Landfill issue looms over 2 contested Pine Township supervisors races in primary
May 12—PINE TOWNSHIP — The Tri-County Industries landfill is the hot topic among candidates running for Pine Township supervisor.
"We've been fighting it since I moved back here in 1990 and before that," Todd Spears said.
Incumbent Larry Stewart Jr. and Terry Wolfe are vying for one six-year term. Spears and incumbent Richard Stachel are seeking the two-year position. The third supervisor's position is not up for election this year.
All four candidates are listed on the Republican ballot for Tuesday's primary election. There are no candidates on the Democrat ballot for this Tuesday's primary election.
Stachel, who was initially against the landfill plans, says he is "OK" with project, which spans TCI property in Liberty and Pine townships.
The landfill permit was appealed by Liberty Township and the Citizens' Environmental Association of the Slippery Rock Area Inc.; they are awaiting a judge's decision following testimony given during hearings held by the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board.
Stachel, who's in his sixth year on the board of supervisors, testified during one of the hearings; he had been subpoenaed by TCI's attorneys.
He toured the Seneca Landfill, also owned by TCI, in 2019; it wasn't a "mess" like he was expecting.
The township did fight for the height of the landfill to be capped at 40 feet as per the township's zoning laws.
During TCI's several previous attempts to reopen the landfill, the company applied for a height of 160 feet.
So TCI is following that zoning law, but Stachel said he has no objection to CEASRA's stance and concerns about fracking waste, and he wants to see contaminants from the old TCI landfill removed from the ground, like acid, lead paint and batteries.
"Industry was running heavier in Grove City at the time," he said, noting the landfill shut down in 1990.
He wants to continue serving the township so he can work on expanding water and sewer connections, road repair, and new breathing apparatuses for the fire department.
Stachel is from Robinson Township and he and his wife Pat have lived in Pine since 2015. He's retired, having worked as a commercial lines property and casualty field underwriter.
He has a business administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and he was drafted but enlisted in the Army; he was a first lieutenant when he was discharged.
He's chair of the Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, has done a lot of work for the Fairview Area Historical Society in Erie County, has a farm in Sandy Lake, plays pickleball and has a home woodshop, where he's made a lot of furniture.
He likes the attitude of folks in the Grove City area and was happy to learn that the two supervisor spots are being contested; that means people are invested in their community.
Spears, who has been campaigning with Wolfe, said he has concerns about radioactive waste making its way to the landfill — that would impact the whole community.
This is his first time running for office, and he feels that the current supervisors aren't doing enough to fight the landfill. He has given testimony on the issue.
He loves where he lives and wants to be able to do right by the community and take on more responsibilities to make it a safe place.
Other issues he'd like to address include sidewalk repair, more transparency with the residents and taxpayers and an updated website.
Spears, who grew up in Iowa, is a software engineer for Komatsu Mining Corp. He's a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, and he and his wife Nancy have four children and 11 grandchildren and one on the way.
He is a member of Grove City Alliance Church, where he served on the governing board for more than 20 years, and he enjoys spending time with family, playing basketball, camping and the outdoors.
Stewart was appointed to the board of supervisors in 2022 when Bill Pritchard stepped down. He wants to continue working on what's best for the township, including stopping the landfill.
"I am not a fan of having a dump in my backyard," he said.
If it does move forward, he believes that TCI will be held to a higher standard by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Community members are paying more attention to the issue, and Stewart has an interest in making sure that TCI is held accountable for its operations.
And he encourages residents to attend supervisors' meetings, which are held at 6 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the township building.
Stewart has been involved with fire service and emergency services in the township for almost 30 years, so he's also interested in ensuring that residents have reliable emergency services.
"You can't come into this job with a single focus," Stewart said.
Superior Ambulance has been working with Pine and the other municipalities it serves to finish a contract for emergency calls.
The Slippery Rock native and his wife Crystal moved to the township in 1990 and works for 84 Lumber. He previously worked in the shop and office at Montgomery Truss and Panel for 13 years.
He worked for another truss company in York for nine years, and spent time in steel mills working for an industrial contractor, doing repairs, project management and site supervision.
Stewart feels fortunate to live in this area because many residents are involved with some kind of community service or volunteer work. There's a lot of support for nonprofits and also athletics.
