Michael Sauers
December 18, 2024
Let me begin by stating that the Greater Hazleton Area, specifically and NEPA, generally have been and continue to be sacrifice areas in terms of environmental stewardship. Trapping, logging, mining and industrial/warehouse development have and are leaving a clear path of destruction. Ambitious, some might say, greedy speculators, developers, politicians, businesspeople and industrialists carved a dubious legacy. This is evidenced by virtually no remaining virgin forests, polluted rivers, abandoned mines and mine lands, acid mine drainage, landfills (3) accepting out of state garbage and scores of superfund sites just for starters.
Of course the movers and shakers don’t see it that way. They like to have their picture taken shaking hands, back slapping and holding shovels. This is the inevitable result of the few making decisions that affect the many.
So, with the above as a very abbreviated backdrop, let’s talk a bit about the Chromatex superfund site located in Valmont Industrial Park in West Hazleton, PA. This superfund site includes the former Chromatex plant and an area of groundwater contamination that extends from the plant. This contamination (trichloroethene TCE and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS) was identified by the EPA in 1987 (thirty-eight years ago) and remains a problem to this day. Vapors from the pollution have intruded into nearby residences necessitating vapor reduction systems that operate to this day. This pollution also affected several residential wells necessitating residences to hook onto municipal water.
Fast forward to NOW! The EPA cleanup has not succeeded. The current/next plan is to use taxpayer money to vaporize and treat a cancer causing liquid that lingers beneath the plant. If you read the Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application ( That’s right! The TCE/PFAS treated waste water will be discharged to the Greater Hazleton Joint Sewer Authority. From there it goes into the Black Creek to subsequently join the already dead Nescopeck Creek. It then dumps into the polluted Susquehanna River at Berwick as it flows to the Chesapeake Bay.) you will be impressed and perplexed. Will this really work and to what degree? YIKES!
If this interests you, do some research. How did Chromatex come to Valmont Industrial Park? Who were the movers and shakers at that time? Draw your own conclusions. Once you pull that string a huge story unravels.
Keep in mind, this is but one of scores of superfund sites in NEPA.
You may want to research area superfund sites, cancer rates and industrial development groups as a starting point.