W-b's Junk: It's Going, Gone 
The City Garners $120,000, More Than Expected, Auctioning Old Vehicles And
Other Equipment.

Area Colleges

By LANE FILLER lfiller@leader.net
 Saturday, January 08, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 5A 





WILKES-BARRE - The Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that the
city and two companies that participated in the demolition of the steam heat
plant pay a $36,850 fine for improperly handling asbestos removal. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The city took over the North Washington Street property from the defunct
Steam Heat Authority and called for an emergency demolition in June 2002. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A.R. Popple Inc. handled the demolition, and Wyoming S&amp;P Inc. provided the
supervisor for the asbestos abatement. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The complaint from the EPA contains four allegations: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The EPA claims it was not notified of the method of removal, the
transporter, the waste disposal site or trained and certified supervisor that
would be used for the demolition. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The asbestos was not kept wet at all times during abatement and transport
to keep the material contained. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A trained and certified supervisor was not present at all times. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The asbestos was not disposed of as soon as was practical. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 EPA spokeswoman Bonnie Smith said the fact that the allegations took more
than two years to become a formal complaint is not unusual, and said the
recommendation does not necessarily mean a fine is automatic. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``No, the city and the two companies have an opportunity to present their
case before a judge, and to confer with the EPA about coming to a
settlement,'' Smith said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to the complaint, the companies and the city have 30 days to
request a hearing before a federal administrative judge or confer with the EPA
lawyer handling the case. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We are really in fact-finding mode right now, because none of us were
involved in this, said City Administrator J.J. Murphy. ``We're talking to the
two companies and people from the city who were involved at the time.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Murphy said he remembered firefighters wetting down the material during the
demolition, although he was not with the city then. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Were all the EPA regulations followed every second? It sounds like maybe
not,'' Murphy added. ``But there is a blending of responsibility here that
means we need to have a dialogue with the EPA and the companies to get it all
straightened out.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Representatives from the two companies did not return calls seeking
comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

W-b Could Face Fine From Feds Two Companies Are Included In A Report Alleging Improper Handling Of Asbestos.