News

State regulators asked city to take wastewater, city solicitor says The city of Erie and Erie Coke Corp. have reached a deal over the plant’s wastewater, the issue that proved fatal for the ailing company in December. The city agreed in late December to accept limited amounts of wastewater from Erie Coke in order to safely remove the remaining water from the plant at the foot of East Avenue, said Ed Betza, the city’s solicitor. The wastewater that is still on site has high concentrations of ammonia, Betza said. The chemical had been the source of many of the plant’s... Read More

It’s official. After years of troubles, violations and fines the Erie Coke Plant began turning employees away unexpectedly Thursday morning, (12/19). According to a manager at the plant, they could not keep up with the mounting fines for air and water pollution citations. This is a developing story on YourErie.com

Whether the plant has been shut down permanently is unclear Erie Coke Corp. turned away employees Thursday morning, possibly signaling the end of a years-long fight between the plant and community members concerned about environmental violations. One employee, who declined to give his name, said he was told “they’re safely shutting it down.” “We just got here and they said we don’t have a job,” said another employee, Justin Pastuha. Both employees were standing at the entrance to the plant, which sits at the foot of East Avenue. Company officials have said the plant employs 137 people. About a dozen... Read More

On Friday December 20th members of HECA, Benedictines for Peace and Our Water Our Air Our Rights  will meet at Erie Coke at 12:15 to present a Christmas Stocking of Coal to Mr. Nesselbeck and/or Mr. Paul Saffrin. The coal represents the years of pollution and degradation that Erie Coke has spewed on our Erie Community. And from Erie Coke…We hope for a pollution free New Year.

City officials are working to set a meeting to discuss Erie Coke’s compliance plan Erie Coke Corp. has missed the deadline to come into compliance with the city of Erie’s wastewater treatment rules. As a result, the coke plant at the foot of East Avenue is at least temporarily not discharging wastewater into the city’s sanitary system. Ed Nesselbeck, the company’s environmental director, said Erie Coke will truck some wastewater offsite and store some at the plant as it works to get back into compliance. The plant cannot discharge wastewater into the city’s system again until its entire onsite wastewater... Read More