Tag: Tonawanda Coke

Jan 16

2019

Report: Tainted soil near Tonawanda Coke

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A university research team released a report Wednesday that found — to no one’s surprise — that some of the soil around the Tonawanda Coke plant is contaminated with a host of toxic chemicals. The affected areas include two areas near the plant in the town and city of Tonawanda. Contamination was also found across the Niagara River in a section of Grand Island, as well as two public schools. The study by scientists from the University at Buffalo and SUNY Fredonia found elevated levels of toxins in the soil including lead, mercury, arsenic, cyanide and PCBs. The judicial order that[...]

Posted 5 years ago

Sep 13

2018

Dispute over Tonawanda Coke soil study

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Residents who live near Tonawanda Coke want to know whether pollution from the plant has contaminated the soil in their yards and their children’s schools and playgrounds. A federal judge agreed and ordered the Tonawanda Coke Corp. to fund a $711,000 study investigating how the plant’s foundry coke emissions have contaminated soil in surrounding communities. It’s being conducted by a research team from the University at Buffalo. That study is now the subject of a dispute between the mayor of the City of Tonawanda and researchers from UB. Mayor Rick Davis said he decided to pull the city’s support for[...]

Posted 6 years ago

Sep 5

2018

Heaney discusses Tonawanda Coke

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Jim Heaney tells Scott Levin of WGRZ that Tonawanda Coke has been a rouge operation for years. The foundry coke plant off River Road was back in the news Monday, when federal prosecutors hauled the company into court and public officials questioned the firm’s conduct after they temporarily blocked firefighters from dealing with a blaze at the facility. Heaney gave Levin a rundown on the plant’s troubled history, including violations of the Clean Air Act and worker safety violations.

Posted 6 years ago

May 12

2015

Tonawanda Coke settles civil case for $12M

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Federal prosecutors and environmental regulators hailed Monday’s $12 million civil settlement with Tonawanda Coke as a “tremendous environmental victory.” The company will spend $8 million on pollution control upgrades at its century-old plant on River Road. Tonawanda Coke also will hire a third party environmental expert to audit its operations for additional safety and environmental improvements. In addition, the state and federal governments collect $2.75 million in penalties. Another $1.3 million is earmarked for environmental projects to benefit residents of Tonawanda. The only project formally announced Monday was $357,000 to the nonprofit Ducks Unlimited to acquire and preserve a wetland within[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Mar 20

2014

Tonawanda Coke sentence

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A federal court judge Wednesday fined Tonawanda Coke $12.5 million and ordered it to underwrite studies that will cost the company up to an additional $12.2 million. The plant’s retired manager was sentenced to a year in prison. Some criticize the punishment as lenient. A report from The Buffalo News.

Posted 10 years ago

Mar 4

2014

Tonawanda Coke neighbors voice concerns

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Residents breathing air by Tonawanda Coke were put at risk for years because the company released dangerous amounts of toxic chemicals. Preliminary residential soil tests also turned up contamination. The company and an employee were convicted last year. Residents, some with cancer, want a portion of the fines for comprehensive studies. A story from WGRZ.

Posted 10 years ago

Feb 21

2014

Telvock on Tonawanda Coke explosion

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Shredd & Ragan of 103.3, The Edge, spoke with Investigative Post’s Dan Telvock about his exclusive reporting of events surrounding the Jan. 31 explosion and fire at Tonawanda Coke.

Posted 10 years ago

Feb 12

2014

Higgins calls out Tonawanda Coke

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Congressman Brian Higgins, following up on an Investigative Post report about Tonawanda Coke suppressing information about Jan. 31 explosion at its plant, takes the company to task. Tonawanda Coke initially claimed no one was injured in blast until iPost reported at least one worker had been injured.

Posted 10 years ago
Investigative Post

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