“Legoland cited by DEC for sixth time”

Thank you, Daniel Axelrod and the THR for your diligence. 

Dear Nieces and Nephews 

    

If you do not understand the significance of this one creek on your local environment, click here: https://www.orangecountygov.com/DocumentCenter/View/4133/Moodna-Creek-Watershed-Conservation-and-Management-Plan-2010-PDF

 

Doug Bloomfield, Town of Goshen Supervisor and Legoland acolyte, does not sound like a leader who knows what is going on:

DOUG SAID: “The Town of Goshen, the town engineer and the Building Department have been working diligently with Legoland engineers and the consultants, and a lot of things have been done, I’ve seen a list of 21 items that have been done, and I know there are many more that are being done or being worked on.” http://www.recordonline.com/news/20180912/sixth-dec-citation-for-legoland 

Wow! Dougie, they have a list! With 21 things on it! And, we suppose, they are checking it twice. Well, since they are not Santa Claus, the engineers for the site, Lanc and Tully (btw they are also the engineers for the Village of Goshen who is supplying the water for the Legoland site) and Holt construction better add “prevention of further soil erosion and damaging runoff” as number 2 on the list and “no more sewage leaks” as number 1.

Here is the first ten items on the list of “21 things”, as it exists now, of which Dougie Bloomfield speaks:

1 Sharpen Pencils

2 Find the maps

3 Pay Holt

4 Ask how long Phil Royle will be in town or is he heading to the next town on his HIT list, leaving environmental flotsam and jetsam in his wake?

5 Sharpen pencils again

6 Avoid the DEC officer, she’s annoying

7 Instruct all employees to take swimming lessons

8 Read the Art of War

9 Read Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”

10 Act upset

It is extremely disturbing that the very persons responsible for the problem by not having a plan or not implementing the plan, are claiming they are not ready because they have no plan.

And to cite extreme weather as a cause (one of the things to be included in a plan- mitigation) for the pollution, soil erosion and excessive run off is just dishonest. Is the Legoland team going to use the excuse, “well, if it wasn’t for the hurricane, it would have been OK”. 

 

Surprise! Extreme weather is the norm in September/October on the East Coast of the US. Remember, in 2011, after visiting North Carolina, Hurricane Irene made her way to NJ/ NY with winds at 65 mph!!!

And now we have Hurricane Florence bearing down on the Carolinas, making her way to Virginia and beyond. https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ Are you ready? Or can we expect to see the Otter Kill turn black and the Black Meadow Creek turn brown?

 Dear Merlin Entertainments, if your Legoland bully boy did the job properly instead of cutting regulatory corners or pressuring decision makers, you would not have these problems. IF only Legoland and Holt Construction did not clear cut over 100 acres at a time instead of the 5 acres at a time, you would not have these problems and the very bad PR that comes with it: Legoland contractors causing excessive runoff and leaking effluent. Dear Merlin, you now may join the ranks of Great Wolf as serial polluters of the US! Why don't you wave your magic wand over that?

Planning for such contingencies falls on the engineers. Lanc and Tully is the engineering firm that was hired by the town. From Lanc and Tully, John J. O’Rourke is assigned to the Legoland project. He is a licensed professional engineer who holds a degree in Geology and is a certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control. https://www.lanctully.com/about/  (boldface ours) What happened to you John? 

Here is a basic premise that requires no degree. If you clear a site at a 250ft elevation, water will go from the top, at 250 ft, to the bottom, at 0 feet, The Otterkill is a 0 feet elevation. if there is nothing to block or absorb it, the water goes downhill.

Phil Royle, himself, discussed this very thing with the group from NYS responsible for advising NY about tourism, The Tourism Advisory Council or TAC

From the “Tourism Advisory Council Meeting"

Monday, September 25^th 2017 11:00am –12:30pm

633 Third Ave, 37^th Floor Boardroom, New York, NY

Phil is agenda item 4:

   

In Phil’s presentation to the TAC:

  

 

  

Isn’t this just hilarious??? Page 67 of 70

Begins on page 28: lego presentation

https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/news-articles/TAC%20Meeting%20Materials%209.25.17.pdf 

And the livestream video of the meeting reveals more.

https://livestream.com/vvt2/TAC092517/videos/163345056 

  

Phil starts at 41 minutes and 46sec

Some funny quotes from Phil’s presentation (livestream)

PHIL SAID: “…First phase of the project” 

What’s the second phase? In case you do not remember, Legoland also has WATER PARKS!!! Great Wolf attends to children 2-10 and Legoland is geared towards children 2-12*, so if they “cluster” to increase their attractiveness as a tourist area, there are 2 more years! 2 more years for those tourists to visit again and again. Let’s cluster!!!

PHIL SAID: “…environmentally friendly where possible”

Just like Great Wolf, some things are not possible

PHIL SAID: (re:food) “…local ingredients where possible” 

We hope the Black Dirt farmers are not holding their breath!

And the most astonishing part of this presentation is the “learning experience” that Phil presents: the “Earthquake Table”. He describes it as having the children build their creations on said table and when the kids are finished, they activate the “earthquake” to completely knock down whatever the child has built. The educational component? Learning not to cry in public? No, Phil claims that this is a great learning experience because the kids are then taught about “interlocking bricks” and how to use them (right after they knock down everything on the table), hence they learn something they would not have if the “earthquake” did not strike. Remember, these kids have not read Dickens.

The teacher on Auntie’s Team almost spit when he heard that and categorized it as sadistic. He believes there is another way to teach the usefulness of interlocking bricks and thought of two methods right away; methods that do not involve frustrating a child with cruelty.

And think about this: what child is going to sit and listen to someone who just knocked down his house? A New York kid above the age of 4 just might tell him where he and Legoland can go.

Just like the adults of Orange County, New York are telling him.

"this park is a good bet for a boy ages 4-6 years old. My 7 year old has been on bigger, better, longer rides & was looking for the "thrill" of that. My 10 year old thought everything was baby-ish. My 2 year old was at 38" & could ride on a limited number of rides. So, that being said - it was pretty much a waste of our hour & 30 minute drive (each way), although we did get some discount tickets from an online vendor & paid well below market value."

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34746-d2322446-r127206002-Legoland_Florida_Resort-Winter_Haven_Florida.html