News

April 17, 2010

Mine reclaimer had ’08 violation notice

Hazleton Creek Properties is using dredged river sediment to fill strip mining pits in the Hazleton area.

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter
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HAZLETON – The company that’s involved with a controversial mine reclamation project in Hazleton was once issued a notice of violation after construction debris that was not approved for use as fill was found at the site.

The state Department of Environmental Protection issued the notice in August 2008 to Hazleton Creek Properties after receiving a report that five rail cars containing demolition debris were discovered at the 277-acre reclamation site located in southern Hazleton, said DEP spokesman Mark Carmon.

Hazleton Creek Properties is the developer of the reclamation project that is utilizing hundreds of thousands of tons of dredged material from the Schuylkill River to fill strip-mining pits. Plans call for the construction of an amphitheater once the site reclamation is complete.

The initial permit issued to Hazleton Creek allowed the firm to fill the pits only with the river sediment, but DEP investigators, acting on a tip, discovered demolition debris at the site, Carmon said.

Carmon said the company immediately removed the debris after being notified of the violation. There is no indication that any of the debris was used as fill.

“Most of it was either on the ground or still in rail cars. None of it was in the pits that we could see,” Carmon said.

The Kingston offices of Hazleton Creek Properties and Fort Mifflin Reclamation Associates, which won the contract to transport the dredged material to the Hazleton site, were searched by federal agents on Tuesday.

Documents related to the search indicate the investigation is related to the awarding of a contract in 2006 for the dredging of 500,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Schuylkill River near Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia.

Carmon said the 2008 notice of violation is the only violation DEP has found at the Hazleton site, which is subject to unannounced inspections.

Hazleton Creek was later granted a permit that allows it to add processed demolition debris to the dredged material for use as fill. That permit, issued this March, allows for the firm to add ground-up bricks, concrete and other like debris to the dredged material.

The addition of the construction material was opposed by an environmental group and two area legislators, who were concerned about the possible environmental impact.

Carmon said the permit requires Hazleton Creek Properties to notify DEP if it accepts construction debris. The firm must advise the agency of the type of debris and where it came from.

Carmon said he does not believe any of construction debris has been added to the site as DEP has not received that notification.

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7179.

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