SUNBURY – For nearly three hours the Northumberland County Commissioners and Apex representatives answered concerned questions on the future prison site in Sunbury at a public meeting. Ray Minarovic, project manager, assured the public that they are doing everything to make sure it’s a safe site. In their 2015 study, Apex tested 145 contaminants and only 5 were above Act 2 residential standards.
Carol Mazzeo, resident of Caketown, says they’re concerned for their health, “We just want to make sure the ground is remediated properly and we want the site safe for the residents but also for the people for the people who are going to be incarcerated there. It’s our responsibility, it’s our prison. I don’t want to see anyone get sick.”
Mazzeo says the storm water is also a concern, “Water is terrible. The runoff down there during a heavy rain is incredible. As I said there is a picture people kayaking in it. If it’s deep enough to kayak with a person in it then that’s a serious problem.”
County Commissioner Rick Shoch, who was against the Celotex site, says we need to rely on Apex, “You have to rely on the experts and the people whose job it is to do these things in a safe manor and you make sure if it’s being done that it’s being done in the safest manor possible with an eye towards alleviating future problems for that community.”
Arsenic, lead, cadmium and carcinogens were found in the soil. Commissioner Vinny Clausi was not in attendance at the meeting. (Lauren Koch)