Month: May 2019

Look at the Didcot Power station incident, and the Sheraton in Bal Harbour, Florida (47)

(47th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Gadfly:

Just a couple of things . . . Conventional demolition isn’t any less safe than explosives demolition. The facts don’t bear that out one bit. In fact, the opposite is true. You can look at the number of accidents from explosives demolition v. conventional demolition and the number of man-hours worked. There’s been at least 8 or so workers in the past year that have been killed while preparing a building for implosion, just look at the Didcot Power station incident, for example. Heck, when they imploded the Sheraton in Bal Harbour, Florida, the owner of the company’s daughter was several thousand feet from the structure and still got hit in the head by a chunk of flying debris. It almost killed her. I think she said she got something like 60 stitches.

With a conventional approach to demolition, water can be used at the source to palliate the dust, and any workers exposed to what little if any dust that is left are required by OSHA to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The problem is that he [the demolition company rep] reads from a script. He can’t deviate from that script. 99% of the time he’s never challenged on it. Which brings up another Red Flag. On a project of this size, why didn’t one of the firm’s principal attend these meetings? I guess they need the plausible deniability that they get from sending a contract employee.

George Lopez

“Windows and doors closed, tape up, and fingers and toes crossed” (46)

(46th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Dr. Nalyn Marcus has operated Marcus Family Chiropractic in Bethlehem since 1991, since 2007 on Eaton Ave., almost directly across the street from the front entrance to the Martin Tower site.

Gadfly:

I am glad I attended all three meetings. One at my office, the city hall stakeholders’ and the 6pm public one. While I continue to be grateful for the efforts to assist in minimizing dust infiltration to my office, I still believe there should have been an earlier offering of accessible information about the implosion. Preparedness and potential impact implication sooner than 10 days prior could have saved me much time, energy, and worry. Data to allay all our concerns should have been posted way in advance. I for one have had the upcoming implosion as my primary focus; for 8 weeks I’ve been calling various agencies, collecting bits and pieces of eye-opening info. And also many dead ends. Yesterday’s public information meetings finally helped clarify many of my concerns and questions, although some long-term health, air, and water assurances weren’t really made with a thunderous promise. The final phrase I heard was “well, it’s a done deal.” True. And now we must look to making smart choices for ourselves and our community as the professionals do all they can to make this implosion come out with the safest outcome possible. What can we do now? Stay involved if you have a concern. It takes a village, and we’ve all learned something from this. Our city government needs to keep hearing from us. Our voices and votes, not private sector dollars, should always be loudest and carry the most weight.

So, windows and doors closed, tape up, and fingers and toes crossed for an incident-free 5/19, and to quote Tiny Tim,

God bless us, everyone!

PS since I just learned our air quality is getting poor grades, what are we doing about that? How can we each individually make a positive impact? Let’s keep THAT conversation going.

Nalyn

The Gadfly is humbled by the straightforward native eloquence of his followers.

Concrete dust more caustic than Drano (45)

(45th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Gadfly:

Dr Cate Jenkins is the foremost expert on concrete dust. She retired from the EPA several years ago. Here is some good information on concrete dust. On page 38 they even have a picture of and made reference to implosions. Basically concrete dust is very caustic. It’s even more caustic that Drano. I can’t believe in light of all the current studies the Health Director would say concrete dust doesn’t present any problems. There’s 33,000 cases of cancer caused by the dust from the WTC collapse. Many of them form a one-time exposure to the dust. Here’s some interesting info on the subject.
http://www.journalof911studies.com/volume/200704/DrJenkinsRequestsSenateInvestigationOnWTCdust.pdf

George Lopez

Agreeing wholeheartedly with Breena’s “Observations” (44)

(44th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Peter Crownfield is officially retired but spends most of his time working with students in his role as internship coordinator for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley.

Gadfly:

I was unable to be at the meeting last night, but I agree wholeheartedly with these points [Breena Holland’s “Observations”]. It’s reassuring that the city is no longer boosting this as a spectator event.

The study from the European Journal of Scientific Research [cited by Gadfly a couple of days ago: “An Evaluation of Buildings Destruction Technique and Its Menace”] makes clear that it is much easier to control the dust from slow demolition and that deconstruction is much better from an environmental and public health point of view — even if these processes produce the same amount of dust, which is questionable at best. And, as Breena noted, residents don’t have the benefit of protective gear that workers would have. And the cost could even be LOWER than the combined total of the implosion, the public safety services, the immediate cleanup, plus the cost of removal of hundreds of tons of dust & debris.

I haven’t heard or seen any indication that the city or the contractor has considered the long term impacts of silica and other fine-particle pollution.

Based on my experience with street sweepers, they rarely use enough water to control the dust to which pedestrians are exposed — and will the contractor sweep (or pay for) all sidewalks & parking lots to be swept. How about dust that falls on people’s lawns & gardens? (Or the compost center, which Breena has mentioned before.)

Some studies have shown a fallout zone of 10km or even 20km. Have the citizens and municipalities within a 20 km radius been warned? (Depending on wind conditions, that could extend as far as Phillipsburg, Nazareth, Coopersburg, Dorney Park, or beyond!) It is unlikely that larger particles, or even PM10, would travel this far, but smaller particles could.

P.S. — I also agree that Bob Novatnack is probably the best person the city could have for this.

Peter

Gadfly invites observations from followers who attended the meeting or who have pertinent knowledge — even if they differ from views posted so far.

Observations on the Martin Tower Implosion Meeting (43)

(43rd in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Breena Holland is an Associate Professor at Lehigh University in the Department of Political Science and the Environmental Initiative. She is a past and current director of Lehigh University’s South Side Initiative.

Successes: 

1) Bob Novatnack (meeting moderator and emergency manager): the best thing about this implosion that the city has going for it.

2) Clear message that CITIZENS SHOULD STAY INSIDE DURING AND AFTER THE IMPLOSION. THIS IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT EVENT.

3) Council members Negron and Van Wirt, who effectively amplified the views of many citizens in advocating that the mayor respond to public concern about the implosion.

Failures:

1) There were no public health officials on the panel. The person from the city’s health department only spoke from the audience when a citizen demanded it. She lacked any concern for the composition of the dust, despite a medical doctor who studies dead people explaining the potential impact of cement dust on people’s lungs. When asked how we would know if the dust had a negative impact, she said epidemiological studies could reveal that in 15 years or so. How comforting!

2) Minimal data will be gathered on the chemical composition of the particles and in order to see any of the air quality data, citizens will have to request the DEP send them a file. This data should be posted on the city’s website and put in an accessible form by the city.

3) No one addressed the secondary dust events due to street/sidewalk sweeping and how dangerous and long-lasting those will be.

4) No one will do any actual monitoring of the water quality of Monocacy Creek so we know if and how the implosion will impact the water. The demolition company simply has some mechanisms for controlling runoff from smaller events that have happened throughout the last year related to the smaller building demolitions. Citizens have no way of knowing whether these capturing devices are working. We are supposed to take the demolition company’s word for it.

5) The demolition company made a rather dubious argument that implosion is safer than dismantling because no one is in the building (presumably workers doing the disassembling) and because it concentrates the dust created all at one time (vs. spreading it out over a longer dismantling period). The obvious question is “safer for whom?” My concern is the city residents, not people working for a demolition company. And please show me some data to support the absurd claim that dust created from dismantling is in aggregate equivalent to dust created from implosion. If you are creating the same amount of dust, you are probably not doing a very good job at your dismantling.

