Rep. Ryncavage advocates for residents facing sewer replacement mandate

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WILKES-BARRE — Rep. Alec Ryncavage this week said residents of the Glen Summit community in Fairview Township have found themselves in a state of distress as they received notices from the Mountain Top Area Joint Sanitary Authority (MAJSA) mandating the replacement of their sewer laterals.

“These notices, which arrived last week, have sparked outrage among residents who are now facing the possibility of significant financial burdens and property damage,” said Ryncavage, R-Plymouth.

According to Ryncavage, the unfunded mandate, issued as part of MAJSA’s $3 million sewer main project, requires residents to replace their sewer laterals, regardless of their current condition.

Ryncavage said the authority insists that these replacements must adhere to arbitrary criteria, including the use of “approved materials” and a required depth of “48 inches below grade.”

Ryncavage said residents are given the option to either contract with the authority’s designated contractor, Pioneer, at a rate of $95 per linear foot, or to hire their own contractor. He said residents who choose to select their own contractor will still have to coordinate with Pioneer during its construction of the sewer main.

Ryncavage said for many residents, this unexpected expense could amount to more than $30,000 and may result in destruction to their yards, driveways, and homes.

The letters sent to residents were dated late March, with references to a project start date in May and a completion date in August. Residents told Ryncavage that when they were informed, they had only 60 days from the completion of the sewer main project, estimated for this upcoming August, to connect the newly constructed laterals at their own cost or face disconnection.

“These letters are threatening residents with tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary maintenance or face sewer disconnection,” Ryncavage said. “These laterals are in perfect working order. No community should be threatened with major fiscal impact with little notice. This sets a terrible principle that could be applied to any of the thousands of residents in the five-community footprint this authority oversees.”

Ryncavage said a review of state statues and agency regulations by the House Environment, Local Government, and Consumer Protection and Utilities committees found that there is no law, statute or regulation that addresses these arbitrary standards.

“Simply put, homeowners are already responsible for these laterals — and there is no good reason to replace something that is already statutorily compliant and operational,” Ryncavage said. “Over a year ago, the Mountain Top Area Joint Sewer Authority met with my office and Sen. Lynda Culver. While the idea of a sewer main replacement project was mentioned, at no point were there any suggestions of holding nearly 60 residents hostage to tens of thousands of dollars in construction. To homeowners who have perfectly adequate laterals, this leaves only the contractors who are winning in this situation. This is what happens when quasi-government bodies go unchecked.”

Ryncavage said he has teamed up with Sen. Culver to work closely with affected residents and local officials to address the issue and ensure residents’ rights and financial well-being are protected.

“Together, we hope to bring the community and authority together for a positive outcome,” Ryncavage said.

Watro, Argall announce PENNVEST loan for water system upgrades in Hazleton

Rep. Dane Watro, R-Hazleton, and Sen. Dave Argall, R-Pottsville, this week announced a low-interest state loan of more than $1.4 million awarded to the Hazleton City Authority for water system improvements.

The funding was approved by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).

“The authority is seeking to make significant upgrades to its water distribution system along Lions Drive in Hazle Township, and this loan now makes the project possible,” Watro said. “The aging water lines are leaking badly (nearly 40% water loss), which is impacting service to customers and the ability to fight fires effectively.”

“This highly competitive state funding will directly support the brave work of Hazleton’s firefighters and improve water service for thousands of homes,” said Argall. “Ensuring Hazleton has up-to-date infrastructure will also assist with local efforts to breathe new life into the city.”

Specifically, the loan will be used by the authority to replace approximately 1,500 feet of cast iron pipe with new 12-inch ductile iron distribution system piping and all necessary accessories, including valves, shut-offs, three hydrants and blow-offs.

The improvements will enhance the authority’s ability to meet customer demand and provide adequate fire protection. The authority serves more than 14,000 residential customers.

Rep. Haddock: Pittston City awarded $200,000 state grant

Rep. Jim Haddock, D-Pittston Township, announced that the City of Pittston will receive a $200,000 state grant to extend the Riverfront Trail beyond the North Main Street neighborhood.

Haddock said the trail extension will create ADA accessibility improvements, improve neighborhood connectivity, and create safety features including a railroad crossing, lighting, and pedestrian signage.

“The trail will ultimately provide alternative transportation routes like bicycle routes and pedestrian pathways to river areas, Main Street, and local bus stops,” said Haddock. “I would like to thank Gov. Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll for getting this funding to our area and ensuring that we continue to have outdoor recreation for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Haddock said eventually the trail will link to other regional trails creating a robust trail network which spans over 80 miles.

The funds were awarded through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program Set-Aside, also known as the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside.

Rep. Haddock announces almost $550,000 in school safety grants

Rep. Jim Haddock, R-Pittston Township, this week announced that Old Forge and Riverside school districts, as well as Holy Rosary School, were awarded competitive school safety and security grants by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

“It’s important that we ensure that students and staff can learn in a safe environment and this most recent funding will be an important step toward that goal,” said Haddock.

Recipients in the 118th Legislative District include:

• Old Forge School District: $197,967.

• Riverside School District: $305,849.

• Holy Rosary School: $45,000.

A total of $155 million in federal and state school safety funding has been approved by the School Safety and Security Committee, part of the PCCD, in appropriations for the 2023-24 fiscal year budget. This week’s grants were awarded under the competitive grant program and to nonpublic schools.

Culver, Cabell announce $12.75M to upgrade Conyngham-Sugarloaf wastewater treatment plant

Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Northumberland, and Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, this week announced $12.75 million in state funding has been awarded to Conyngham-Sugarloaf Joint Municipal Authority to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant.

“This funding will ensure the wastewater treatment plant can adequately serve local residents while also helping to protect the environment,” Culver said. “This is a significant state investment in an essential community infrastructure system that delivers a fundamental service for local residents. These state dollars will enable this project to enhance the capability of a local infrastructure asset while also improving the water quality in local streams.”

The wastewater treatment plant is hydraulically overloaded, leading untreated or inadequately treated sewage to seep into local waterways. The authority is under a consent order with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to address permit violations. The upgrade will enhance treatment capacity to address the overload problem.

The project will increase the wastewater treatment plant’s capacity from 350,000 gallons per day to 500,000 gallons per day.

“This is a massive investment in local infrastructure and will resolve a long-standing problem for the Conyngham-Sugarloaf Joint Municipal Authority, which serves more than 1,200 residential customers,” Cabell said. “The low-interest loan from PENNVEST is in addition to a previous H2O PA grant that Sen. Culver and I helped to secure. The combination of the loan and grant will finally allow the authority to expand capacity at its overloaded plant and remedy outstanding violations for discharges into local waterways.”

The project calls for additional upgrades, including the installation of a new influent pump station, screening facility, grit removal system, control building, chemical feed systems, piping and valves, ultraviolet disinfection system, plant water system, effluent flow meter, supervisory control and data acquisition instrumentation, and necessary site work.