Pocono News Section

Cleanup of Illegal Dump Site Begins

Cleanup of Illegal Dump Site Begins - Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 6:10PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009 @ 06:10pm EST
BRANCH TWP., SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -- An illegal dumping site on Silverton Road in Branch Township is being bulldozed and cleaned up and several people are noticing.

Bill Dormer of Branch township said, "Yeah, it seems like they're on the ball. It's about time."

C. J. Ferguson of Branch Township said, "Yeah, looks good. It's definitely a change."

A change that's been now possible through help from Schuylkill County's Conservation District, Headwaters Association and Branch Township supervisors.

For decades the site used to be Mark's junkyard and people say the junk was stacked as high as nearby power lines.

Now, that everything's being cleared, the plan is to plant vegetation to make this place look a little better. Everything from old trailers, hatchbacks and old tires have caused problems for the good intent hose company up the road.

Paul Kennedy, president of the Good Intent Hose Company said, "Through the last several years we've had a series of suspicious fires that have occurred down in this area with stuff being burned to the point that we've brought heavy equipment and fire fighters tied up from multiple departments for days sometimes."

The goal is to make a safe place for people to enjoy the nearby middle creek and trails that run through Branch Township.