This event is open to all; FOL’s are encouraged to bring family, friends, and acquaintances with them. The more the merrier.
We invite everyone to come out for a night of sharing information about Keystone Landfill and their proposed expansion, details on the DEP’s first public meeting, an update on our legal appeal to Dunmore’s Zoning Opinion, and explore ways for Friends to become more involved and engaged in our opposition.
The first line of today’s article by the Times-Tribune Editorial Board states the issue clearly: “A lack of cohesion continues to afflict Dunmore Borough Council regarding the most-critical environmental issue to face the region in decades.”
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Editorial Board January 28,2015
Dunmore Council decides not to vote on hiring an environmental lawyer. We have a great one when they are ready to help protect our community. Thank you, Tim Burke, for always making sure our voice is heard.
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Kyle Wind, Staff Writer January 27, 2015
Excerpts: Mr. Burke, who has been the most outspoken council member in his opposition to the plan, expressed surprise that other members felt they had not discussed it enough after talking about hiring an environmental attorney over the summer and deciding to put out a request for proposals.
Mr. Burke said there is money available for the fight, now that Dunmore expects to receive $2.33 million from Keystone in 2015.
He expressed frustration a group of area residents called Friends of Lackawanna has hired a lawyer and filed a legal challenge alleging the expansion would violate Dunmore’s zoning ordinance, while the borough hasn’t joined the fray.
“Are we going to do something or sit back and watch (Friends of Lackawanna) fight our battle?” asked Mr. Burke.
We are hoping Dunmore Council stays true to its promise to hire an environmental attorney and spend the money required, which was noted by Council as at least $200,000 in the meeting minutes from 9/22/2014.
MS. SPANISH: I understand. So I’m again operating under the assumption that you guys are going to vote this [Agreement with KSL] through tonight so we will then be getting a dollar [per ton] come December 1st, 2014, which would increase our rate from about $900,000 every year to 2.5 million which to me would then say, Hey, I now have an additional 1.2 million to hire an environmental attorney on behalf of the Council.
MR. VERRASTRO: Exactly.
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Kyle Wind, Staff Writer January 25, 2015
Eugene Ogozalek does not mince words in this powerful Letter to the Editor about the “violent rape of the natural environment” by the Keystone Sanitary Landfill (aka New York and New Jersey’s rotting garbage dump in Northeast Pennsylvania). Thanks, Eugene!
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Letter to the Editor January 25, 2015
Plunder euphemism
Editor: The definition of euphemism is the substitution of an inoffensive word or phrase for one that is offensive or hurtful.
Having served and been wounded in the Marine Corps in combat in Vietnam, the phrase “butt stroke” comes to mind and is a perfect example. A butt stroke is neither a gentle stroke nor has anything to do with one’s butt. It is a violent, hand-to-hand combat hit in the face with the butt of a rifle that smashes teeth, breaks eye sockets and can fracture the enemy’s skull.
“Landfill expansion” is a timely example of a euphemism. A landfill elicits images of birds chirping in green meadows and the creation of gentle contours in irregular ground, as in “fill the land.” In truth, a landfill is a violent rape of the natural environment, scarring the earth permanently and generating intolerable rotting gases that make one retch when driving past.
I propose changing the name of the local landfill expansion on the state application to something that does not mince words, such as “the expansion of New York and New Jersey’s rotting garbage dump in Northeast Pennsylvania.”
Our wonderful valley is about to be butt-stroked again by big money. Do not be fooled.
According to today’s Time-Tribune article and recent ads, Keystone Landfill is offering tours to the public. Friends of Lackawanna were invited and our response is in the article and the excerpt below.
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Kyle Wind, Staff Writer January 24, 2015
Excerpt: Landfill officials would be willing to take Friends of Lackawanna members on a tour, Mr. Magnotta said, but the idea got a chilly reception from the group’s leaders.
