2008 Woodie Awards
Dorm construction still on schedule despite rumors
By Sheryl McGlory
Rocket Advertising Manager
Issue date: 4/1/05 Section: News
After a week of confusion, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has retracted a cease-and-desist order issued on the construction of the new dorms on Slippery Rock University's campus and production plans are once again underway.
SRU President Robert Smith said the cease and desist order came about because of a misunderstanding.
"The Slippery Rock Foundation is building the residence halls," Smith said. "They applied for the DEP building permit."
Smith said when individuals from the DEP came to the university, they saw that trees were being cut down and assumed the foundation was in violation of a state regulation requiring an erosion and sedimentation permit to clear more than five acres of land.
"The day they showed up to inspect for the permit, the university was cutting down trees, which it has every right to do," Smith said.
The university did not need to apply for a permit, said Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Planning Herb Carlson, because they were only cutting trees down, not "grubbing" the land.
Grubbing is a term referring to the removal of tree stumps and roots to prepare ground for building.
"A logging operation such as this does not require us to take any action," Smith said.
According to Carlson, the DEP thought the cutting down of the trees was a sign that the land was being prepared for the construction phase.
"The DEP saw that the site was cleared and linked the clearing of the site with the building," Carlson said.
Smith said after the DEP's visit, the press was notified and Pennsylvania Senator Mary Jo White and Representative Frank LaGrotta's offices were contacted, but the university was not contacted.
"Without talking to anybody, they issued a press release," Smith said. "As the president of the university, I have still not received anything from the DEP related to that."
Carlson said the DEP sent him an email detailing measures that would need to be taken at the site in order to meet a field compliance order to prevent erosion.
Smith said these measures included putting down gravel and mulch to avoid erosion of the soil at the site.
The actions requested by the DEP have been implemented, Carlson said.
Smith said the project has not been delayed at all despite the misunderstanding.
"The project's not delayed," Smith said. "We've done everything they've told us to do."
SRU President Robert Smith said the cease and desist order came about because of a misunderstanding.
"The Slippery Rock Foundation is building the residence halls," Smith said. "They applied for the DEP building permit."
Smith said when individuals from the DEP came to the university, they saw that trees were being cut down and assumed the foundation was in violation of a state regulation requiring an erosion and sedimentation permit to clear more than five acres of land.
"The day they showed up to inspect for the permit, the university was cutting down trees, which it has every right to do," Smith said.
The university did not need to apply for a permit, said Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Planning Herb Carlson, because they were only cutting trees down, not "grubbing" the land.
Grubbing is a term referring to the removal of tree stumps and roots to prepare ground for building.
"A logging operation such as this does not require us to take any action," Smith said.
According to Carlson, the DEP thought the cutting down of the trees was a sign that the land was being prepared for the construction phase.
"The DEP saw that the site was cleared and linked the clearing of the site with the building," Carlson said.
Smith said after the DEP's visit, the press was notified and Pennsylvania Senator Mary Jo White and Representative Frank LaGrotta's offices were contacted, but the university was not contacted.
"Without talking to anybody, they issued a press release," Smith said. "As the president of the university, I have still not received anything from the DEP related to that."
Carlson said the DEP sent him an email detailing measures that would need to be taken at the site in order to meet a field compliance order to prevent erosion.
Smith said these measures included putting down gravel and mulch to avoid erosion of the soil at the site.
The actions requested by the DEP have been implemented, Carlson said.
Smith said the project has not been delayed at all despite the misunderstanding.
"The project's not delayed," Smith said. "We've done everything they've told us to do."
