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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Those who want to object to Jeddo-Highland Coal Co.&#8217;s request for a &#8220;bond release&#8221; related to the site of the new Wilkes-Barre Area High School will have to wait. The state Department of Environmental Protection postponed an &#8220;informal conference&#8221; planned for Thursday to an unspecified date in November.</p><p>The postponement was done &#8220;to allow for notice to be published and to allow for additional public participation&#8221; in the conference, according to a letter sent from a DEP surface mining official to Robin Shudak, who had sought a hearing on the bond release. Shudak is a candidate for Wilkes-Barre Area School Board who opposes the consolidated high school being built on property bought by the district from Jeddo-Highland.</p><p>Jeddo-Highland had an active mining permit for the site, which had been used for coal mining and as a repository for coal ash buried in one part of the 77-acre plot. Under state law, the company had to agree to a land reclamation plan to get the permit. As part of that agreement, the state sets a bond amount based on the total estimated cost to the Commonwealth for completing the reclamation if the company does not.</p><p>The bond in question was $294,587, according to DEP northeast region community relations coordinator Colleen Connolly.</p><p>But once the land was sold with plans to build the high school, the active mining permit became the wrong instrument to oversee reclamation. The district sought and received a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit through the Luzerne County Conservation District. The NPDES Permit now regulates development of the property in regards to environmental laws.</p><p>Once the property changed hands, Jeddo-Highland had the right to seek a bond-release and ask to recoup the money. Connolly said the company asked for $276,587. The request triggered a legally required notice so members of the public could voice concerns or objections. Shudak sought a hearing and DEP responded by setting up an informal conference for Oct. 3.</p><p>But earlier this week both Shudak and Connolly said they had received word there would be a postponement, though neither had details. Contacted Thursday, Shudak provided a copy of a letter from Thomas Boretski Jr., surface mine conservation inspector supervisor for DEP&#8217;s bureau of district mining operations.</p><p>The letter said the conference will be rescheduled for November 2019, and promised notification when the date is firmed up. The conference will also be advertised in the local newspapers.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Work continues on what will be the new Wilkes-Barre Area HS. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_TTL100319School5.cmyk_-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Work continues on what will be the new Wilkes-Barre Area HS. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

‘Informal conference’ on W-B Area school site bond release postponed