Point/Counter Point concerning: The Delaware Farm Bureau's letter concerning the Allen Harim poultry plant at the old Vlasic pickle plant and spraying of effluent from slaughtering chickens on the land, written by Katherine Holtz March 29.
The Farm Bureau's letter states, "Allen Harim's commitment to the community and our state is substantial, and they should be encouraged to expand the facility in Delaware, and not be forced to invest in another state. The former Vlasic location is perfect for this proposal and Allen Harim is the perfect environmental community partner to develop this facility. Their stated wastewater solution is to eliminate any stream discharge leading to the Indian River. Delaware Farm Bureau strongly supports Allen Harim's proposal to convert the former Vlasic pickle plant in Millsboro into a facility for deboning poultry."
1. State environmental regulators found more than 90 violations at the Allen Harim site which dumped millions of gallons of polluted waste between 2012 and 2016. That waste brought high levels of pollutants such as ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria into Beaverdam Creek, a tributary of the Broadkill River, that flows into the town of Lewes. How can we give approval for them to do the same to the town of Millsboro and the Indian River? And you call this a commitment to the community?
2. The townspeople of Harbeson are up in arms about the odor, trash and problems Allen Harim has caused their community. Ride by there and look at the large signs notifying residents to call DNREC due to problems with Allen Harim.
3. The former Vlasic location is a contaminated site. Vlasic sent a letter to the State of Delaware stating that their land is contaminated and a plume of contamination is heading toward the people's wells in Possum Point and will most likely contaminate their drinking water. Oh, so this is a perfect location for them to spray more contamination on their property and add to the contamination that is already there?
4. So, they do not plan on any stream discharge leading to the Indian River. Don't they realize that any water sprayed on the fields that are in such close proximity to the Indian River will travel directly to the Indian River?
5. The Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration has cited Allen Harim for safety violations at their site.
Please read some of the comments made by readers of the Cape Gazette on the Farm Bureau's letter:
Excuse me Ms. Holtz, don't presume to know why I moved to Delaware or my motives in opposing Allen Harim's reckless disregard for clean water.
All Delawareans deserve clean water for drinking and recreation. If the Farm Bureau were not so focused on just promoting the farming industry (damn the consequences to the environment) perhaps 90+ percent of Delaware's waterways wouldn't be polluted today.
Well, that doesn't bode well for Delaware Farm Bureau, supporting a big polluter with total disregard for our state's environmental laws. How corrupt is Delaware - very they say!
I'm sure the 165 jobs are important to some families, but clean water is essential to all who live in Sussex County and also vital to tourism.
According to state data, tourism contributes $3.3 billion to the Delaware economy. In 2016, there were 9 million visitors to the State of Delaware. The Delaware tourism industry is the fourth- largest private employer in the state, accounting for 42,750 jobs. The tourism industry generated $504 million in tax revenue in Fiscal Year 2016. Without tourism, each Delaware household would pay an additional $1,434 in taxes.
The agriculture industry must clean up its act - anything that threatens water quality is an existential threat to the economy and quality of life in Sussex County.
I find this letter offensive. I have no issue with safe, environmentally sound/friendly enterprises.
The issue here has to do with safe wastewater disposal, not recent additions to Delaware. If you find yourself attacking people rather than addressing the issue, you don't have much of a case. Shame on you.
Allen Harim is not very good at due diligence review. The old Vlasic site will never meet their needs, nor will the plan to let Artesian dispose of the Harbeson site's wastewater. Neither can meet enviromental compliance. Had they continued to upgrade the Harbeson site to meet discharge requirements, Allen Harim would not find themselves in conflict at every turn.
So in closing I would like to mention, We the Citizens Of Possum Point, Millsboro formed Protect Our Indian River in opposition to Allen Harim's prior proposal.
We do not support the latest proposal to convert the former Vlasic pickle plant in Millsboro into a facility for deboning poultry. It is our understanding this proposal will further accelerate contamination leaving the site and headed to contaminate our wells; the contamination coming from the plant has already contaminated many of our homes' drinking water with nitrates above the safe drinking level. So, let them spray more contaminants on the land surrounding our homes and contaminate all the wells?
We Delawareans understand the burdens the poultry industry places on our state. We can no longer produce all the grain to feed the many chickens, so it must be imported. We also can't utilize all the manure produced, that has overloaded the fields with nitrate and phosphate. The excess manure must be exported with state assistance to the industry from your tax dollars.
We are not against the poultry farmers in the state; we appreciate their hard work and their endeavors to feed the world and abide by the laws. Our greater concern is with the poultry processors Allen Harim and Mountaire and their disregard for the rules and regulations surrounding discharges onto our lands and in our rivers and streams. How can we give approval for them to do the same to the town of Millsboro and the Indian River? Mountaire has already ruined the land in their area; for the people who reside in that area, their drinking water supply is at record contamination levels.
Please join your neighbors and Protect Our Indian River in opposition to Allen Harim's latest bad idea proposal to convert an existing plant to a deboning facility. Contact the Sussex County Board of Adjustment and your county council representative by calling 302-855-7743.
Remember, your neighborhood could be next!!
Jay Meyer
Protect Our Indian River
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