In response to the letter from Isabel Hardesty that appeared in the July 20th issue of the Chestertown Spy, Royal Farms has shown a commitment to safeguarding the environment given the extensive cleanup measures that occurred at this former industrial site prior to construction at our new Chestertown location. Since February 2017, hundreds of tons of contaminated soils were excavated from our new store location and transported to a permitted offsite facility (outside of the Chesapeake Bay watershed) for proper disposal.
In addition, the new fuel station will be responsible in complying with federal and State oil and tank management regulations that include such requirements as double wall tanks, corrosion protection, spill/overfill prevention, leak detection, periodic inspections, and the testing of the secondary portion of the piping prior to use and every 5 years thereafter. Royal Farms remains committed to serving the Chestertown community in an environmentally proactive manner.
Royal Farms is also committed to the environment by building many of our stores to LEED (leadership in engineering and environmental design) standards.
Stores built to these standards save an average of 15-20% is energy use as compared with a typical building and operation like ours. LED lighting throughout the store and the site uses 80% less energy than florescent bulbs and reduces the amount of mercury in the area. The water use in this store is 40% less than a comparable building, which helps to save the bay, reducing our burden on the local watershed. Over 20% of the construction materials used in the store are sourced from within 500 miles, This reduces the carbon footprint in building construction, and increases the benefit to regional suppliers and manufacturers. 20% of the materials also contain recycled material, reducing our burden on natural resources. 75% of the waste from the building of this store was diverted from landfills through recycling. All of the frying oil is recycled into biodiesel to be used in vehicles to lessen our carbon footprint. And our landscaping is native and adaptive to the region thus not needing water.
Royal Farms is committed to being a good neighbor. Our valued employees and customers live in the neighborhoods we serve and we take our responsibility to environmental stewardship very seriously.
Frank Schilling
Director of Marketing & Merchandising
Royal Farms
Baltimore, MD 21211
Fred W.J. Kirchner says
I seem to remember the concerns of this issue was the “STORM WATER” run off of the property into the adjacent stream. I am not sure, but I think I read that the permit was allowing a “minimum” for storm water management? I saw nothing in the letter from Royal Farms addressing Storm water management. I have been in Kent County for about 35 years now and I remember many times that the storm waters have virtually closed the Rt 20 access at the bridge for the stream behind Royal Farms.. All too often, it seems, the “government” will throw public safety and the environment under the bridge for MONEY !! There are regulatory standards for large paved parking lots etc. with regard to storm water runoff, to contain the many hazardous chemistry deposited into the pavement by vehicles.. Most shopping centers are not adjacent to a main storm water management stream that ultimately flows into the Chester River.. I think this was the concerns of the original letter. In my opinion, not only does the permitted use tend to threaten the environment, but it is also an obvious public safety that greatly complicates the traffic circle. There are many elderly people who are terrified to drive in the traffic circle due to the new entrance/exit !! Looks like another ID-10T error !!!
Dennis Leventhal says
Okay, fine. Communications departments do a wonderful job. BUT, man, the new Royal Farms in C-town has really messed up traffic at that roundabout.
Beth Everett says
Will the new Chestertown store be LEED certified? What level?
Gren Whitman says
Yes, will it be LEED certified? Good question!
Ann Miller says
I think perhaps some unhappiness with the new Royal Farms is displaced – can’t blame Royal Farms for building where the zoning allows……but you can take up the matter with your County Commissioners and the zoning laws in Kent County. THAT is who you should be complaining to. Royal Farms just took advantage of a business opportunity that KENT COUNTY provided them.
I’m a Wawa person myself, and as with many, many things – I can find that in Middletown or Dover, or Queenstown or Easton or Annapolis….but not Chestertown.