Sewaren residents bring train noise to council Resident made DVD to show council effects of trains on community BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - Sewaren residents brought the screeching, the banging, the clashing and clanging of the Motiva Refinery rail cars, which the residents endure day in and day out, to council chambers last week. Ann DeCrescenzo, who lives on West Avenue, consolidated two days of train noise onto a DVD that she played for Mayor John E. McCormac and the Township Council at a special meeting on Nov. 28. "This is not an easy solution," said Ward 1 Councilman Charles Kenny. "These problems are not going to be resolved overnight, but we believe they will be resolved when all parties sit down together in good faith and work out the proper solutions." Kenny said the township has applied for quiet zones at four intersections with the Federal Railroad Administration. "This is the closest item that we can get done," he said. "I've gotten many complaints from residents who live in the apartment buildings behind the main library to residents who live in the Barron Gate apartments on Rahway Avenue. The quiet zones include intersections at Blair Road, Amboy Avenue, Rahway Avenue and Woodbridge Avenue. If this designation of quiet zones is granted, it will greatly reduce - if not altogether stop - the train whistle blowing." Kenny said the mayor told him that whatever the cost is to put in those quiet zones, he will work to put it into the township budget and fund it. In response to the over 50 residents who came out to the Oct. 17 Township Council meeting to voice their frustration with the train noise and air quality, the Middlesex County Air Pollution Control Program on Oct. 26 issued a notice of violation to Conrail for excessive diesel emissions. Residents presented Kenny and then-interim Mayor and state Sen. Joseph Vitale with 200 signatures from Sewaren residents at that council meeting. In the first week of November, officials from the township's health department began to gather data and check for violations of ordinances for noise and air quality caused by the trains. Township inspectors took measurements and made observations, which were often at night. The Woodbridge Township Health Department initiated random monitoring of Conrail activity in the Sewaren area. The department has also been working with Woodbridge police to limit trains blocking Woodbridge Avenue for extended periods of time. All obstructions of the crossing by trains will be reported to police for an appropriate response. Township health official Dennis Green was in Sewaren one night when the trains idled from 11 at night to 4 the next morning, which led to a citation against Conrail. On Nov. 21, the health department issued a Public Health Nuisance Code court summons to Conrail for violating Township Ordinance 35-1 with regard to "Train yarding noise creating an annoyance and interfering with the comfort and well-being of the inhabitants of the municipality." Township officials met with Motiva and Norfolk-Southern last week. "We were angry that Conrail did not come to the meeting," said Kenny. McCormac said he talked to Conrail representatives the day of the special meeting and they said that they will fly out experts to Woodbridge for the next meeting, which will be in early December. "All I can say is for the first time Conrail sounded sincere and serious about the problems that Sewaren residents have," he said. "This is a good sign." Mary Ellen Santorelli, who lives on West Avenue, said she can't wait any longer. "I was diagnosed with asthma last spring," she said. "They say it's allergies, but I don't think so. I'm on three inhalers and I have a heart condition. These trains idle 100 feet from my house and the fumes from the diesel are horrible. I have no rest. And my husband and I believe that the odor is not only diesel, it's some kind of chemical." Santorelli said that two weeks ago at 11 a.m., the coupling and uncoupling of the rail cars caused two light bulbs to explode in her ceiling. "That scared my family half to death," she said. "The noise makes our houses shake. I am constantly re-straightening my photographs that are on my wall." Dayna Mundy, who resides on East Avenue, said the noise is not the only problem. "We have a pool in our backyard," said Mundy, who brought her two children to the special meeting. "When the trains start up their engines, black oil splatters all over my pool and my patio, it splatters everywhere. Residents have black window sills. What are we going to wait for? Is this area going to become a childhood cancer cluster? Are we going to wait for that?" Mundy said she does not think the fire departments and the first responders can handle a train explosion. "If a train explodes, the explosion will dissipate everyone who lives on East and West avenues," she said. "I don't think anyone can handle a train explosion." John Dewland, who also lives on East Avenue, said the township should look into citing the different chemical companies, such as Dupont, that own the different rail cars. "By what Conrail is doing with the screeching, it is destroying the trains," he said. "Maybe if we put pressure on the companies, they will in turn put pressure on Conrail." Kenny said that the township will look into whether or not they can cite the chemical companies. Motiva Enterprises LLC announced on Nov. 6 that it is going to expand its rail yard at its Sewaren refined products terminal. "The proposed expansion will enable Motiva to deliver ethanol into the New York Harbor marketplace more efficiently by increasing the terminal's rail car handling capacity," said Stan Mays, spokesman for Motiva. Ralph Otis, Motiva's Sewaren plant manager, said the expansion will reduce the frequency of the cars that go through Sewaren. "The terminal is a 5 million-barrel-plus refined products terminal that is strategically located to serve ethanol suppliers and consumers in the Northeast," Otis said. "The expansion of the rail facilities is needed to handle the growing demand for ethanol. Additionally, the expanded rail yard will be capable of handling two entire 80- to 100-rail-car-unit trains daily, which is the preferred method of transportation of ethanol suppliers and rail carriers." Currently, the maximum number that the rail yard is capable of handling is 40 rail-car-unit trains daily, said Otis. The ethanol tank cars are typically combined with other cargo-carrying rail cars being hauled by the railroads and must be uncoupled outside the Motiva property before entering Motiva's rail yard facility, he said. Otis is aware of the noise problem. "We have talked to [then] interim Mayor and state Sen. [Joseph] Vitale several times and he understands that the noise problem is not coming from us, but from Conrail and Norfolk-Southern," said Otis. "And how they address the noise problem is up to them. We believe that the expansion of our rail yard is positive to the community because the frequency of the cars will run through more efficiently." Township officials have looked over Motiva's expansion plans. "The expansion plans look like they will be eliminating some of the problems," said Kenny. "But we are still dealing with intangibles; my concern is what if the business of ethanol takes off and Motiva decides to do more cars than the 80. What do we do then?" Kenny said his idea of Motiva acquiring additional property inside the industrial area to move their switch away from the residents' backyards was found to be not cost-feasible, but Motiva said they will look at it again. Motiva is working to complete the rail yard expansion project in 2007. "The necessary permits and approvals will be sought from the local Planning Board," said Otis. Motiva Enterprises LLC, headquartered in Houston, is a refining and marketing joint venture owned by affiliates of Shell and Saudi Aramco. Motiva's marketing operations support a network of nearly 9,000 Shell-branded gasoline stations in the eastern and southern United States. In addition, Kenny sent a letter on Nov. 29 to Scott Muir, resident vice president of public affairs for the Norfolk Southern Corp., regarding the diesel emissions from the idling trains that have been affecting residents on Van Buren, East Richards and Alwat streets in Woodbridge. Kenny asked Norfolk Southern to consider a resident's suggestion for the trains to idle in an open area, between Woodbridge Center Mall and the Woodbridge Crossings Shopping Center, which will not affect the residences. If residents have an air pollution-related complaint, they should call the Middlesex County Air Pollution Control Program at (732) 745-8480. Updates will be posted on the township's Web site at www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us.