6) The city encouraged viewing the implosion as spectator sport until there was public outcry.

7) The city failed to convey the precautionary message to stay inside during and after the implosion, until the public meeting, when the demolition company’s equivocating on the issue was finally addressed with a clear statement.

8) It is blatantly obvious that the implosion is being done to save the developers of the property money at citizens’ expense.

9) Why has an implosion even been planned when a blast permit has not yet been issued?

10) Many people are not upset about how the city is handling the implosion but, instead, with how the city is managing the property’s use. It was rezoned to benefit the property owners, and will be destroying an iconic part of our city’s history, only to replace it with traffic causing generic luxury housing and retail that competes with existing local businesses. The word “travesty” was appropriately used to convey the city’s failure.

Breena

Gadfly invites other observations from followers who attended the meeting. They don’t necessarily have to be lengthy, for Gadfly will compile shorter ones.

 

City Health Director position on long-term effects of the Martin Tower Demolition (42)

(42nd in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Though it felt like it had to be forced out into the open at the public meeting last night on the Martin Tower demolition, here is what we might call a position statement by Bethlehem Health Director Kristen Wenrich (the only Health official present) on the long-term effects of the implosion method of demolition that has concerned many Gadfly followers:

“The Health Department does not regularly get involved with air quality issues . . . but in looking at long-term health outcomes due to dust, you are looking at direction, long-term exposure, and you’re looking at quantity. So that everything I’ve been told and everything I’ve seen, they’ve done everything that they can to minimize [garbled audio]. It’s a short-term event, they’re not expecting any type of long-term exposure, and we’re not expecting [garbled audio] amount of dust. So that’s my opinion from a public health standpoint.”

Gadfly will come back to this issue of long-term effects shortly, but one crucially important thing he was looking for was a statement from a public health official. This seemed to him the one big hole in the City’s otherwise comprehensive planning.

So, more later on this and yesterday’s meetings in general.

J. William Reynolds at the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee Forum May 6 (42)

(42nd in a series of posts on candidates for election)

J. William Reynolds is a candidate for the one of three 4yr seats on City Council, running against Michael Colon, Carol Ritter, David Saltzer, Paige Van Wirt.

Reynolds

J. William Reynolds’s question: the budget (6 mins.)

“The City budget process is known to be complex and very unsexy. Explain something that you wish the average Bethlehem taxpayer had a better understanding of.”

  • Bethlehem is doing better than every other comparative 3rd-class city in the state
  • because we’re looking at the budget all year long
  • not a lot of easy answers and a lot of the costs are fixed
  • 80-90% of the budget is personnel, and the majority of that is public safety
  • successfully got in the budget money for 1) the Climate Action Plan and 2) Northside 2027
  • get planning money, then get a group together to say what they need
  • proud that we have an “A” financial rating

Ritter added her track record and continued interest in building teams, the kind that Reynolds was talking about (min. 342).  Van Wirt cited the three Council powers, approving people on Commissions, approving ordinances, and passing the budget, and feels there’s room for Council to have more direction on the way the City goes via the budget. If Council were more cohesive, for instance, money for sidewalks might have gotten on the list for the Casino Transfer Tax windfall (min. 3:42).

J. William Reynolds’s closing comment (1.5 mins.)

  • 12th year on City Council
  • depends on how we work together
  • must look outside our traditional ways
  • how do we make people proud
  • must work together

Look for more on Reynolds as he responds to other candidate presentations and participates in group answers on such topics as their unique qualities, transparency, neighborhoods.

Alert! Listen before the 6PM meeting if you can

In haste at 5:15:

Gadfly alert! If you are interested in health concerns relating to the MT implosion. There was a meeting today at 3 for “stakeholders” — people and businesses in close radius to MT. There was almost no awareness in the audience of any health concern. And everything rosy from the developer and demolition people. I ‘m posting here an audio of my questions about “dust” — unfortunately the first part was cut off. If you have health concerns listen beforehand and then come to the meeting. But, in any event, come and ask and ask and ask till you feel you have resolution of the concerns.

 

David Saltzer at the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee Forum May 6 (41)

(41st in a series of posts on candidates for election)

David Saltzer is a candidate for the one of three 4yr seats on City Council, running against Michael Colon, Carol Ritter, J. William Reynolds, Paige Van Wirt.

Saltzer

David Saltzer’s question: on safety (7 mins.)

“What specific measures will you propose as a City Council member that will make Bethlehem a safer city for the people who live and work here?”

  • would love to be on Public Safety committee
  • 9-1-1 transition not going so well
  • I will be a voice for public safety
  • there’s money out there for grants for firefighters to offset salaries, police too
  • we need more in fire and EMS
  • EMS: let’s get more people out there
  • we’re giving calls away to other municipalities and our people are waiting
  • when I got hurt there was no ambulance to take me
  • need to add more police officers, fire trucks, EMS workers on the street
  • more public safety people on the streets to make everone safer

Colon pointed out that with a robust police department, crime statistics are down and we all feel safe in that respect, but definitely could have another EMS vehicle, especially because of activity at the Sands min. 2:38). Reynolds added that we need to be proactive in regard to crime not just reactive, thus we need to work more on after-school programs, on food security, on the food co-op, on code enforcement because all these things relate to kids’ attention in school — and announces an upcoming Digital Equity program. Must talk about crime on the “front end” (min. 4:05). Crampsie Smith recounted her family involvement as indication of support for police but emphasized the need for training in a changing environment (min. 5:18). Ritter said from her travels, it’s so good to feel comfortable walking our streets — “it’s a gift.” Public safety is a reason why people come here and has worked with the Mounted Police for many years (min. 6:20).

David Saltzer’s closing comment (1.5 mins.)

  • looking for a way to continue to serve after being forced from the job with the City that he loved (injury)
  • Council obvious next step since he was involved a lot through his job as Union president
  • experience working with every department of the City in his job as firefighter
  • approachable, will have open door policy
  • wants to be part of something phenomenal — City’s at a good spot

Look for more on Saltzer as he responds to other candidate presentations and participates in group answers on such topics as their unique qualities, transparency, neighborhoods.

Possible property damage too (41)

(41st in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

Gadfly:

Since you brought up Jacksonville implosion….nobody mentioned this.

Post-implosion repairs could take up to a year, according to Blackstone Building GM

James Dalton

Yes, one of the things in the FAQs Gadfly was reading last night had to do with liability insurance. Many of the FAQs mentioned it.

The Rape and Pillage of Martin Tower, Bethlehem, PA.

Gadfly:

It will be much regretted a generation from now. Architecturally It is a remarkable building in its own right, and, at least in miniature, rivals other such modern structures like the Twin Towers in NYC. It is not just that terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers that makes us miss them. When will we learn to cherish beauty for its own sake?

