New sewage system for Camp Simcha? Neighbor continues battle with camp

Posted 8/21/12

GLEN SPEY, NY — Mercedes Schneider has been complaining about the noise and smell from Camp Simcha on White Road in the Town of Lumberland for about 14 years. She has contacted the New York State …

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New sewage system for Camp Simcha? Neighbor continues battle with camp

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GLEN SPEY, NY — Mercedes Schneider has been complaining about the noise and smell from Camp Simcha on White Road in the Town of Lumberland for about 14 years. She has contacted the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others. So far no one has done anything to mitigate what Schneider describes as the stench that comes from the two large sewage holding ponds that are located across a ravine some 75 feet from her property.

At the bottom of the ravine, a tributary named Fish Cabin Creek runs from Lake Diana to the Upper Delaware River, and because of the close proximity to such a large amount of sewage effluent, Schneider expected that officials would be more diligent in ensuring that the operation does not negatively impact the environment.

There have been inspections and some improvements over the years, but the smell never goes away in the summer, and coupled with the noise that comes from the camp late at night, and with helicopter rides that are repeated incessantly on some weekends, Schneider’s home is not a fun place to be in the summer. She said her husband is a veteran who does not deserve this kind of environment.

Schneider’s son was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and she said one of the results of prolonged exposure to sewer gas is ADHD.

The Camp Simcha website says, “Each summer, 400 seriously ill children are treated to unforgettable, medically supervised overnight camp experiences at Camp Simcha, for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, and Camp Simcha Special, for children with debilitating chronic conditions.”

But Schneider says the number of people is well beyond 400, and while some of the guests may be seriously ill children, some of the guests in her opinion are not. She says she hears loud parties going on at 3 a.m.

Now, however, there is a report that a philanthropist gave the camp $900,000 to build a new sewer system. But a story in the New York Post that ran on February 1 said the philanthropist, Harvey Bookman, was angered because he believed his donation was used for something other than the new sewer system, for which it was specifically intended.

A spokesman for Chai Lifeline, the nonprofit that owns the camp, said that the sewer had been in the design and permitting phase for almost two years. Stu Loeser said construction of the new facility should begin sometime in the near future.

Nadia Rajsz, supervisor of the Town of Lumberland, said her understanding is that the camp is going to replace the septic or sewer system with one that is more advanced and less intrusive in terms of odor in the neighborhood.

Dave Sparling, the code enforcement officer for Lumberland, said he had spoken to the engineer who is handling the design of the new system and that plans have been submitted to the DEC, which issues the permits for sewage treatment systems. He said the smell from the current system does exist, but it’s intermittent, not constant. He said when the new system is installed, which may not happen until 2016, the engineer said the odor would no longer be an issue.

Controlling plant growth in the lake

This year, neighbors of the camp, especially a couple of homes on the lake, are concerned that attempts to kill off some of the weeds in the lake will compromise their well water. The camp sent a letter to residents saying it will apply herbicides to the lake to try to control white water lily, spatterdock and water shield in a five-acre area of the lake. The letter says, “Treatments are anticipated to occur between May 1 and August 31,” and the herbicide to be used is SonarPR.

The letters says that after the application of the herbicide, swimming and fishing are barred in the treated area for 24 hours, while irrigation is barred for seven days.

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