Palmerton Citizens for a Clean Environment (PCCE) is a 501 C3 tax exempt environmental organization, and was founded in 1990 by residents concerned with our area’s environmental deterioration and the lack of action by state and federal agencies charged with a clean-up for Palmerton after being added to the National Superfund List in 1983. The Goals of PCCE have been two-fold since our inception:

 

1. To secure a clean-up of 100 years of contamination resulting from heavy metal pollution.
2. To insure industry compliance with current environmental requirements by communicating with the appropriate regulatory agencies and participating in the public comment process. 

 

In 1991 PCCE was awarded a $50,000 Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) by the US Environmental Protection Agency.  These grants are made available to volunteer grassroots organizations to provide funds to obtain technical assistance on the scientific complexities surrounding a Superfund Site such as Palmerton. The grant has been renewed four times since 1991. The TAG has enabled PCCE to obtain the necessary technical interpretation of the scientific studies to participate in the public comment process, and has been an important source of community education and information regarding the community wide contamination since 1991.  

Since its inception, PCCE, through the efforts of the six board officers and the membership, have, through their technical advisors, interpreted numerous scientific documents pertaining to the contamination of Palmerton and the surrounding areas, published a newsletter (The Clean-up Times) twice a year, which is delivered door to door (on foot!)  to the community (approx. 2,000 households), sponsored a yearly Earth Day Poster Contest for local school aged children, holds public meetings (held at least 6 times a year), board meetings once a month. and attending EPA sponsored public meetings.  

For over 10 years,  PCCE ‘s major fundraiser was their participation if the Palmerton Community Festival. (over the years, we have sold hamburgers & hot dogs, BBQ chicken wings, and clams & corn on the cob). As we are much older and not as energetic as we once were, we have reluctantly dismantled our stand. 

In September 2000 President Louise Calvin and Vice President Ellen Colangelo were invited to give a presentation at an EPA sponsored Technical Assistance Grant Workshop in Nashville, TN. 

The 2nd TAG Workshop was held February 28 & March 1, 2003 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mrs. Calvin and Mrs. Colangelo were again pleased to attend and give a presentation.  

President Calvin as given testimony to the Citizens Advisory Council, was invited and was pleased to give a lecture to environmental classes at Kutztown University and Pen Argyl High School. On numerous occasions,  PCCE has conducted tours of the community to environmental class students from Scranton College, followed by question and answer opportunities and lunch.

PCCE officers are:

Louise Calvin – President

Ellen Colangelo – Vice President, Superfund chairperson

Kathleen Rehrig – Secretary

Teresa Roberts – Hazardous Waste Chairperson

Linda Holland –  Treasurer &Air Quality

As of September 18, 2006 Election