Norman Roberts

“I’m no expert on this, but . . . ” (40)

(40th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

“It is amazing to me that so many people are reacting to this implosion
as entertainment or spectacle rather than a health risk.”
Barbara Diamond

Peter Crownfield is officially retired but spends most of his time working with students in his role as internship coordinator for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley

Gadfly:

‘… Is it only dangerous when it is in the air? There is no danger when it is on the ground? Does it eventually just go away, just disappear? Poof. And is it a good thing — in the big picture, I mean — if it blows away from “us” only to fall on someone else somewhere else? And is it ok if it falls on water instead of us? I just don’t know.’ [From Gadfly’s previous post]

I’m no expert on this, but from what I’ve read there are two hazards:

The silica & any asbestos & miscellaneous fine particles are mainly hazardous if you breathe them in, but any dust that falls on the ground can be stirred up by wind or vehicles or physical activity. (Would you want to run or bike or take young children anywhere in the fallout zone?)

Any lead, mold spores, and possible other toxins in the concrete and other building materials are just as hazardous on the ground, even after it rains. (How about your vegetable garden? …the lawn where children & grandchildren play?)

I have to say that the city gives every indication of just ignoring these concerns and not really considering health issues at all, or at least not once the implosion event is done.

Has the city notified people in the entire likely fallout areas or only those who are able to attend this public meeting? (Depending on wind speed & direction this could extend as far as Easton & Pburg to the east.)

Peter

Remember, people who attend the meeting tonight will receive a packet of information.

And at Council the City EMS said they were in process of meeting with people in the “exclusion” area and that a special meeting for them is being held today also.

Random research and reflections on implosions recorded in real time (39)

(39th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

10PM. Do you know where your children are?

Do you know where Gadfly is? About to spend two hours before Rachel comes on burning-the-near-midnight-oil bouncing around on the web.

And he’ll share here his pilgrimage with you just like Ron Yoshida did his. (I’m still in awe, Ron!)

There are many examples on the web of materials cities have prepared for their citizens regarding implosions. We learned at Council last night that Bethlehem will distribute a packet at Thursday’s meeting.

Can’t wait.

Here we go.

1) Commercial Demolition FAQs: Your Biggest Questions Answered

“Explosion / Implosion
The most efficient of all commercial demolition methods is explosion or implosion, but it’s typically only suitable when mechanical demolition and deconstruction aren’t an option. There are public health concerns with this type of demolition, including environmental issues, damage to adjacent structures, flying debris, air quality concerns, noise, and more.”

“When used, this is typically the least expensive commercial demolition method.”

 

“Hometown Demolition aims to be the simplest way to find and hire the right contractor for demolition anywhere in the USA.”

Were the primary options of “mechanical demolition and deconstruction” ruled out in our case? Or was the implosion option chosen because it cost the developer less, even though “there are public health concerns”?

———-

2) IMPORTANT NOTICE — IMPLOSION ALERT — Sunday, January 20, 2019 (Jacksonville, FL.)

“Any residents and business personnel required to be in the exclusion zone (see map below) during the time of the demolition event are directed to stay indoors and shelter in place. Noise/sound pressure levels and lingering dust may pose a safety risk to citizens. All doors, windows and entry ways are to be kept closed and exhaust fans turned off.”

“Can I come out when the blast is over?
The demolition is expected to last no more than five minutes. However, the falling debris is expected to produce a dust cloud that, with wind, can travel outside of the immediate area and last much longer. It is critical for all to remain indoors and shelter in place until access notification is provided via JSO.”

“Am I in danger if I come out prior to notification?
Months of comprehensive work has been conducted to ready the building for implosion, including the remediation and removal of hazardous interior materials. However, to minimize health risks and threats to persons–especially those with breathing and/or respiratory conditions–everyone is advised to remain indoors and shelter in place until notification is provided. In addition, noise and sound pressure levels at and near the site during the blast may pose a threat to hearing, reaffirming the critical need to shelter in place.”

Gadfly was caught by surprise by hearing last night about “exclusion zone” and “restricted zone.” What does that mean? So he went looking. Here’s an example in Jacksonville. Seems a pretty big zone, actually. And people within it are “sheltering in place.” Awesome term. Jacksonville is frank about safety: “Noise/sound pressure levels and lingering dust may pose a safety risk to citizens.” The phrase “critical need” is not soft. And — bottom line — perhaps people are put through this implosion trouble and maybe implosion risk because it may be a cheaper method for the developer?????? Will Bethlehem be frank about safety in its packet?

———–

3) Go back to the web site above in 2) and look at the first commenter:

“That dust cloud is mainly respirable silica with a little Aspergillus and heavy metals mixed in. Notice the guy drilling the holes. By law he has to take a class which teaches him the dangers of silica. Then he has to wear a respirator and a moon suit to prevent exposure to the dust and he has to get annual health checkups. The City wants you believe that magically the implosion some how magically turns this dangerous substance into something innocent and non harmful. There are thousands and thousand of cases of cancer from a one time exposure to the silica dust from the WTC collapse. What makes it even worse is that they aren’t planning on cleaning the roofs of the adjacent buildings so that hazardous material will be blowing around the city for weeks if not months. . . . [possibility of a rain storm] That creates an even bigger problem. What happens when you add water to a bag of concrete? The same thing happens to the concrete dust after and implosion. They use water to clean up the dust. It mixes and washes down the storm drains where guess what? It becomes concrete again and clogs everything up.”

Tsk, nasty CAVE person in Jacksonville. We learned last night that our City has received many resident responses. But why is the comment function on www.martintowerbethlehem.com “disabled,” so 1) there is no public record of what the responses are and 2) so people do not know what others are saying — and, most importantly, 3) so people cannot learn from each other and 4) perhaps organize with each other? Why can’t we see what our fellow citizens are saying?

———-

4) Go back again to #2 where people in the exclusion zone “are directed to stay indoors and shelter in place.”  Now go to www.martintowerbethlehem.com the Bethlehem FAQ and look at #6 where the question is “Should residents stay indoors during the implosion and, if so, for how long?”

First, that question is not answered in the answer. We are not directly told if residents should stay indoors, and, if so, for how long. Not told. Not answered. Second, at the very end of the answer we ARE told that if you are dust-aggravated, you should stay indoors, and thus, by implication, if you are not dust-aggravated, you can be outdoors. Nice. So in Jacksonville, they want you to stay indoors — it’s critical that you do so — but in Bethlehem, it’s ok to be outdoors. Riddle me that, Batman.

———-

5) Brayton Point, MA

The debate over dust. That nasty stuff.

“Dust would be created via every possible demolition method, and here is why implosion is the preferred method:
— The implosion event is scheduled, immediate, and short-lived (around 8 seconds) – all of which afford the opportunity for planning to minimize impacts to the community and onsite workers.
— Mechanical demolition occurs over weeks or months, and dust generation would be expected to occur over a much longer time, making planning to minimize exposure more difficult and less practical.”

Now here’s a rebuttal to #1 above. The claim here looks like implosion is healthier. So whom do we believe? How do we judge?

There are two types of dust – heavy particulates and light particulates.
— Heavy particulate dust is not expected to stray more than 200 feet from the base of the towers and should clear in approximately 5 minutes.
— Based on historic NOAA Climatic Wind Data, lighter dust is expected to clear the site in a matter of minutes traveling southeast over Mount Hope Bay towards Fall River and dissipating before reaching the far shore.

I realize that I don’t know about this dust. Is it only dangerous when it is in the air? There is no danger when it is on the ground? Does it eventually just go away, just disappear? Poof. And is it a good thing — in the big picture, I mean — if it blows away from “us” only to fall on someone else somewhere else? And is it ok if it falls on water instead of us? I just don’t know. Good exam questions for a course in Moral Philosophy.

