Rockland County, NY – Local residents, concerned neighbors and Rockland County’s highest ranking official were among those who gathered this afternoon for a protest against a proposed chicken slaughterhouse in New Square.
County Executive Ed Day was among the over 100 people who turned out this afternoon just across from the village of New Square to protest the planned facility, which would be located on a currently undeveloped parcel of land at the northwestern corner of New Square on Route 45, directly across from a residential area in the neighboring village of New Hempstead.
As previously reported, the 26,250 square foot Adir Poultry plant would replace a previously closed 5,000 square foot facility that had been closed by the federal government in 2010 after it was discovered that the plant had been selling uninspected chickens for years.
Numerous elected officials as well as political hopefuls came to the hour long, peaceful demonstration at 2 Rovitz Place, on the corner of Route 45 and Rovitz Place, just yards from the proposed facility. Speaker after speaker encouraged those in attendance to be vocal in their protests of the project, with orange plastic pails passed around to collect monetary contributions to the cause.
Most of the speakers, which included Day, Clarkstown Town Supervisor Alex Gromack, Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski and congressional hopeful Chris Day, son of County Executive Day, reiterated the theme that there is no place for a slaughterhouse in a residential community, citing potential concerns including issues of health, sanitary conditions, environmental problems, increased traffic and the negative effect the proposed facility would have on property values.
Ed Day was quick to note that religion plays no part in his opposition to the project, known as Heritage Park.
“It’s not a Jewish Christian issue,” Day told the News.
“It’s not even a Chasidic, non-Chasidic issue.
This is an issue of the application of the zoning law…what about the families in New Square? What about the children who live right by this processing plant?”
Day observed that while the county considers the facility to be an inappropriate use of the land, local village boards have the power to override the county, something that he expects will happen and he is confident that should this project proceed, it will be guided carefully by the Rockland County Planning Department and no political favors or shortcuts will be granted.
While Day noted that his goal as County Executive it to unite all residents, he was unequivocal in his opposition to the planned slaughterhouse.
“We are here to draw a line in the sand and say ‘No, we do not approve of an obvious wrong.’ We do not put this type of facility in a residential area. We will work to try to do something make sure it does not occur.”
Gesturing across the road towards New Square, Day urged the village board of New Square to rethink its plans.
“My challenge to New Square is to find an alternative that is respectful and mindful of the people who live in the area, both on this side of the road and your neighbors across the street,” said Day.
“And if New Square is serious about that, my office will help them find property that is more conducive, more respectful of neighbors, something in an industrial area. We stand ready to do that. We just need an extension of the hand across that road, to us.”
Activist Mike Miller urged listeners not to accept defeat should the slaughterhouse be approved.
“When political processes fail, injustices are taken over by the people themselves,” said Miller, who added that should the plan be given the green light, he will be planning daily demonstrations against the facility in the hopes of garnering national attention.
“Hopefully the national political arena will help us stop this injustice because it is going to destroy our community,” said Miller.
Several people at the protest observed that there are many in New Square who oppose the plant, but are unable to voice their opposition including Chestnut Ridge resident Ron Miller who says he has spoken with members of the New Square community at a local gas station who say they are against the slaughterhouse.
“They told me they feel they have no voice and if they speak out they will be ostracized,” said Miller. “Everybody knows what happened to Aron Rottenberg and he just wanted to daven around the corner.
If this poultry plant can have a negative effect on people’s health, they should make sure all the children in Rockland Country’s health should be protected and that includes the children of the parents who really can’t speak out.”
A statement released by Fred Brinn, mayor of New Hempstead, addressed the poultry processing plant, saying that New Square village officials have been open about their plans and have welcomed all inquiries regarding the project and that New Hempstead will conduct its own due diligence regarding any impact on the village.
“Our resident’s quality of life is of paramount importance to us and we will do everything in our power to protect that.”
The post Rockland County, NY – County Exec and Nearby Residents Protest Proposed New Square Slaughterhouse appeared first on TOTPI.