Public session planned on mine

By Sherry Long slong@timesleader.comStaff Writer

HAZLETON – The public will soon get a chance to give its feedback on an application by Hazleton Creek Properties LLC to use an additional substance on a mine reclamation project in Hazleton.

During a public meeting being held Tuesday night by the at Hazleton Area High School, department officials from Harrisburg will make a presentation, explain the department’s review process, and then a Hazleton Creek Properties representative will give a presentation before questions are allowed by the public, DEP spokesman Mark Carmon said. Yet one state representative wonders if the Tuesday meeting coordinated by the state DEP is just being held as a technicality before approving the fourth general purpose permit for Hazleton Creek Properties.

State House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Butler Township, said he hopes the meeting is not just “window dressing.”

He said that in March, DEP approved a permit for the same site and firm, despite opposition to the permit request to use construction and demolition waste mixed with river sediment and fly ash.

“They ignored calls for liners, water treatment systems and other environmental protections against potential contamination to groundwater,” Eachus said.

“In my opinion, DEP clearly disregarded the very serious concerns raised by the residents of southern Luzerne County. And I have little faith that this new, fourth permit will be any different.”

Bill Rinaldi, co-founder of Hazleton Creek Properties, did not return calls seeking comment by deadline.

Carmon said he was unsure if the state is mandated to hold public hearings or receive written feedback from people regarding this permit. Yet they are holding a public meeting and a 60-day public comment period because the issue is so controversial in the community, he said.

Carmon said a decision has not and will not be made until after all the verbal and printed comments are received and reviewed by department personnel in Harrisburg. There is no deadline.

“We will conduct a thorough review of all the comments we get, including those from the public and elected officials, like Representative Eachus,” Carmon said.

Hazleton Creek Properties requested to use 200,000 tons of flue gas desulfurization gypsum to be mixed with coal ash annually in the 53-acre project in the application submitted to Harrisburg in June. When the two materials are combined with water, they form a cement-like substance that is apparently ideally suitable for use in the pits. Flue gas desulfurization gypsum comes from air pollution control scrubber systems on coal-fired power plants.