———-

6) Iowa State University FAQ

Q: Have there been any problems in residential areas where this has been done?
A: Dust is an unpreventable byproduct of all types of demolition. Depending on wind speed and direction on the day of the implosion, the dust may or may not reach your properties.

Now go to the Bethlehem FAQ #6:
A: Dust is an unpreventable byproduct of all types of demolition. . . . Depending on wind speed and direction on the day of the implosion, the dust may or may not reach your properties.

It gradually occurred to me that as I was reading around, jumping from here to there and back online, I was hearing the same language. Here above is an example of what the man before the man became Gadfly would call plagiarism. Verboten. But the bigger problem is the possibility that these FAQs are made up mainly of boiler plate language, which, though it may innocently save time for the City official charged with creating the FAQ document, could also indicate a propensity for City officials to stop thinking for themselves. Plagiarism is a mark of laziness, a lack of original thinking.

———-

Ok, I’ve had it. Rachel is on. I’m sure Trumpworld will be less complex.

I think we’d better get our butts to the meeting tomorrow — er, tonight! With our Gadfly glands well oiled.

Martin Tower demolition discussion at City Council May 7 (38)

(38th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

It’s terrible [The City press release]. (Martin Romeril)

Implosion poses health risks. (Forensic Pathologist Steve Diamond)

There’s a bad public relations problem here. (Gadfly)

The City of Bethlehem has become the City of Developers. (Stephen Antalics, Gadfly #1)

It’s a travesty. (Al Wurth)

The thing that kind of upsets me is this undertone that all these organizations aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing . . . I think you are going to find out that a large majority, an astronomical amount of people are informed about it and feel completely safe about it and you are going to see a lot of people getting up early in the morning to watch it, and they have no fear of anything that’s going on at the site and they have complete confidence in all the professionals as I do. (Councilman Callahan)

Michael Bloomberg said, “In God we trust, everyone else bring data.” So tell them to bring data. (Councilwoman Paige Van Wirth)

I think that after that Thursday meeting, your questions will be answered. . . . What they [the experts] can’t answer, put their feet to the fire. (Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Novatnack)

I’m prepared to stay here [the Thursday meeting] till 11 o’clock. (Mayor Donchez)

(Gadfly’s video tool failed him, but there’s audio here below, and, he reminds you, a full video will be posted on the City Council web site.)

Tuesday May 7 City Council meeting began, per usual, with public comment — dominated by the Martin Tower demolition.

Marty Romeril (6 mins.)

Questions still unanswered include such things as the exclusion zone (people may have to leave homes? First Gadfly heard that), wind speed considerations, other meteorological conditions, anticipated radius of the dust cloud, coatings on your house, pets, playground equipment, the range and size of the dust particles, Little League, Golf course, monitoring, Monocacy Creek, Burnside, asbestos.

Steve Diamond (4 mins.)

Forensic pathologist perspective. Lung disease from many elements besides asbestos. Process can take many years, and the cause may not be realized. Slow evolution of failing health because of inability to breathe. Implosion poses health risks. The City is overlooking a health hazard. Will samples of air, water, and soil be taken pre- and post-demolition? Protections of hospitals, streams, etc.? Possible financial liability exposure of the City. [

Gadfly (4 mins.)

Contacted by “desperadoes” — people worried about health issues trying to get answers and getting only a runaround. There’s a bad public relations problem here. Where’s our health department? Asks for an independent scientific study on the safety of implosions.

Stephen Antalics (4 mins.)

The City of Bethlehem has become the City of Developers. The most qualified people are not listened to. Whose will is being served here? This whole thing is a travesty in a sense.

Al Wurth (5 mins.)

Astounded. Perplexed. Never dreamed we would blow it up. We’re doing this to ourselves. It’s a travesty.

———-

In the body of the meeting, the Mayor asked Robert Novatnack, Bethlehem Emergency Management Coordinator, to make a brief presentation. He is the point man for the City on the demolition.

Robert Novatnack and City Council (28 mins.)

  • Novatnack: holding meetings with press and stakeholders, lot of work going on that doesn’t hit the newspapers, experts will be here Thursday, as will owners and development people, more meetings with stakeholders tomorrow, will give PowerPoint presentation Thursday and then open the floor for questions. Later in the conversation he would say that there will be a pamphlet/booklet containing all information (the Mayor said 500 copies will be printed), that the Department of Health will not be at the Thursday meeting (though the Mayor said if they aren’t, he would ask our City department to be there).
  • Councilwoman Van Wirt (min. 3:10): asked for assurance that questions previously raised were given to the DEP and others to answer even before the meeting, and pressed for distribution of answers beforehand so that they could be digested by the public. The City didn’t seem to quite get what PVW was after, and she pushed, calling attention to the arbitrary time frame. The bottom line City response to PVW seemed tentative. There’s a valid role here for the Department of Health.
  • Councilman Callahan (min. 9:57): sounding in Gadfly’s mind — and based on past experience — defensive against implication that the City and the developer were not doing all they should, asked for naming of all organizations involved in the planning, getting the answers he wanted except that the State Department of Health will not be there (a crucial absence given the health concern that is our issue!), and — for the record, as if he were a defense attorney — got the City to say they have complete confidence in the demolition company.
  • Councilman Reynolds (min. 12:45): made clear that it isn’t that anybody doesn’t trust the City and Mr. Novatnack but that this is a new thing and there are necessary questions, so it’s a matter of how we deliver information to people who don’t have experience with it.
  • Councilman Colon (min. 16:19): extended appreciation to the City for what’s done so far and for the Thursday meeting and reminded people that unlike 911 this is a controlled demolition and that all the pre-planning steps to clean the building have made it safe.
  • Councilman Callahan again (min. 18:40): upset at undertone that City and developers and all the organizations aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing, you will find that a large majority, an astronomical amount of people are informed about it and feel completely safe about it and you are going to see a lot of people getting up early in the morning to watch it and they have no fear of anything that’s going on at the site and they have complete confidence in all the professionals as I do.
  • Mayor Donchez (min. 20:30): gave a shout-out to Senator Boscola and Gov Wolf’s office for help getting the meeting organized.
  • Councilwoman Van Wirt again (min. 21:31): clear that this is not about trust in the City or the City representative but about the process, quoting Michael Bloomberg, “In God we trust, everyone else bring data.” So tell them to bring data.
  • Council President Waldron (min. 22:37): only thing awry is communication coming back to the public, lot of questions right now, Thursday a great opportunity to clear them up, asked about format and agenda. Emphasizing need for ample time for questions.
  • Novatnack again (min. 23:26): expressing great positivity about activities so far and the meeting on Thursday.
  • Mayor Donchez again (min. 26:26): explained comprehensive information packets that will be available and his willingness to stay late so questions will be answered.

Some resources for thinking about the Martin Tower demolition (37)

(37th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

“It is amazing to me that so many people are reacting to this implosion
as entertainment or spectacle rather than a health risk.”
Barbara Diamond

Gadfly tip o’ the hat and wave o’ the wings for the following thought-provokers to Steve Diamond, Nalyn Marcus, Marty Romeril, and Peter Crownfield.

Gadfly is not taking time right now to comment in detail on the information here, just getting some things “out there” providing some resources for you to consider.

———-

Steven Diamond, “Citizens’ health must be protected during Martin Tower implosion.” Morning Call, May 8, 2019.

