The Department of Environmental Protection has hired a contractor to clean up six piles of illegally dumped waste scattered throughout Carbon and Schuylkill counties after the responsible party has failed to complete the work.

The piles were discovered last summer after residents called DEP to complain.  Staff from DEP's Northeast Regional Office investigated the complaints and determined that hauler Michael Stine of Northampton County was the responsible party. 

The piles contained construction and demolition debris.  Some were dumped on private property while others were dumped on borough-owned properties.

An order was issued in November 2014 giving Stine 60 days to clean up all of the piles.  The department also revoked his waste hauling permit.

Earlier this month, DEP hired URS, a state-lead contractor, to do the cleanup work.  The contract calls for costs not to exceed $30,000 and work should begin in late March. 

Money to pay for the cleanup will come from the Solid Waste Abatement Fund, that is funded by fines haulers pay for violating state environmental laws.

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(Reprinted from Feb. 9 DEP News.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

2/23/2015