November 10, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

11 of 28 sheets Page 41 to 44 of 112 01/05/2026 03:19:18 PM 41 concerning. When properly controlled blasting might be1 effective in reducing the amount of disturbance, if it's2 properly controlled.3 COUNCILWOMAN SCARPA: You have pollution and4 all those toxins in the area?5 THE WITNESS: I'm not sure. I don't know.6 I can't speak, I'm not an expert in this. I'm not sure7 that it does give off emissions. I would suspect it8 doesn't, but I am -- I mean, it would, there would be9 mats placed on top, you wouldn't see a big, you know,10 like somebody set off a bomb or something like that. It11 wouldn't be like that. There would be mats placed on12 the -- there would be standard procedures. It is a13 safety precaution because the rock --14 COUNCILWOMAN SCARPA: Has to be seepage into15 the air.16 THE WITNESS: Rocks get thrown in the air17 and that could cause injury, but not 400 feet away.18 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Just point of19 clarification. I know what the answer is but I want you20 to say it. You've been using the word basalt, can you21 define the word basalt for the public and some of the22 members of the board?23 THE WITNESS: Okay. Basalt is just a name24 given to an intrusive igneous rock which is, which is,25 42 it's the molten material from the center of the earth.1 The earth kind of tears apart due to tectonic and this2 material is released and comes up and basalt is one3 type. If you go further east of the Palisades it's not4 basalt, it's diabase and it has to do with the grain5 size in the rock. The diabase on the Palisades is6 actually much stronger and much less fractured.7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Second question. The8 first part of this project was West Essex Highlands 1,9 so would you imagine, as an expert, that the rock base10 is similar in the first part as for the second part?11 THE WITNESS: Okay. I'm not, I'm not really12 familiar -- if you had a map to put up.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Don't answer then. It's14 okay. Thank you.15 MR. KLEIN: That was a good question.16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Every once in a while I17 have them.18 Okay.19 MAYOR McCARTNEY: One more question.20 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mayor McCartney.21 MAYOR McCARTNEY: So one of the22 recommendations you mentioned the discharge over the23 slope. So my understanding is that all of the basins24 are to the west?25 43 THE WITNESS: There are two basins1 immediately adjacent to the west side of Building D and2 they're

he discharge over the23 slope. So my understanding is that all of the basins24 are to the west?25 43 THE WITNESS: There are two basins1 immediately adjacent to the west side of Building D and2 they're designed to infiltrate a certain amount of water3 into the ground and the rest would go out in accordance4 with the provisions that the DEP prescribed.5 MAYOR McCARTNEY: So then really nothing6 would be going over the slope?7 THE WITNESS: Right. Shouldn't be any. It8 would be, you know, if there was no monitoring of the9 excavation it would be convenient if nobody's looking to10 throw a hose over the slope. Mostly I'm talking about11 construction, but the grading, at least as it's shown on12 the plan, it keeps water from flowing over the top of13 the slope.14 MAYOR McCARTNEY: Thank you for the15 clarification.16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.17 Ms. Apte, do you have any questions?18 MS. APTE: Not at this time.19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Afran, would you --20 I'll take that as a yes.21 MR. AFRAN: That was a yes, I'm sorry.22 Mr. Kleinberg, good evening.23 Q. Good evening, sir.24 A. Thank for your presentation.25 Q. 44 I'll just start with one of the last points you1 raised since it's fresh in my mind. You mentioned2 earlier recently about the joints and the entry point of3 infiltration and basically you suggested as that process4 continues it's going to cascade internally and cause5 slope failure?6 It could lead to higher pressures downhill, yes.7 A. Higher hydrostatic pressures and what would the8 Q. higher hydrostatic pressures do to themselves?9 Sorry.10 A. What will the higher hydrostatic pressures lead11 Q. to?12 It would act like a hydraulic jack. Let's say13 A. you had rock pushed together and then all of a sudden it14 feels like, let's say you had 50 feet of head to where15 the water is entering the rock you'd have like a 3,00016 pound per square foot jack pushing the rock apart.17 And that's what we're destabilizing?18 Q. Right. And then if that rock joint daylighted --19 A. it wouldn't daylight, but if it came to the surface of20 the rock and was injected into the soil it could start21 to act as a jet and, and then breakdown the soil22 immediately where the joint intersects the soil23 overburden.24 And is that what is called liquefaction?25 Q.