n c.
<br />agencies have been giving special c:cnsider4tion to this project:
<br />because of ; the expressed need to: provide quick emergency service
<br />to the hospital and the lack of alternate routes." This state! -is
<br />:suggests to me that if there is no basis of fact for this eoci r n
<br />reed, then no special consir.c-ration by the re.-ulatory ugencio:
<br />-justified. Concerning th.- lack c alternate : at tc s p I lcrarn : i
<br />yesterday that the ambulance sc?uj4 has alreac:y beer. using; an
<br />tprnate route that avoids S. 1, a- , cuts several :minutes <lis
<br />the beach -hospital trip.
<br />Well, if the emergency need and lac t of altori-� ate route art; :
<br />c?on't Bold water, then what (:)bier justification is there for hu i,
<br />road in the welands.
<br />Let us now address some of the environmental aspects of Cie , r,
<br />jeet. One of our greatest concerns about this project was thc-
<br />impacts on developing of the nearby wetlands. un July 17, 197
<br />shortly after a vis -it with the DE.It, Commissioner Lyons reportek..
<br />the Board "I feel that there is -a good chance that the DER will
<br />vc.t vavorably, if we also preface our application with an, statem n
<br />that no other roads will be connecte!. to this section of indiar.
<br />.River Boulevard without prior approval of :he DEER." I have rici
<br />been able to find this preface in the application. The fn,_ -t t
<br />the only roads that can be guilt in the wetlands must firs': hav
<br />DER approval anyway, way : t: plain this.
<br />During the past several months we h.avo been dismayed b; all iii,
<br />activity being pursued by lando-�.rners setting; up tl-teir domin)s i,.
<br />the wetlands. Land has been purchased along tlac right of '.,;-a1. : u
<br />establish nice fat prices, and one owner has bought a ncrro.i r
<br />strip of land across the right of tray to establish :prior acco:::.
<br />This landowner and others have inch c,at0d that t ileV Week: Stam C
<br />^aunty if this project cause,'. .,iny -_estori-Aticln cJ natural iTii-_e -,
<br />' I ow or drainage on their I— u;; . r .y _
<br />- v -� M
<br />30
<br />I
<br />
|