CITIZEN PETITION

Town of Goshen, Orange County, New York

Addressed to: The Town of Goshen Planning Board

We, the undersigned residents, neighbors, and concerned citizens of the greater Goshen and Orange County region, respectfully urge the Town of Goshen Planning Board to deny site plan approval for the proposed Superior Concrete manufacturing facility along Route 17A in the Town of Goshen, New York.

We believe this project poses unacceptable risks to the agricultural heritage of our region, the safety of our food supply, and the health of our community. Our concerns are outlined below.

1.  Threat to Orange County's Agricultural Community

Orange County is home to some of the most productive farmland in New York State. The farms adjacent to the proposed facility supply fresh produce to grocery stores throughout our region and beyond. Siting a heavy industrial concrete manufacturing plant directly beside active agricultural operations is incompatible with the farming community and threatens decades of agricultural investment.

•       Cement dust and alkaline particulates settle on crops, clog leaf surfaces, and block photosynthesis, directly reducing agricultural yields.

•       Runoff and leachate from concrete operations dramatically raise soil pH, making critical nutrients unavailable to crops and permanently degrading farmland.

•       The applicant's own Agricultural Data Statement, submitted to the Planning Board, acknowledges that nearby agricultural operations will be affected by this project.

2.  Food Safety and Heavy Metal Contamination

Concrete manufacturing facilities are well-documented sources of heavy metal contamination. Cement kiln dust and manufacturing byproducts contain chromium, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other toxic heavy metals. When these pollutants enter the soil and groundwater of adjacent farmland, they are absorbed into crops that then enter our regional food supply.

•       Heavy metals accumulate in soil over time and cannot be easily remediated — contamination is effectively permanent.

•       Produce grown on contaminated land and sold in area grocery stores exposes thousands of consumers — including children — to chronic heavy metal ingestion.

•       Chronic heavy metal exposure has been linked in peer-reviewed research to neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cognitive decline.

•       Children are disproportionately affected, as developing neurological systems are far more vulnerable to heavy metal toxicity.

3.  Air Quality and Respiratory Health

Concrete manufacturing generates significant quantities of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), silica dust, and cement dust. These airborne pollutants travel well beyond the property line and pose serious respiratory risks to nearby residents.

•       Fine particulate matter from cement operations is a recognized carcinogen and a major contributor to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular disease.

•       Crystalline silica dust — released during concrete production — is a known cause of silicosis, an irreversible and potentially fatal lung disease.

•       Elderly residents, children, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions face the greatest risk from long-term air quality degradation.

4.  Water Supply and Groundwater Contamination

Concrete operations produce highly alkaline wastewater and stormwater runoff laden with heavy metals, cement slurry, and chemical additives. Inadequate containment — even with stormwater controls in place — risks contaminating local groundwater, wells, streams, and aquifers that serve both agricultural and residential purposes.

•       A Well Testing Protocol was submitted as part of this application — acknowledging existing groundwater sensitivity in the area.

•       Private residential wells and irrigation wells serving nearby farms may be at risk of contamination from alkaline leachate and heavy metal runoff.

•       Contaminated groundwater used for crop irrigation would compound the food safety risks described above, creating a dual pathway for toxin entry into the food supply.

5.  Incompatibility with the Character of Goshen

Goshen has a documented history dating to 1714 and maintains a strong agricultural and rural identity. Heavy industrial manufacturing of this nature is fundamentally incompatible with the community's character, land use traditions, and long-term planning goals.

•       Industrial operations of this scale generate significant heavy truck traffic, noise, and vibration that degrade quality of life for nearby residents.

•       The facility would diminish property values for neighboring homeowners and agricultural landowners.

•       Approval would set a precedent for further industrial encroachment into one of Orange County's most productive agricultural corridors.

Our Demand

We respectfully but firmly call on the Town of Goshen Planning Board to:

•       Deny site plan approval for the Superior Concrete manufacturing facility on Route 17A.

•       Commission an independent environmental impact assessment specific to agricultural contamination and heavy metal risk before any further consideration of this application.

•       Hold public hearings and provide the community a meaningful opportunity to be heard prior to any decision.

•       Protect the farmland, food supply, air, and water that sustain our community.

The residents of this community trust the Planning Board to act as a steward of public health, environmental integrity, and the agricultural character that defines Orange County. We urge you to reject this application.

Submit Comments To:

Town of Goshen Planning Board

41 Webster Avenue, Goshen, NY 10924

Phone: (845) 294-6250

Email: [email protected]

Website: townofgoshenny.gov

This petition may be shared digitally. To add your name, please sign the online version or contact the petition organizer.