MEADVILLE -- The Department of Environmental Protection has fined the
owner of the former Evans Rollerdome in Foster Township, McKean County,
$40,780 for ignoring asbestos regulations when he demolished the
building last year.
"When DEP found out through a published news report that owner John R.
Kohler planned to demolish the roller rink and an adjoining building, we
contacted him to explain the regulatory requirements regarding asbestos
notification and removal," DEP Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch
said. "Those discussions proved fruitless. Despite our efforts, the
owner failed to follow the law."

Kohler submitted late and incomplete notification about the proposed
demolition, and he did not have a state-certified representative on site
during the demolition. In addition, Kohler was cited for numerous other
violations regarding removal, storage and disposal of asbestos.

Kohler eventually corrected the violations and properly disposed of the
asbestos, but months of negotiations on a consent assessment for civil
penalty were unsuccessful, leading to today's fine.

Because asbestos in certain forms has been determined to cause serious
health problems, DEP regulates the removal, collection, transportation
and disposal of asbestos-containing materials to protect public health.

State regulations stipulate that it is illegal for anyone to engage in
any asbestos-related occupation without proper certification from the
state Department of Labor and Industry. A certified individual must
thoroughly inspect a commercial building for asbestos prior to any
renovation or demolition.

Whether asbestos is found or not, the property owner and/or contractor
must send an inspection notification to DEP and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency at least 10 working days prior to the start of the
project.

Asbestos is a generic term used to describe a variety of natural mineral
fibers. From the early 1930s until the 1970s, manufacturers used
asbestos to strengthen products and to provide heat insulation and fire
resistance. Asbestos also resists corrosion and is a poor conductor of
electricity. Because few products contained all of these properties,
asbestos was widely used in the construction of homes, schools and other
buildings.

Nationwide, approximately 5.7 million cubic feet of regulated
asbestos-containing material is disposed of annually, most of it taken
to landfills where it is covered by soil or other debris to prevent it
from being released into the air.

To obtain copies of the regulations regarding asbestos removal and
demolition, property owners should contact the DEP Northwest Regional
Office Air Quality Program at 814-332-6940.

Information on asbestos and related regulations also is available on the
DEP Web site at www.dep.state.pa.us, Keyword: "Asbestos."