“A tour would not change the minds or resolve of the Friends of Lackawanna,” said Michele Dempsey, a core member of the group. “A state-of-the art landfill is still a landfill, and it does not belong in the middle of a thriving residential community. No matter how well-run or state-of-the-art this landfill may be, it still stinks, attracts dirty birds and has contaminated our ground water for over 12 years. It is also still subject to incredible risks for environmental disaster and will negatively impact our health, property values, reputation and quality of life.”
Our challenge is front page of the Times-Tribune today. We will not stop until we prevail!
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Kyle Wind, Staff Writer January 22, 2015
Excerpts: “Through the law firm Curtin & Heefner, Friends of Lackawanna appealed Wednesday a preliminary zoning opinion from Dunmore code enforcement officer Joseph Lorince stating the borough’s maximum height restriction does not apply to the landfill.
In the 27-page appeal, excluding attachments, attorney Lauren Williams attacked Mr. Lorince’s 12-page written opinion point-by-point, including the central question about maximum heights in the zoning ordinance.
“In an attempt to get around the zoning ordinance’s application to KSL, the decision engages in semantic gymnastics and effectively attempts to rewrite the zoning ordinance,” Ms. Williams and the plaintiffs argued.”
“The [Dunmore Zoning Officer’s] opinion echoed some points Keystone attorney Jeffrey Belardi made in a position paper he submitted to the borough when the landfill sought clarification on its zoning status.
Friends of Lackawanna, a nonprofit civic group formed to fight the expansion, strongly disagreed in its appeal.
“This absurd interpretation ignores the fact that (the ordinance) clearly does subject ‘structures’ to height limitations,” the appeal states.”
Interesting: NY bans fracking and MD allows it. The difference is which department did the study. Perhaps the Dept. of Health should be determining if the Keystone Landfill should be allowed to expand, especially given how much fracking waste it accepts. This excerpt is from an article titled “These Two States Had the Same Basic Information about Fracking; They Made Very Different Decisions”:
“In Maryland, the Environment and Natural Resources departments did the study [similar to our DEP], whereas in New York it was the Department of Health, observes Stanford’s Rob Jackson, who has published a number of influential studies on the link between fracking and groundwater contamination. "It’s not surprising that a health department would frame the issue differently – and reach a different conclusion,” said Jackson. Environment and natural resources departments [like DEP] are more likely to balance health and environmental risks against economic promise – but health departments primarily worry about protecting people.“ (emphasis added)
30 million gallons of leachate (garbage juice) are processed by the Scranton Sewer Authority each year. A good size bath holds 50 gallons of water, so 30 million gallons is the equivalent of 600,000 baths. Despite that shocking amount and the fact that the landfill is among a group of only 14 customers of the authority that fall under a “national industrial pretreatment program” aimed at protecting water quality, the Keystone landfill was not among the sites visited by the EPA contractor as part of the audit.
How much of the leachate isn’t being factored because it has leaked into our groundwater over the past 12 years?
The amount of environmental harms and potential environmental harms mentioned in this article by Brendan Gibbons of the Time-Tribune is heart-stopping: leachate leaking into our ground water, drill cuttings setting off radio-active detection units, a “thermal event” (read: fire) at the landfill, “chasing the voids” to try to prevent large scale mine subsidence and collapse, leachate lines running under our neighborhoods, sea gulls polluting our waters with their feces, the list goes on.
Is all of this a “gift”, too? Since this is what Louis DeNaples calls the pathetic, laughable host municipality “agreement” with Dunmore.
We have heard in the past that the DEP considers this is a “state-of-the-art” landfill. If leaking ground water, thermal events, smells, radio-active alarms being set off, etc., are allowed to occur at such a facility, it just goes to show the danger of hosting a landfill and that anything can happen despite precautionary measures–and that the community will be the victim when it does.
And Louis DeNaples saying our regional reputation won’t be hurt because taking in out of state garbage lowers municipal disposal fees just shows the incredible disconnect between KSL’s pursuits and those of the community. Our reputation as a dumping ground is not tied to disposal fees–not everything is tied to money. But funny how only the “benefits” of the landfill have been quantified in dollars to date, when it seems by this article the harms are quantifiable, as well. KSL appears to have a solid idea how much the cost of stopping the persistent leachate leaking into our ground water will be. Where is that number in the harms/benefit analysis?
