“EPA Remediation in Palmerton, PA” 

By: 

Nathan Gildner 

 

 

The EPA Successes and Shortcomings 

The struggle for pollution control and environmental protection against large, powerful corporations has had many clear victories over the past century. Recently, increasing regulations have led to drastic improvements in air quality and a much cleaner environment across the country. This is due to the rise of various environmental interest groups and to the creation and strengthening of the Environmental Protection Agency. The regulations imposed by the EPA have drawn controversy, however. Many argue that the government is not doing enough to protect the environment, preferring instead to protect polluting businesses and the economy. Others state that government is abusing its power and hindering economic growth in their areas. Nowhere is this dispute more relevant than in the small borough of Palmerton, Pennsylvania.  

An Industrial Town  The borough of Palmerton was founded in 1898 by the New Jersey Zinc Company. The company found the region suitable due to its close proximity to coal deposits and to the zinc mines in New Jersey. For the majority of its existence, Palmerton has been economically dependent on the NJZC. Company workers made up the bulk of Palmerton’s inhabitants who lived in company provided houses within the planned community between the two plants. Like so many other industries in America during the early twentieth century, the plants in Palmerton were hazardous both to the workers and to the inhabitants of the borough. For eighty years the plants emitted large amounts of sulfur dioxide, zinc, lead, and cadmium into the air resulting in the defoliation of Blue Mountain and the contamination of the surrounding soils with heavy metals. Due to a dwindling demand for zinc and increased environmental regulations, the plants stopped smelting zinc in the early 1980’s. This is where the conflict between environmental protection and local autonomy emerges.  Delays in Revegetation  Before being purchased by the Zinc Corporation of America (ZCA), the plant reduced primary zinc smelting and began to develop ways to revegetate the landscape devastated by the company’s emissions and pollution over the course of its existence. According to the ZCA, the previous owner did this as a service to the community and made several agreements with both the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PADER) and the EPA to revegetate the area on their own. The ZCA’s fact sheet on the cinder bank states that despite their predecessor’s agreements, the EPA listed Palmerton as a Superfund site and revegetation efforts had to be halted. The EPA officially declared Palmerton a Superfund site in 1982 and proceeded to take measures to both ensure the safety of its citizens and to oversee the cleanup of the area. The result was several years of studies and little or no action.  EPA reports state that over two thousand acres of land were defoliated. As a result, significant soil erosion and runoff is occurring, carrying contaminants into the Aquashicola Creek and the Lehigh River. In addition, the EPA feared that the high amounts of lead emitted from the plants had made its way into the soil over a much larger area than previously thought.  The ZCA saw the EPA as slowing their efforts in aiding the community while the EPA was being cautious of a new revegetation technique and was also concerned over additional widespread contamination of Palmerton homes, soils, and drinking water.   Stigmatic Issues  The EPA designation of Palmerton as a Superfund site brought with it the stigma that the town was a heavily polluted, dirty area. By delaying treatment of the cinder bank and labeling Palmerton as a dangerously polluted area, the EPA made several enemies within the borough. On the other hand, what if the EPA’s worst fears were valid? If they stayed out of Palmerton’s business, hundreds of people could be at risk from high concentrations of lead, zinc, and cadmium in their homes and surrounding area.  Local Activist Groups  Palmerton Citizens for a Clean Environment (PCCE) was created shortly after the borough was labeled a Superfund site. According to their website, the PCCE was founded in 1990 by concerned residents who believed governmental action was needed to rectify the damages done to the local environment. The organization aims to clean up the heavy metal contamination accumulated over the last century from 

