============================================================ Get 11 Free CDs, with nothing more to buy, ever! Simply join BMG Music Service and you can choose your FREE CDs with membership. It's 100% RISK FREE! http://click.topica.com/caaac8tb1ddNBb2HgmNa/BMG ============================================================ Subj: BLACK CREEK SITE/IMPORTANT WE NEED YOUR HELP - Part One Date: 08/29/2001 1:06:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time ============================================================ > To all supporters of the Black Creek Site: > > This letter is long and from the heart. Please read it to the end because now, > more than ever, we need for you to write to the state legislators to ask them > to support the placing of the Black Creek Site on the National Register of Historic > Places on September 12! We know our opposition is writing to them, asking them > to reject the nomination. Let our voices be louder and stronger than theirs. > > First, please accept my apology for the long delay in writing this update to > you since the destructive dig that took place on August 13 and 14 by the geologist > who was hired by the Township of Vernon to discredit this very significant cultural > resource. My heart has been very saddened by the unnecessary destruction caused > by the backhoe digging of the National Register eligible site and the malice > with which this so-called "study" has gone forth, so much so that until now > it has pained me to even write about it. Hopefully, this will be my final plea > to you for help, and on September 12 the Black Creek Site will be listed on > the National Register of Historic Places. > > On the morning of August 13, archaeologist Rick Patterson, founder of the Black > Creek Site; Gregory Werkheiser, attorney for Patterson and the Lenni Lenape > of New Jersey; and two of our own archaeologists whom we asked to monitor the > dig, Dr. Cara Lee Blume of Delaware and Bill Sandy of Newton, N.J., set out > to the Black Creek Site shortly before 9 a.m. We are so fortunate to have Dr. > Blume and Mr. Sandy assist and support our cause at no expense to us, out of > the goodness of their hearts, as we are already so grateful for the pro bono > services and exceptional legal counsel of Greg Werkheiser and his firm, Piper > Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe LLP of Washington D.C. > > As you know, the Township of Vernon could not get a single archaeologist or > archaeological firm to agree to dig on the Black Creek Site because of its National > Register eligibility. However, one person, a geologist named Philip LaPorta, > obviously felt the $45,000 to be gained from the backhoe dig was more important > than the preservation of the historic land. Even before the dig began on Monday > morning, LaPorta was handing out press releases to the newspapers saying the > site was not yet eligible for listing on the National Register--in direct contradiction > to what the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office (HPO) said. LaPorta’s press > release also corroborated the township’s incorrect allegations and stated falsely > that the plow zone on the Black Creek Site was at a depth of three feet, which > would have meant that much of the site’s historic significance would have been > minimized. As it turned out, Mr. LaPorta learned from the dig that the plow > zone was actually only about 8-12 inches deep throughout most of the site and > only up to 18 inches deep in some small areas. > > LaPorta conducted the dig with a backhoe--which is frowned upon by most archaeologists > and also not recommended by HPO. In fact, HPO advised the Township of Vernon > NOT to conduct any dig until after the Sept. 12 hearing of the National Register > nomination. Of course, the township completely ignored the advice of the state. > On a good note, we feel that the letters and opinions forwarded by so many people > to Mr., LaPorta about his lack of qualifications to do an archaeological study > resulted in his hiring a respected archaeologist to assist him, Mr. Philip Perazio > of Pennsylvania. We are hopeful that Mr. Perazio will do the right thing and > attest to the site’s significance, particularly since on the morning of August > 14 he met with Greg, Cara, Rick, and the Lenape from Bridgeton and saw the more > than 5,000 artifacts that came from the site. I’m not going to elaborate on > the details of the dig because I will attach at the end of this letter the report > written by Dr. Blume. However, I will tell you a few important things. > > Ten trenches, each approximately 3 feet wide, 12 feet long, and up to 15-16 > feet deep were dug by the backhoe. They did not hit bedrock and the plow zone > was between 8-12 inches. Artifacts were found in each of the trenches, even > though less than five percent of the soil that came out of the trenches was > sifted by LaPorta’s archaeologists. The soil from the trenches was merely placed > in piles on plastic sheeting, a separate pile for each layer of soil. Of those > various piles, only two, five-gallon buckets worth of soil were sifted--perhaps > a mere five percent of all the soil. Routinely, archaeologists would have sifted > through all of the soil, documenting what artifacts came from what layer of > soil. But due to the rush and LaPorta’s agreement to complete the study within > two days, they only sampled and sifted two buckets’ wroth from each trench! > After the sample sifting, all of the remaining dirt was merely pushed back into > the holes, losing forever the valuable cultural information of any deeply imbedded > artifacts within the different strata. See Cara’s full report for significant > details. > > Basically, the "study" was done by a geologist whose interest lies in rocks, > minerals, and soil. An archaeologist would not have conducted a study as did > LaPorta. His "report" is due to come out on August 30. We do not know what he > will say. Since