  • I am a forensic pathologist. I recently performed an autopsy on a person who frequented the 911 World Trade Center location in New York City. He simply walked by the disaster site a few days a week. Now 15 years later, the person died of lung disease and is part of the 911 lawsuit settlement.
  • Lung disease may occur secondary to different aerosols of particulates. It does not have to be related to asbestos. A hyperimmune response may cause interstitial fibrosis of the lung, which causes decreased oxygenation of the blood. The fibrosis in the lung and decreased oxygen of the blood strains the heart and may cause congestive heart disease. Sadly, this process may take many years, and those effected may not realize the cause and effect of the exposure.
  • It is the mission of the city of Bethlehem to protect its citizens and ensure a safe environment. We must have assurances that the implosion of Martin Tower will be done in a competent and safe manner. What will be done to protect the hospitals, medical offices, businesses, schools, parks and residential homes?
  • “Best practices” for imploding a building have been published. The implosion should adhere to those parameters.

———-

COMMUNITY INFORMATION: STORMS HALL AND KNAPP HALL DEMOLITION Iowa State University 2005

especially:

F.A.Q.
General Community Notice of Implosion (pdf)
6-28 Letter to Residence of Safety Zone (pdf)

                                                                                      ———–

Buildings are composed of many construction materials made of large quantities of chemical substances and additives bonded together for years. Consequently, the issue occurs when uprooting an existing building. The conventional methods of annihilating an existing building induce hazardous substance into the environment that is threatening human health due to the presence of chemical substance in the dust of the pulverized building. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to conceptually synthesize the traditional methods of demolition buildings and the chemical substances presence in the pulverized building dust, as well as their effect to the human health and the environment in order to proffer for an alternative solution. The outcome of the studies reveals that dust emanation from demolished buildings definitely pollutes the environment and affects human health. Hence, deconstruction is proffer as an alternative method. Also, this study sensitize scholars to focus more on inventing green construction materials, green demolition methods, and green junkyard for the pulverized building debris.
Problematic issues surrounding public health protection in affected areas that could extend 10 or 20 km downwind from an implosion site suggest that implosions
should be prohibited in metropolitan areas.
Conclusion: Geometric and arithmetic mean of exposure was higher than threshold limit value for silica dust in all demolition sites. The risk of silicosis mortality for many demolition workers was higher than 1/ 1,000 (unacceptable level of risk). Estimating the lifetime lung cancer mortality showed a higher risk of mortality from lung cancer in building demolition workers.
Scientists found that the concentration of airborne dust particles in the immediate area jumped substantially in the minutes after the implosion – as much as 3,000 times higher than just before the charges went off. About 7 1/2 blocks away, the concentration increased about 20 times when the plume of dust reached the area.
But within 15 to 20 minutes, the concentration of airborne dust had returned to pre-implosion levels, according to the report. Indoor monitors detected no significant change in dust particles.
“The Implosion of the Calgary General Hospital: Ambient Air Quality Issues”
Public advisories to mitigate personal exposure and indoor migration of the implosion dust cloud constituents should extend to 10 or 20 km around an implosion site.
“Spectators Discouraged from Watching Building Demolitions”
They found that immediately after the implosion, concentrations of airborne dust particles were as much as 3,000 times higher than they had been prior to the demolition. As expected, sites nearest to the implosion had a more dramatic and earlier peak when compared to sites further away. Even at the furthest site, seven and one-half blocks from the implosion, there was a 20-fold increase in particulate matter. The good news, according to the researchers, is that the peaks were very short-lived, lasting only 15-20 minutes. No measurable effect was found upwind of the implosion, nor in the indoor sample sites. The researchers suggest that remaining upwind of a building demolition and staying indoors offers protection from high outdoor concentrations of dust particles.

The Dirt on Atmospheric Dust
It might seem small, but atmospheric dust is a big deal. Consisting (mostly) of tiny pieces of metal oxides, clays and carbonates, dust is the single largest component of the aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere, and it likely has a significant impact on the Earth’s climate, as it effects a wide range of phenomena, including from temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean to the rate of snowmelt in the southwestern U.S.

Michael Colon at the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee Forum May 6 (40)

(40th in a series of posts on candidates for election)

Michael Colon is a candidate for the one of three 4yr seats on City Council, running against Carol Ritter, J. William Reynolds, David Saltzer, Paige Van Wirt.

Colon

The candidates were asked a specific question, could respond to the answers of the other candidates, participated in several group questions, and made a closing comment.

Michael Colon’s question: on opiods (7 mins.)

“Although our City is thriving, the Nation’s growing opiod crisis has not spared Bethlehem, what measures would you urge City Council to take to help those struggling with addiction?”

  • The City has taken a number of measures to combat the opiod problem.
  • The BPAIR program
  • People who overdose are followed-up to see if they need treatment.
  • Police, etc., carry NARCAN
  • City Hall drop box for unused medication
  • Pricing of NARCAN

Crampsie Smith added the possibility of the HOPE Program, an education program, and instituting prevention programs for kids (min. 3:50). Ritter advised that treatment now is not long enough (min. 4:45). Carpenter stressed that addiction is a disease, and we need to take way the stigma (min. 6:00). Van Wirt pointed to a program in Erie, where anybody who wants NARCAN can get it for free (min. 6:40). We must disseminate info about where people can get NARCAN.

Michael Colon’s closing comment (1.5 mins.)

  • great honor serving
  • has been on majority and minority sides
  • approach every issue new
  • competency and integrity

Look for more on Colon as he responds to other candidate presentations and participates in group answers on such topics as their unique qualities, transparency, neighborhoods.

City provides FAQs on Martin Tower Demolition (36)

(36th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

“It is amazing to me that so many people are reacting to this implosion
as entertainment or spectacle rather than a health risk.”
Barbara Diamond

As of this writing — 3:10PM, this announcement seems only to be on the City web page not the above-linked page devoted to the MT demolition

As the demolition of Martin Tower draws closer, the City of Bethlehem has comprised a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the demolition and precautions.

1) What is the process of demolition by explosives/implosion? The basic premise of explosives demolition is to isolate the key structural supporting elements of the structure (in this case, structural steel columns) and eliminate them sequentially with explosive charges so the weight and construction of the structure can be dynamically controlled with differential velocity to insure that the resultant debris falls in a predetermined area.

2) What regulations are in place to secure public safety? The explosives and demolition industry have regulations in place at local, state and federal levels to ensure Public Safety. Adherence to the regulations is overseen by, and has been coordinated through, the following by the project team: ATF, FAA, Pennsylvania DEP, Bethlehem Police Department, Bethlehem Fire Department, Bethlehem Office of the Fire Marshal, Emergency Medical Services, Bethlehem Emergency Management, Lehigh County Emergency Management, Northampton County Emergency Management, Northampton County 911 Center, Bethlehem Service Center and Lehigh Valley International Airport.

3) What has been done to prepare for the demolition – environmental remediation? (Asbestos removal complete?) All interior demolition was completed. All controlled and hazardous materials (including asbestos) were removed from the building, as required by law, prior to the final demolition permit being issued. Completion of interior demolition (i.e. walls, ceiling, carpeting, doors, etc.) prior implosion results in less dust being created during the implosion activities.

4) Will air quality be monitored before, during and after demolition? Yes. An independent 3rd party firm is conducting particulate and asbestos air quality monitoring before, during and after, the implosion activities.

