November 13, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

57 1 Are you familiar with that study? 2 A Yes. 3 Q Have you presented that study to this Board? 4 A I think so. There have been a lot of papers 5 presented, but let me double check what was submitted. 6 You know, I don’t have my entire file with me. 7 Whatever I did submit to the Planning Board is posted 8 on the website. I’d have to look to see what was 9 submitted. 10 Q Well, as far as I know, I’m unaware of ever 11 seeing the February 3, 2020 tree study. Do you have 12 that in your possession in some way> Not here 13 necessarily but do you have access to it? 14 A Let’s just see if it was submitted. I did submit 15 as of this week or last week the original basis which 16 is what I was asked for in the last meeting was the 17 very original study on which my report was predicated 18 and that was submitted and posted. 19 Q When was that posted? 20 A Part of my letter was -- I believe it didn’t get 21 up until yesterday because we had technical problems. 22 Q Right. This was part of the material you 23 were going to post after the last meeting. 24 A But it was posted. 25 Q Yesterday? 58 1 A Yes because I couldn’t get it posted before 2 because of problems with the internet. 3 MR. AFRAN: Mr. Chairman, I’ll have to note 4 I’ve not yet had a chance even to see it so at some 5 point there may be supplemental questions on that 6 document. 7 Q In addition, the Duke’s Farm study, did you 8 post that? 9 A No, and as I posted in my supplemental report, 10 there is a statement in there that very specifically 11 says that what happened with the Duke Farm study is the 12 fact that I referenced the Duke Farm study. 13 The study was referenced in an article and 14 that was my reference to that because I personally 15 interviewed people at Duke Farms and I put the two 16 together here rather than remembering that I had done 17 the two separately. 18 So what I did post, however, was an article 19 that was published -- I’ll find that article which you 20 said you haven’t seen -- it’s called The State We’re In 21 and it was written by the New Jersey Conservation 22 Foundation which highlights the statements I made from 23 the Duke Farms study and also gives you a link, if you 24 so choose, as anyone so chooses I should say, if they’d 25 like to see the entire workshop that was given at Duke 59 1 Farms, about an hour long workshop on deer management 2 which is there for the

24 so choose, as anyone so chooses I should say, if they’d 25 like to see the entire workshop that was given at Duke 59 1 Farms, about an hour long workshop on deer management 2 which is there for the taking. 3 But in the reference that I give you in 4 regenerating native forest to fight climate change, the 5 statements -- the summary, and a very short summary, 6 I’ll grant you, of the Duke Farm study is presented and 7 that article was offered by Allison Mitchell, John 8 Watson, Tom Gilbert, Michelle Byer (phonetic) and 9 Michelle Byers (phonetic). 10 MR. AFRAN: Well, Mr. Chairman, a 11 representation was made at the last meeting that that 12 study would be posted. Members of the public asked 13 about it. The representation was made. I would ask 14 that Mr. DeFeo post it so at least in connection with 15 an upcoming meeting, we all have access to it. 16 Q Is there any technical reason, Mr. DeFeo, why 17 that can’t be done? 18 MS. McGOVERN: Okay. So, this is an online 19 study that anybody could find right now. 20 A The webinar is online. Anybody can find it -- 21 it’s public. The article that I submitted as part of 22 my supplemental report shows the link, so the link can 23 be taken and highlighted. 24 MR. AFRAN: Mr. DeFeo plainly relied on the 25 Duke’s Farm study as part of his testimony. That’s why 60 1 it was asked to be posted. We shouldn’t have to go 2 finding it -- the gentleman should post it. 3 MS. McGOVERN: Well, you know, this is not a 4 court of law with strict rules of evidence, so we -- 5 MR. AFRAN: And this is not a very strict 6 request. He said he would post it and for some reason, 7 it’s not. 8 MS. McGOVERN: And he gave you access to that 9 and -- 10 MR. AFRAN: Yesterday -- the day before we’re 11 here to do cross examination. It was supposed to have 12 been posted promptly so there would be time to use it 13 and study it. 14 THE CHAIRPERSON: One minute. 15 Okay. Mr. Afran, we’re going to ask Mr. 16 DeFeo to come back to the next meeting so you can 17 question on that specific document only. You can 18 continue questioning now -- 19 MR. AFRAN: Well, the documents that he 20 posted yesterday we need to question on plus the 21 missing document. 22 THE CHAIRPERSON: Yes. 23 MR. AFRAN: Thank you. 24 THE CHAIRPERSON: You got it. 25 MR. AFRAN: Thank you very much.