Goshen board hears IWS DEIS; town accepts 10-day written comment period after resident raises leachate concerns

Supervisor Petro opened a public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement submitted by IWS for a transfer station on Harley Road. Applicant representative Crystal said the application requests authority to accept 670 tons of municipal solid waste and C&D material and that a 10‑day written comment period would follow the hearing.

Residents raised environmental and operational concerns. Resident Neil Holloway recounted the site’s history and urged the board to ensure leachate and stormwater standards are met, saying recent reports show off‑site runoff and potential impacts to downstream water users, including the Wallkill River and local aquifers. “We used to have a lot more complaints about garbage blown over the fence... this proposal is progress, but I think we have to push for even better,” Holloway said.

Town consultant John Canning (Kimberly Horn) told the board the DEIS needs to document traffic and safety at nearby intersections and supply turning templates for tractor‑trailers; his written comments will be included in the final EIS. The board and applicant repeatedly clarified that the 670‑ton figure is an application request and not an issued DEC permit.

After hearing testimony and consultant comments, the board voted to close the in‑person portion of the hearing while accepting written comments for 10 days; the applicant will prepare a Final Environmental Impact Statement responding to written and oral comments. The board also noted it will include correspondence and consultant reports in the record.

Next steps: written comments to the town clerk during the 10‑day period; the applicant will submit a FEIS and respond item‑by‑item to comments for board review.