Federal officials told a New Jersey court Wednesday that environmental law doesn't yet require them to consider what a building will be used for — only what they're doing to it now.
The Government is obviously playing word games here: the intended use of a building should always be considered.
Just because "environmental law doesn't yet require them to consider what a building will be used for", it is obvious that if you want to have 20,000 cows, for example, some consideration has to be taken for the use of water, (in and out), the foot print of the building, the use of electricity etc.
Perhaps New Jersey lawmakers should address this lack of requirement, IF indeed it is lacking...
and it appears that they are lying :
"Yes, New Jersey environmental law, particularly under the Environmental Justice Law and specific land-use regulations, requires that the eventual use of a building be considered during renovation, especially if it changes the impact on the surrounding community".
This might be a big wrinkle:
"Certificate of Occupancy: A building cannot change its use or occupy a renovated space without a Certificate of Occupancy, as outlined in N.J. Admin. Code § 5:23-2.23, which requires approval of the building's use.
Also:
"Land Use/Exemptions: Exemptions from regulations often depend on keeping the same footprint, but this exemption may not apply if a building is being converted, for example, changing from an agricultural use to a non-agricultural use.
Construction/Zoning Permits: Beyond environmental, almost all renovation work requires zoning approval to ensure the proposed use is permitted, notes Holmdel Township.
Michael, good morning … I just thought I might take a stab to see if you have been tracking any information regarding a facility in Suffolk, VA — or if you can point me in a direction to find out more. I’d attach the link to the local story here but Substack is not letting me. From the story on WAVY TV 10’s web site:
“Community members, civic leaders, clergy, and civil rights organizations from across Suffolk and the greater Hampton Roads region rallied in opposition Thursday to the potential establishment of a Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in a 9,000-square-foot building in Suffolk … Brandon Randleman previously confirmed to 10 On Your Side that ICE is looking to lease the building that is home to a business owned by a man named Johnny Garcia.”
Randleman goes on to make the point that 9000 sq ft is a large building for office space, and DHS/ICE is asking for security fencing and gating around the facility.
The SUPERMAJORITY PLAN TO IMPEACH TRUMP and HIS ADMINISTRATION
It will take 292 house and 67 senate votes to obtain a supermajority vote. This is the key to accomplishing anything in the house or senate. The house and senate will be able to impeach Trump and his administration for their crimes and corruption.
The Democrats are the only ones that will stand against Trump. We have to vote out as many republicans as possible. The republicans have already proven they will stand with Trump no matter what.
EVERYONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS IN THE NOVEMBER 3RD MIDTERM ELECTIONS TO MAKE THIS WORK
Make sure you share this with everyone you know without social media. People without social media are unaware how corrupt and detrimental Trump’s administration really is for our country. The media outlets do not post anything negative about Trump. Some people don’t even know what the midterm elections are or how important they are.
TRUMP, HIS ADMINISTRATION, HIS BILLIONAIRE CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING NETWORK (Elon Musk) , AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE CORRUPTING THE GOVERNMENT TO COVER THEIR CRIMES .
Can you clarify: if the feds are saying they can segment the warehouse purchase from its use as a detention center and thereby fit under a NEPA exclusion, wouldn’t the feds eventually have to conduct an EIS before they retrofit and operationalize the warehouse as a giant detention center? On its face, are they just seeking to delay the required NEPA review so the purchase can advance now - while hoping to find another loophole later? Of course their reasoning sounds absurd and remarkably like segmentation which is illegal under NYS Law. Is segmentation also illegal under federal law? Is there any relevant federal caselaw?
Notice how the review is to be based upon how the facility is DESIGNED with a capacity of 542 persons. DHS & ICE contractors have always OPERATED their facilities extremely overcrowded at 2-5 times the designed capacity wherever they have been built or modified for use as extremely overcrowded warehousing of humans. We have all seen the photos. We have all heard the stories about how just prior to a Congressional inspection, the operators will play a game of musical chairs, moving more than half the detainees to other facilities to temporarily relieve the horrific unspeakable living conditions.
Then there is the question of the purchase of crematory incinerators. These have been installed and operated at other such warehouse facilities to dispose of all & hide the deaths that occur at these facilities from beatings (murder), lack of medical care, and unrestrained spread of diseases. This has been DHS & ICE's way of "disappearing people". Beyond that ulterior motive, operating a crematorium will certainly cause a local beyond fence-line impact downwind on air quality with smoke, odors, metal oxides, NOx, CO, SO2 and PM2.5; and a permit to construct/certificate to operate shall be required to be obtained from NJDEP PRIOR to installation, startup & operation.
Also, interesting how the DHS/ICE location chosen is in Roxbury Twp., Morris County, within U.S. House Legislative District NJ-7, represented by Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (son or former NJ Governor Tom Kean). Kean, Jr. is a Republican who has been absent for over 1 month from Congress with an undisclosed illness while all this is going on.
You may be interested in my post this week about the court case in Maryland, the popular outpouring against it, downstream harms that could endure for generations, and the hope I take away from bearing witness here: https://remembertheworld.substack.com/p/hope-for-democracy-part-3-downstream
The Government is obviously playing word games here: the intended use of a building should always be considered.
