Town Board Has No Answers for Holko Prior to Public Hearing

AVON — The Town of Avon’s public hearihng on the town’s Horizontal High Volume Hydrofracking Moratorium was originally set to take place Thursday November 21 but due to legal notices not going out on time, the hearing has been rescheduled for Thursday December 12.

John Holko, President of Lenape Resources Inc, was present at last night’s meeting.  Holko presented the following questions that the board did not have answers to:

Question One: Is there a document that reflects the findings of the committee?

Question Two: What is the committee trying to get done?

Question Three: Will there be oil and gas activity in Avon, yes or no?

The only answer that Holko received from the board was in regards to his question: Can I be involved in the development of the comprehensive plan?

Jim Blye, Councilman for the Town of Avon, replied: “I am heading up the development of the comprehensive plan along with Deputy Supervisor Mairs, and if we choose to do it by committee an invitation will be extended.”

Lenape Resources Inc. filed a complaint against the Town of Avon dated November 15, 2012.  The complaint claims that the moratorium is “illegal, unenforceable, and contrary to the Town of Avon Local Law T-A-5-2012, that the Town of Avon is not taking action to rectify any real or perceived threat to the health, safety and welfare of any Town of Avon resident, and Lenape is seeking actual and compensatory damages in an amount not less than 50 million dollars for the unconstitutional regulatory taking of its property without compensation.”

According to Holko, the moratorium for the Town of Avon is essentially useless.

Members of the Town of Avon Moratorium Committee declined comment until the public hearing takes place.