Hoping to prevent lapse of memories with Catholic schools merger

Official: Paperwork glitch will be fixed

<b>First Posted:</b> 12/20/2007<br><br>By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@www.timesleader.comStaff Writer 


HAZLETON &amp;ndash; After conducting routine business of budget transfers, awarding a tax anticipation note and approving liquor license transfers, members of council and the administration addressed concerns from a taxpayer about river dredge.
During public comment, Dee Deakos of the Hazleton Taxpayer Association asked why the city wasn&amp;rsquo;t requiring Hazleton Creek Properties to submit an adequate water monitoring plan for a mine land reclamation site the company is backfilling with river dredge.
Deakos pointed out that the state Environmental Hearing Board ordered the contractor to develop a new water monitoring plan for the site. A permit issued by the state  requires such a plan, and the plan Hazleton Creek supplied was deemed inadequate.
City administrator Sam Monticello told her to address her question to the Hazleton Redevelopment Authority because that agency is the land owner and has a contract with Hazleton Creek to receive tipping fees for the material dumped at the site.
City engineer and Redevelopment Authority Chairman Bob Dougherty said work at the site authorized by the permit that requires a water monitoring plan has not yet begun.
Currently, river dredge and demolition material is being used at the site to create infrastructure for roads under a separate permit that does not require a water monitoring plan, Dougherty said.
But Deakos said the permit that requires a water monitoring plan allows the use of a river dredge mixture that the state considers safe because it is supposedly impermeable to water.
She said the river dredge that is currently being dumped at the site is not being mixed with materials that would make it impermeable to water, and even though the state doesn&amp;rsquo;t require a water monitoring plan under the permit now in use, the city should seek additional safeguards.
Mayor Lou Barletta has continuously said that samples of the dredge material being dumped at the site are tested according to state and federal standards, and the material does not pose a health risk.
An environmental group appealed DEP&amp;lsquo;s issuance of both permits to the Environmental Hearing Board.
The board dismissed all complaints against one permit except a complaint alleging an inadequate water monitoring plan. An appeal hearing on the other permit is scheduled for January.

Taxpayer brings up river dredge issue