Residents press Ridgewood council on Schedler tree removal and PFAS water treatment during public comment
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Summary
Residents at the April 8 Ridgewood Village Council meeting pressed officials over tree removals tied to the Zabriskie Schedler soil‑remediation project and ongoing PFAS treatment; council and staff said cuts were for hazard or remediation, outlined a replanting plan and noted PFOS treatment progress.
Several Ridgewood residents used the public-comment portion of the April 8 council meeting to press officials about the Zabriskie Schedler soil-remediation project, tree removals on the site and water quality concerns related to PFAS.
Denise Lima (Ridgewood resident) told the council she found it “hypocritical” to read tree‑planting and pollinator proclamations while trees were being removed at Schedler and asked for clearer monitoring and notification plans for dust and chemical exposures. She said she attended the community soil‑remediation meeting and heard commitments that trucks would queue off‑site, that bus stops would not change, and that air-quality monitoring and escalation procedures would be in place.
Village Manager Keith and the Shade Tree liaison (Siobhan) responded that trees removed at Schedler were either hazards identified by the certified arborist or situated within an area needing remediation; they said the village must remove some trees to permit soil removal and that a replanting plan is in progress. Keith described air-quality monitoring, police presence for truck routing and site protections discussed at the community meeting and invited residents to review the video of the session on the village YouTube channel.
Resident Cynthia O’Keefe raised concerns about proposals for artificial turf near private wells and the potential for heat-island effects; she requested council members to explain the rationale and whether medical or environmental expertise informed decisions. Manager Keith and others indicated proclamations were intended to inspire public action (for example, household tree planting) while remediation and hazard removal proceeded under engineering and regulatory constraints.
On drinking water, a council speaker noted Ridgewood has brought six PFOS treatment facilities online and that work began in 2019 to address PFOS/PFAS; the council thanked Ridgewood Water staff for progress and said additional facilities remain to be completed.
The exchanges left two distinctions explicit: council members characterized the proclamations as public‑engagement efforts, while staff maintained that tree removals at Schedler were limited to safety or remediation needs and that replanting would occur. Officials invited residents to follow monitoring protocols and contact staff for escalation steps if dust or air concerns arise.