Neighborhood opposition is building against O&G Industries relocating its rock crushing and asphalt operation to Howard Avenue in the West End. A Facebook page “No To O&G” has been launched.
Madeline Dennis, who hosts the Bridgeport In The Know website, is among the coalition of neighborhood residents from the South End, West End and Black Rock leading opposition. Forces are trying to rally O&G opposition to the May 11 zoning hearing regarding the company’s non-compliance of its current Seaview Avenue location. From an opposition flyer:
Such a move would endanger children, cause incessant noise, be an eyesore, cover homes and cars with grit, reduce property values, and discourage economic development.
We as a community cannot allow this to happen!
Join us in protest!There will be a Zoning Board Public Hearing Wed. May 11 at 6 pm at Bridgeport City Hall on Lyon Terrace to discuss the violations at the current Seaview Ave. O&G location. There will be a Bridgeport Zoning Public Hearing sometime in June on a date to be determined where the community will be able to speak out on the issue of moving the location to Howard Avenue.
Meanwhile you can join the Facebook group NO To O&G to get the latest information:
HEALTH ISSUES:
► Crushing, loading, hauling or dumping of pulverized concrete and asphalt releases toxic dust into the air.
► Cement dust irritates eyes, nose, throat and the upper respiratory system.
► Children living in the vicinity of similar plants show much higher risks of asthma.
► The tiny particles can lodge in the lungs and lead to serious, sometimes fatal illnesses, including cancer.
► Crushing asphalt releases hazardous creosote & coal tar sealants sprayed on asphalt to preserve it.
► Children and the elderly are most susceptible to these toxins.QUALITY OF LIFE:
► Crushing concrete and asphalt produces loud noise that will be heard throughout the area,including Seaside Park and Captain’s Cove.
► Increased truck traffic will add to noise and congestion.
► Runoff pollution during storms will spill into waterways and endanger fish.ECONOMIC IMPACT:
► Unsightly piles of material & health hazards will discourage new development, such as housing.
► The area will become less attractive to new and existing businesses.
► Property values will plummet.
O&G doesn’t give a shit.
Was at a meeting with the Black Rock NRZ yesterday attended by some other people from South End and East Side. We are a really pissed-off group. We are really ready to fight O&G. If anyone wants to get involved, PLEASE DO SO. What O&G is doing is virtually criminal. It’s very similar to the lead in water disaster in Flint, Michigan. We are ready to shove these piles of cement up land-use attorney Rizio’s a##.
This was in the Conn. Post:
Ganim takes issue with O&G debris
By Michael P. Mayko
Updated 7:37 pm, Friday, April 22, 2016
Now this is the best Mayor Ganim can say or do? Give me a break, then we have State Rep. Steve Stafstrom who recently sent a letter to O&G about its plans, and that’s the best he can do?
I’ve said this before on OIB and I’ll repeat it again, follow the money, how much has O&G donated to Ganim, Stafstrom or our two City Council members’ election campaigns?
The O&G operations in Bridgeport complement the tax-negative, tax base devaluing, Bridgeport-concentrated regional power-generation/power-supply infrastructure in the suppression of the grand-list/tax-revenue growth that is the sine qua non of any hope of a Bridgeport renaissance.
It is absurd to have operations such as this in Bridgeport if we are to make even a pretense at creating an environment for the type of grand list and job growth required for municipal economic viability.
We need to impose surcharges on the operations of the aforementioned entities such that we are fully compensated for all aspects of their negative economic, environmental, and public health impacts on our city and its people. In this manner, we can fairly level pressure on them to relocate as we exact monetary compensation for the negative effects of their presence. Send them all packing, Mr. Mayor!
From the flyer:
Unsightly piles of material and health hazards will discourage new development, such as housing.
The biggest thing at that end of Howard Ave discouraging new development, such as housing is PT Barnum housing project. If you want to rail against something that is a tax-negative, tax-base-devaluing aspect of BPT you should start with that.