5) What measures will be taken for dust control? Multiple water sprayers and misting devices will be utilized prior to and during the implosion activities.

6) Are there any precautions residents should take related to dust? Should residents stay indoors during the implosion and if so, for how long? Dust is an unpreventable byproduct of all types of demolition. With a wrecking ball or high-reach excavator, the building is slowly broken up, releasing dust over a lengthy period of time. With implosion, the same overall quantity of dust is released in a matter of seconds, and may linger in the general area for 4 to 6 minutes before crews begin cleanup of streets and sidewalks. Depending on wind speed and direction on the day of the implosion, the dust may or may not reach your properties. As a precautionary measure, we recommend that you see that all windows, doors and air intakes, are closed and to cover any other openings that might allow dust to enter your apartment, house or building. We also recommend that you turn off all exhaust fans before or at the time of the implosion as these might draw air in to your building through cracks in walls and windows. If you find dust uncomfortable or irritating, or if you have any respiratory conditions that would be aggravated by dust, please stay indoors during the demolition.

7) What is the anticipated size of the debris field? The building will incline slightly to the southeast, then fall straight down. Most of the debris from the implosion will come to rest within the footprint of the existing building, or slightly out of the footprint to southeast (toward the center of the 53 acre property).

8) How will the restricted area be cleared and secured? Bethlehem Police Department will clear the area prior to implosion activities, using various methods including foot patrols, motorcycle patrol and marked control units. Lehigh County Emergency Management will be utilizing drone with infrared capabilities to survey the restricted area.

9) Can I fly my drone? No. A temporary flight restriction with a one-half mile radius and 2,500 foot ceiling, has been granted by the FAA on May 19th from 6 to 8 a.m. During the temporary flight restriction, no aircraft (including drones) will be permitted within the restricted area.

10) What is the possibility of utility service interruption (water, gas, electric)? There is no anticipated interruption of utility service. However, as a precaution, representatives from the City Water Department, UGI and PPL, will be on site before, during and after the implosion activities.

11) What is the time frame for the implosion activities? • 5:00 am Bethlehem Police will close Eighth Avenue from Union Boulevard to Bradford Street. • 5:00 am Bethlehem Police will close Eaton Avenue from Elizabeth Avenue to Ralston Road. • 5:00 am Bethlehem Police will close Route 378 North and South Exit Ramps at Eighth Avenue. • 6:00 am the Exclusion Zone surrounding the site will be closed to the public. Details on the limits of the exclusion zone will provided at a later date. • 6:30 am Bethlehem Police will begin closing Route 378 from Catasauqua Road to the Main Street Ramp. • 7:00 am approximately, as safety and preparations permit, Martin Tower will be demolished by implosion. • 7:10 am assessment will be made by members of the project team to determine any clean-up activities prior to opening any roadways. Any unaffected roadways will be reopened after inspection by Bethlehem Police Department. • It is estimated that by mid-morning all public right of ways will be open and the exclusion zone lifted.

As reported earlier, Gadfly has learned that reps from the Air Quality Program, Northeast Regional Office, and the Bureau of District Mining Operations will be present Thursday.

Grace Crampsie Smith at the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee Forum May 6 (39)

(39th in a series of posts on candidates for election)

Grace Crampsie Smith is a candidate for the one 2yr seat on City Council, running against Will Carpenter.

Crampsie Smith

The candidates were asked a specific question, could respond to the answers of the other candidates, participated in several group questions, and made a closing comment.

Crampsie Smith’s question: on the TIF (5 mins.)

“What is the TIF? And why is it important for Bethlehem residents to be informed about it this election cycle?”

  • Any time we have additional revenues within the City, we have to look first and foremost at the existing budget.
  • We have to be sure we meet the rising costs associated with the majority of our budget, personnel.
  • Additional funds we need to look at what our needs are.
  • Infrastructure hasn’t kept up with the development.
  • Lot of work needs to be done specifically on the roads.
  • Significant increase in the number of homeless families . . . we need to work on housing that is affordable and suitable.

Colon followed up explaining the history of the TIF (min. 2). Van Wirt pointed to large amounts of TIF money going to developers, showing need for better oversight, and appreciating an ordinance formulated by Reynolds (min. 3:25).

Crampsie Smith’s closing comment (1.5 mins.)

  • raised in a family committed to the importance of giving back to the community
  • advocate for people from all walks of life
  • wants to be advocate for citizens from all parts of Bethlehem
  • blessed to live here and hopes family will continue great legacy that is Bethlehem

Look for more on Crampsie Smith as she responds to other candidate presentations and participates in group answers on such topics as their unique qualities, transparency, neighborhoods.

Will Carpenter at the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee Forum May 6 (38)

(38th in a series of posts on candidates for election)

Will Carpenter is a candidate for the one 2yr seat on City Council, running against Grace Crampsie Smith.

Carpenter

The candidates were asked a specific question, could respond to the answers of the other candidates, participated in several group questions, and made a closing comment.

Carpenter’s question: on the Climate Action Plan, the environment (6 mins.)

“While the citizens of Bethlehem wait for the proposed climate action plan, there are things we can do to fight climate change now. Please describe some of the environmental initiatives and/or ordinances you would champion if elected.”

  • The environment is one of the things motivating me getting involved here.
  • Everything that I look at as a Council person will be viewed with the eyes, how does this fit in with our Climate Action Plan.
  • The cost of inaction is so much more than the cost of action.
  • Getting ready for the next generation of technology . . . helps to build good jobs.
  • . . . our not wonderful air . . .
  • I’m going to dig into it, study it, make it my top priority.

Crampsie Smith followed up talking about things we could do now, such as a ban on single-use plastic bags, alternate means of transportation, strong laws against littering, and awareness programs for children (min. 2:15). Reynolds filled us in on specific details about what’s actually going on with the Climate Action Plan (min. 3:10). Van Wirt called attention to work by the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) on a plastic bag ban, a pilot program on solar warehouses, and electric vehicles (min. 4:28).

Carpenter’s closing comment (2 mins.):

  • I bring a different skill set to what’s currently on City Council.
  • I have a developer background, but I’m far from a developer.
  • I’d like to bring that attention, that thought process to City Council.
  • I’ve negotiated lots of big deals, I’ve prepared budgets, had budget responsibility.
  • I’m not running against anything, not coming in saying I have all the answers.
  • citizens . . . environment . . . economy . . . priorities.

Look for more on Carpenter as he responds to other candidate presentations and participates in group answers on such topics as their unique qualities, transparency, neighborhoods.

“Not funny any more” (35)

(35th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

“It is amazing to me that so many people are reacting to this implosion
as entertainment or spectacle rather than a health risk.”
Barbara Diamond

John Marquette is a retired librarian/archivist, author, historian, and a resident of Bethlehem. His current project is focused on the restoration of the interior of the Archibald Johnston Mansion in Housenick Park. 

Gadfly:

There’s been no comment from the medical practice of Bethlehem Eye Associates, where I had my cataract procedure exams and follow ups performed. Again, right cross the street from the tower. How will they ensure the building is sealed against the particulates? And how about the St. Luke’s cardiovascular building across the street, or the neonatal practice? I’ve joked about the tower complex being Bethlehem’s “Little Chernobyl,” but that when the property was in a state of advanced abandonment, not covered in mixed-component post-demolition particulate matter. Not funny anymore.

