Matt Osterberg could be considered responsible for the mega-warehouse policy, which endangers our vital resources. As the chairman of the Pike County Economic Development Authority, he and Mike Sullivan searched, secured, promoted and marketed mega-warehouse projects throughout Pike County. The 434,000-square-foot  warehouse at I84 Exit 46 is located directly over our drinking water aquifer and an endangered Exceptional Value (EV) stream, and is only 3,000 feet from Milford Springs. 

We must act fast to stop this dangerous project and protect our community's resources.

Here is the latest news on the state of our aquifers across America. 

Darren Orf, writing in Popular Mechanics, posted that “A startling New York Times investigation [October 24, 2023] reveals the fragility of the U.S.’s underground water supply, and how decades of mismanagement and the ongoing threat of climate change are leaving America’s once-bountiful aquifers bone dry." 

The investigation reveals that "Overall, the Earth experiences less snowpack, which ultimately means less water flowing into rivers and seeping into the ground. The water that does reach the ground is also evaporating more rapidly due to higher overall temperatures." (For the full story, visit www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a44952934/groundwater-depletion.)

Our officials are endangering the safety of our community. They disregard the multiple taxpayer studies that warn about the fragility of our drinking-water aquifer, which is easily contaminated by surface-water pollutants. The unconfined aquifer, made of sand and gravel, is highly susceptible to forever chemicals, gasoline, diesel, household cleaning products and pesticides, which are cost-prohibitive or impossible to remove once they enter the aquifer. 

We must act now to hold these officials accountable for their reckless conduct that puts our health and safety in jeopardy.

The Milford Water Authority’s diatomaceous earth filtration system can't remove cancer-causing chemicals in U.S. water systems. It can only filter particles by size, not by chemical composition. Improper development over our aquifer could overload the system, leading to a toxic overflow of unregulated chemicals. Action needs to be taken now to prevent this from happening.

Our leaders are putting our drinking water aquifer in peril. We need to unite across political lines and shut down this harmful policy. Water is essential to life, and we can't risk our aquifers, EV streams, and EV wetlands for the mere convenience of receiving packages an hour earlier. Act now to protect our community and secure a sustainable future. 

Because of their intransigence, in protest, please do not vote for Matt Osterberg and Ron Schmalzle this election cycle. We need to send a message that their policies are unacceptable. Tony Waldron is indecisive, so choose Christa Caceres instead. She's a moderate committed to tackling issues such as water policy, women's health care, and all health care delivery systems with a comprehensive approach. Vote for real change in this election.

Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and Democrats, let's do something unusual but necessary this time around. Cast a single vote for Christa Caceres for an infusion of vitality and fresh ideas into a stagnant and entrenched system that does not believe in science and is making questionable and reckless economic policies based on this obvious deficit.

Our better future is within our grasp, because Christa Caceres is simply the most exciting candidate in county politics that we have had in a long time.

Vito DiBiasi is a member of the Friends of the Milford Aquifer.