To the Editor:
The April 10 article ["Commission Approves EnviroSolutions Application," Mount Vernon Gazette] on the Planning Commission’s vote to recommend approval of the EnviroSolutions proposal to continue construction debris landfill operations and create a green energy park offers a confusing inconsistency. The president of the South County Federation states that ESI was inflexible and not interested in any compromise during recent meetings of a compromise group. Yet, the facts show that ESI significantly changed their proposal after the meetings with SCF to shorten the extension period by six years (27 percent) and reduce the currently approved height to reduce the visual impact of the landfill. The only point on which ESI was “inflexible” was on their commitment to install the green energy park and to close their reclamation facility thus keeping heavy trucks from the neighborhood roads. Even Commissioner Flanagan, as quoted in your article, noted that the testimony of the community had resulted in “changes to the application.”
SCF’s offer to extend the operations of the landfill for only four years would have killed the green energy park, put trucks on South County neighborhood roads and cost the community over $13M in funding for ball parks, recreational uses and other community needs. When it comes to who is being “flexible” in this process, I think the actions of ESI speak louder than SCF’s words.
Further, I wish to note that the 50 speakers referenced by Commissioner Flanagan included many residents who spoke in favor of the application.
Jon Taylor, Lorton