People in the surrounding neighborhoods did not know a landfill was nearby until it got big enough to stink, to see, to bring foul birds to our area, to lower our property values, and to bring greater and greater risks of harm as it grows. Now we are saying stop. Enough!
Allow us to answer Louis DeNaples last question in the article: “I come and say hello to you,” he said. “What more do you want?”
We want our community to be safe, the smells and birds to be gone, and our homes to stop losing value. We DON’T want a landfill expansion in middle of our thriving residential community. We DON’T want our area’s reputation to be the dumping ground of the Northeast with a mountain of garbage as its symbol and welcome sign. We want the landfill closed and capped. Simple as that.
Great and insightful Letter to the Editor today, Mandi! Thanks for reminding people to write our politicians!
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA January 8, 2014
Unsightly pushpin
Editor: I read a Times-Tribune article in March about Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors Bureau erecting 10-foot-tall pushpins in iconic Lackawanna County attractions, such as Montage Mountain, PNC Field, McDade Park, the Lackawanna County Coal Mine Tour, the Houdini Museum, and several other landmarks around the area.
As the year progressed more pushpins popped up to point out key county landmarks and venues that represent our area.
As I drive around Lackawanna County, I see these pushpins and feel a sense of NEPA pride at all of the area resources to visit and places to attract visitors. My NEPA pride sadly turns to disappointment that our next pushpin may ultimately need to be placed at a landfill, not a museum, park or historical site.
This will occur if the Department of Environmental Protection approves the Keystone Sanitary Landfill expansion and it becomes the largest landmark in our area. Larger than the beautiful mountain range behind it, large enough to change flight patterns to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport and large enough to be known as the largest trash-made mountain.
It’s disturbing to think that this mountain of trash would ultimately ruin NEPA and Lackawanna County’s pride, legacy and image. Along with the environmental impact, anyone who has pride in our area, its numerous resources and landmarks should feel that this expansion is not good for our area.
This proposed expansion is a NEPA issue and I wholeheartedly ask everyone in NEPA to become involved and fight for our area, its pride and image.
Please write your local politicians and the Department of Environmental Protection. Let’s restore our area’s image.
A powerful Letter to the Editor today and words of advice from upstate New Yorker’s with roots in NEPA who were involved in the effort to ban fracking.
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA January 5, 2015
River revived
Editor: On our visit to our Lackawanna County roots this Christmas season, we were pleased to read a Times-Tribune editorial telling of the selection of the Lackawanna River by Trout Unlimited as one of the best 100 trout streams in North America (“Suddenly, Unlimited Potential,” Dec. 27).
Carbondale, having such a narrow valley with a river running through it, could have made the Lackawanna River a great place to play. Yet kids never ventured to play near it in the 1940s or ’50s. We walked to school over the bridges spanning the Lackawanna, but hiked outside of the valley to find clean streams and ponds. Nothing lived in the Lackawanna River. We didn’t need our parents to warn us to avoid it. It was dirty. It smelled. No sewage plants treated the water and clean water was not a mining company interest.
On Dec. 28, we read columnist Chris Kelly’s perspective in The Sunday Times. Kelly believes there is hope to defeat a movement to enlarge the existing Keystone Sanitary Landfill. Kelly hopes people will pressure the political types who seem to be sitting back in silence on this crucial environmental issue.
Will the inaction of the people of Lackawanna County allow a virtual mountain of garbage to eventually seep into the recovering river — a river that is now such a credit to the people of Lackawanna County?
We live in upstate New York. We’ve happy that fracking has been turned down by the government of New York state. We believe clean air and water trump greed. But it took five years of organization and commitment by upstate New York citizens to achieve the ban on fracking.
We surely hope it will not take that long to stop the greed of a few to ruin the beauty and health of the river that runs though the Lackawanna Valley.