That area is already relatively industrial. It does not seem to be a big deal. O&G already has an asphalt plant near there. You have Wheelabrator, Enviro Express, MJ Metal along with any number of abandoned or vacant warehouses and the old HCC building. Even across Cedar Creek is a helicopter pad, the police horse stables and some kind of quarry.
All this trapped south of the railroad tracks and I95.
Here, look for yourself:
www .google.com/maps/@41.1629271,-73.205022,882m/data=!3m1!1e3
Bring forth Ye Carbon Tax!
BOE, would you like this in your backyard? I DON’T THINK SO. THIS specific cement recycling plant does not belong in an urban location UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. As far as zoning goes, the present Seaview plant is zoned as HEAVY INDUSTRIAL and the Howard Avenue area is zoned as LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. You seem to be more comfortable with adding toxic poisonous polluters and to continue to dump in/on Bridgeport than most other residents of Bridgeport.
AND, I am not a big fan of discussing issues with anonymous profiles.
What’s also south of I-95 and the railroad tracks is a section of Bridgeport called Black Rock.
Then do not talk and just listen.
What would you BE a big fan of having in your back yard from over there? As you said, it is zoned light industrial and not residential.
The way I see it you have two choices. The cement plant or nothing. Do you need the money or not? Finally, a commercial business coming to/expanding in town with no tax abatement and you seek to chase it off.
As far as the ‘toxic, poisonous (a little repetitive) polluters,’ does O&G have a free pass from DEEP? This is all regulated and controlled. Give me a break.
The same thing that’s in your back yard.
Keep fighting! YOU CAN DO THIS! O&G has been a blight, hazard and detriment to economic activity on our neighborhoods for far too long.
I love it, Lennie put the topic in a nutshell:
Neighbors: Crush O&G’s Stones
We traveled a road similar to this one with the Solar Panels on land of the extremely contaminated Seaside landfill. To reduce leaking of dangerous gases, a 1 foot deep cap of mud covered the landfill. In order to install fences safely and by code, one must dig 42 inches for the post to be considered securely attached and avoid problems caused by frost. The first thing they did was install the fence.
As for O&G, they should be called OG for Original Gangsters or change their name to OIEG for Original Industrial&Environmental Gangsters.
Frank, BOE is an example of the suburbanites who like Bridgeport as it is because suits their purposes. They make stupid arguments to maintain the status quo. That should convince us we need to redouble our efforts to reassert our regional political dominance and reshape Bridgeport into the prosperous, powerful, dominant, regional political power it should be. Then all the bad things BOE and his ilk want to keep in Bridgeport will be sent to the towns where their owners/executives live, next door to BOE and all the other regressive, ridiculous BOE’s who still live in the 19th Century.
Okay Kohut, it is this easy. No one is standing in line to move to CT much less for BPT. This is a ‘take what you can get’ time.
You talk about reshaping Bridgeport into a prosperous, powerful, dominant, regional political power, then you elect Ganim? How is that working out for you? Did you hear about the upcoming tax hike? It appears as if you like high taxes because you are also supporting Bernie. He said outright his Democratic Socialism means all taxes will go to 30%. If either of us were living in the 19th century it would be the one of us who thinks BPT can pick and choose what businesses come to town.
I am sure O&G can close the BPT concrete plant and make up the difference from one of the plants in Beacon Falls, Southbury, Danbury, Stamford or Wilton. I mean, Wilton has a concrete plant if BPT is too good to have one.
Please O&G, come to my town. We have plenty of empty lots that would make a beautiful concrete plant and we can use the money and our taxes are lower than BPT’s.
Yes, please go to your town.
BOE, there was recently a rally in Bridgeport with many local groups seeking environmental justice in the poor neighborhoods of Bridgeport. Environmental racism is a nationwide issue and affects the many Black Rock residents who live in the PT Barnum Apartments. Here is a link all about the issue and the recent rally:
capitalismvsclimate.org/2016/04/70-people-rally-for-environmental-justice-in-bridgeport/
What concrete facility in which town were they fighting against? Beacon Falls, Southbury, Danbury, Stamford, or Wilton?