zinc smelting. It advocates cooperating with governmental organizations such as the EPA and sponsors environmental awareness events in the community. The second organization is the Pro‐Palmerton Coalition (PPC). This organization was created by Palmerton’s Chamber of Commerce in direct response to the creation of the PCCE. The PPC’s primary goal is to remove Palmerton from the Superfund list as soon as possible and to combat what they believe to be excessive efforts of the PCCE. This would eliminate the stigma of being nationally recognized as a severely polluted area and allow the community to follow its own clean up measures, without excessive governmental intervention.   Success and Conflict Despite these conflicting groups, remediation efforts began on both the mountain and the cinder bank. The EPA approved one of the original revegetation proposals of the ZCA and work began in implementing it in 1991. Once this was completed, various species of smaller plants were spread across the region in an effort to stabilize the soil and reintroduce plant life.  As success became apparent, more acreage of the mountain and other affected areas were given the same treatment. The coalition had achieved one of its many goals.   Although revegetation efforts were successful, the EPA and Palmerton’s residents still had other potentially deadly problems to deal with. While zinc, cadmium, and arsenic levels were within reasonable limits, lead contamination was at unacceptable levels in several locations throughout the borough. EPA officials stated they found excessive lead amounts both in and around Palmerton homes. The lead found around homes eliminated the possibility that lead paint was the sole cause of contamination. Leaders of the PCCE called the EPA’s estimates too conservative, while Borough Manager Rodger Danielson stated the results gave him little sense of urgency. Despite the complaints against its activities, the EPA continues to list Palmerton as a Superfund site and remains active in revegetation and cleaning efforts.   Continued Resistance  The EPA faced even greater resistance when it sought to test the area’s water supply for contamination. While the water reaching people’s homes was deemed safe, the EPA feared material from the cinder bank had a chance of entering the large underground aquifer which supplies Palmerton with much of its water. The EPA sought to drill eighty‐eight monitoring wells in fifty locations throughout the area. They planned to use these wells to test if any contaminants from Palmerton’s cinder bank were seeping into the primary aquifer which Palmerton relies on. Palmerton’s residents and local government believed the aquifer was clean. Tests done on the water that reached people’s homes were found to be contaminant free. Residents worried that EPA drilling efforts would allow contaminants to reach the water supply, therefore creating the problem they were trying to prevent. The EPA eventually backed down from its initial proposals and eventually ended its efforts to check Palmerton’s aquifers. The EPA ceded that as long as the water supply reaching homes remains clean; there would be no need for deep well digging. The EPA still plans to dig four shallow wells to test seepage of cinder bank material. This offers an example of how local intervention and expertise can be beneficial to remediation and pollution control. The EPA may have had the best intentions on this issue, but the danger of creating a larger problem made the residents argument far more logical.   

1

Nathan Gildner

Dr. Dieterich-Ward

Senior Seminar-MW-3:30 to 4:45

4-19-09

EPA Remediation In Palmerton, Pennsylvania

Government intervention in environmental protection traditionally represents progress. In

general, emission and pollution legislation lead to vast improvements in air and water quality as

well as working conditions in many of America’s cities. The Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) originated in 1970 due to increased public demand for a cleaner environment.1 This

agency has impacted the health and well-being of Americans in many ways. The Clean Air and

Clean Water Acts placed restrictions on emissions and waste disposal on all businesses

throughout the U.S.2 Through these acts, the EPA improved the quality of life of U.S. citizens

plagued by irresponsible industries. Despite, and in some cases because of its successes, the EPA

also gained opposition. Citizens such as Bonner Cohen of The National Center for Public Policy

Research argue that the EPA, like any large bureaucratic agency, primarily focuses on self-

preservation and will frequently overstep its bounds to impose its will on whoever it wishes.

According to Cohen, EPA scientist David Lewis disagreed with EPA policies, stating to his

superiors that the policies consisted of “poor science” and endangered public health. In response,

EPA severely reprimanded him and falsely charged him with ethics violations. 3

Clearly, the

EPA has its weaknesses. Despite these flaws, the EPA has made valuable achievements. The

borough of Palmerton, Pennsylvania provides an excellent example of how, even with resistance,

1 “EPA History”, http://www.epa.gov/history/ , 1. Accessed April 10

th, 2009.

2 Ibid, 1.

3 Bonner Cohen, “Under the Guise of Environmental Protection” EPA Revealed.” (National Wilderness Institute)

http://heartland.temp.siteexecutive.com/pdf/23304n.pdf . 2.

2

the EPA can work with local governments and businesses to solve serious environmental

problems.

The following books and essays show both sides of this debate. They provide excellent

insight on the problems of the industrial era, the remediation efforts in a major city, and the

propaganda utilized by industries to keep dangerous products in the market. Each source looks at

industries in general, but does not discuss in great detail the relationships between specific

companies, the local populace, and the federal government.

