Our environment, both state and nationwide, has been and is continually cleaner now than in many many years

you forgot to click yer heels together when you said that.

Of course you don't believe that. You are part of the problem. Look into some facts please.

Just 50 years ago cities like New York and Chicago would just dump raw sewage into our rivers and lakes.

Lake Erie was horribly polluted.

Smog was a horrible problem in cities like LA.

At the turn of the century industrial plants burned coal and oil without any scrubbers.

People would dump trash right into open pits without any regulations.

There are still things to clean up, but we are much better than years past.

certainly some of that is true. heck, didn't a river catch on fire in cleveland?

i'm actually refering to recent attempt to weaken environmental laws under the label "Clean Skies"

i'm part of the problem?

sure mr. "junk sciece". spend a little less time praying before fox news, you've got a little on yer face.

an by the way (this has nothing to do with this post, really) i was in a bookstore last night and saw this book and immediately thought, ya know...i bet t. bux has that on his shelf.

What book?

Actually I'm moved someone thought of me outside of blogsphere.

there's a link right there in da comment man...

It links back to this story.

ah crap. sorry about that.

new and improved link here

Actually, I don't have that book. I don't usually buy a lot of "coffee table books"

But I am going to the bookstore today to buy a new Patrick O'Brian novel, and I'll see what it's about.

yea, i don't have many either. i lust after them, open the inside cover and go "holy crap, $75!".

then i get something else.

Check used book stores.

My fans get them for me from there. Same book only cost them $5. I have a think for erotic photography, esp vintage. I can understand how pricey those books get. As I said, I'm lucky... people keep on the lookout for me and send them to me when they see one at a used bookstore.

I also lust after English books printed in the 18th and 19th centruty. I ran across a really nice one last summer. Cannot remember what the name was but the year was 1798. No water damage. Just musty-

185 quid (English pounds). Broke my heart I wanted it so badly!

this is now completely off topic (my fault) but last summer: on the coast of maine in the town of searsport there's a used bookstore that i've driven by for at least 10 years. it never seems to be open when i get go by...anyway, last summer we finally stop in during our vacation. the place specializes in art and architecture coffee table books. thousands and thousands of them. it was weird (and cool).

i still didn't buy one though...got a book on Buddhism instead, then went back to town to drink beer.

Tom, can you provide a link to any info from DEP that shows what's in the fly ash?

It isn't necessarily a harmless concoction. It can contain all sorts of compounds and chemicals (e.g., burning of coal in power plants accounts for about 40% of the mercury pollution in this country).

The protestors could be right, based on the information I have so far. And if DEP is like the EPA under the current adminstration ...

They do have some valid concerns, but the point isn't necessarily that they don't want Fly ash or sludge, they don't want ANYTHING in the pit. They are totally happy leaving the pit open.

The pit in it's curent state runs dangerous stuff into the Little Schuylkill river, which goes into the Schuylkill, which goes into the ocean.

Here is a link.
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/minres/BAMR/tamaqua/homepage.htm

This is from the DEP's website

Q: Is the fill material safe?

A; Yes. Before any sediment material is even considered for use as fill in a mine it must first be extensively sampled and analyzed in order to ensure that it is safe. The list includes a variety of heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs and other organic compounds that are a concern to public health and safety and the environment. Multiple samples are taken at several locations in a particular sediment area to ensure that the composition of the material is thoroughly understood and documented. These analyses results must pass strict standards set by DEP's Science Advisory Board. Only after the sediment material passes all tests, is it permitted to be used as fill.

Additionally, both DEP and Tamaqua Borough will conduct random sampling of the material as it arrives at the site to ensure that nothing has occurred between removal and placement to alter the material. The placement location of each day's delivery of material will be specifically recorded. If any day's testing fails, it will be removed for proper disposal.

The material that has been selected to come to Tamaqua from Fort Mifflin has already been tested in place and meets all the requirements for use as fill in this abandoned mine pit.

The idea of using dredged sediment for mine reclamation has been discussed over the last year with a committee of local conservation and watershed groups. They have examined much information regarding the analysis of this particular material and its ongoing uses along the banks of the Delaware River. They have also examined similar analyses of local farmland, mine spoil and the like and determined that there is very little difference in the quality of these materials.

Also, DEP has been reclaiming an abandoned surface mine in Clearfield County at the Bark Camp Mine Reclamation Laboratory using dredged sediments over the past four years with very positive results that clearly demonstrate the safety of the material.

What's wrong with that pit? It looks like dirtbike heaven to me.

Thanks for the link, Tom.

Sounds like DEP has done their homework. And they're right that the open area can cause additional harm through leaching of exposed materials.

No accounting for intelligence (or the lack thereof).

Okay, Tom, please don't take this personally, but I've been to Tamaqua. I know someone who grew up there. And it's not, like, the most forward-thinking, progressive area of the U.S., you know?

In my experience with eastern PA [4 years of college and 3 years afterward], the coal mining regions are very slow to change. Some native Scrantonites, for example, call it the "mine mentality".

So the fact that they'd be more comfortable with things just the way they are doesn't really surprise me.

But I can't say I blame 'em for being skeptical about a government agency's claim that everything is just hunky-dory with the fill, either.

Tom,

ACE is not an organization of "Not in my back yard" people. The fly ash and river dredge issue is a nationwide issue. We have set our goals to inform the general public of these pollution issues. These issues could be your back yard one day. I can see by your other op/ed articles on this site, that you think you know all. That is your opinion and in this nation, it is your right. I feel you should really look at both sides of the issue. It is people like you, who cry later when it happens to you!

Please read the article I posted from the Clean Air Task Force on Fly Ash water contamination. The report is a .pdf file, so you will need "Adobe Reader" to view it. Most computers have it and will be able to read this type of file format. The report is in this article on our website at:

http://www.armyforacleanenvironment.org/related_38.html

Mark Zovak
Army for a Clean Environment
www.armyforacleanenvironment.org

Tom,

One other thing, ACE is against filling this pit or any mining pit. Why does it have to be filled with toxic materials? Could DEP use clean non-toxic fill materials to fill the pit?

Mark Zovak
ACE

Tom,

Correction (type to fast)

One other thing, ACE is not against filling this pit or any mining pit. Why does it have to be filled with toxic materials? Could DEP use clean non-toxic fill materials to fill the pit?

Tom,

As a resident of Tamaqua and a person who worked in that pit for 12 yrs. I can assure you that we, as residents, do want this pit filled. One thing you haven't taken into consideration is that most of the surrounding material in your photo and many of the mountains around our town are man-made with the original material removed from that pit. The problem is that none of the previous and current mine owners will use that material because it's not cost effective. So, we as citizens have to live with DEP's solution, totally trusting a government agency who has lied to us before. You should be outraged yourself as a tax payer because you are paying for this along with us through your tax dollars. The mine owner has closed down the mine operation laying off over 250 workers because he can make as much or more money with this sweet deal from our government. Again taxpayers paid through unemployment compensation benefits and job retraining. I personally feel that we are fighting a down hill battle because the logical conclusion I come to is that if we as "small town people" win this battle then all towns in our commonwealth can win this battle. This material has to be dumped somewhere, we unfortunately are the guinea pigs with not only one pit but several pits prime for the filling. Our only chance is an organization like ACE (of which I have no personal affliation) and a strong voice like Dr. Picciano's to fight for us. By the way, we are also located within 5 miles of a super fund site that was supposedly made clean but now several cases of a rare form of cancer are being studied within 2 miles of there. So before you pass judgement on us as residents, study the situation and get your assumptions straight. By the way I think for myself, thank you.