Oct 28, 2021 4 min read

DONORA – Members of a citizens group recently met with representatives of the Donora River Terminal to express their concerns about truck traffic feeding the terminal.

The meeting took place last week, on the heels of the Oct. 14 council meeting attended by many members of the group, Concerned Donora Citizens (CDC).

Last week’s meeting included CDC representatives Jim DeLattre and Scott Nedrow; John Ross, senior operating manager of the Donora River Terminal; Scott Crow, CEO of Robindale Energy & Associates, and council members Donald Pavelko and Cindy Brice. The terminal is a subsidiary of Robindale Energy & Associates Cos., based in Latrobe.

“We’re going to hold them accountable,” DeLattre said. “They said they’re going to address all of these problems. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. We talked to them. We raised our objections. They said they’re going to work on solving the problems. They said they want to be good neighbors.”

There were a number of issues that CDC members brought before council including the trucks speeding through town, the ineffectiveness of the street sweeper the company deploys and the trucks not being properly cleaned. Of the highest concern is the dust the citizens say comes from the trucks.

They also said this was a matter that council and borough officials should have addressed long ago.

Ross felt last week’s confab was a good step in getting all parties involved in communications.

“I think it went pretty well,” Ross said. “I think we came to some common ground. We told them we want to coexist. We told them we hire local people and we support local businesses. We do support Donora more than they were aware, especially the citizens group members.”

Concerning the speeding issue, both sides noted that there has been an increase in police monitoring the area.

“The trucks are going at a slower speed,” DeLattre said. “If they go at a lower speed, we’ll probably get less dust than if they go at a higher speed.”

Ross said the company is looking at various ways to upgrade the street-sweeping process. He said that will include looking at purchasing a new street sweeper or upgrading the company’s current equipment.

“We’ve been using ours out there for more hours a day and I’ve been following it myself on occasion, and I don’t see any dust discharge,” Ross said.

As a means of generating support for their cause, citizens placed signs throughout the borough that read, “Save Donora. Stop the Coal Trucks.”

Ross did say he felt that might not have been the best approach.

“That’s not going to happen,” he said of stopping the trucks. “Donora council does not have the authority to do that.”

He added that about 60,000 tons of coal comes through Donora via rail every day.

“That’s making a lot of dust,” Ross said. “That has nothing to do with our trucks.”

In his mind, there just needs to be better communication by all involved. Ross stressed he has local roots. He is a longtime member of Twilight Borough Council and said his great-grandparents emigrated to Donora at the turn of the 20th century.

“Communication is the key,” Ross said. “In my opinion, there has not been good communication. I think we’re heading on a good path. Let’s try to work together. As I’ve said, our goal is to be good neighbors and work with them. We’ll do what we need to do to make everybody happy and satisfied. If there is an issue, come and see me and talk to me. I’m local. I want to see the area do well. I walked those streets of Donora when I was a kid.”

DeLattre said he informed CDC members Monday about what transpired at last week’s meeting.

“They’re taking a watch and see approach,” DeLattre said. “We’re going to honor them as men of their word to see if they’re going to do what they say they’re going to do. In December, we’re going back (to the council meeting) to see how things have gone. We’re going to keep putting pressure on our borough.”