Devastation and Renewal: An Environmental History of Pittsburgh and Its Region, edited

by Joel Tarr, gives a detailed overview of the environmental problems which faced Pittsburgh as

a result of its role in America’s steel industry. It includes several essays written by Tarr and

others on multiple topics of Pittsburgh’s environmental history.

Pittsburgh’s location between three major waterways and its easy access to coal deposits

made it a prime location for steel production and other industries. The result of this was

significant poisoning of its waterways through acid mine drainage and the dumping of industrial

wastes. After several decades, the people and the city government attempted to solve this

problem but had little success due to political fragmentation and the influence of industries.4

Simultaneously, the steel industry encouraged the burning of coal for fuel, which led to

high outputs of pollution into the air through smokestacks. The smoke blanketed the city

throughout the early twentieth century. There were, however, many who supported clean air

legislation. Unfortunately these movements eventually died down as the Great Depression

occurred. Smokestacks were seen as a symbol of economic stability and few wanted to hinder the

large industries during an economic crisis. The movement to control smoke and smokestack

4 Joel Tarr. Devastation and Renewal: An Environmental History of Pittsburgh and Its Region. (Pittsburgh:

University of Pittsburgh Press, 2003). 41-42, 97-98.

3

emissions gained strength in the mid twentieth century and slowly began to improve the city’s air

quality. This book also discusses the recent slag disposal efforts of Pittsburgh along a region

called Nine Mile run. Slag deposits accumulating over the course of the twentieth century turned

this area into a wasteland of refuse. By the end of the century, however, plans were being

constructed to clean up the site to allow public use. 5

A very similar story can be found in Jeffrey Broadbent’s book, Environmental Politics in

Japan: Networks of Power and Protest. Broadbent analyzes the rapid industrialization of Japan

in the post World War II era. He discusses the severe environmental degradation that occurred

there which is in many ways identical to that experienced in Pittsburgh. He also describes the

movements for improvement and Japan’s shift towards environmental remediation.6

While these books provide an excellent account of the degradation of a city’s

environment and eventual attempts of environmental remediation, they primarily discuss

industry in general. They do not give specific details on the relationship between particular

companies, citizens, and the city government.

The book Deceit and Denial by Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner provides an

interesting account of the ways in which corporations and industries have manipulated public

perception of their poisonous products. The lead industry in particular is highlighted by

Markowitz as being a prime deceiver of the public. According to Markowitz, lead industries

marketed their products to youngsters and parents as safe and beneficial. They encouraged the

public to utilize lead paints in their homes in every way they could imagine. Markowitz argues

that, while information was available on the dangers of lead exposure, the industry neglected to

5 Ibid, 145-147, 178-179

6 Jeffrey Broadbent. Environmental Politics in Japan: Networks of Power and Protest. (Cambridge University Press,

1999).

4

pass this knowledge on to their consumers.7 They also had little concern for their workers, who

were continuously exposed to dangerous chemicals.

The chemical industries were also a major deceiver of the public. When one of the main

ingredients to many plastic products was found to be cancerous, the MCA (Manufacturing

Chemists Association) banded together to prevent the release of this information to the public. In

effect, they deliberately hid life-saving information from the public to prevent possible lawsuits

and loss in profits. Markowitz also argues that much of the regulatory organizations, including

those run by the national government are subject to corruption by the very industries they are

supposed to be regulating. This allows dangerous chemicals to continue to be used and sold to

the public without sufficient warnings. It also allows the industries to control the flow of

information about their products to the general public.8

Another book, America the Poisoned, has a similar topic. Lewis Regenstein describes the

various ways American industries have poisoned the environment and peoples. He provides

detailed examples of various ways in which pollution plagues America. Topics such as

pesticides, toxic waste, water and air pollution, and the effects on people are all mentioned. This

book gives a very clear description of the dangers facing Americans should they remain ignorant

of the many poisons being pumped into the environment and each other.9

Both of these books provide excellent accounts of the serious environmental negligence

of industries, government, and citizens over the past century. Their weakness, however, is that

they are both written on broad issues and seem to utilize the most extreme examples to get the

7 Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner. Deceit and Denial: The Deadly Politics of Industrial Pollution, (Los

Angeles: University of California Press, 2002), 64-65. 8 Ibid, 168-169.

