Peckham VP apologizes to town board
The Daily Mail
May 6, 2009

CATSKILL — Peckham Industries Vice President Joseph Wildermuth has apologized to residents and the Athens Town Board for a strong asphalt odor that emanated from the company’s facility last week.

“We fouled up, I fouled up. I will take responsibility for it,” Wildermuth said.

Last week, residents in the area of Peckham complained of strong asphalt odors coming from the the site.

Wildermuth said the company is in the process of relocating the facility to Schoharie Turnpike and workers were unable to hook up an odor mitigation system.

The system was operational by last Friday, he said, adding that staff had made sure it was working properly.

“I think that major problem should be over with,” he said.

Wildermuth said some vent modifications would be made as all the company’s equipment was installed.

Permanent loading racks complete with odor systems will be installed in roughly six weeks, he said. In the meantime temporary hoses will be connected to temporary loading racks.

Wildermuth said he does not anticipate any odors to come from rail cars on the property.

He said he was going to work on a procedure in which odor systems could be replaced quickly when needed.

Wildermuth also reported that he had investigated claims that residents had seen Peckham trucks traveling on Howard Hall Road.

Residents had complained that silver and blue Peckham tanker trucks had been on the road on Thursday and Friday afternoons.

Wildermuth said that people should try to get truck and license plate numbers of any trucks they see on the road so he can remind offending drivers that they should not drive on it.

“We have been using the site since late November,” he said, “and everybody, all of our guys have been informed, ‘Do not turn right out of the facility, you go left.’”