Emotions clash at hearing on asphalt plant's fumes

Union workers clashed at a public meeting Tuesday night with residents who have been fighting with a Hauppauge asphalt plant to solve a problem of noxious fumes. "The smell is overwhelming," said Christine Paino, referring to fumes coming from Suffolk Asphalt Supply Inc. on Rabro Drive.

She invited officials and union workers to her home to experience the smell while others spoke of sick children and not being able to use their yards when the plant is running.

More than 150 members of the Long Island Contractors' Association showed up to picket the meeting, saying they feared loss of more jobs in an industry with 30 percent unemployment.

"Without construction, the economy will drop out of the bottom. All we're asking for is a fair shake from them," said Jim Busch, 60, a longtime construction worker.

"The roads are falling apart," he said, saying that asphalt was essential to Long Island's infrastructure.

Tuesday night's meeting was arranged by state Sen. Brian X. Foley (D-Blue Point) so that neighbors could be heard by state Department of Environmental Conservation officials.

Marc Herbst, executive director of LICA, called Foley a "political opportunist" for holding the meeting.

Foley replied that LICA was aware he had no intention of shutting the plant and was just facilitating the meeting so residents could speak directly to the DEC.

DEC officials said they only test air quality and referred questions on health to the Suffolk Health Department.

Last month, Health department officials said their air quality tests did not find any hazardous conditions.

DEC officials said Tuesday night that complaints about the plant, which has been operating since 1958, started in 2005.

Since then, they have made 60 visits to the site and an independent contractor's evaluation of the facility is due Wednesday.

The Hauppauge-based Suffolk Asphalt, which owns the plant, has upgraded the facility in response to DEC violations concerning the fumes but residents said conditions have only worsened in recent months.

The plant is operated by a tenant, Inter-County Asphalt, also based in Hauppauge.

Herbst said LICA has been trying to get the municipalities that are the biggest consumers of asphalt and determine the regulations of the mix including temperature to meet on making asphalt manufacturing more environmentally friendly. But he said there has been no progress in those talks.

The plant was cited in 2007 and again in April for violating state laws on air contamination, and paid fines totaling $50,000.

Earlier this month, the DEC recommended that the plant raise the height of its smokestack to give the fumes causing the odors more time to dissipate, and Suffolk Asphalt agreed to comply, James Rigano of Melville, an attorney for the company, said earlier this month.

Suffolk police issued 43 equipment violations in the area to trucks in the Rabro Drive area in the past week.