Meeting Scheduled to Update Residents on Investigation, Future Activities
MEADVILLE — Demolition work to bring down two buildings in Punxsutawney on the site of groundwater and soil contamination will begin on Monday, July 12, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.
DEP’s contractors will take down the now-vacant Berlin Metals Building, located at 400 Walnut St., which formerly housed an electroplating business for which the building is named. Contractors also will tear down a residence at 617 Cherry St. that has been unoccupied for a number of years.
In advance of the work, DEP will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7, at the Punxsutawney Borough Council Chambers, 301 East Mahoning St., Punxsutawney, to provide residents an opportunity to learn more about this latest phase of the cleanup.
DEP has been investigating contamination at the site and conducting cleanup activities there since 2006.
“Our investigation indicates that there is significant contamination throughout and under the Berlin Metals Building and in the basement of the vacant house,” DEP Regional Director Kelly Burch said. “After these buildings are demolished, it will be possible to remove the material that continues to contaminate the ground water. Once the contamination has been addressed at both locations, clean backfill material will be brought in and both properties will again be useable.”
The demolition activities and the heavy equipment, truck traffic, road closings and noise associated with the work are expected to cause some disruption in the neighborhood.
“We ask residents to be patient throughout this process,” Burch said. “The work at the Berlin Metals location will take about a month, but all of the work is to take place during daytime hours to minimize the inconvenience.”
The Punxsutawney neighborhood is surrounded by Walnut Street to the west, Sutton Street to the south, Chestnut Street to the east, and Cherry Street to the north. It is largely residential, although some businesses operate in the neighborhood.
The investigation is being carried out through the Hazardous Site Cleanup Fund, which enables the commonwealth to address contaminated sites while pursuing responsible parties to reimburse any or all of the costs.
Berlin Metals was one of two electroplating companies that previously operated in the area. The specific combination of hazardous substances suggests electroplating waste was a probable source of the contamination.