9 Lewis Regenstein. America the Poisoned: How Deadly Chemicals are Destroying Our Environment, Our Wildlife,

Ourselves, and How We Can Survive! (Washington D.C.: Acropolis Books Ltd., 1982), 1+.

5

reader’s attention. It is unclear whether or not these examples are the norm for industrial activity

throughout the U.S.

Taking Action, Saving Lives by Kristin Schrader-Frechette is an interesting read that has

several similarities with Deceit and Denial. It discusses several instances of deceit and outright

murder to prevent information from reaching the public. In one instance, Schrader-Frechette

describes the murder of Karen Silkwood by Kerr-McGee, the nuclear-fuel plant she worked for.

According to Schrader-Frechette, Silkwood was murdered by Kerr-McGee because she found

significant evidence of safety violations.10

Taking Action, Saving Lives differs from Markowitz and Rosner’s work because it is

focused on environmental ethics. It utilizes several case studies such as the Silkwood murder to

address the many issues facing those who wish to improve industrial practices. She also points

out that while remediation and environmental improvements are occurring in some areas, many

industries are moving their pollution producing plants towards poorer areas, since the poor have

a much weaker say in public policy. The most important part of her argument is that, before all

else, humans should not harm other humans through their actions. This ethical approach

condemns all actions that lead to the poisoning of any person by industry. While it is unlikely or

even impossible for this to become a reality (almost everything we utilize today gives off some

pollutant or another) it still should be a goal for industry to reduce its impact on humans and the

environment to a minimum. Unfortunately, greed and market competition leads many industries

to continue to use cheaper methods of production which tend to pollute more, and evade

regulations.

Environmental Inequalities: Class, Race, and Industrial Pollution in Gary, Indiana 1945-

1980 by Andrew Hurley is similar to Taking Action, Saving Lives in that it utilizes case studies to

10

Kristin Shrader-Frechette. Taking Action, Saving Lives. (Oxford University Press, 2007), 39-41.

6

demonstrate the difficulties of environmental movements. Hurley describes the problems facing

environmentalists in Gary, Indiana who were attempting to limit pollution in the air and water,

preserve aesthetics in their neighborhoods, and improve working conditions in factories. Class

divisions, industrial influence, and a poor economy eventually caused the diverse group of

environmentalists to collapse.11

These books provide a firm foundation for my study of industrial negligence and eventual

remediation of damaged areas. Destruction and Renewal gives an interesting account of the

various pollution problems and resulting remediation efforts that occurred in Pittsburgh.

Environmental Politics in Japan provides insight into the supranational problem of industrial

pollution and how other developed nations are dealing with the issue. Deceit and Denial and

America the Poisoned describe the corruption and greed of corporations and their attempts to

mislead the populace as well as the effects of their products on individuals. Finally, Taking

Action, Saving Lives gives an ethical argument against industrial pollution and the campaigns of

deception utilized by industries to keep their dangerous secrets from the public. Environmental

Inequalities… provides an excellent case study of an unsuccessful environmental movement.

These sources, however, do not provide a narrow, small scale account of a specific company

with its neighboring community. The following case study describes the interaction between

industry, citizens, local government, and national government.

The struggle for pollution control and environmental protection against large, powerful

corporations has had many clear victories over the past century. Recently, increasing regulations

have led to drastic improvements in air quality and a much cleaner environment across the

country. This is due to the rise of various environmental interest groups and to the creation and

11

Andrew Hurley, Environmental Inequalities: Class, Race, and Industrial Pollution in Gary, Indiana, 1945-1980,

(Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press 1995) 152-153.

7

strengthening of the Environmental Protection Agency. The regulations imposed by the EPA

have drawn controversy, however. Many argue that the government is not doing enough to

protect the environment, preferring instead to protect polluting businesses and the economy.

Others state that government is abusing its power and hindering economic growth in their areas.

Nowhere is this dispute more relevant than in the small borough of Palmerton, Pennsylvania.