Katherine Mackrell Oven points out the inaccuracies of some troubling statements by landfill owner, Louis DeNaples, on a recent tour of the landfill. Unfortunately, Dunmore got stuck with the White Elephant (which is the worst gift in the grab bag)–the new host municipality agreement. Thanks, Katherine!
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA January 4, 2015
No gifts, please
Editor: As a resident of Dunmore, I find it appalling that during a recent tour of the Keystone Sanitary Landfill, the landfill owner referred to the new Dunmore host municipality agreement as a “gift” to its residents.
The new contract has been referred to by attorney Bill Jones as, “… the worst host municipality agreement on record.” When questioned, Mr. Jones said he had seen only one worse contract — Dunmore’s prior one.
For the past 30 years, Dunmore had been paid only the state minimum of 41 cents per ton from the landfill. The average per ton in the state is nearly 10 times that — $4.05 per ton. Despite the landfill’s negative effect on our roads, air, water, property values and the overall perception of the borough, its owner had the audacity to say, “Dunmore gives me nothing.”
Considering the hundreds of acres covered in garbage, fracking waste and junk cars, I would say Dunmore has given a great deal, actually far more than our fair share. For close to 30 years, Dunmore has accepted payment per ton of garbage that was mandated. So now, at a time when the landfill is looking to extend its life for 50 years, it is willing to “gift” Dunmore more money.
This new contract is far from a gift. So, during the Christmas season, I think it’s fitting to say if the new Dunmore contract is such a gift, I am glad the landfill doesn’t have me in the grab bag.
Chris Kelly sees Friends of Lackawanna as integral to the future of our area. Thanks to all of you, we believe he is right.
Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA Chris Kelly January, 4, 2015
Excerpts: It’s considered gospel that you [smart, young Scranton area professionals] have all left for greener pastures, but I know you are out there and more sentient and energetic than grazing cows. Friends of Lackawanna, a group of young professionals who oppose the Keystone landfill expansion, is engaged in a classic David vs. Goliath fight. They haven’t backed down, and win or lose, we are all better for their struggle.
As dark as the horizon seems, I have never been more hopeful about our prospects. The landfill expansion is an unprecedented opportunity for Friends of Lackawanna to expand the scope of its activism. The landfill is its natural focus now, but being a player in and for the future should be its ultimate goal.
Revolutions are built on small victories over large targets. If you believe Scranton has a future, make 2015 the year you pulled together and sparked it.
The Times Tribune Editorial Board set high priorities that the city, region and state that government leaders should bring to resolution this year, including one for the Keystone Sanitary Landfill:
Excerpt: The Keystone Sanitary Landfill: The proposed expansion plan at the sprawling dump near the confluence of the region’s major highways in Dunmore poses the most fundamental big-picture policy question to the entire region. Will Northeast Pennsylvania continue to be a dumping ground of the East or develop other modes of economic growth?
That question transcends mere regulatory compliance. In 2015, as the Department of Environmental Protection considers whether to allow the growth of the dump by more than 100 million tons of garbage, the debate should include the dump’s overall negative impact on the region rather than its operational status.
Joe, our trash has plenty of places to go and does not lack alternatives. Dan O'Brien said the tipping fees at the landfill are lower because of competition for the trash from NY and NJ. Do you think the prices would be going down and be so competitive if there was no space left? Wouldn’t lack of space for our garbage drive prices up? In reality, changes in societal habits have led to producing less garbage. That is why we wonder why there is a need for a 50 year expansion…or an expansion at all. There has to come a point when it is deemed unreasonable and irresponsible to continue to dump garbage (and radioactive fracking waste) in the middle of thriving residential communities. We are well past that point. Unfortunately, the DEP does not include such a common sense regulation in their rule book.
Times Tribune January 2, 2015
Landfill meddlers
lack alternatives
Editor: The majority of Scranton City Council opposes the expansion of Keystone Sanitary Landfill.
The Department of Environmental Protection monitors the landfill. I think DEP knows more about landfills than city council.
