Planning board moves ahead on Wal-Mart study
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - The Bath town planning board has scheduled a Sept. 20 workshop to complete a formal outline of an environmental impact study tied to the proposed construction of a 150,000 square foot Wal-Mart supercenter on state Route 54.

Planning board Chairman James Emo handed over 14 to 15 written comments pertaining to the project to engineering consultant Dennis Fagan, of Fagan Engineers. Emo noted the deadline for receiving written comments had passed Aug. 31.

Fagan subsequently announced he would review the documents, then meet with planning board members to finalize the so-called scoping document - a detailed list of environmental concerns to which the Wal-Mart Corp. must respond in the next major phase of the state-mandated environmental quality review (SEQR).

The planning board last month received verbal comments outlining individuals' environmental concerns, during a 70-minute public hearing at the Steuben County Civil Defense Building. That testimony, combined with the written statements, will be added to the draft "scoping document" prepared by Fagan's company, which is serving as consultant to the town during the environmental review.

The planning board took no formal action in connection with the controversial Wal- Mart project during the its regular monthly meeting Sept. 4. Emo passed an envelope stuffed with the written comments to Fagan, then directed the board's attention to an unrelated subdivision proposal.

In spite of the absence of any Wal-Mart-related action on the board's agenda, the meeting was attended by about 20 individuals - both Wal-Mart critics and supporters - who remained in the meeting room while the board reviewed sub-division details.