Core 5 Blasting Meeting Minutes

March 3, 2026

Memo from Township Engineer-Jon Tresslar, 03/03/2026


Pat and I met with representatives from Core 5, Pentex GC, Muschlitz site contractor, Mauer & Scott blasting company, Rocky Rift Consulting blast monitoring company, and two individuals from DEP (Ross Klock, Heath Gustafson).


It was a long meeting, approximately 1.5 hours. Most of the meeting consisted of me asking questions and with most of the responses coming from the DEP, or Don Haney with Rocky Rift Consulting. They spent a lot of time trying to educate. The key issues coming out of the meeting were:


1. All the blasts are well below the DEP allowable threshold and the limits established on Core 5’s blasting permit. Seismograph data was shown to verify this.


2. The permit requires only one point be established for seismograph testing; they are setting up four (4).


3. The air horn is not to warn residents of a blast. It is to alert construction workers on the site. DEP has no requirements to alert surrounding property owners of blasts. They are doing this as a courtesy.


4. Ground vibration is limited by DEP and is a condition of the permit. While it is possible to feel the vibrations off-site, the regulatory limits have been set so that any blasts felt offsite will not cause any cosmetic damage to interior plaster or drywalls. These two areas are the most susceptible to vibration damage and if damage does occur at a structure this is the first indication. Foundation cracks or other damage would not occur before cracks in the plaster or drywall.


5. Airblast is also regulated by DEP with strict limits set. The most vulnerable structural element to airblast is windows. They will break first. I don’t believe the Township has received any complaints regarding airblasts.


6. DEP was going to investigate two formal complaints the day of the meeting. They would not tell me who, as that is confidential. They said they will not investigate a property until they file a formal complaint.


7. I asked if they had a pre-blast inspection. They said a partial inspection. Don Haney from Rocky Rift Consulting, Inc., went to house to perform the inspection but was met on his way there at the end of Ruby Lane by an “advocate”. The “advocate” was from another township . The “advocate” convinced property owner not to allow Don to go into the house and complete an internal pre-blast inspection. Don said he did perform an inspection of the outside of the house.


8. Property owner also refused to allow them to set up a seismograph on property to measure readings from the blast. The did record blasts upstream and downstream of her property, and like others were well below the permit limits.


9. Water testing is not required by the DEP but Core 5 agreed to do it anyway. They haven’t shared those results.


10. I believe as you know, since Core 5 is following their permit requirements (confirmed by the DEP representatives) they will continue to blast acknowledging that Pocono Township has issued a cease letter.


I am not sure much if any of this is new information but they made a very concerted effort to educate us about blasting, the DEP assuring us that they are monitoring and are looking out for the residents and to date all blasting has proceeded well below (about 20%of the allowable) permit requirements.

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March 4, 2026
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Pocono Township Annual Spring Clean Up Bid Notice

February 10, 2026
Notice to Bidders Sealed bids will be publicly opened and read on Monday, March 16, 2026 at approximately 10:30 a.m. for letting by the Pocono Township Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting scheduled to be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Pocono Township Municipal Building (205 Old Mill Road, Tannersville, PA) for the following, to wit: Roll-off refuse containers for the Township's Annual Spring Cleanup scheduled for April 24 to April 25, 2026 AND the Township’s Annual Fall Cleanup scheduled for September 25 and September 26, 2026 . Bids shall be for enough containers to accept approximately 700 cubic yards of Municipal Solid Waste for Spring Cleanup and 400 cubic yards of municipal waste for Fall Cleanup. All dumpsters shall have a minimum capacity of 20 cubic yards. A minimum of 300 cubic yards of empty containers shall be delivered to the Township's Maintenance Yard by 2:00 PM, the Tuesday before the date of cleanup . Vendor shall deliver an additional empty container to the Township's Maintenance Yard when a filled container is removed by vendor as directed by the Township. Between 20 and 35 containers are estimated to be filled and removed during the clean-up, depending on the size dumpster provided. Vendor shall provide an on-call operator for the exchange of filled containers on an as-needed basis for the duration of the clean-up. All containers are to be removed by 2:00 PM, the Friday after the clean-up event . Bid price shall be per cubic yard of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Bids shall include delivery, set-up, exchange, and removal of containers. Disposal site must comply with the Monroe County Solid Waste Management Plan. Bids must be received by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026 . Bids will be opened and read aloud at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026 . Bids shall be submitted on forms provided by the Township. All bids shall be submitted in sealed envelopes and clearly marked " CLEAN-UP BID. " Bids will be considered for letting by the Pocono Township Board of Commissioners at their regular meeting on Monday, March 16, 2026 at approximately 6:00 p.m . A Certificate of Insurance shall accompany all bids. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after date above specified for receiving, opening, and reading of bids. Each bid must be accompanied by a bid bond in the amount of ten (10%) percent of the total bid. Security shall be in the form of a certified check, bank cashier's check or satisfactory bid bond naming as payee the Township of Pocono. The Pocono Township Board of Commissioners reserve the right to accept or reject any or all proposals deemed to be in the best interest of the Township, or parts thereof, and to waive any defects or irregularities in the proposals. Pocono Township Board of Commissioners Publish dates: Monday, February 16, 2026 and Monday, February 23, 2026 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Clarification Regarding Statements and Conduct of Commissioner Keppler

Clarification Regarding Statements and Conduct of Commissioner Keppler

January 13, 2026
The Pocono Township Board of Commissioners issues the following clarification to ensure that the public is accurately informed about the Township’s official positions and actions.
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