Also, all the present pollution happened when BPT was a wealthy and a less racially diverse city. Either they did not know or were not required to be less polluting. We currently have relatively strict laws covering environmental hazards.
Ron, I believe Steve Stafstrom, Katie Bukovsky and Scott Burns are all opposed to moving this polluting plant to Hancock Avenue.–Madeline Dennis
Key words, “I believe.” Now that’s good of you that you believe, but what are they doing?
We’re working on that. But you are absolutely right, Ron Mackey.
Ron, I have contacted Stafstrom, Bukovsky and Burns and they tell me unequivocally they all are opposed to moving the plant to Hancock Avenue, as is Ganim.
Okay, I believe they told you that, so why hasn’t anyone read or heard this in the media? Did they address the question of O&G giving them any donations or giving them any type of favor?
Ron–Stafstrom, Bukovsky and Burns are working with all the Black Rock and Seaside Village groups that are opposed to this project. Don’t worry, you’ll hear lots more when it gets closer to the June public hearing.
Just found out O&G was fined $8 MILLION in OSHA FINES in 2010. This is not a good-neighbor company.
Politicians don’t care about O&G’s being fined, they just want their donations for their campaign. These politicians are tiptoeing around taking a strong and firm stand against O&G, not one has made a strong statement against O&G, not one. They are not saying anything or trying to take action against O&G because they have given O&G some kind of assurance they will look after their interest and they don’t want O&G to turn on them. Follow the money.
*** All the NRZ’s in the South End, West End, West Side and the West Side/West End Business Assoc. along with the residents need to sound off big time on this unhealthy plan by O&G. ***
This situation with O&G presents an opportunity to make plans for the creation of significant waterfront-proximal acreage for high-end development in the city. The O&G Seaview Avenue parcel, which leads into the Steel Point, Pleasure Beach, and the future Port Jefferson Ferry dock area, once cleared, would provide a significant parcel for redevelopment. Now is the time to free up and integrate that acreage into the East Side/East End renaissance plan. It would make an ideal location for the first of several advanced manufacturing facilities in that former manufacturing area. Such a plant would be the start of a worker customer base for the future retail, dining, and recreational offerings of the area, and together with other potential intra-city and out-of-town visitors (Pleasure Beach visitors, Ferry users, et al.) could anchor new East Side development. Truly, clearing that acreage is essential for any East Side/East End renaissance. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SEAVIEW AVENUE RECYCLING OPERATION/WASTE STORAGE SITE IS A TAX BASE DEVLAUING HEALTH HAZARD THAT IS COSTING THE CITY MUCH MORE TO HOST THAN IT IS PAYING IN TAXES, EVEN AS IT DISCOURAGES THE CREATION OF NEW TAX-BASE IN THAT AREA. IT IS A HUGE LIABILITY TO THE CITY, WHICH MUST BE TOTALLY REMOVED, ASAP.
The South End parcel, to which O&G wants to relocate the recycling operation, should be used in the creation of advanced manufacturing sites as part of the redevelopment of that manufacturing area. This type of development could, as with the Seaview Avenue development, provide job opportunities for local residents even as it provides a customer base for dining, retail, and entertainment. The proximity of UB and Housatonic would facilitate the creation and expansion of advanced manufacturing in that neighborhood. (This of course would make much more economic sense than turning the area into a sewage-recycling staging area for the suburbs, or for use for more fuel cells/natural-gas conveyance infrastructure, or for more unsightly solar-panel arrays.)
O&G is all about the dark side of Bridgeport’s past. It is time for them to relocate to Shelton, or Wilton, or Stratford, or Westport, or any of the other suburban towns that would allegedly welcome their filthy, unsightly operations (that being another stupid assertion from a truly clueless, anonymous OIB blogger).
Wilton already has a concrete facility. Westport has a sewage recycling plant, Stratford has the airport (you can tell BPT owns it from all the derelict buildings). Shelton has any number of industries. Jeff, you act like BPT is the only town with this kind of industry. Have you ever been out of town?