Just because "environmental law doesn't yet require them to consider what a building will be used for", it is obvious that if you want to have 20,000 cows, for example, some consideration has to be taken for the use of water, (in and out), the foot print of the building, the use of electricity etc.
Perhaps New Jersey lawmakers should address this lack of requirement, IF indeed it is lacking...
and it appears that they are lying :
"Yes, New Jersey environmental law, particularly under the Environmental Justice Law and specific land-use regulations, requires that the eventual use of a building be considered during renovation, especially if it changes the impact on the surrounding community".
This might be a big wrinkle:
"Certificate of Occupancy: A building cannot change its use or occupy a renovated space without a Certificate of Occupancy, as outlined in N.J. Admin. Code § 5:23-2.23, which requires approval of the building's use.
Also:
"Land Use/Exemptions: Exemptions from regulations often depend on keeping the same footprint, but this exemption may not apply if a building is being converted, for example, changing from an agricultural use to a non-agricultural use.
Construction/Zoning Permits: Beyond environmental, almost all renovation work requires zoning approval to ensure the proposed use is permitted, notes Holmdel Township.
Michael, good morning … I just thought I might take a stab to see if you have been tracking any information regarding a facility in Suffolk, VA — or if you can point me in a direction to find out more. I’d attach the link to the local story here but Substack is not letting me. From the story on WAVY TV 10’s web site:
“Community members, civic leaders, clergy, and civil rights organizations from across Suffolk and the greater Hampton Roads region rallied in opposition Thursday to the potential establishment of a Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in a 9,000-square-foot building in Suffolk … Brandon Randleman previously confirmed to 10 On Your Side that ICE is looking to lease the building that is home to a business owned by a man named Johnny Garcia.”
Randleman goes on to make the point that 9000 sq ft is a large building for office space, and DHS/ICE is asking for security fencing and gating around the facility.
This is so utterly crazy. The judges have got to see through the government’s flimsy and misleading case.
Yes, you’re so right. Indeed they do! At least Judge Hurson in Maryland did. You will appreciate reading his ruling.
Thank you guys at salt box for your excellent ,detailed and timely reporting. I am sharing your reports as much as i can . You are invaluable.😍
The SUPERMAJORITY PLAN TO IMPEACH TRUMP and HIS ADMINISTRATION
It will take 292 house and 67 senate votes to obtain a supermajority vote. This is the key to accomplishing anything in the house or senate. The house and senate will be able to impeach Trump and his administration for their crimes and corruption.
The Democrats are the only ones that will stand against Trump. We have to vote out as many republicans as possible. The republicans have already proven they will stand with Trump no matter what.
EVERYONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS IN THE NOVEMBER 3RD MIDTERM ELECTIONS TO MAKE THIS WORK
Make sure you share this with everyone you know without social media. People without social media are unaware how corrupt and detrimental Trump’s administration really is for our country. The media outlets do not post anything negative about Trump. Some people don’t even know what the midterm elections are or how important they are.
TRUMP, HIS ADMINISTRATION, HIS BILLIONAIRE CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING NETWORK (Elon Musk) , AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE CORRUPTING THE GOVERNMENT TO COVER THEIR CRIMES .
WE HAVE TO STOP THEM FROM DESTROYING THE COUNTRY
Will New Jersey be expected to reimburse the federal tax payer,
for perpetual ICE warehouses?
Or am I just getting a bill for Arizona, AND New Jersey at this point?
Can you clarify: if the feds are saying they can segment the warehouse purchase from its use as a detention center and thereby fit under a NEPA exclusion, wouldn’t the feds eventually have to conduct an EIS before they retrofit and operationalize the warehouse as a giant detention center? On its face, are they just seeking to delay the required NEPA review so the purchase can advance now - while hoping to find another loophole later? Of course their reasoning sounds absurd and remarkably like segmentation which is illegal under NYS Law. Is segmentation also illegal under federal law? Is there any relevant federal caselaw?
I wonder if they are just sending the sane attorneys from place to place, with no evidence in hand to support their position.
Notice how the review is to be based upon how the facility is DESIGNED with a capacity of 542 persons. DHS & ICE contractors have always OPERATED their facilities extremely overcrowded at 2-5 times the designed capacity wherever they have been built or modified for use as extremely overcrowded warehousing of humans. We have all seen the photos. We have all heard the stories about how just prior to a Congressional inspection, the operators will play a game of musical chairs, moving more than half the detainees to other facilities to temporarily relieve the horrific unspeakable living conditions.
Then there is the question of the purchase of crematory incinerators. These have been installed and operated at other such warehouse facilities to dispose of all & hide the deaths that occur at these facilities from beatings (murder), lack of medical care, and unrestrained spread of diseases. This has been DHS & ICE's way of "disappearing people". Beyond that ulterior motive, operating a crematorium will certainly cause a local beyond fence-line impact downwind on air quality with smoke, odors, metal oxides, NOx, CO, SO2 and PM2.5; and a permit to construct/certificate to operate shall be required to be obtained from NJDEP PRIOR to installation, startup & operation.
Also, interesting how the DHS/ICE location chosen is in Roxbury Twp., Morris County, within U.S. House Legislative District NJ-7, represented by Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (son or former NJ Governor Tom Kean). Kean, Jr. is a Republican who has been absent for over 1 month from Congress with an undisclosed illness while all this is going on.