People against the burning of tires at the former Panther Creek cogeneration plant are poised to circulate petitions and write letters to control, if not stop, the tire burning.

That was the product of a meeting held Tuesday night by the Save Carbon County group at the Nesquehoning Recreation Center that was attended by about 50 people.

“We are here to pool the community what to do if that happens,” said Carol Etheridge, of the Save Carbon group, referring to the application to the state Department of Environmental Protection for permission to burn tire-derived fuel, which includes tires, tire shreds, and debris such as wood which would be burned inside a baghouse at the plant.

Save Carbon County distributed information about what people opposed to the proposal should do, including information on who to write to in order to voice opposition. Etheridge said letters should be written before the end of the comment period for the application, which is Feb. 19.

Those in attendance also said circulating petitions would be a good idea.

“We could put the petitions in gas stations, stores, restaurants and bars,” said Brad Konstas of Mahoning Township.

Etheridge offered to draft the petition, and then send it to people, who would pass it onto others,

“If you are from Nesquehoning, put that on the petition, because that will hold more weight,” said Brandon Fogal of the Save Carbon County group. Fogal said both petitions and letters should be sent to Nesquehoning Borough Council, DEP, DEP Director Ramiz Ziadeh, State Sen. David Argall, State Rep. Doyle Heffley, and the Carbon County Commissioners.

Al Jaininni lives across the street from the plant.

“I moved here in 2019 because my wife is on oxygen,” he said, “Since they started in 2021, my wife is on more oxygen. Lately, my trees and shrubs all died. All of my neighbors are complaining about the noise and dust from the trucks. They sent a street sweeper down one time. Every week, I have to clean all of the window ledges inside my house.”

Jaininni, who said he is retired, stands outside his home and takes pictures of the trucks going to the plant and takes down their license numbers.

“I yell to the truck drivers and say ‘smile’?” he said. “They all hate me. I smelled tires twice in the last two weeks.”

Etheridge said anyone who smells tires should report each incident immediately to DEP by calling 570-826-2511.

A map developed by Save Carbon County that was perched on an easel at the meeting showed prevailing winds from the plant in winter blow down into the boroughs of Summit Hill, Lehighton, Palmerton, Bowmanstown and Parryville, and Mahoning, East Penn, Lower Towamensing and Franklin townships, and during the summer, blow up into Weatherly, Lehighton and Jim Thorpe boroughs, and Lehigh and Lausanne townships.

“I live directly across the street, and hundreds of trucks go in and out,” said Bill Longacre. “There are not only the health risks, but the property values will drop through the floor.”

People at the meeting said local residents do not gain any advantages from the plant, because only five people are employed there, and most of the power generated does not go to the power grid.

A handout distributed by Save Carbon County included a sample ordinance to present to Nesquehoning Borough Council in which council would require the plant operator to install continuous emission monitors and electrostatic precipitators to mitigate any toxic emissions, and to cover materials stored outside to avoid the collection of water and attraction of vermin, and they be stored in a sunny location to allow evaporation of standing water and to kill heat-intolerant mosquito larvae, and to check with local fire officials to configure outdoor stockpiles according to their specifications.

The handout also listed where and to whom letters should be written to DEP: Mark Wejkszner, P.E., Wilkes-Barre regional office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18701-1915, reference Panther Creek Power Operating LLC, plan approval application No. 13-00003B.