LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — A conditional use hearing slated for Friday on the expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill has been canceled — and it's not the only one.
All hearings will be paused while landfill officials challenge a Northampton County judge’s ruling that a zoning ordinance allowing for the landfill’s expansion was void, according to a letter from hearing officer Scott MacNair.
- Conditional use hearings in the Bethlehem Landfill expansion have been paused
- It will last until 45 days after a Commonwealth Court judge rules on the landfill's appeal, filed last week
- The company is challenging a Northampton County judge's ruling that the ordinance approving the expansion was void
“ … the conditional use hearings will be stayed at the present time,” according to the letter, dated Wednesday and addressed to attorneys and parties involved in the case. “A new hearing date will be announced upon receipt of a decision from the Commonwealth Court.”
The pause is the latest obstacle for landfill officials, who want a 275-acre expansion, and being counted a success by many residents who have argued and rallied against it. The expansion has been paused since early May, after Northampton County Judge Abraham Kassis ruled the township’s zoning ordinance as void ab initio, meaning the decision held no legal effect since its adoption by township council on Dec. 21, 2022.
Kassis cited improper public notice of rezoning intentions, along with issues regarding the council's actions and vote. Landfill leaders filed the appeal last week.
Astor Lawson, Bethlehem Landfill Company district manager, said the company is appealing because officials believe Kassis "made a mistake."
"Bethlehem Landfill Co. is an essential part of the local economy," he said. "Without us, taxes would significantly increase and services would be cut. We contribute a quarter of the town’s tax revenue, support local charities and the expansion would preserve 157 acres of land permanently so that it can never be developed for any use.
"We are proud of the role we play in Lower Saucon. We are confident that the proposed expansion will result in long-lasting advantages for Lower Saucon Township and its residents in the years ahead."
“This is another victory for landfill warriors saving the forest and all in the Lehigh Valley.”Victoria Opthof-Cordaro, one of the residents leading Citizens for Responsible Development-LST
Victoria Opthof-Cordaro, one of the residents leading Citizens for Responsible Development-LST, a group opposing the expansion, said the hearing pause “is another victory for landfill warriors saving the forest and all in the Lehigh Valley.”
After the appeal was filed, MacNair “proposed an indefinite stay on the conditional use hearings,” according to the letter, and landfill officials did not object.
The next hearing is now slated for 45 days after the decision is handed down from the Commonwealth Court.
It’s been less than six months since the township council voted to approve rezoning for the expansion process. Since then, residents have rallied against it, and conditional use hearings have taken place.
Among the issues cited by residents and involved counsel are:
- Environmental impacts, endangered plants and animals nearby
- Traffic and area roadway safety
- The nearby endangered Lehigh River
- Potential impact on the Redington Historic District
- Potential impact on the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
- Council member integrity
- Placement near St. Luke’s Anderson campus and helipad
