News

Pollution violations are still occurring at the Erie Coke plant. Another violation was reported yesterday by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (DEP) Those violations are occurring at the same time as the company wants the DEP to renew the plant’s operating permit. Erie citizens are fighting to make sure Erie Coke abides by environmental rules. Some citizens are also defending Erie Coke believing the plant should be left alone because it’s the home of 125 good paying jobs. The DEP has issued 80 pollution citations to Erie Coke over the past two years and is frustrated with the company.... Read More

A citizens group in Erie are attempting to urge Erie Coke to stop polluting the air. They are demanding the company clean up its act or shut down. The local group is following in the footsteps of a group of citizens in Tonawanda, NY who took on a sister plant of Erie Coke. It was a long battle. In 2009, the citizens group convinced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate Tonawanda Coke. The investigation eventually led to the company being found guilty in federal court of violating federal clean air regulations. Mark Kamholz, the plant’s environmental manager, was also... Read More

This is an important time in the history of the Erie Coke plant.  The company is applying to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a renewal of its operating permit.  However, the plant has received numerous citations from the DEP for pollution violations.  There’s been 6 violations so far this month. Citizens are now speaking up against the plant.  Erie Mayor Joe Schember and Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper have both called for Erie Coke to abide by the terms of its operating permit or shut down.  Never before have top local elected officials spoken negatively about the... Read More

The city’s Bureau of Sewers found repeated violations of the coke plant’s permitted wastewater discharges. Erie Coke Corp. is facing yet another reprimand. This time, it’s for the coke plant’s handling of wastewater. In late May, Erie Coke agreed to pay a civil penalty of $118,598 to the city of Erie for “significant noncompliance” with wastewater discharge limits. The penalty is outlined in an administrative consent order that the city’s Bureau of Sewers issued in response to the violations. Erie Coke must also make any necessary changes to the wastewater pretreatment system at its plant at the foot of East... Read More

ERIE – So far this month, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has sent four formal Notice of Violation (NOV) letters to Erie Coke Corporation addressing emissions and other issues at its East Avenue facility that stretch back through October of last year. Taken together, the letters address violations dealing with daily oven opacity exceedances, excess fugitive emissions, visible stack emissions, and for failing to properly operate a host of pollution control equipment. DEP has not issued a press release discussing the NOVs or provided further details related to the flurry of activity. Meanwhile, Erie Coke Monday appealed a decision... Read More