Union protests Verizon expansion plan

Dozens of communications union members showed up at a Town of Babylon planning board meeting to protest a Verizon Wireless project in East Farmingdale that is being considered.

Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, has proposed the construction of two additions -- one nearly 3,000 square feet and the other about 800 square feet -- to an existing 17,759-square-foot industrial building at the southwest corner of Banfi Plaza West and Banfi Plaza North. Cellco also proposes installing a generator room and an indoor 8,000-gallon fuel oil tank, as well as the removal of an underground 5,000-gallon tank and other site improvements.

The Communications Workers of America union members were not permitted to speak at the Tuesday night meeting, as a public hearing on the matter had already been held the previous week. However, they submitted to the board a letter stating the reasons for their opposition. First among their concerns is that current travel aisle widths do not meet town standards and could pose a fire hazard.

The letter, written by CWA president Bob Morrow, also questions if there will be a suitable containment system for the new fuel tank so it will not contaminate groundwater. The union also wants to know if there will be sprinklers to prevent the overflow of the tank and alarms to detect an impending overflow. "When an 8,000-gallon fuel tank is installed anywhere, the safety of all cannot be taken lightly," Morrow wrote.

The board did not render a decision on the matter and kept the public record open for one more week to review the union's letter.

In other business, the board approved a new 6,800-square-foot AutoZone retail store in Copiague on the south side of Sunrise Highway just west of Straight Path.