How many times did people smell the landfill for the first 255 feet of its elevation? I bet it has been rare.
Councilman Bill Gaughan seems to have a vendetta against the landfill. Where does your garbage go, Mr. Gaughan?
People who know best about a landfill are those who run it. All the people who oppose the expansion give reasons against it, but no one has come up with a solution about where their garbage is going, especially members of city council. Don’t forget that your garbage goes there, also.
Council should run the city and let the landfill run the landfill.
A look at a dystopian future highlighted by Mount Trashmore by Frank Esposito in this Letter to the Editor.
Times Tribune January 2,2105
Never enough trash
in dystopian future
Editor: In the year 2115 the pile of garbage known as Mount Trashmore stands a staggering 1,475 feet above a sign that reads “So that our name shall forever be remembered, we the DeNaples family on July 4, 2110 donate this piece of earth to the people of the Lackawanna Valley.”
Of course, on most days avalanches of garbage block the lanes of Interstates 81, 380 and 84, so no one gets to read the sign. That is a good thing because if you were to stand close enough to the sign to read it, you might not survive the onslaught of three-eyed seagulls calling the mountain home. You also might not survive the smell.
At certain times of the day, the sun is obscured by swarms of giant flies and the liquid percolating through this mountain of garbage has polluted the water table all the way to Maryland.
You may ask yourself, “How could this have happened?” Surprisingly, the answer can be summed up in one word: greed. For you see, for some people there is no such thing as enough garbage.
Thank you, Scranton City Council, for representing the voice of your constituents!
Times Tribune December 31, 2014 Jim Lockwood, Staff Writer
Excerpts: Scranton City Council has asked the state Department of Environmental Protection to deny Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s expansion plan.
Council recently sent to DEP a letter formally stating its unanimous opposition to the proposed, massive 47-year expansion.
“As elected officials it is our obligation to represent the best interests of the people who have put their faith in us,” states the council letter. “We believe the current proposed expansion will have an extremely negative impact on the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of Scranton and the surrounding communities. We are convinced that the proposed expansion is not in the peoples’ best interest.”
The letter of opposition was signed by council President Bob McGoff, council Vice President Pat Rogan, and Councilmen Bill Gaughan, Joe Wechsler and Wayne Evans.
Friends - thank you for your support and your voice. It is being heard! We must continue to be vocal and voice our opposition.
DEP gets early outpouring of opposition to landfill expansion
‘The Times-Tribune’ - 2014-12-30 Opponents write to state before comment period opens BY KYLE WIND
Excerpts: State regulators have already received an outpouring of opposition to Keystone Sanitary Landfill’s proposed expansion — even though the formal public comment period does not begin until Saturday.
As of Monday, about 150 people had contacted the state Department of Environmental Protection about the nearly half-century expansion plan, said agency spokeswoman Colleen Connolly.
“Most are Dunmore and Throop residents, but we did get quite a few from different communities in Lackawanna County, like Scranton and Moosic,” Ms. Connolly said. “We even got one from New Orleans from a person who used to live in the area but moved. Most of the comments are from those against the proposed expansion and have concerns about the possible health effects.”
Many of the statements were for m letters from Friends of Lackawanna, a group opposed to the expansion, but other people expressed their own thoughts.
“The awful odor that I smell in the mornings is the least of my concern,” wrote Dunmore resident Melinda Hubshman. “My true worry is for the future of my children (and) their health.”
State law will guide DEP in its decision about whether to grant Keystone’s request, Ms. Connolly said.
“This decision will be based on whether or not Keystone landfill meets (state) requirements and regulations,” she said. “The landfill has to provide the evidence and facts to back up their case for expansion. The same holds true for residents who are asking us t o deny t he expansion. They must provide evidence and proof to back up their reasons.”
Other people who are interested in sending comments to DEP can email coconnolly@pa.gov, or waste management staff at ebloxham@pa.gov or tmcgurk@pa.gov. People can send lett ers t o DEP Northeast Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701-1915.
DEP will announce public hearings and meetings, but none has been set yet.
