Dear Friend, BP Point Breeze, LLC is currently proposing to demolish a fuel storage facility and build a warehouse. The company is applying for a stormwater discharge permit to build its proposed warehouse at 6310 Passyunk Avenue and Clean Air Council has serious concerns about the movement of pollution at the site. The known carcinogen benzene has been found at the site and could be disturbed during the demolition of the fuel storage facility and the construction of the warehouse. The site is directly adjacent to the Schuylkill River and large portions of it are located in the 100-year flood plain, creating a significant flood risk. Clean Air Council believes that as large legacy industrial sites are redeveloped in the lower Schuylkill region, significant efforts must be made to address long-term flood risk and current land contamination. In addition to contamination and flooding concerns, the proposed warehouse would disturb an exceptional value wetland home to a threatened turtle species. It is not appropriate to construct a new warehouse at this site for several reasons. Alarmingly, estimated rainfall statistics used in this permit proposal significantly underestimate actual precipitation seen in Philadelphia in the last 10 years. The permit application also claims that surrounding residents were notified of this proposal and their concerns were addressed, but provides no evidence of either. It is also extremely concerning that the proposed redevelopment will take place while the site is still going through the land cleanup process. Please tell the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to reject this stormwater discharge application.  | |
Joseph Otis Minott, Esq.
Executive Director and Chief Counsel | |
