Residents raise well-water contamination concerns as Rhinebeck board pauses review of Willow Road proposal
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Summary
Residents at the March 2 planning-board hearing testified about historic lead contamination and alleged on‑site medical waste near 9 G & Willow Road; the board acknowledged a DEC letter and suspended technical SEQR review pending further data, continuing the public hearing.
At a March 2 meeting of the Town of Rhinebeck Planning Board, residents raised long‑standing water‑well and contamination concerns connected to a proposed site‑plan and wetlands permit for 9 G & Willow Road.
Nancy Shawmaugh, who identified herself during public comment, said her household has tested positive for lead and that “my husband, 20 years ago, did research, the water problem … it was lead. And it's still lead.” She told the board she now purchases water and that testing done in 2004 and more recently still showed elevated lead, adding she believed the parcel contained decomposed hospital‑era waste: “We found … bedpans, and all kinds of bottles.”
Board members acknowledged the testimony and noted the planning board had received a letter from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The chair stated the board would suspend further SEQR/technical review and asked staff and the applicant to provide additional information before resuming detailed review: the board will not proceed with coordinated environmental review until the outstanding data are available.
Multiple residents asked whether additional well testing or different long‑term drawdown studies were possible. A resident noted that the developer’s 72‑hour drawdown test may not reflect longer‑term impacts on shallower local wells; the board said it would forward public comments to the town’s engineering consultant (Christian Moore/CPL) for consideration and circulate any updates to the full board.
The board continued the public-hearing schedule to March 16 to allow time for new materials but said it might push the item further if the DEC or engineering reports require more work. The suspension of substantive review was described as temporary and contingent on receiving the DEC response and any new hydrogeological or testing information.
The meeting concluded with staff reminding the public that the board would recirculate consultant findings and encouraged residents with test records to provide them for inclusion in the technical review.
What happens next: the board has continued the hearing and asked staff and the applicant to supply the requested data; the board will not resume coordinated environmental review until it has the DEC guidance and additional technical materials.
