Following review at a December 12 session, Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) members have modified an existing wetlands/watercourses protection permit held by Planters’ Choice, a Huntingtown Road plant nursery, in response to environmental recommendations made by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

IWC members reviewed several proposed changes to the IWC’s wetlands violations remediation plan for Planters’ Choice before approving the modifications. The measures recommended by USACE will increase the level of environmental protection that the IWC specified in its earlier correctional plan for the sprawling agricultural facility.

In the fall of 2018, the IWC held well-attended public hearings on a range of wetlands violations that had been uncovered at the Planters’ Choice properties on Huntingtown Road and Meadow Brook Road. Through those hearings, the IWC formulated a site remediation plan for Planters’ Choice, specifying what measures needed to be taken to correct the violations.

Newman Holdings LLC owns the Planters’ Choice. The plant nursery is approximately 100 acres, including 140, 153, and 155 Huntingtown Road, and 23 Meadow Brook Road.

In May 2018, in two “cease and correct” orders, the town informed the nursery that after town inspections, it was clear that unauthorized activities had occurred on the firm’s properties, including land clearing, earthen filling, grading, and the deposition of earthen material within regulated wetland areas. Generally, the wetlands violations involved uncontrolled erosion and sedimentation over a number of years.

The town’s issuance of those two orders followed complaints from nearby residents about activities at the Planters’ Choice properties. Those residents’ concerns included whether the wetlands violations at the nursery had resulted in any contamination of their adjacent domestic water wells.

Analytical testing performed by the state on water from several domestic water wells near Planter’s Choice has shown no signs of contamination, according to the Newtown Health District. Additional wells may be tested.

At the December 12 IWC session, Darryl Newman, representing Planters’ Choice, described the steps to be taken in response to the USACE review of the site.

USACE conducted a field inspection of the Planters’ Choice properties in August to check on what measures needed to be taken to correct the wetlands violations there.

Instead of employing a culvert to direct water flow in a wetland area, the USACE wants a small bridge to be positioned in that area. Mr Newman described in detail the specifications of the planned bridge, which would be strong enough to support the weight of a farm tractor rolling over it. The bridge’s design will need to be approved by the town’s land use agency.

The IWC also listed nine technical conditions of approval for the remediation project.

As part of the IWC’s earlier permit requirements, the nursery must perform stormwater quality sampling at its property in the spring and fall of each year to check for possible contamination. Such water testing looks for the presence of fertilizers, pesticides, certain bacteria, ammonia, chloride, and also checks for conditions such as turbidity and dissolved oxygen levels, among other characteristics. Three testing locations are specified. Testing must be performed by an environmental professional and be submitted to the town Land Use Agency.