Tuesday, July 08, 2025, 12:46AM | 
MENU
Advertisement

Acid rock to be removed from I-99 site

Acid rock to be removed from I-99 site

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- State transportation workers will begin hauling acid-bearing rocks from the Interstate 99 construction site at Skytop by the end of July, officials said.

Ben LaParne, state Department of Transportation assistant district executive for construction, said crews working two, 10-hour shifts a day will take less than three weeks to move the first spoil pile 3 miles from near the mountain crest to a disposal area in Worth Township.

Altogether, PennDOT officials plan to haul off a million tons of rocks. PennDOT has said it expects to spend $26 million to move, neutralize, bury and seal up the acid-bearing, water-contaminating rocks found at the construction site.

Advertisement

PennDOT also said it is looking for sewage treatment plants to handle acidic leachate from Skytop as part of the cleanup process. The treatment plants must be able to process heavy metals that solidify into sludge effectively enough to meet state Department of Environmental Protection regulations.

Mr. LaParne said an Elk County landfill and treatment center, Greentree, may be best suited to handle the Skytop leachate.

First Published: July 13, 2007, 1:30 p.m.

Advertisement
RELATED
Comments Disabled For This Story
Partners
Advertisement
Mitch Keller #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the first inning against the New York Mets at PNC Park on June 27, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1
sports
Paul Zeise: Time to blow it up (again) — Pirates should commit to another full rebuild at this upcoming trade deadline
PennWest California on Monday, July 22, 2024.
2
news
Pa. state-owned universities one step closer to course sharing
Pirates team owner Bob Nutting talks with general manager Ben Cherington during spring training Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla.
3
sports
Jason Mackey: How misplaced loyalty and a lack of true urgency have put the Pirates in a lousy spot
Will Horcoff at Penguins Development Camp at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Thursday, July 3, 2025.
4
sports
‘He’s always been a rink rat’: Will Horcoff and his work ethic shine at Penguins development camp
Pedestrians brace from the rain as they cross 9th Street Downtown on Monday, July 7. 2025.
5
news
Storms could bring heavy rain, flooding to Pittsburgh region this week
Advertisement
LATEST breaking
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story