To the Editor:

The Princeton Environmental Commission (PEC) would like to clarify a point made in a letter from Jane Buttars (“Planning Board Should Deny AB Application,” Mailbox, Nov. 14) that ran on November 15, in which she noted the PEC’s recommendation to the Planning Board regarding Avalon Bay’s proposed development on the former hospital site. We recommended that the board consider requesting an independent environmental review of the proposal, given the concerns raised about potential soil and water contamination on the site, and, if the review deemed the testing inadequate, that the Board request adequate testing from the developer. Ms. Buttars pointed out that asking for such testing “from the developer” would not constitute an independent review. We agree. We understand her interpretation of that phrase, but we’d like to clarify that our intention was not to ask the developer to provide the testing, but to have testing performed by an independent party.

Matt Wasserman

Chair, Princeton Environmental Commission