Warehouses
The massive build out and proposals for the onslaught of warehouses and distribution centers in the Delaware River Basin are jeopardizing many communities, watersheds, forests, agricultural lands and natural areas simultaneously. Below are just some of the warehouse threats underway that DRN and community groups are opposing. This is not a complete list. We are providing this summary along with some of the filings and links to help others fighting similar warehouse threats
DRN’s Youtube Channel with Warehouse Information and 3 webinars on how to fight warehouses can be viewed here.
River Pointe Logistics Center
Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County, PA
Lou Pektor’s River Pointe Logistics Center, LLC proposes to construct Phase I of the River Pointe Logistics Center project in Upper Mount Bethel Township, which includes the construction of roadway infrastructure, stormwater facilities, and three (3) industrial buildings totaling approximately 1.9 million square feet, with projected future buildings to be designed and permitted in subsequent phases (approx. 6 million SF total). The NPDES permit application would allow discharge of stormwater from construction activities at the site to: an unknown tributary to Delaware River (cold water fishery, migratory fish); an unknown tributary to Allegheny Creek (cold water fishery, migratory fish); other wetlands & Exceptional Value wetlands, and is subject to special protections under the Clean Water Act. The development, known as River Pointe Commerce Park, is actually three distinct projects comprising 13 warehouse-sized buildings taking up more than 6 million square feet — roughly the equivalent of 43 Costco stores. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, in a July 2022 letter to township planners, cast the project in sweeping terms, describing it as “the largest in the Lehigh Valley in decades and possibly ever” (Delaware Currents, Chris Mele, May 2023) and outlined major concerns about the project and the National Park Service (NPS) has also weighed in with major concerns to views and watershed threats to the Wild & Scenic corridor and nearby Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Today’s hearing focuses on the water permits before PADEP and sister agencies. For talking points and more information, please click here.
To view River Pointe's water applications on file at PADEP visit: https://bit.ly/RiverPointeWaterApp
BP Point Breeze Warehouse Proposal,
West Passyunk Philadelkphia, PA
Schuylkill River
The applicant, Jim Marshall (jmarshall@bridgeindustrial.com; 267-346-0556) – BP Point Breeze, LLC, has requested a Department of the Army permit, pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) for a proposed warehouse project located along the Schuylkill River at 6310 West Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The proposed project if approved, would include constructing a 487,590 square foot modern cross-dock warehouse with 95 trailer parking positions, 244 auto parking spaces, surface and underground stormwater control measures, and permittee responsible wetland mitigation.
Maxatawny Warehouse Project – Duke Reality/Prologis
Berks County, PA
Maxatawny Township
Saucony Creek Watershed
3 million sq. ft. warehouse/5 buildings
Mostly Ag land - warehouse complex would encroach along Saucony Creek and Wetlands
Local Contact: Maxatawny Community Coalition organizing locally to oppose the warehouse
The proposed Maxatawny logistics park would consist of 3 million square feet of institutional quality logistics real estate designed to accommodate local, regional and national warehouse, distribution, ecommerce and light manufacturing users. The project would create a 5 building logistics park to include a new road network, auto and tractor trailer parking spaces, tractor trailer loading and unloading yards and associated stormwater management, landscaping, and lighting. New infrastructure for public water, public sewer, electric and gas would be developed to provide the project site and surrounding area with service connections.
Update: As of December, 2022 there are five warehouse plans before Maxatawny township. Maxatawny Community Coalition has engaged in a court battle with Maxatawny township and Duke Relty/Prologis preparing for arguments in the Commonwealth Court in mid- December. The Township is also being sued by one of the warehouse developers.
National Land Developers, LLC Warehouse
Pike County, PA
Milford Township, PA
Sawkill Creek Watershed - EV
Mostly forested land - warehouse complex would impact Exceptional Value watershed
Local Contact: Friends of the Milford Aquifer organizing locally to oppose warehouse
National Land Developers, LLC and LVL Engineers have proposed to build a 450,000 square foot warehouse facility in Milford Township, Pike County, PA at the intersection of I-84 and Route 6.
