By JEFF MORRIS
A years-long process intended to replace the Peckham Industries asphalt plant in Bedford Hills with new technology appears to have met its demise.
Bedford Planning Director Jesica Youngblood confirmed to The Recorder that Peckham “provided correspondence requesting application withdrawal.”
She did not provide any details, but suggested reaching out to them directly for additional information.
Attempts to reach Peckham’s attorney, Charles Martabano, have thus far been unsuccessful.
The asphalt plant, located off the Route 117 Bypass — which it predates — between the Saw Mill River Parkway and Interstate 684, has been a fixture in Bedford Hills for decades.
When the plan to replace the plant was first brought to the planning board in July 2021, it was described by Martabano as “a unique opportunity for the town of Bedford and its climate action plan.”
That was because the existing plant is what is known as a hot asphalt batch plant, while the new one would be a drum style plant. The applicants claimed the upgrade would have environmental benefits, including “appropriate controls and storage to meet the demands of modern asphalt pavement products and evolving regulations focused on reduced emissions and lower carbon footprint.”
The plan called for the new plant to be built on an adjacent piece of property that contained a garden nursery, and for the existing plant to be demolished. There was some dispute as to whether the adjacent property was, in fact, a separate parcel, or if the entire site was considered one property; researching and resolving that, in itself, caused delays in the approval process.
At the time, Peckham executives noted batch plants are from the 1940s, and drum mix plants, which they said have been developed within the last 10 years, would save 900 pounds of CO2 a year, with a long list of emissions improvements.
Martabano also stated there would be less noise and greater opportunities for recycling. Increased space for truck queues to prevent backups on the Route 117 Bypass was also cited as a positive outcome.
However, with the planning board serving as lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review Act process, it stretched over several years. Peckham returned to the board multiple times with extensive documentation regarding expected environmental impact, while board members continued to question whether the replacement industrial plant, which would be an expansion of a nonconforming use, was really appropriate in an area close to residences, small businesses, schools and the two state women’s prisons.
Peckham abruptly canceled its last scheduled appearance before the board July 22, at which members were to vote on adopting an already drafted negative environmental declaration.
In that draft, the board stated it had “considered a multitude of reports and submissions from outside agencies, special project consultants, and the Applicant;” had “retained a consultant, GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc. to review various aspects of the Proposed Action, evaluate the operations of the relocated asphalt plant, and provide recommendations with respect to the proposed mitigation of any potential adverse environmental impacts from such operations;” had “held numerous work sessions and a public hearing on February 26, 2024 with respect to its SEQRA review related to the Site Plan and Steep Slopes application, and, at which the public was given ample opportunity to comment with respect to the potential environmental impacts associated with the Proposed Action and the Planning Board carefully considered such comments;” and had also considered written comments from the public.
The board concluded, “after due discussion and deliberation, the Town Planning Board, in accordance with SEQRA, and applying the established rules of review under SEQRA, and upon review of the EAF, all other application materials and correspondence prepared with respect to the Proposed Action, hereby adopts the attached Negative Declaration with respect to the Proposed Action, having determined there are no potential significant adverse environmental impacts resulting from the Proposed Action.” But the resolution never came up for a vote.
No explanation was given for why Peckham canceled its appearance at that meeting, nor has any yet been given for why the application is being withdrawn.
It is also unknown whether Peckham plans to maintain the existing plant, or what its intentions may be. When the plan was introduced in 2021, Richard Williams of Insite Engineering said the old plant would remain open while the new one was being built, because it was important to the local community and to New York State Department of Transportation, among other municipal organizations, that the plant continue to operate. Asphalt cannot travel more than about an hour from where it is produced and still be usable, he said.
Peckham Industries, headquartered in Brewster, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Its closest manufacturing plant to Bedford Hills is in Carmel, where it produces hot-mix asphalt, warm-mix asphalt, and aggregates.
Editor's note: The Recorder has received funding from the Peckham Family Foundation.