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<p>ASHLEY &#8212; It&#8217;s been almost a year since the state Department of Environmental Protection cited the owner of the former Huber Breaker property for leaving the site in shambles after the breaker was razed last year. Ever since, the breaker and the acreage surrounding it has been in a state of disrepair with tires, weeds and debris scattered around.</p><p>&#8220;It looks like Vietnam,&#8221; Ashley Borough Council member and Vietnam war veteran Gerry Maldanado said as he and Ashley Council Vice Chair Frank Sorokach looked at the site from behind the property.</p><p>Built in 1939, the landmark was operated by Blue Coal Corporation, a predecessor to Glen Alden Coal Co., and produced 7,000 tons of coal. The final product was dyed with a blue dye and sold as &#8220;blue coal.&#8221; The breaker closed in 1976. Paselo Logistics LLC, of Philadelphia, and Reivia Ashley LLC, of Wyckoff, New Jersey, bought the property in October 2013 for $750,725 from No. 1 Contracting Corporation.</p><p>According to Ray Clarke, chairman of the board of directors for the Huber Breaker Preservation Society, Paselo Logistics LLC bought the property for scrap. Clarke said the intentions (of the society) were to acquire the breaker and make it part of a museum on the 3.1 acre parcel of gifted land, adjacent to the breaker site, by Earth Conservancy.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a shame the way it had it be,&#8221; Clarke said.</p><p>Currently, a few small buildings near the front of the site where offices once stood remain behind the locked gates. Deserted tractor-trailer trucks and a bicycle litter the site.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s like they (Paselo Logistics LLC) don&#8217;t care,&#8221; said Maldonado, pointing out debris behind the entrance gates. &#8220;Millions wasted with those trucks.&#8221;</p><p><strong>History of legal problems</strong></p><p>During the downfall of the coal mining business in the Wyoming Valley, the breaker and its land were owned by Lucky Strike Coal Co., owned by Hazleton business owner Louis Beltrami. Lucky Strike Coal Co. went bankrupt in 1991 and Pagnotti Enterprises took hold of the property.</p><p>Recently deceased Drums businessman <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/business/500632/ashley-businessman-al-roman-former-owner-of-huber-breaker-dies" target="_blank">Al Roman</a>, of Pagnotti Enterprises, bought the land in 1997 for $25,000. He built his business, No. 1 Contracting Corp., at 49 S. Main St., near the site of the breaker proper. Roman&#8217;s Ashley business went into bankruptcy in 2010.</p><p>In October 2013, Paselo Logistics LLC. bought No. 1 Contracting Corp. and the breaker site for $1.27 million in bankruptcy court.</p><p>The breaker was demolished in spring 2014 and, according to DEP paperwork, Paselo Logistics LLC never gave notice about the demolition to the agency.</p><p>After the demolition, the DEP checked the site and found asbestos and other garbage sitting on the property. A 45-day timeline, ending in April 2015, was given to Paselo Logistics LLC to dispose of contaminated soil, waste and other debris.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve issued a timeline and it has come and passed,&#8221; said Colleen Connolly, community relations coordinator for the Department of Environmental Protection.</p><p>In a letter to Paselo Logistics dated March 10, 2015, the DEP requested an explanation as to why the asbestos was disturbed and dried out, thus violating the Air Pollution Control Act.</p><p>&#8220;As far as we know, it&#8217;s still there,&#8221; Connolly said.</p><p>A Hanover Area school bus stops on Main Street across from the property. Sorokach and Maldonado expressed worry about air quality surrounding the property from the asbestos in the smoke stack, which is still standing.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a shame,&#8221; Sorokach said of the property. &#8220;What about the kids?&#8221;</p><p>Along with the physical condition of the site, Northeast Tax Revenue LLC shows Paselo is delinquent in taxes. Data from the revenue company shows the amount of real estate taxes owed to Ashley, Hanover Area School District and Luzerne County is $22,719.99, as of Dec. 28.</p><p>Paselo Logistics LLC, Philadelphia, and the Comitz Law Firm LLC, Wilkes-Barre, which represents Paselo locally, declined to comment.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The most recent DEP letter to Paselo Logistics LLC on the concern of asbestos control. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Letter1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The most recent DEP letter to Paselo Logistics LLC on the concern of asbestos control. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Letter2-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The most recent DEP letter to Paselo Logistics LLC on the concern of asbestos control. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Letter2-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>The most recent DEP letter to Paselo Logistics LLC on the concern of asbestos control. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker02-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A smoke stack left behind after the Huber Breaker demolition in Ashley. Asbestos can be seen around the stack, causing concern about air quality in Ashley. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker02-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>A smoke stack left behind after the Huber Breaker demolition in Ashley. Asbestos can be seen around the stack, causing concern about air quality in Ashley. </caption2><photoCredit2>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker03-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rubbish pile left behind after the Huber Breaker demolition. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker03-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Rubbish pile left behind after the Huber Breaker demolition. </caption3><photoCredit3>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker04-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Pile of tires left behind after the Huber Breaker demolition. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker04-1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Pile of tires left behind after the Huber Breaker demolition. </caption4><photoCredit4>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker01-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ashley Borough Councilman Gerry Maldanado refers to piles of debris left behind from the recent demolition of the Huber Breaker in Ashley. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_breaker01-1.jpg</photo5><caption5>Ashley Borough Councilman Gerry Maldanado refers to piles of debris left behind from the recent demolition of the Huber Breaker in Ashley. </caption5><photoCredit5>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>The Huber Breaker Preservation Society will present &#8220;Documentary Film: Beyond the Huber Breaker&#8221; from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 19 at the Earth Conservancy Building, 101 S. Main Street, Ashley.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

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Ashley officials worried over safety, pollution issues at former Huber Breaker site