The borough of Palmerton was founded in 1898 by the New Jersey Zinc Company. The

company found the region suitable due to its close proximity to coal deposits and to the zinc

mines in New Jersey. For the majority of its existence, Palmerton has been economically

dependent on the NJZC. Company workers made up the bulk of Palmerton’s inhabitants who

lived in company provided houses within the planned community between the two plants. Like

so many other industries in America during the early twentieth century, the plants in Palmerton

were hazardous both to the workers and to the inhabitants of the borough. For eighty years the

plants emitted large amounts of sulfur dioxide, zinc, lead, and cadmium into the air resulting in

the defoliation of Blue Mountain and the contamination of the surrounding soils with heavy

metals. Due to a dwindling demand for zinc and increased environmental regulations, the plants

stopped smelting zinc in the early 1980’s.12

This is where the conflict between environmental protection and local autonomy emerge.

Before being purchased by the Zinc Corporation of America (ZCA), the plants reduced primary

zinc smelting and began to develop ways to revegetate the landscape devastated by the

company’s emissions and pollution over the course of its existence, especially the large cinder

bank which accumulated near the east plant. According to the ZCA, the previous owner did this

as a service to the community and made several agreements with both the Pennsylvania

12

John A. Oyler, “Use of Power Plant Fly Ash/Municipal Sludge Admixture to Reclaim Land Near a Smeltor”.

Proceedings: Tenth International Ash Use Symposium. Vol. 1, January 1993. 1 In Palmerton Library Archives

8

Department of Environmental Resources (PADER) and the EPA to revegetate the area on their

own. This seems questionable, however. Hurley presents a similar scenario in Gary, Indiana

where industries agreed to work with the local populace to meet certain regulations and improve

the local environment. These efforts, according to Hurley, were motivated by the danger of

federal government intervention, not by good will towards the people.13

The ZCA’s fact sheet on

the cinder bank states that despite their predecessor’s agreements, the EPA listed Palmerton as a

Superfund site and revegetation efforts had to be halted.14

The EPA officially declared Palmerton a Superfund site in 1982 and proceeded to take

measures to both ensure the safety of its citizens and to oversee the cleanup of the area. The

result was several years of studies and little or no action. The initial plan of revegetation was

delayed further due to the presence of a small amount of municipal waste in the cinder bank,

according to the ZCA.15

The EPA, however, believed it had legitimate reason for interruption.

EPA reports state that over two thousand acres of land were defoliated. As a result,

significant soil erosion and runoff is occurring, carrying contaminants into the Aquashicola

Creek and Lehigh River. In addition, the EPA feared that the high amounts of lead emitted from

the plants had made its way into the soil over a much larger area than previously thought.16

John

Oyler, a reclamation scientist, provides an alternate reason for the delay. He states the ZCA

revegetation proposal was a very new idea, and the EPA wished to conduct extensive tests before

implementing it leading to years of “inaction”.17

The ZCA saw the EPA as slowing their efforts

in aiding the community while the EPA was being cautious of a new revegetation technique and

13

Andrew Hurley, Environmental Inequalities: Class, Race, and Industrial Pollution in Gary, Indiana, 1945-1980,

(Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press 1995) 61. 14

“Some Facts on the Palmerton Cinder Bank” Zinc Corporation of America. 1 In Palmerton Library Archives. 15

Ibid, 1. 16

“Palmerton Zinc: Current Site Status” http://www.epa.gov/reg3hscd/npl/PAD002395887.htm, 1. Accessed March

20th, 2009. 17

John A. Oyler, “Use of Power Plant Fly Ash/Municipal Sludge Admixture to Reclaim Land Near a Smeltor”.

Proceedings: Tenth International Ash Use Symposium. Vol. 1, January 1993. 3 In Palmerton Library Archives

9

was also concerned over additional widespread contamination of Palmerton homes, soils, and

drinking water.

Upon first glance, it may seem like the EPA was meddling in a problem that had already

been solved by a corporation with an honest concern for the well-being of its community. The

EPA designation of Palmerton as a Superfund site brought with it the stigma that the town was a

heavily polluted, dirty area. By delaying treatment of the cinder bank and labeling Palmerton as a

dangerously polluted area, the EPA made several enemies within the borough. Stentor Danielson

describes a situation which I have also witnessed firsthand as a resident of Palmerton. “All along

the streets of town, windows of homes sport signs with a red circle and slash over the word

EPA”.18

On the other hand, what if the EPA’s worst fears were valid? If they stayed out of

Palmerton’s business, hundreds of people could be at risk from high concentrations of lead, zinc,

and cadmium in their homes and surrounding area. Even more could be exposed through

contaminated water sources such as the Aquashicola Creek and Lehigh River. From these

conflicting views, two interest groups within Palmerton formed.

