Palmerton writes to DEP about Northface

In a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Palmerton officials asked the agency to address what they see as “deficiencies” at Northface Business Park before renewing the developer’s permit next year.

The letter, dated Dec. 6 and signed by Donna McGarry, borough manager, states that both Palmerton council members and its municipal authority believe the project’s developer, Phase III Environmental, should address fill, traffic and other issues before being given permission to continue work. Phase III’s permit in question, known as the National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System permit, expires at the end of January 2020.

McGarry cites multiple concerns, including road damage to Mauch Chunk Road allegedly caused by large trucks trekking fill (materials like brick, soil, rock, stone and used asphalt) to the Northface site off Route 248. She writes that George Petrole, the project’s chief operations officer, has “repeatedly stated that this is not the developer’s responsibility even though a large percentage of the trucks are running overweight.”

McGarry adds that Palmerton police have cited more than 300 drivers of overweight trucks.

Palmerton Municipal Authority also has pending litigation against Phase III in Carbon Court, demanding more than $80,000 from the developer for alleged damage to an authority pump house, the letter reads.

And the borough has yet to receive a land development plan for the business park, which Phase III claims will be turned into an industrial complex.

At the end of the correspondence, McGarry says Phase III should be required to “correct the problems it created” by submitting a stormwater management plan to the borough and paying for pipe remediation and the resurfacing of Mauch Chunk Road, among other demands, before having its permit renewed.

McGarry also requests a meeting be held before any approval is given.

An attempt by the Times News to reach Petrole Friday afternoon went unanswered.

In an email, Colleen Connolly, a DEP spokeswoman, says Phase III applied for its permit renewal back in September, and the application is under review. Public comment is being accepted and can be sent to Pam Kania, program manager, via email at pkania@pa.gov.

Palmerton officials sent a similar letter to DEP around this time last year, which also raised concerns about damage to Mauch Chunk Road and the burying of a storm drain that runs through the park. Not long after, DEP hit Phase III with a violation notice listing more than 30 deficiencies regarding fill taken to the site.

DEP eventually rescinded that notice and gave Phase III the go-ahead for another year.

The developer was also granted permission in July to cover wetlands in the park, the site of New Jersey Zinc’s former west plant. Phase III has to replace those lands, which measure just over 3 acres.

How new wetlands would be created was not made clear, but according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, the process depends on the location, desired use and size of the new wetlands.