Re: Sweeping toxic waste under the carpet
Bill Cluck, Esq.; Chair of the Harrisburg Waste Authority, to Bill Keisling:
“Let’s set the record and facts straight. The ‘host fee’ is $1/ton of waste processed at the incinerator. It is a statutory requirement under Act 101, 53 P.S. Section 4000.1301. Once the City was no longer the operator of the incinerator, the host fee kicked in. However, former Mayor Reed signed away the fee and in lieu of the dollars going to the city, they were diverted to pay utilities on the city building housing artifacts and the city’s vehicle maintenance center. Receiver Unkovic recognized the inequity and required the Harrisburg Authority and City to amend that agreement and have the host fee go toward environmental projects in the city.
“As for the harms/benefit analysis required for certain transactions involving the incinerator, the statutory $1/ton host fee is not a benefit in that analysis, since it is required by state law.”
Bill Keisling’s response:
“Bill, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I know how hard you’ve been working to right the Harrisburg Authority. I, and others, greatly appreciate your hard work.
“Now, let’s get to the point: when can we expect a thorough environmental assessment at the incinerator, and when can we expect to clean up ‘Mount Ashmore’? Or are we only concerned about making another bond deal, facts be damned? How is that any different from the past?
“Environmental documents clearly show the city of Harrisburg for years processed hazardous waste at the incinerator. A dozen years ago the EPA wrote, ‘there is no doubt that (the Harrisburg incinerator) is one of, and perhaps, the most significant single source of dioxins/furans in the United States.’
“These are long-lived toxins. Where did they go? That’s what a site assessment — on and off the grounds of the facility — will tell us.
“The incinerator malfunctions and massive debt are not the only symbols of bad government on that site. ‘Mount Ashmore’ is every bit a symbol too. We could, for example, ask the EPA to designate the ash field a Superfund cleanup site. But we can’t do that if we’re in denial, and if we don’t ask.
“In a rush to get this bond deal done, legitimate environmental concerns of a lot of people over a lot of years are being ignored, and scoffed at, by both authorities. And that’s too bad.
“If we’re going to do things differently this time, then let’s do it differently. Let’s listen to people’s concerns and make a genuine effort to fix this properly.”