he has been so arrogant and secretive about his study and the > demands he has made for inspection of the artifacts found by Rick Patterson, > we are not hopeful that he will give a good report. If he does, we will be pleasantly > surprised. Regardless, the HPO has said that even if LaPorta’s study yielded > no artifacts, the site is still eligible for the National Register nomination > because of the more than 5,000 artifacts that have already been found at Black > Creek by Rick Patterson. In short, had the study been conducted in a traditional > archaeological fashion, all of the soil would have been sifted, and there would > have been significantly more artifacts found. So, what was done was unnecessarily > destructive, but keep in mind that the 10 deep trenches represented less than > one percent of the overall tract of land. That is comforting, although it was > very distressing to see Mr. LaPorta conduct a backhoe dig without any regard > for the advice given by the state Historic Preservation Office, the site’s historicity, > and without any regard or respect for the Lenape and their wishes that the site > not be excavated in such an invasive and destructive manner. > > Now for the most important part. September 12, the important date that we have > all been waiting for, is soon upon us. On that day, the Historic Preservation > Office will make the decision whether the Black Creek Site should be listed > on the National Register of Historic Places. Once that happens, it will afford > protection for the site. There is a group in Vernon Township that has reared > its head against the preservation of the site and in support of constructing > ball fields on top of the Black Creek Site. This group has been very assertive > and has circulated petitions and written letters to legislators for help. The > Vernon Township Council (and perhaps its hired geologist) and the local group > fighting against the preservation of the Black Creek Site is exerting pressure > on the legislators not to preserve the site. As we all know, politicians work > for votes. If proposed legislation or a decision on the listing of the Black > Creek Site comes before them without any show of interest from their voting > public, it will not be given attention or support. We have been told that it > would be very helpful if we would also write to the legislators and let them > know in a loud and clear voice that the support for preservation is widespread > and extends across community, state, and national borders and to Native American > groups everywhere. In addition to the Lenape in New Jersey and Oklahoma, we > have received the support of many Nations, including Apache, Lakota, Huron, > Algonquin, Cherokee, Abenaki, Mohawk, Oneida, and so many more. We have become > like Dekanawidah’s Tree of the Long Leaves. Our roots have spread out from this > tree, extending the news of the Black Creek Site far and wide to all Nations, > and the nature of the roots is strength--strength in unity. The "eagle" atop > our Tree of the Long Leaves has seen evil approaching and danger threatening > our cause. We must write these letters now. > > Tell the legislators that you would like them to also support the preservation > of the Black Creek Site. We need to make our voices heard and make it clear > to them that there is widespread community, state, and national support for > the preservation of the Black Creek Site. Please write to them as soon as possible. > It is important that they receive the letters by September 5. It doesn’t have > to be elaborate; a few sentences will do. You may send the same letters to all > of them by e-mail, if you’d like. Tell them that you support the listing of > the Black Creek Site on the National Register of Historic Places because of > its cultural value and its importance to the history of the state, and ask them > to support it as well. Below are the office and e-mail addresses for the legislators. > Do not copy them on this letter that I have written to you. Just forward to > them your own letters asking for their support. > > We have fought long and hard for the preservation of the Black Creek Site--the > land of the Lenape, the first people of this state. We cannot blink now, when > the prize is so close at hand. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your > support, your letters, and your time. > > Sincerely, > > Jessica Paladini > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > LEGISLATORS’ ADDRESSES: > > Rep. Marge Roukema > 1200 E. Ridgewood Ave. > Ridgewood, NJ 07450 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Senator Robert G. Torricelli > 1 Riverfront Plaza > Newark, N.J. 07102 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Senator Jon S. Corzine > One Gateway Center,11th floor > Newark, N.J. 07102 > (You must go to his Web site to e-mail him.) > www.corzine.senate.gov > click on "contact me" > > Senator Robert E. Littell > P.O. Box 328 > Franklin, N.J. 07416 > 201-827-2900 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Assemblyman E. Scott Garrett > 61 Spring St., 3rd Fl. > Newton, N.J. 07860 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Assemblyman Guy R. Gregg > 268 Rt. 206, bldg.D,1st Fl. > Flanders, N.J. 07836 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Division of Parks and Forestry > Historic Preservation Office > P.O. Box 404 > Trenton, NJ 08625 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ============================================================ Sign up for My Topica and get a FREE, personalized web page for all your subscriptions, online reading and posting privileges, special offers, and more! http://click.topica.com/caaabHSb1ddNBb2HgmNf/register ============================================================ Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition. http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddNB.b2HgmN Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