Palmerton Citizens for a Clean Environment (PCCE) was created shortly after the

borough was labeled a Superfund site. According to their website, the PCCE was founded in

1990 by concerned residents who believed governmental action was needed to rectify the

damages done to the local environment. The organization aims to clean up the heavy metal

contamination accumulated over the last century from zinc smelting. It advocates cooperating

with governmental organizations such as the EPA and sponsors environmental awareness events

in the community.19

18

Stentor Danielson, “Environmental Justice at the Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site, Palmerton PA”.

http://debitage.net/academic/Palmerton.pdf Accessed March 14, 2008. 1 19

http://www.palmertoncitizens.org/palmerton_citizens_for_a_clean_e.htm Accessed March 25, 2008

10

The second organization is the Pro-Palmerton Coalition (PPC). This organization was

created by Palmerton’s Chamber of Commerce in direct response to the creation of the PCCE.

The PPC’s primary goal is to remove Palmerton from the Superfund list as soon as possible and

to combat what they believe to be excessive efforts of the PCCE.20

This would eliminate the

stigma of being nationally recognized as a severely polluted area and allow the community to

follow its own clean up measures, without excessive governmental intervention.

Despite these conflicting groups, remediation efforts began on both the mountain and the

cinder bank. The EPA approved one of the original revegetation proposals of the ZCA and work

began in implementing it in 1991. This approach utilized mixtures of sludge, fly ash, lime, and

potash to replenish and neutralize the soil eroded and contaminated directly by sulfur dioxide and

heavy metals.21

Once this was completed, various species of smaller plants such as switchgrass,

big bluestem, tall fescue, flatpea, and perennial ryegrass were spread across the region in an

effort to stabilize the soil and reintroduce plant life.22

As success became apparent, more acreage

of the mountain and other affected areas were given the same treatment. “Visit the former toxic

waste dump today, and you’ll see a thriving meadow.”23

The coalition had achieved one of its

many goals.

Although revegetation efforts were successful, the EPA and Palmerton’s residents still

had other potentially deadly problems to deal with. While zinc, cadmium, and arsenic levels

were within reasonable limits, lead contamination was unacceptable levels in several locations

throughout the borough. EPA officials stated they found excessive lead amounts both in and

20

Stentor Danielson, “Environmental Justice at the Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site, Palmerton PA”.

http://debitage.net/academic/Palmerton.pdf Accessed March 14, 2008. 3 21

John A. Oyler, “Use of Power Plant Fly Ash/Municipal Sludge Admixture to Reclaim Land Near a Smelter”.

Proceedings: Tenth International Ash Use Symposium. Vol. 1, January 1993. 7 22

John A. Oyler, “Reclamation of Site Near a Smelter Using Sludge/Fly Ash Amendments: Herbaceous Species”.

Mine Drainage and Surface Mine Reclamation Vol. 2: Mine Reclamation, Abandoned Mine Lands and Policy

Issues. Information Circular 9184. 22. 23

Beth Huxta, “From Dead Zone to Habitat” Organic Gardening. Nov. 08-Jan. 09. 42

11

around Palmerton homes. The lead found around homes eliminated the possibility that lead paint

was the sole cause of contamination. Leaders of the PCCE called the EPA’s estimates too

conservative, while Borough Manager Rodger Danielson stated the results gave him little sense

of urgency.24

This demonstrates another resurgence of the typical disagreements between the

PCCE and PPC supporters within Palmerton’s local government. The EPA continued cleaning

contaminated homes, but eventually came under attack by the PPC who stated that while

attempting to clean the lead contamination of certain homes, the EPA instead increased the

contamination. Disagreements over the cause of higher lead concentrations and their overall

significance continued throughout the cleaning efforts.25

Despite the complaints against its

activities, the EPA continues to list Palmerton as a Superfund site and remains active in

revegetation and cleaning efforts.

