If one does a word search for “Tuxedo Lake” in the FEIS submitted by the Tuxedo Town Board, two results appear. Both results are in a list that the Town Board asks the developer to address. In item #7, the Town Board asks the Related Companies how to minimize drainage into Tuxedo Lake. In item #8, they ask Related to provide water quality testing and monitoring of Tuxedo Lake and Mountain Lake.
In the Lead Agency Findings Statement, Appendix I, there is mention of surface water into Tuxedo Lake, but nothing about ground water. In Appendix L, there is mention about well monitoring protocol in the Hamlet, but nothing about Tuxedo Lake. That is the full extent of the Lead Agency Findings Statement about the potential ground water impact on Tuxedo Lake.
The Town Board ignored a written statement sent to them in December, 2009, by Hydro-geologist, Paul Rubin. Regarding that statement in an email to the Trustees of the Village of Tuxedo Park, Rubin writes:
“I have been evaluating the water quality risks that may occur if the proposed Tuxedo Reserve Project is built. One significant and very real risk is that of potential water quality degradation stemming from contaminant transport via both groundwater and surface water flow off-site into Tuxedo Lake.
In my December 31, 2009 report to the Town of Tuxedo Town Board titled: Evaluation of Environmental Aspects of the Tuxedo Reserve SEIS (page 6) I detail the contaminant threat to Tuxedo Lake:
‘The 2007 Water Supply Investigation Report (WSIR) has a number of large maps that portray groundwater flow directions throughout the Tuxedo Reserve project area under both non-pumping and pumping conditions. Importantly, the natural groundwater flow directions may be generally characterized as flowing radially outward from the Tuxedo Reserve site (i.e., from an area of higher topographic elevation to lower down gradient elevations to the west, east, and south – WSIR Figures 3, 5, and 7).
These applicant created groundwater flow maps reveal significant groundwater flow to the west to Tuxedo Lake and to the east to the Ramapo River. Storm water and other on-site contaminants associated with the large-scale Tuxedo Reserve development will discharge to these water bodies via groundwater transport. Similarly, overland contaminant mobilization is also likely to reach Tuxedo Lake and the Ramapo River via surface water.
For this radially outward groundwater flow pattern to occur, groundwater recharge must be significant and it must originate throughout much of the project site. This is further documented by water level rises in piezometers coincident with precipitation events. Thus, project related contaminants (e.g., herbicides, pesticides, hydrocarbons, road salt) will directly recharge the underlying groundwater aquifer and will primarily flow to two receptor locations: 1) inward into Tuxedo Reserve community water supply wells, and 2) outward to off-site receptor watersheds to the west and east. From a wellhead protection and community health standpoint, this is undesirable.’”
In an email to the Trustees of the Village of Tuxedo Park, dated December 15th, 2010, Dr. Alexander Gates, Executive Director from the Highlands Environmental Research Institute writes:
“The bedrock geology of the Highlands plays a strong role in the quality and quantity of groundwater. The Highlands are composed of 1 billion year old crystalline rock that was formed at the base of the highest mountains on Earth. The heat and pressure of their formation eliminated all primary porosity and permeability. These rocks can hold no groundwater except where they contain fractures that formed much later. Normally, groundwater is purified by percolating through the pore spaces in rock and sediment. The water weaves around the mineral grains reacting with them to remove pollutants and squeezing between tight openings between them to remove bacteria and disease. In fractured rock systems, the groundwater flows through open cracks which neither remove pollutants nor bacteria. They work like water pipes in a house. In a case in Ringwood, NJ, a leaking gas station tank resulted in the highest MTBE levels ever measured in a domestic water well that was nearly 1 mile away. Fractures can be oriented in any direction. If there is an extensive network of fractures, groundwater will flow down gradient (slope on the water table). If they are sparse, the water can be directed in virtually any direction, even back under a hill, opposite to the direction of slope. It requires a detailed fracture analysis of an area to determine the direction of groundwater flow.
A recent scientific study that will be published in a professional journal this spring investigated pollution of groundwater around the Sterling Lake mineworks. It was found that several toxic pollutants (chromium, nickel, etc.) were released during mining and smelting operations. It was also found that the top, humus (o-horizon) layer of the soil acted as filter removing the pollutants from infiltrating rain and melt water. As a result, the groundwater is relatively clean in this heavily industrially impacted area. All of the pollutants are contained in the humus layer.
With the combination of removing the humus (pollutant filter) layer of the soil which would occur during development and the unknown orientation and extensiveness of the fracture system of the underlying bedrock, there is a possibility that the groundwater supply in the Tuxedo Lake area could be compromised. The main threats to the supply come from sewage overflow, runoff from roads and landscaping chemicals. Among these chemicals, they can contain disease, dangerous and carcinogenic compounds and compounds that can cause reproductive mutations in wildlife and humans, respectively. Human impact would occur in areas that use private water wells. Runoff of developed areas also typically causes eutrophication of ponds and lakes which kills the fish populations.”
What Happens When Your Groundwater is Contaminated?
Below are 2 videos about “fracking” in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Fracking is a process in which a fluid is injected at high pressure into oil or methane gas deposits to fracture the rock above and release the liquid or gas below.
We are not suggesting that fracking will occur in Tuxedo Reserve. However, these videos illustrate what can happen when a community does not examine the potential impacts of development on groundwater which can be irreversible.