John

Gadfly has learned that reps from the Air Quality Program, Northeast Regional Office, and the Bureau of District Mining Operations will be present Thursday.

Gadfly reminds followers that email links to the Mayor and City Council are on the sidebar for easy access. If it is not obvious, the reason Gadfly has been including this footer is to suggest that if you have public health and safety concerns and concerns about tardy City communication (follow-up information was promised mid-April), that you communicate those concerns directly and powerfully to your public officials.

The match game (37)

(37th in a series of posts on candidates for election)

Election day is coming closer and closer and closer.

Two weeks from today.

The candidates appeared at the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee forum last night.

Do you recognize them all by now?

l. to r.: Will Carpenter, Grace Crampsie Smith, Michael Colon, J. William Reynolds, Carol Ritter, David Saltzer, Paige Van Wirt

How well do you know them? Let’s play a game. Match candidate with background.tableCan you with confidence mentally draw a line from each candidate to his or her background?

If not, refresh by listening to the audio: begins with Carpenter, then Crampsie Smith (min. 1:00), Colon (min. 2:20), Reynolds (min. 3:50), Ritter (min. 5:35), Saltzer (min. 6:55), Van Wirt (min. 8:40).

Actually, these intros by the BCDC moderator are a very good overview of each candidate, and I recommend them.

Remember, Carpenter and Crampsie Smith are vying for the one 2yr seat.

The other five are vying for the three 4yr seats.

The BCDC event offered the candidates the wonderful opportunity to strut their stuff, as we’ll see in the next several posts in this series.

We’ll take them one by one.

Be an informed voter May 21

“My office building and property are literally at Ground Zero” (34)

(34th in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

“It is amazing to me that so many people are reacting to this implosion
as entertainment or spectacle rather than a health risk.”
Barbara Diamond

Dr. Nalyn Marcus has operated Marcus Family Chiropractic in Bethlehem since 1991, since 2007 on Eaton Ave., almost directly across the street from the front entrance to the Martin Tower site.

So many questions have been left ignored or unanswered since I began searching for satisfactory preparation answers to prepare and understand the possible ramifications to imploding the Martin Tower. I was told I had good questions but that I was “ahead of the curve.” Please. Our local authorities really were not educated about all of this and definitely not ready to fully protect our community from what is to come as a result of this and the environmental impact left virtually unmentioned. Asbestos out? Yes, “within reason.”

I’ve called everywhere, from EPA, DEP, implosion consultant, City Hall, Dept of Health (who said I was the first call they’d received). It’s been suggested that all will be well and to think of the particulate dust as if it were pollen, to just to keep my doors and windows shut. Are they kidding? My office building and property are literally at Ground Zero: a mere 680 feet from the front door of Martin Tower, with nothing between me and it. This is not biodegradable pollen; this is inorganic waste and will be in the air, coating all in its path, to become runoff in the water, and underfoot. I plan to be at every possible meeting to gather information until I am satisfied that I, my staff, and patients are safe, both now and in the future. Until I am satisfied. This is not just about May 19th: this is about the air quality every day after that. The water, the air, the vegetable gardens, the children, the seniors. The birds in my garden. My lungs. Our lungs! I don’t want a commemorative T-shirt; I want to know that I’m going to breathe healthy air after the implosion, that my business will not suffer with concerned patients avoiding the demolition area. That the air quality in my building will not suffer and be contaminated. I’ve been searching for these answers for weeks. And now, finally, 10 days before the implosion, we’re getting a public meeting. I’m sorry, but that’s very late in the game for our community businesses and families to prepare aptly for an event of this magnitude. No matter what their experience is in the field of demolition, we should have been granted the opportunity for early dissemination of information for clarity and preparation.

This is a big deal. We can’t just rollover as a 21-story building is slated to be pulverized and just trust we’ll all breathe the next day as if nothing big happened. How do we take this all in stride? There’s nothing in the close radius that won’t be coated with unhealthy Tower particulate. We need answers and assurances, and we’re gonna wish we had them weeks ago.

Lord knows I tried.

Nalyn

Gadfly reminds followers that email links to the Mayor and City Council are on the sidebar for easy access. If it is not obvious, the reason Gadfly has been including this footer is to suggest that if you have public health and safety concerns and concerns about tardy City communication (follow-up information was promised mid-April), that you communicate those concerns directly and powerfully to your public officials.

May 9 might be the time to hit the pause button (33)

(33rd in a series on Martin Tower)

Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

“It is amazing to me that so many people are reacting to this implosion
as entertainment or spectacle rather than a health risk.”
Barbara Diamond

John Marquette is a retired librarian/archivist, author, historian, and a resident of Bethlehem. His current project is focused on the restoration of the interior of the Archibald Johnston Mansion in Housenick Park. 

Gadfly:

As I review the questions collected by you and the comments amplifying and supporting them — and there are many — I’m starting to wonder what is predicating the Herrick/Ronca rush to demolish Martin Tower and replace it with unimaginative cookiecutter apartments and office buildings.

It’s becoming clearer to me that back office work has long abandoned Manhattan, departing for Long Island City (Citibank), Jersey City, Hoboken, and other five-mile-radius-of-Grand-Central locations. All of those areas are subject to severe climate events, and the infrastructure serving NYC environs is failing without plans or funds to renovate or rehabilitate.

This leaves Pennsylvania in a very good position with our robust telecommunications infrastructure (easing telecommuting), a declining but not failing highway system servicing the distribution centers (mostly at night), great bus service to New York, an elevation of at least 300 feet above sea level, and ample room for more housing stock  — especially affordable luxury housing when compared with NJ/NY market prices.

Herrick and Ronca want in quickly, and to heck with how the 50-plus acres of the plateau over the Monocacy looks from the street or from the air. The Planning Commission rightly recognized their lack of imagination and “suggested” revisions. I fear we’re not going to see much variation from the original sketch plans.

Everybody wants to build. The current owner of the Boyd sees far more profit in building housing than in showing movies or hosting collegiate theater. A former mayor and a local developer, fresh from topping off a southside building with some bonus square footage, are eager to put more than 50 units on a downtown hillside overlooking the creek. And of course there’s the Armory project.

There is no question in my mind that Bethlehem is a far more walkable, desirable, and cosmopolitan city than Allentown. It has far more available space for expansion than Easton. It’s no surprise that developers want to seize opportunities — and quickly — to maximize profits on attractive apartments in a regional market starved for housing inventory.

This is neither the time nor the place to discuss affordable rental housing versus market-rate apartments. This is the time when we ask our elected officials to help us understand why a community more than 275 years old, now a city barely 102 years old needs to be so fiercely aggressive about infill construction with too little attention to planning.

Bethlehem is the Portland, Oregon, of 40 years ago. I say that with pride in what we’ve become and how desirable it is for millennials these days. I do not want us to become the Portland of 2019. If slowing development down means disassembling Martin Tower instead of “go-booming” it and getting sketch plans which integrate planned construction into the landscape, the May 9 meeting is one place we can call for a pause.

I’m thinking about going away the weekend of the 19th and swapping my heat pump filters several times in the succeeding days.

John

Gadfly reminds followers that email links to the Mayor and City Council are on the sidebar for easy access. If it is not obvious, the reason Gadfly has been including this footer is to suggest that if you have public health and safety concerns and concerns about tardy City communication (follow-up information was promised mid-April), that you communicate those concerns directly and powerfully to your public officials.

