By Dennis Stratton
This was just on WICU-12 in Erie. The DEP might finally do something now......... Why is there no Mercury listed by anyone, anywhere? Coal is one of the main sources of Mercury. Why are the fish still affected by Mercury in Lake Erie? Are hundreds of pounds coming from the Coke Plant yearly?
The news said that it was just coke dust, and smoke. Below is the EPA coke oven emission classification. How many people that lived on the lower East Side near the coke plant have gotten lung cancer? The news passed it off as a minority and poverty effect, primarily caused by smoking. Think they ever saw the EPA notice below?
www.dec.state.ak.us/air/anpms/toxics/carc/cokeoven.pdf
Cancer ranking: The EPA classifies coke oven emissions as a Group A carcinogen for lung cancer. Group A carcinogens are considered known human carcinogens, like cigarette smoke. The EPA estimates there is a 0.00062 (approximately 3 in 5000) increase in lifetime risk of cancer for every one μg/m3 of continuous coke oven emissions exposure over a lifetime.
DEP Studying Injunction Against Erie Coke
March 12, 2010, 4:55 pm
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is taking steps to possibly shut down Erie Coke.
In an exclusive interview with 12 News, DEP secretary John Hanger says agency attorneys are discussing whether it's possible to get a court injunction to close the plant. He says Wednesday's pollution incident at the plant could be the ammunition he needs to close Erie Coke down.
On Wednesday, a huge cloud of smoke poured from the plant and covered the bay front. Coke oven blowers failed to operate after a power outage.
"I just can't walk up to the gates of Erie Coke and padlock it. This is a democracy subject of the rule of law. So we have to go to court and receive court orders to take that kind of step," Hanger said.
Hanger says getting a court injunction to close a plant down is no easy task. Witnesses must be able to testify. Also, evidence must be gathered and presented.
He hopes to hear from his attorneys sometime next week.
COMPARISON OF TWO EPA REPORTS
Two current EPA reports, (links below) should be compared. Who inspected, and when, what are the violations? You will see in the Erie Coke, "Notices of Violation" section Erie had 63 violations, where Tonawanda had only 4.
Near the bottom of both reports is, TRI Total Releases and Transfers by Chemical and Year.
In NY the benzene is over double what is claimed in Erie. The PAH's are higher in Erie. Recent studies have shown a connection of breast cancer to PAH's, especially along Lake Erie going from Erie to Buffalo.
State DEC says River Road plant emits benzene up to 75 times higher than recommended guidelines, stirring calls for action (NY).
What are PA's guidelines for Benzene? If it is that much higher in NY, how does ours in PA compare.
Did anyone really measure the emissions claimed in these reports? You will notice in both reports there is no mention of Mercury.
What were the air emissions that were measured last year by Erie Coke. Has anyone seen them yet? I think that they were done in March of last year. The DEP acted surprised at how high the measurements were, and said that the plant must be governed as a Title V emitter. The Worst, yet we don't know what was measured....
Is anyone really monitoring and measuring the emissions from these two Coke plants, both owned by JD Crane? At any time during the plants' 60 years has actual monitoring of emissions been done? (Not just the opacity meter recently installed.)
I am glad that the DEP is looking into taking corrective action. This comes after waiting nearly two years for a 6.1 million dollar fine, still unpaid, and continued violations.
Dennis Stratton
http://www.epa-echo.gov/cgi-bin/get1cReport.cgi?tool=echo&IDNumber=110000583743#content
Enforcement & Compliance History Online (ECHO)
Detailed Facility Report For Erie Coke
For Public Release - Unrestricted Dissemination Report Generated on 03/12/2010
US Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Check out Notices of Violation or Informal Enforcement - AFS, PCS, ICIS-NPDES, RCRAInfo (05 year history)
http://www.epa-echo.gov/cgi-bin/get1cReport.cgi?tool=echo&IDNumber=110000326772
Enforcement & Compliance History Online (ECHO)
Detailed Facility Report TONAWANDA COKE CORP
For Public Release - Unrestricted Dissemination Report Generated on 03/12/2010
US Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
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