What are the concerns?
- The warehouse is 2,800 feet from the Milford Springs Aquifer, which is the sole drinking water source for much of the local region. The site is largely mature forest with some gravel area on site.
- The warehouse would bring in 250 to 375 truck trips daily.
- 450,000 square feet equals 10.33 acres or roughly 279,000 gallons of rain per inch that will go directly into the groundwater.
- The stormwater plans are based on 450,000 square feet, which is the total of the warehouse distribution center (400,000 square feet) and an office and employee area (50,000 square feet) combined. However, the proposal requests 50% impervious surface coverage on 22 acres which equals 958,320 square feet or
- This also does not account for driveways, employee parking, or proposed truck loading docks (58 15’x75’ spaces) additional truck parking (33 trailer or 66 reserved parking spaces) or highway expansions and high-volume entrance including Steele Lane for total impervious surfaces.
- The proposal involves capping an isolated pond on the property, however this pond is identified as a waterbody in the National
- East of the construction area is the Exceptional Value (EV) Sawkill Creek. This portion of the creek is also part of a 27.97-acre Delaware Highlands Conservancy conservation easement.
- There are wetlands on the site that are in the floodplain of the Sawkill Creek and therefore should be considered EV wetlands.
- Stormwater discharge would flow through EV wetlands and the EV Sawkill Creek from natural land contours.
- Any stormwater reaching the Sawkill would flow downstream through 95 acres of federal land owned by the US Forest Service.
Update: The Milford Township Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission have voted to unanimously deny the applicant’s request for a variance on parking configuration in late 2022. The first conditional use hearing was held as a hybrid meeting in late 2022. Milford Water Authority, Friends of Milford Aquifer, and nearby landowners requested and have gained party status for the hearing. Continuance of the Conditional use hearing has been postponed by the applicant multiple times with a rescheduled hearing set for the evening of Feb 28, 2023.
Rte 115 Associates/Ashwal Properties LLC Warehouse
Monroe County, PA
Tunkhannock Township, PA
Keiper Run Watershed - EV
Mostly forested land - warehouse complex would impact Exceptional Value watershed
Local Contact: Tobyhanna Creek/Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Association, local Fishing Club
Ashwal Properties is proposing to construct a new warehouse on property located off of SR115, Long Pond. The Property also contains Tax Parcel Identification No. : 20630300718353 and Tax Code No.: 2011 1/1/36. The Property is currently owned by Ashwal Properties, LLC. The plans depict a 237 acre parcel. Included within the parcel, Associates proposes the construction of a 949,453 sq. ft. warehousing facility. The proposed height of the building is 58'±. In connection with operations on the Property, 487 constructed and 286 reserve off-street parking stalls are proposed. Access to and from the proposed building will be off of SR 115.
Update: The local nearby fishing club obtained legal representation by Pennfuture attorneys to proceed in the local landuse conditional use hearings and questioning. Settlement negotiations are underway as of February 2023 to reduce impacts of the planned warehouse. DRN and local watershed group has installed DIY Mayfly sensors to monitor water quality conditions.
In a Tunkhannock Board of Supervisors Meeting, there was no discussion about the sewage module or warehouse. Possible future discussion may happen next meeting, June 14th, 2023, 7pm.
Delaware Riverkeeper Network submitted a letter regarding this warehouse on May 9th.
Rte. 115 Moyer/Pippiani Warehouse
Monroe County, PA
Tunkhannock Township, PA
Mud Run Watershed - EV
Mostly forested land - warehouse complex would impact Exceptional Value watershed
Local Contact: Tobyhanna Creek/Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Association
The warehouse complex would consist of a 600,000 sq. ft. warehouse with 587 parking spaces, a 150,000 sq. ft. warehouse with 148 parking spaces, a donut shop, a pharmacy, two fast food restaurants, a gas station, and a truck stop with hundreds of additional parking spaces on a 100 acre site that is mostly forested.
