Feds to Tonawanda Coke: Clean up

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A raid by the feds and citizens up in arms: toxic troubles have been swirling around the Tonawanda Coke plant for some time. Now, the facility is being ordered to clean up its act.

The EPA and the state DEC are putting it to Tonawanda Coke Corporation, enough is enough. Regulators say the Tonawanda facility is in violation of clean air and water laws and the company is under orders to take steps to clean things up.

Juditch Enck, EPA Region 2 Administrator, said. "EPA found multiple leaks of tar and processed waste water onto the ground or onto roadways. We found a highly corroded waste water tank."

The EPA has also found high levels of benzene, a suspected carcinogen, in neighborhoods surrounding Tonawanda Coke. Community activists are encouraged by the officials cracking down on their un-neighborly neighbor.

Jackie James-Credon of the Clean Air Coalition of WNY said, "So we have been pressuring them and finally we're very excited and pleased with how things have progressed. And finally now we are getting some action."

James-Credon is giving a large part of the credit for the EPA stepping up the pace to the new regional administrator, Judith Enck, who was an environmental adviser to Governors Paterson and Spitzer. Just last month, federal officials arrested Tonawanda Coke's environmental officer on criminal charges.

Enck said, "It was pretty serious in December when the criminal action and I think that should be a wake up call to the owner that there are a number of federal and state agencies looking at this facility very closely."

Mark Kamholz, Tonawanda Coke's manager of environmental control, was charged with three counts of violating U.S. environmental laws last month. He is due back in court in April. News 4's call to Tonawanda Coke's executive offices was answered with a "no comment."