Why do you assume local residents will get the jobs at the advanced manufacturing plant and not the power plant, fuel cell or solar plant? Advanced manufacturing plants don’t have many employees. How is the advanced manufacturing plant going to be any less unsightly or polluting than BPT’s current industry?
Do you have a signed contract from an advanced manufacturer in your pocket because O&G is ready to build today. Trump has plans to bring advanced manufacturing back to the US when he wins the election but that may take a little while. Can BPT wait 2-3 years? Even if O&G takes the South Eend parcel, there are plenty to go around. One thing BPT is not short of is empty lots. The solar field at Seaside was a bad deal but not a bad idea. BPT should not assume liability for the site.
BTW, the fuel cell plant in about as advanced as you get.
They could easily accept much more.
Yes they could Ron, but the idea is to build UP BPT, not empty it to neighboring towns. Possibly you do not understand the problem. BPT needs ~$550 million and has 16 square miles (10,240 acres or 81,920 building lots) to do that. If every foot was buildable (no roads, parks, ponds, etc.) and taxable (no schools, courts, churches, etc), each lot would need to produce $6,714 in taxes or be valued at $227K ($6714/.04228/0.7). We know half of BPT is already tax-free land, so that number jumps to ~$450K. Jeff’s vision is a good one but BPT does not need all that. It needs to aim at producing the revenue it needs to function. To do that it needs to aim at ~$450K per building lot. If you can get something out of tax-free land (the solar site), that would be a big help.
It would also be useful to ‘pawn’ some of the $550 million off onto someone else. One thing BPT could do is charge neighboring towns more than it costs to treat their sewage or their garbage. There is nothing wrong with providing a service. When you go to a deli to get an egg sandwich, the deli owner charges you more for the sandwich than it costs him. He lives quite happily with that arrangement.
Would you and Jeff be happier if it were an ADVANCED concrete manufacturing plant? If it would settle your nerves we can tack “advanced” onto the name of any future BPT development.
When your town has drug rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters, hospitals, and waste disposal plants then maybe and only maybe we could talk about it.
Do you mean things like Hall-Brooke in Westport, Greenwich Hospital, Inspirica CT Women’s Shelter in Greenwich, Silver Hills in New Canaan? Yeah Ron, BPT is the only town with these facilities. Mike Drop and walks off stage.
No, all of them in just one town.
Okay, first off these are towns and not cities. Secondly, the shelters and such in BPT service, mostly, BPT residents. Even North Ave prison is full of, mostly, BPT residents. As BPT is the most populous city in CT you could expect service providers in/near BPT to serve more BPT residents than any other single town/city. Despite your belief this is just one of many sinister Republican plots, BPT Democrats built these facilities for BPT. So what is you point?
But Greenwich Hospital, Inspirica CT Women’s Shelter in Greenwich, Metro North coal-fired power plant in Greenwich (currently closed), I believe The Greenwich sewer treatment plant is on River Road up the Mianis River. Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility Greenwich.
Come on Ron. You can cry the blues and keep thinking BPT is put upon but it is not true. BPT built more than it can afford to maintain or if BPT could afford to maintain these facilities ‘way back when,’ they can’t now. Either way, now you have to fix it because the state can’t afford BPT either. So, do you want the concrete advanced manufacturing plant and the money that comes with it or not? If you turn down the money you have to make up the difference in property tax. Either they pay it or you do.
How about this? If BPT can’t or doesn’t want to pay for these facilities and no one else can or wants to, close them.
That’s what scared people do, they give all these bullshit suggestions because nobody has to respect anything they say because they have no pride in their comments or any type of pride.
What cracks me up here is none of you made a peep about this plant, which has been there for years until they decided to move so basically because it’s coming to your zip code it’s now a problem? So basically you don’t give a shit about the people where the plant is now just as long as it doesn’t come to your backyard. Hypocrites!