Community wants to develop hazardous waste site near school

CECIL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Washington County community wants to buy and develop an old hazardous waste site, but neighbors are worried the work could unearth dangerous chemicals.

Cecil Township began the process to buy the land a year ago, but many people told Channel 11's Cara Sapida they did not know anything about it until recently when a parent began question the safety of the work being done right next to an elementary school.

“Tons of parents share my concerns, I’m getting a lot of feedback on my website, they don't want this up there they don’t want the township to go through with this,” Michelle Stonemark, who runs Night’s Watch Cecil Township, said.

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The old ABB site is located right next to the new Muse Elementary School.

"They'll be digging foundations, roadways, essentially stirring up any chemicals buried under there," Stonemark said.

11 Investigates found photos taken of the property in 1995 when environemntal workers remediated it to remove hazardous waste, soil and tanks filled with chemicals.

Cecil Township supervisors entered into an agreement in January 2018 to purchase the property for $10 and to spend at least $450,000 toward "Act 2" work.

"It was discussed this would be a possible location for public works, police station or fire department," Eric Sivavec, the chairman of the Cecil township Supervisor Board, said.

Three supervisors told Channel 11 they are against moving forward with the project, by Sivavec said ignoring the land is not in the best interest of the community.

"By saying no and doing away with the sales agreement we would just be turning our back and the problem would sit there for 30 50, 100 years," he said.

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