LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. – A proposal to expand Bethlehem Landfill now faces opposition from a state-level public official.
On Tuesday, State Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Northampton, sent a letter to Lower Saucon Township Council opposing zoning changes to expand the landfill.
- Pa. House member Bob Freeman wrote a letter to Lower Saucon Township Tuesday criticizing proposed zoning changes
- The changes would allow the expansion of Bethlehem Landfill
- Lower Saucon will hold a hearing on the proposal Wednesday night
Freeman says in the letter that he has heard from multiple constituents with concerns about the zoning amendments, which would reclassify farmland the landfill owns to be used for waste.
The proposed measure would also change the way the township approves landfills, removing requirements for site plan approval and a vote from the township Zoning Hearing Board.
Freeman criticizes those changes for “reduc[ing] established safeguards and review processes that ensure that all potential impacts on public health, safety and welfare are considered.”
He also argues the importance of protecting the undeveloped and forested land that would be used for the landfill.
In October, lawyers representing the landfill’s owners wrote a letter to the council saying that to stay open, the landfill will have to expand. The letter said the first step toward that expansion is to pass the amendments, and that there are many steps to follow.
The proposed expansion would double the landfill’s size and extend its lifespan by 20-30 years, according to its owners.
Lower Saucon Township will hold a hearing on the proposed zoning amendments at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Town Hall.
