The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Erie Coke Corp. and company CEO J.D. Crane to cease operations within 72 hours after it revoked the facility’s air permit for violating state environmental laws.
Kelly Burch, regional director of the DEP’s Northwest region, says the department hopes the order will cause Erie Coke to make the needed repairs and reopen operations that do not pollute the air or violate the law. He added that revoking the permit was a last resort action.
“We’ve tried to work with the company to correct multiple ongoing environmental violations so that it could maintain and operate a clean and safe plant that meets the letter of the law,” says Burch. “Since 2006, DEP has inspected Erie Coke’s facility numerous times. Those inspections have revealed a pattern of defiant behavior and complete disregard for the health of our citizens and the quality of our natural resources. Our inspections indicate that the coke ovens at the facility are cracked and emitting pollutants.”
“Only Erie Coke is responsible for the action we’re taking today,” said Burch. “Under the direction of Mr. Crane, the company has demonstrated a lack of intent or desire to take the corrective actions needed to bring his operations into compliance and protect our environment. Their failure to act made our order unavoidable.”
Upon receipt of the order, Erie Coke is to cease all coke oven charging operations immediately and remove all remaining coke from the coke oven battery through normal pushing operations within 48 hours. All boiler operations and emissions must cease within 72 hours of receiving the order.
In 2008, DEP issued an order and assessed a $6.1 million penalty for emissions violations, which Erie Coke appealed to the Environmental Hearing Board. The company did not fully comply with the order nor did it pay the penalty.
In 2009, DEP ordered Erie Coke to test completely and accurately all emissions from both of the coke oven batteries. Emissions from one of the batteries had not been part of previous testing. Erie Coke and Crane appealed the 2009 order and have not fully complied with it.
The 58 coke ovens that Erie Coke operates at the facility were installed in the 1940s and 1950s.