Developer installs ventilators to dispel gas

Underground decaying biological matter is causing the odor at the Maple Heights II condo development.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Some residents still have not returned to their homes after voluntarily leaving earlier this month from condominiums in the Maple Heights II development on Winter Road behind Wal-Mart.
Union Township Supervisor Pat Angiolelli gave an update on the situation in the development when supervisors met Thursday.
He said some residents left and some stayed after gas emissions from the ground were found to be "explosively high" after routine outdoor monitoring of methane gas by Columbia Gas Co.
Gas remains shut off to 11 units, he said. Testing has determined the gas is not from Columbia Gas Co. lines but from decaying biological matter underground, Angiolelli said. He explained that this is not unusual in a new development and can be caused by the type of fill matter that was used.
Angiolelli said Angelo Medure, development owner, has installed monitors and ventilators to measure gas and move it away from building foundations.
More information is expected to be available today as to whether the ventilation systems are working. He said if they are not, larger systems can be installed.
In addition, Columbia Gas purged the ground by forcing air into it, and the gas company continues to assist Medure, he said.
Also involved in the investigation are the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Office of Emergency Management and the township fire department.
While some residents have reported the location is the former site of coal mines dating to the 1800s, Angiolelli said records of coal shafts have only been kept since 1952, and those records show no mine shafts under the development. Testing also failed to show any evidence of mine shafts, he added.
In other business
Supervisors also handled these matters:
Appointed Fran Davidson to the Township Board of Zoning Appeals to replace Dale Schmidt whose term expired in December.
Heard resident Andy Naples again complain about loud noises coming from International Specialty Alloys, Frenz Drive, during the night. Naples, who lives near ISA, said he has now been complaining for a year and asked when anything will be done. Supervisor Clair Damon replied that a zoning dispute over the ISA property was recently resolved and that an investigation is being made into the noise problems.
Announced that the summer paving program will begin at the end of July and include North Knox Street, South Round Street and the upper half of Wilson Road. At a special meeting June 8, Protech Asphalt Maintenance Inc., New Castle, was the low bidder for the project at $52,941.