LETTER: Residents fear air and water pollution from concrete plant

To Ozaukee Press:

Key takeaways from the Town of Grafton Plan Commission hearing on Sept. 1 on a conditional use permit for the I-43 contractor Hoffman Construction Co. to use agricultural land for a concrete crushing plant and equipment staging area:

Hoffman would require about 50,000 gallons of water per week that would be drained from the same aquifer used by residents and could pollute or drain that well due to the enormous amount of water needed to contain the dust of the facility over 10 acres. The site would run off downhill towards the Ulao Creek.

There would be damaging health hazards, with toxic cancer-causing fumes, gas and dust blowing to the residents’ homes and Ozaukee Daycare with 60 children and staff. Hoffman has been fined for multiple violations; they have a bad track record.

Traffic chaos could be expected with dump trucks going in and out of the site filled with concrete, log-jamming the on off ramp near Target for four years.

Some town officials were perplexed that Hoffman admitted that they chose the site only because it was the cheapest option, not the most suitable.

Plan Commission members are worried about the impact to the health and safety of residents and on prosperity, development and property values. Only Supr. Patrick Stemper voiced unconditional support for the Hoffman project, drawing gasps from the public.

The town engineer stated that the town could not support the permit request as filed because critical details concerning drainage and lighting were omitted.

The hearing ended with a motion to table the permit application and a directive to Hoffman to provide a report on additional suitable sites and address the deficiencies in the application. The next hearing will be in held in October.

Michael Byrnes
Town of Grafton