Page 12 - IAV Digital Magazine #577

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
By Brad Rogers, WGME
YORK (WGME)-- The owner of a distillery in York wants to expand operations, but a group of neigh- bors, and a fun- gus, may be standing in his way.
In Kentucky and Tennessee, where distillers age mil- lions of barrels of liquor, this fungus has blackened
entire
towns and is the subject of numer- ous lawsuits. It's the same fungus now in York near the Wiggly Bridge Distillery on Route 1.
The fungus is called Baudoinia Compniacensis, more commonly known as "whiskey fungus." It feeds and grows off the fumes of alcohol, and a sample col-
lect-
ed by neighbors near the Wiggly Bridge Distillery confirms it is in York.
"It is a black fun- gus that is sticky and hard to get off your home," neighbor Adam Flaherty said.
Health officials say without stud- ies on long-term exposure to whiskey fungus, there is not
enough
evidence to show it poses a health risk.
Flaherty and his neighbors say they are not will- ing to take that chance.
"I've got young kids and I don't want them breath- ing that in for years if we don't know if it could be detrimental to their health down the road,"
Flaherty said.
David Wood, whose family owns and oper- ates the Wiggly Bridge Distillery, declined to com- ment.
They've applied to build two more whiskey houses to store their bar- rels.
In a study pub- lished last month, University of Maine researchers took 100 samples with- in a mile radius of the distillery and found the fungus in several loca- tions.
"Anything that are these large cir- cles, these are very heavy Baudoinia spores," neighbor Marilyn Zotos said.
The study says it is highly likely the distillery is the source of the cluster of whiskey fungus spores.
"It is not by
chance that this is happening. It is the result of the distillery," neigh- bor Beth Downs said.
The town planner says the Wiggly Bridge expansion application is in the preliminary review stage with the planning board. A York town ordinance prohibits any emission of dust, fumes, vapors or gases that could damage human health, property or stain a per- son's property. Neighbors argue the distillery is in violation of that town ordinance. They urge town leaders to look at the facts.
"That business is in violation of the current ordinance. The testing shows they're in viola- tion, and if you're in violation of a standing ordi- nance, you're not supposed to be able to expand on a violation," Zotos said.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
'Whiskey Fungus,' Upset Neighbors May Keep York Distillery FromExpanding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNg-Z0O8y9s