Removal of Contaminants to Begin Next Month

The state of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection expects to begin removing contaminated soil from the former Ruschel Auto Salvage yard in Jefferson Township early next month.

Shaw Environmental, the contractor hired by the DEP to do the work, plans to begin bringing equipment to the property May 5, DEP spokeswoman Betsy Mallison said.

The company will remove about 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the 1.5-acre site and dispose of it in a proper manner, Mallison said.

Soil tests conducted by the DEP at the site found the ground contaminated by hazardous materials that had leaked from batteries and automobile gas tanks that were stored there. Among the substances found in the soil were arsenic, chromium, lead, nickel and dichloromethane, the DEP said.

The department earlier had considered three alternatives to respond to the contamination: no action; restricting access to the site; and removing and disposing of the contaminated soil.

It decided to go ahead with removing the contaminated soil. This, it said, would eliminate the source of contamination and the risks of direct contact with the materials. It also would prevent further contamination of groundwater.

Before the removal of the soil can begin, Greene County must remove an estimated 15,000 tires from the site. To accomplish that task, the county commissioners last month awarded a contract to Environmental Restoration Inc., a recycling business based in Courtdale, PA.

The recycling of the waste tires will be paid for with a grant the county received from the DEP's Waste Tire Recycling Program. The county earlier paid $45,600 to a contractor to remove all scrap metal from the property.

For several years, DEP, the county and Jefferson Township had attempted to get the owner of the property, Dennis Ruschel, to clean up the site.

In May 2000, the DEP issued an administrative order alleging Ruschel disposed of regulated wastes at the site without a permit. The agency received a court order requiring Ruschel to clean up the property. However, he failed to comply with the order.

Ruschel was again ordered to clean up the property after the county and Jefferson Township filed a lawsuit against him, claiming the salvage yard created a health and safety hazard for the community.

Judge William Nalitz ordered Ruschel in August 2001 to halt operations at the yard until he cleaned up the property in a manner consistent with DEP regulations.