You are here

Did Developers At Harpers Ferry Ignore NEPA?

Share

    Last year I recounted a story about developers who allegedly dug utility trenches across a portion of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park without obtaining the necessary permission from the National Park Service.
    Well, the U.S. attorney's office in West Virginia continues to investigate that matter. And now the Friends of Harper's Ferry National Historical Park is asking the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether any National Environmental Policy Act violations were committed in connection with the project to develop a 3,000-3,500-home subdivision on land that not only carries a rural zoning designation but which is surrounded on three sides by the park. The Shenandoah River comprises the fourth side.
    Why the concern over a project on private land? Well, for starters the land in question has historical significance as part of a key Civil War battle. It's so significant that the friends group believes the land should be annexed by the park. Then there's the simple aesthetic question of whether a national park should be wrapped around a "mini-city."

    What's so historically significant about the property in question? In September 1862 it was the southern part of the Union Army's line of defense for the siege of Harper's Ferry. On September 15th of that year Confederate General A.P. Hill flanked the Union troops at night and ended the siege in what's said to have represented the largest surrender of American forces on U.S. soil up until that point.
    “It was a very critical part of telling the story not only of the Civil War but a key part of American history,” says Scot Faulkner, president of the friends group.
   No doubt, this issue directly involves private property rights, and those who stringently interpret those rights no doubt will say this development shouldn't be an issue at all, that the developers are well within their rights to do whatever they want with the land, as long as it's within the law.
    Fair enough. But really, can't we as a society manage to find a bit of restraint in where and how we make the almighty dollar? Haven't we reached that level of consciousness? I would imagine that the developers could negotiate a deal with the friends group that would allow the park to acquire the land. Of course, they likely could make more money by developing the land.
    So where do things stand? Well, while the U.S. attorney's office in West Virginia continues to study the possible trespass on the historical park by the company that dug the trench for the utilities, the friends group believes the attorney also should consider possible NEPA infractions.
    In a letter sent to the EPA's Region III office earlier this week, Faulkner cited a number of possible violations:
    * The possibility that sewer lines were improperly constructed from the proposed Sheridan subdivision to the "Old Standard" sewer plant;
    * Possible violations tied not only to NEPA but also the Endangered Species Act as permits for the project were issued before any surveys were conducted for the endangered Madison Cave Isopod;
    * Possible NEPA violations tied to the issuance of permits by the Maryland Department of the Environment for the diversion of 1.2 million gallons of water daily from the Shenandoah River "to an aluminum plant in Maryland and the placing of an industrial barge and pumping station in the Shenandoah River near Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. No public notice or hearings were held in West Virginia because it was deemed a Maryland project;"
    * Possible NEPA violations relating to certification and inspection of "the voluntary remediation of contaminated soil in the Old Standard Quarry. In this case, the federal government projected the remediation would cost $2 million, but state officials deemed the remediation adequate when less than $24,000 was spent. A contractor for Old Standard, LLC, who is also a business partner of the Old Standard owners, conducted the only on-site inspection. No independent inspection, and no one from the WVDEP (West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection), ever inspected the remediated site."

    How timely is the EPA's review of this allegations? Extremely.
    “The developers have proceeded to lay their sewer and water lines from the Perry Orchard down to the proposed site for the sewer plant," Faulkner tells me. "And according to the rumor mill, they are hoping to construct and complete the sewer plant by June of '07, which means the whole system could be operational over the summer of '07.”

Comments

The Developers who bought the Hill Top Hotel in Harpers Ferry back in 2007 have allowed the property to deteriorate and partially collapse this winter 2010. The large pile of debris just sits there potentially leeching Lead and asbestos into the soil and water or air. This property sits right in the middle of the National park and Town property and is a stones throw from the community day care facillity.The mayor was notified in the last council meeting about the potential health risk and basic steps that should be taken to clean up and close up a huge open to wildlfe hole in the structure. I think this is a problem


The proposed Hill Top Hotel project in Harpers Ferry will basically clear cut and become a ridge top removal of approximately 6 acres,some of it town property if the private investment firm gets approval to re-zone 17-19 residential properties in the middle of the town and the park. The impact to the enviroment,town and park infrastructure will be huge,not to mention the impact on the wildlife and plants that call it home. The park needs to take a close look at this. I am on the town planning commission and water board and would like to discuss the mounting issues with the park.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.