Letter to the City: health concerns associated with the Martin Tower demolition (32)

(32nd in a series on Martin Tower)

Informational meeting
Thursday, May 9, 6PM
Nitschmann Middle School

Robert Novatnack                                                                      May 6, 2019
Emergency Management Coordinator
City of Bethlehem

Subject: Martin Tower Demolition

Bob:

Many of us are quite concerned about the possible health consequences of the Martin Tower demolition planned for May 19.

Here attached is a list of questions I compiled from followers of the Bethlehem Gadfly blog. We are hoping that the presentations at the meeting May 9 will provide answers to these questions.

We would appreciate prior public notice about the format of the meeting, such as who will be presenting, who others will be “up front,” what the structure will be, and what the plans are for audience participation.

Our questions are in a logical and chronological order under nine headings, which may, in fact, serve as a sensible way of focusing and structuring the meeting.

Ample time for audience participation is crucial, and we suggest a time for direct questions and answers, not just the one-sided communication that characterizes participation at City Council meetings.

Ed Gallagher
ejg1@lehigh.edu
The Bethlehem Gadfly
https://thebethlehemgadfly.com/

cc: Mayor Donchez, City Council President Waldron

———-

QUESTIONS FOR THE MAY 9 MEETING ON THE MARTIN TOWER DEMOLITION

Preliminary Planning:

  • What options besides implosion are available for demolition?
  • Why (according to the newspaper) is implosion used only 1% of the time?
  • What factors (time, cost, efficiency, geography, etc.) made implosion the best option for MT?
  • Where did potential health hazards factor in to the decision? Is it fair to say that other options would provide less of a health hazard?
  • Was the City involved in the planning decision? If so, name those City officials involved. If so, what role did the City play in the decision? If so, did the City have a veto power?
  • Was there any disagreement about the decision to use implosion among any of those consulted in the planning decision? If so, who and for what reason?
  • Is it too late to choose another option for demolition?

The Regulatory Process:

  • What Federal and State laws, regulations, and guidelines govern implosions?
  • What Federal and State approvals had to be obtained? What offices, where located, and who were the principal government agents consulted and responsible for approvals?
  • What City laws, regulations, and guidelines govern implosions?
  • What City approvals had to be obtained? What City offices were consulted and were responsible for the approvals? Who were the key figures in the approval process?
  • What information had to be submitted to the City in order to obtain approval?
  • Were there any disagreements or concerns voiced by City officials during the approval process? If so, who and for what reason?
  • What Federal, State, and City laws, regulations, and guidelines specifically relate to health concerns? Where in the regulations are health concerns addressed?
  • Did the City do its own background check on Controlled Demolition, Inc.? Did the City solicit references? If not, why not? If so, were there any concerns or, more importantly, “red flags”? What was the last job similar in nature and scope to Bethlehem? Who was responsible for the vetting of CD?
  • Did City officials meet with the developer and/or CD during the approval process? Elaborate.
  • Did City officials research prior implosions by CD for health protocols and health consequences? Did CD provide testing data post-demolition in previous cases?
  • Are there any City officials with prior expertise or experiences in implosions?
  • What in the history of demolition in Bethlehem, imploded or otherwise, was pertinent to consideration of MT?
  • What pertinent independent general studies of the health consequences of implosions were studied by the City?

Possible contamination:

  • Is there any asbestos on site? What tests have been done? Where are the results available? Is there independent verification of what asbestos is onsite? If there is asbestos, what will be done to control it?
  • Are there other contaminants onsite? What are their health effects?
  • What will the fallout, the “dust” that the implosion raises contain?
  • Will the developer remove and safely dispose of any building components containing lead and other known contaminants before demolition?
  • Has a fallout zone been determined? Where will the fallout be most intense? How far will the fallout spread?
  • Will there be tests to determine the range and intensity of the fallout? If so, who will do them? Will there be independent tests? Where and when will the test results be available?
  • Will there be tests of indoor air quality?
  • What health effects can we expect from “normal” fallout? What is a worst-case scenario? Are there long-term studies of fallout health consequences after implosions?
  • What will be the effect on the Monocacy Creek? Won’t the water cannons used to suppress the dust wash contamination into the Creek?

Preparation of the townspeople:

  • Should people be worried about health consequences? If so, what should they do to avoid or to mitigate those consequences?
  • Should people with certain health conditions take certain precautions or avoid the area for a period of time?
  • Do you recommend face masks?
  • Has the city made arrangements to ensure that community residents within the fallout zone are provided with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuums and “tack mats,” which remove dust from shoes as individuals enter the home?
  • Should homes be sealed up?
  • Will dust lay on cars, outdoor furniture, and so forth, and, if so, should anything be done?
  • Should people be told to avoid lawn mowers, blowers, etc., for a time – things that stir up the dust?
  • Should people be kept off the Little League fields, off the Golf course, out of Burnside, from shopping at Lowe’s, and so forth, for the day?
  • Should people be advised to restrict any kind of activity or to avoid any locations?
  • Has the city made arrangements to ensure that residents, community organizations, faith-based organiza­tions, and city agencies are fully informed about the potential health hazards from dust from the demolition and who to contact if they believe they have been exposed?
  • Has the city made arrangements to ensure training of community block monitors to assist residents with questions and home safety measures?

Demolition day operation:

  • Who is in charge of the operation that day? Who is calling the shots? Does the City have any say in the operation? What officials will be on site?
  • What factors will determine that the demolition is “a go”?
  • What factors would determine a delay or a cancellation of the demolition?
  • What could go wrong? What could seriously go wrong? What is a worst-case scenario?
  • Is wind speed and direction a factor in whether to go or not? Is there such a thing as a desirable and undesirable speed or direction? Or is it “anything goes”?

Post-demolition testing:

  • Will there be tests to determine the range and intensity of the fallout? If so, who will do them? Will there be independent tests? Where and when will the test results be available?
  • In addition to air-quality tests, will there be seismic monitoring, to determine possible impact on building foundations and so forth?
  • Has the city made arrangements for independent testing of the streets and sidewalks surrounding demolished properties to measure the impact of demolition and debris removal on the local environment, and to repeat such tests when clearing the site has been completed?

Post-demolition clean-up:

  • Has the city made arrangements to ensure that all sidewalks, streets, and parking lots in the fallout zone are swept immediately after the demolition and again when debris has been removed?
  • Has the city made arrangements to ensure the developer will cover all dust & debris on the demolition site so it will not be carried off by wind or rain AND require it all to be completely removed as rapidly as possible?
  • Has the city made arrangements to ensure that two inches of topsoil are removed and replaced on all exposed ground within the fallout area?
  • Has the city made made arrangements to ensure the developer has established procedures for safe removal of all debris from demolished buildings, including use of hoses to suppress dust and covering trucks?
  • Do we have to wait for rain to be totally safe?
  • Will it be safe to use the Little League fields, play golf, visit Burnside, use compost, and etc.?

Cost to taxpayers:

  • Who is paying for all the city time and personnel involved here?

Long-term view:

  • People will eventually live, work, visit at the MT site. What safeguards will be put in place to protect their health?
  • Are we learning anything in this process about such things as City-citizen communication and the efficacy of our various laws, regulations, and guidelines that we would want to change as a result of this MT experience?