The site is forested (scrub shrub) with unique acidic bogs and would impact an EV watershed – Mud Run. This is a highly inappropriate land use for this environmentally sensitive site. The property is just upstream of one of the few glacial lakes in Monroe County (accessible public lands owned by Bethlehem Water Authority) and the surrounding ecosystem of bogs is known as glacial till barrens habitat.
Update: An extension and public hearing was requested by DRN and allies regarding the PADEP NPDES Construction Stormwater Discharge Permit for this project before PADEP (Application No. PAD450168). DEP granted the request and will be announcing a hearing date and the record will be open 15 additional days after the hearing.
- April 24, 2023 PADEP Public Hearing Talking Points
- April 24, 2023 PADEP Public Hearing Background Sheet
Pocono Mountains Corporate Center North Warehouse
Monroe County, PA
Coolbaugh Township, PA
Duckpuddle Run- EV
Mostly forested land - warehouse complex would impact Exceptional Value watershed
Local Contact: checking if this is on opw radar as of 2/7?
Project Site Address: South Side of the Intersection of Route 611 and Laurel Drive, bounded on the west by an existing railroad bed and along the east by Duckpuddle Run.
Construction of 333,000 Square Foot warehouse building with parking facilities, utility connections, sanitary force main, and stormwater management facilities. The site is currently undeveloped with predominant forest cover and listed as 24.3 acres of earth disturbance in the PADEP NPDES public notice dated Feb 3, 2023.
Orchard BJK Company, LLC 925 Berkshire Blvd, Wyomissing PA 19610
Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Penn Future submitted comments regarding NPDES permit (PAD450158)
WATER PROGRAMS
NPDES PUBLIC NOTICE
Application for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit for Discharges of Stormwater Associated with Construction Activities.
Northeast Region: Waterways & Wetlands Program, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701-1915, 570-826-2511.
Contact: Pamela R. Kania, P.E., Waterways and Wetlands Program Manager.
This notice is provided in accordance with 25 Pa. Code Chapter 92a and 40 CFR Part 122, implementing The Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. §§ 691.1—691.1001) and the Federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.A. §§ 1251—1376).
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has received an application for an Individual NPDES Permit from the applicant named as follows to authorize discharges of stormwater associated with construction activities from the project site named as follows to surface waters of the Commonwealth. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has made a tentative decision to issue an Individual NPDES Permit to the applicant previously named. Interested persons may submit written comments to DEP at the previously listed address for DEP's consideration in taking a final action on the permit application. You may also review the permit application file by contacting DEP's File Review Coordinator at 570.826.2511.
Applicant: Orchard BJK Company, LLC
Applicant Address: 925 Berkshire Boulevard, Wyomissing, PA 19610
Application Number: PAD450158
Project Site Name: Pocono Mountains Corporate Center North Warehouse
Project Site Address: South Side of the Intersection of Route 611 and Laurel Drive, bounded on the west by an existing railroad bed and along the east by Duckpuddle Run.
Municipality/County: Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County
Total Earth Disturbance Area: 24.3 acres
Surface Waters Receiving Stormwater Discharges: EV Wetlands to Duckpuddle Run (EV/HQ-CWF, MF). The discharges will be conveyed from the site's stormwater best management practices by proposed rock lined swales or overland flow to the surface water.
Proposed Effluent Limitations: The draft permit requires implementation of an Erosion and Sediment Control (E&S) Plan and a Post-Construction Stormwater Management (PCSM) Plan and compliance with Federal technology-based effluent standards at 40 CFR Part 450.
Rate or Frequency of Discharge: Stormwater discharges during and following earth disturbance activities are precipitation-induced and will vary depending on factors such as the area of impervious surfaces, the size and placement of best management practices (BMPs) and the intensity of precipitation.
Special Conditions: N/A (no project-specific special conditions are proposed).
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 23-153. Filed for public inspection February 3, 2023, 9:00 a.m.]
