Nov. 5--Residents living near a steel coating plant in Upper Nazareth Township and local officials Wednesday struggled to accurately understand the state of operations and compliance at the site, cited dozens of times during the past eight years for violating state environmental rules.

Supervisor Chairman Joseph Emrick said Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials assured him recently that the company had resolved some of the past violations. The agency also provided a recent inspection report indicating some improvements at the plant.

But many of the 20 residents at the meeting said they were still concerned about the quality of their drinking water and the sanctity of their wells.

"We're in murky water right now," said Dorothy Nordmeyer, who lives about 2,000 feet from the plant. "We don't know where to go. We don't know where to turn to. I'm wondering what's our next step with this repeated violator."

Since 2001, two privately owned companies -- Steel Management Systems and Encor Coatings -- with some common leadership have operated the plant at 3045 Bath Pike despite repeated violations of environmental rules, a Morning Call review of state documents revealed.

Problems noted by the DEP include excess air pollution, burning solid waste without a permit and failing to maintain key records. The plant also operated for more than three years without a permit that allows officials to track and limit air pollution, DEP records detailed.

The agency has repeatedly declined to comment on the violations at the plant, citing an ongoing internal evaluation of the company's compliance and discussions with lawyers. Online DEP records indicate that many of the waste violations have been corrected, but enforcement action, including penalties, remain unresolved.

Supervisors said last month that the DEP did not tell them about any of the problems noted at the site. The agency confirmed that it did not inform the township about the violations, but told Emrick that it would copy the township on any problems at the site in the future.

"I'm hoping this news gives residents peace of mind as we continue to move forward and follow up," said Emrick, who leaves near the plant. "These are issues that far supercede Upper Nazareth Township. We're doing our best to do everything we can to help remedy the problems."

In response to a Morning Call article on the plant last month, residents living near the plant formed the Upper Nazareth Citizen Action Coalition, sent e-mails about the plant's violations and encouraged residents to test their wells for contamination and come to Wednesday's public meeting.

The group also canvassed nearby neighborhoods to inform other residents about the plant's history of noncompliance with environmental rules, Nordmeyer said. Many residents attending the meeting Wednesday and last month said they plan to get their wells tested for contamination.

christopher.baxter@mcall.com

610-778-2283

"We're in murky water right now. We don't know where to go. We don't know where to turn to. I'm wondering what's our next step with this repeated violator."

--Dorothy Nordmeyer, who lives about 2,000 feet from the Upper Nazareth Township plant

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