The EPA faced even greater resistance when it sought to test the areas water supply for

contamination. While the water reaching people’s homes was deemed safe, the EPA feared

material from the cinder bank had a chance of entering the large underground aquifer which

supplies Palmerton with much of its water. According to Bonner Cohen of the National

Wilderness Institute, the EPA sought to drill eighty-eight monitoring wells in fifty locations

throughout the area. They planned to use these wells to test if any contaminants from

Palmerton’s cinder bank were seeping into the primary aquifer which Palmerton relies on.26

Palmerton’s residents and local government believed the aquifer was clean. Tests done on the

water that reached people’s homes were found to be contaminant free. Residents worried that

24

Wendy E. Solomon, “Palmerton homes may have lead in soil and dust, EPA report says children in affected areas

could have 5 percent greater risk of health problems” Allentown Morning Call Sept. 25, 1997. 25

“EPA Solving Lead Problems in Palmerton” EPA Environmental News. June 18, 1998.

http://www.epa.gov/region03/r3press/pr98-230.htm 1 26

Bonner Cohen, “Under the Guise of Environmental Protection” EPA Revealed.” (National Wilderness Institute)

http://heartland.temp.siteexecutive.com/pdf/23304n.pdf . 26.

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EPA drilling efforts would allow contaminants to reach the water supply, therefore creating the

problem they were trying to prevent.

Cohen states that the EPA eventually backed down from its initial proposals. After

several proposed reductions in the number and depth of wells the EPA finally ended its efforts to

check Palmerton’s aquifers. The EPA ceded that as long as the water supply reaching homes

remains clean, there would be no need for deep well digging. The EPA still plans to dig four

shallow wells to test seepage of cinder bank material.27

Unlike previous arguments on lead

contamination and remediation previously mentioned, this is an example of how local

intervention and expertise can be beneficial to remediation and pollution control. The EPA may

have had the best intentions on this issue, but the danger of creating a larger problem made the

residents argument far more logical.

Stentor Danielson concludes in his essay that “the heart of the injustice is not the

pollution done by the zinc smelters. Rather, it is the EPA’s position”. A position that chooses to

ignore public census on their activities in favor of doing what they feel is necessary.28

This

statement is inaccurate. The EPA may be a nuisance to many Palmertonians, but in many ways it

has aided in ensuring the safety of Palmerton’s residents. It is unclear how many pollution

related illnesses were prevented as a result of the EPA’s efforts in Palmerton. What is known is

that several homes ranked far above acceptable lead contamination and were thoroughly cleaned

by the EPA at no charge to the inhabitants. Families facing lead and pollution related illness

were provided care and assistance which they would not have gotten had the EPA allowed the

ZCA to maintain control over Palmerton’s cleanup activities. When visiting the site today, it

27

Bonner Cohen, “Under the Guise of Environmental Protection” EPA Revealed.” (National Wilderness Institute)

http://heartland.temp.siteexecutive.com/pdf/23304n.pdf . 17. 28

Stentor Danielson, “Environmental Justice at the Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site, Palmerton PA”.

http://debitage.net/academic/Palmerton.pdf Accessed March 14, 2008. 14

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becomes blatantly obvious that someone did something right, as vegetation has returned the once

desolate landscape. When weighing the possible outcomes, perhaps it’s better to endure the

stigma of being a Superfund site if doing so saves lives and succeeds in repairing the

environment.

Nathan Gildner

Capstone Reflection Paper

Over the course of my four years here at Shippensburg University, I have acquired

several new writing and researching skills. The most important of all of these skills, I believe, is

the usage of primary and secondary sources effectively in a research paper. In high school, the

papers assigned were very limited in direction and scope. They consisted of mostly book reviews

and short research papers. Research was limited to whatever I could find in my modest high

school library or anything useful from the internet. These sources were almost exclusively

secondary sources which I utilized to either describe a topic or on rare occasions make some kind

of argument. Within a year of attending Shippensburg University, my perception of research and

of research papers greatly changed. I moved through several stages of development until

attending the senior capstone class which allowed me to combine my acquired skills into one

final paper.

One early example of a typical secondary source research paper I wrote here at

Shippensburg University was on General George S. Patton and his role in the “Battle of the

Bulge” in World War II. I wrote it for my World War I and II history seminar which I took in my

sophomore year. In the paper, I used several secondary sources consisting of World War II

history books, journal articles, the class textbooks, and television shows. I also had a few

primary sources, one of which was a letter written by a soldier under Patton’s command at the

time. The paper was very similar to others I had written in high school. A few trips to the library

and a few hours on a few databases and I had everything I needed to write a solid paper. I had an

advantage when writing it, however. I knew a lot about World War II and Gen. Patton. Despite

this, I learned a lot about the actions of American leaders and expanded my knowledge further.

