Coal Ash Spill in Final Cleanup Phase

Representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection say a coal ash spill that occurred in Forward Township in 2005 should be completely cleared later this year, as the last phase of cleaning is underway. State DEP Spokeswoman Helen Humphreys says the cleanup should be done in June, but it’s dependent on the weather. Since the cleanup began, 55,000 tons of coal ash has been removed from the area and properly disposed of. The slide happened in January 2005 when an embankment filled with coal ash collapsed near River Hill Road. When the ash dam failed, water carried the material through the valley onto a residential street.
“It’s been a long journey,” Humphreys says.