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EAST LIVERPOOL - An informational hearing for a Heritage-WTI permit modification brought together company leaders and long-time opponents.

The plan is to modify the hazardous-waste permit so Heritage-WTI can store containers in specific areas and buildings not currently permitted for storing containers, to extend the permitted storage time from one year to 18 months for material received during a maintenance outage and to increase the overall storage capacity for containers.

According to John Peterka, president of Heritage-WTI, the current, permitted, container storage capacity is 684,380 gallons. If ultimately approved by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) the facility would be able to hold 729,215 gallons.

"We've reviewed the idea with our engineering department and feel comfortable," Peterka said at the information hearing.

The company is planning for a "major, extended outage" this fall to replace several integral parts of the incinerator system including the kiln, according to Peterka. "We want to do whatever we can to accommodate the needs of our customers and to ensure the safety of the workers and community," the company president added.

The maintenance outage during the fall normally lasts two to three weeks. The replacement of machinery this time will extend the outage several more weeks.

"We're trying to be as transparent as possible," Peterka said. "We hope to store that material longer until we come back on line to burn that material. It will likely take 18 months to get caught back up again."

But the promise of transparency did not rest well with Alonzo Spencer, Dick Wolf and Virgil Reynolds - three East Liverpool residents, two of which live in the East End area where Heritage-WTI does business.

"We don't think WTI has demonstrated that this permit should be allowed, and one reason is due to the accidents that happened earlier," Spencer told Peterka. "We feel the history of the facility does not warrant the modification of this permit."

Spencer pointed to several instances in the past including altered manifests and two, separate, accidents at the facility that seriously injured one worker and another where a truck driver lost his life.

Peterka noted that he was not able to address the group's concerns on those issues because they involved litigation, but he did acknowledge the company has learned lessons, made adjustments and improved safety measures.

He also told Spencer that he was hearing "one side of those stories" and invited the three to tour the plant.

"I'm very comfortable working at WTI, and I'm comfortable for the rest of the people working at WTI as well," Peterka said. "Unless you see it for yourself, I don't know what else to say. I feel comfortable we have addressed the safety problems."

Spencer also asked why meetings are never held at East Elementary School or in the East End where the facility rests. Peterka said he was comfortable meeting anywhere and would gladly hold the meetings at WTI or at Spencer's own home if needed.

The permit modification information session was held at North Elementary School.

Wolf pointed out that there have been cases of "incompatibles" where the materials listed on the container ended up not matching what was actually inside. He questioned company officials on whether the additional hazardous waste would be in a protected area.

Frank Murray, vice president of operation at Heritage-WTI, agreed that some discrepancy does occur, but it is rare.

"There are times where the material does not meet the profile, but they (the companies shipping the material) are under penalty of law to make sure that doesn't happen. The rate is very low," Murray told the group.

Peterka said the more dangerous of the hazardous waste would be held in the fortified drum warehouse section of the plant.

Reynolds questioned Peterka on the scope of the modification request. "So this is a temporary solution?" he asked.

"Yes. This is to meet a marketplace situation where we want to maximize the area already permitted for storage that's not fully used and use some other areas inside the plant," Peterka said. In total, the containers will be stored in 10 locations throughout the plant where, during daily operations, normal waste-management activities take place.

Spencer said the group will make a formal objection to the permit modification.

Heritage-WTI submitted its request to the OEPA on March 16. A copy of the request is available at Carnegie Public Library located at 219 East Fourth St. in East Liverpool.