My paper focused on the impact of Gen. Patton’s exceptional staff had on the success of Patton’s

forces. They allowed the 4th Armored Corps to quickly reorganize and rescue the struggling

American airborne and infantry divisions in and around the Ardennes Forest. Looking back, this

paper reminds me of how far I’ve come in the past few years. The next paper I will discuss was a

great leap forward for me. It included my very first experience at historical archives.

Like many of my peers, I did not know what to expect from my theory and practice of

history class. When the paper was first assigned, I was told that this paper, unlike previous ones,

would be almost a completely primary source based paper. I could choose any topic within the

Progressive Era. The paper intimidated me immensely at first. I struggled to find a topic that

would allow me easy access to a large quantity of primary sources. A friend suggested I write on

the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. I was surprised that I didn’t think of that on my own. The

school is well known in my local area due to the town of Jim Thorpe, which was named after the

famous athlete who played at Carlisle. I quickly made arrangements to travel to the Carlisle

Historical Society. While there, I was able to locate everything I needed to write the paper.

Instead of discussing the school in general, I focused on the activities and life of Richard Henry

Pratt. I utilized Pratt’s autobiography, the school newspapers, government documents, and a few

secondary sources to write a paper describing Pratt’s actions in the school. What I found was

very interesting. In summary, Pratt was a soldier who created the school to “civilize” Native

Americans and provide them with the skills needed to join modern society. The primary

argument of my paper was that Pratt appeared to have the best intentions for the children and

young adults attending his school. The problem with the school was Pratt’s harsh military style

of running the school and his twisted, racist views. He wrote throughout his memoirs and in all

of his letters to the government that he believed Native Americans were equal to whites in all

capacities. The school was aimed at providing the education that would lift them into the

“civilized” world. Pratt’s actions are summed up by a well-known saying, “the road to hell is

paved with good intentions”. This paper gave me my first real taste of archival research. I

received a high grade on the paper and gained greater confidence. I now understood how to write

an effective research paper utilizing primary sources to make an argument and secondary sources

to provide supporting views and evidence from other writers. It would be two years before I

would need to fully utilize these skills again. The next major step forward would be made during

my senior history capstone class, which forced me to combine both a secondary source

historiography and a primary source case study into one research paper.

My first few weeks in my senior capstone class were very nerve-wracking. I was

surprised to find the class to be primarily focused on environmental history, a subject which I

had little knowledge of. I was also expected to quickly find a paper topic which discussed an

issue in environmental history. Thankfully, I remembered that my hometown of Palmerton is an

EPA superfund site. This gave me a firm knowledge base to start from, as well as easy access to

local archives. I looked forward to traveling home to conduct my own investigation on the site.

The first part of the assignment, however, was to write a historiography on the broad

environmental history issues that related to my topic. This was the most difficult part of my

paper to conceptualize. I knew how to write a case study, and how to use secondary sources to

support a case study. I never had to write a paper consisting of only secondary sources that

would later be incorporated in a paper with research which I had not yet done. I did the best I

could by assuming what issues I would find while researching for the case study. My attempt at

the historiography was successful, and I then had to move on to the case study. As I feared, my

plans for my case study shifted, which meant I needed to slightly adjust my historiography. This

didn’t take as long as I thought it would, however, as most of my acquired secondary sources

discussed my new focus as well. My case study focused on the interaction between the EPA, the

Zinc Corporation of America, and Palmerton’s inhabitants/local government. In this paper I

discussed the efforts made to clean up the area as well as the conflicting views of all participants

on the EPA’s efforts. After finishing this segment of the paper, I then needed to combine it with

my historiography and tie it together. Initially I found this difficult, but after several hours of

work I was able to organize and complete my paper. This paper forced me to utilize all of my

acquired skills and knowledge from my stay at Shippensburg University.

With graduation looming, I am anxious to leave college behind me and begin the next

stage of my life. I know that my time at Shippensburg was well spent, as I learned several new

skills and gained a great amount of knowledge. The writing and research skills I’ve gained are by

far the most important. I feel confident that I will be able to apply these skills to any future

occupation I come across.