As if we dont have enough environmental and systemic problems down here in the lane on River Rd. in the quiet little rural hamlet of Johnsonville, NY., town of Pittstown.
http://www.freewebs.com/erthma/no2mininginjville.htmAs you can see in the pic to the left, there is a hydroelectric facility in our neighborhood on our Hoosic River that has been in constant operation for the last 90 years. Just to the right along the banks of the pic is our little dead end River Rd with about a dozen families situated there. I believe you can see one of our neighbors houses, shown as a white blur, in the pic, in the lower right hand corner. Midway down along this road, to the right, there is a three acre illegal junkyard with a history of complaints going back to the mid 1980s. Looking aross the river, on the other side just across from the junkyard, you can see trails of debree streaming down the embankment where people have been dumping garbage and stuff down the sides of the banks for years. Back across the river onto our side again, Just to the right of our River Rd., within 75' of the road, is the old B&M rails that are still running only now are owned by Pan Am Railway. This rail system has also been in operation for over a hundred years. Just to the right of the tracks, less than 75', is State Rt. 67. Directly across on the other side of St. Rt 67 is the forested hillside mountain top wherein lays Ryan Gross Rd., which is where our town fathers continue with and propose to expand their highway sand and gravel mining operations. Although these mines have been in operation long before the concept of "Smart Growth & Planning" was established, that is no reason to allow them to continue or expand them. Now since communities have "wisened up" to the need for actual smart growth and development,
particularly in rural communities, Town Fathers should realize the mistakes or folly of our past practices in view of our current situations and take measures to correct them. You dont have to be an Einstein to know that sand and gravel mining operations have NO PLACE in community environments, let alone one that is striving to IMPROVE the eco-diversity and PRESERVE their rural heritage IN HARMONY with nature!
NOW is the time to END the mining operations in Johnsonville, NY, and to preserve and protect the Hoosic River and our natural spaces down here while we can. It is time for the Pittstown Fathers to take notice of the CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL AREA that we have for ourselves down here on River Rd.
What a Beautiful place it COULD be, with a little help from our "town hall friends."
Just say NO to mining operations in Johnsonville, NY and YES to a CEA Designation.
Thank you!
