Category: Good Government On The March, Mon Valley Miscellany || By

From The Associated Press via the York Daily Record (hat tip: Alert Reader Jeff):

VERSAILLES, Pa. --- A highly toxic gas is lurking under a small western Pennsylvania town, yet the federal agency that found the danger never told local officials the poison had permeated its soil, The Associated Press has learned.

The U.S. Department of Energy found high levels of hydrogen sulfide during a survey conducted over the past two years in the Pittsburgh suburb of Versailles, where they were searching for the source of --- and solution to --- a persistent methane problem, according to documents obtained by the AP.

Versailles, a town of about 1,700 people, sits on hundreds of poorly sealed gas wells from the early 20th century and on an abandoned coal mine. Experts believe the methane that has seeped into people's property over the years originates from one or both of these sources.

Experts, some directly connected to the Versailles study, say the discovery of hydrogen sulfide in the town should have immediately been reported to borough officials and led to testing in residents' homes. They say it was unlikely the hydrogen sulfide was isolated to one area.

Town officials said they have yet to be informed of the recent findings. And although residents signed waivers allowing federal officials onto their property, no testing was done inside homes, they said. (MORE)

. . .

(To the tune of "Rhythm of the Rain," 1963, peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's "Hot 100")

Listen to the hissin' of escapin' gas,
That fills Versailles with methane.
It's leakin' from the gas wells far beneath our town,
Drivin' everyone insane.

The people we pay taxes to have gone away,
The D-O-E and E-P-A.
All we're asking for them is to cap those wells,
Before we get Versailles Flambe.

God, please tell us: Did we make you mad?
For you to fill our town with gas and make us sad?
We can't even sell our houses,
Because the air smells so bad.

Listen to the hissin' of escapin' gas,
It's got a rotten-egg bouquet.
I wish the wind would blow it down to Coulter Town,
'Cause in Versailles I'd like to stay.

Oh, listen to the hissin' gas,
As it bubbles, causin' troubles,
Who-o-o-a listen, listen to the hissin' gas,
We can't breathe, got to leave,
Who-o-o-a ... (fade)

. . .

Editorial Comment: I see the people who assisted in the hurricane relief effort in New Orleans are now working in Pennsylvania.

Heckuva job, fellas! Congressional medals of freedom for everyone!

. . .

Your State Government In Action Inaction: If you still doubt that Pennsylvania State Government needs a complete overhaul, from the Governor's Office on down, read what happened when my old cow-orker, Scott Beveridge of the Observer-Reporter, asked for a simple copy of a public document ... a feasibility study (paid for by tax money, and compiled by state employees) on a proposed power plant to be powered by waste coal.

The local Conservation District officer told him the report was "too complicated" for him to understand, and refused to release it. After a county commissioner complained that it wasn't for government employees to decide who can and can't read public documents, they agreed to give the newspaper a copy ... for $219.23! (PDF)

According to an editorial that ran this week:

Most of the pages would be printed on "Williamsburg white" paper, but some others would be printed on "Mohawk color" or "Engineer white." There are charges for "special drilling, "hand fold," "tab typesetting" and "hand insert tabs."

For Heaven's sake, doesn't the county own a copier it would let the Conservation District use? We asked for a copy of a public document, not a customized printing job. But this is an old story: Make access to public records as expensive and difficult as possible. Maybe the public will go away and leave the public agencies in peace.

Tell your state representatives and senators that unless they get behind a movement for a Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, you're going to vote them all out. And let's keep voting them out until they learn.

. . .

Web-Swinging: Not everything is bad news. South Allegheny School District has a very handsome new website at southallegheny.org. Check it out! Lots of great information is available, and it's attractively presented.

Our Fair City has given its website a new look, too.

. . .

To Do This Weekend: Caketown comes to the Tube City tonight for a tiger-maulin' ... it's the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils vs. your McKeesport Tigers at Weigle-Schaeffer Stadium on the high school campus, 1960 Eden Park Blvd. Both teams are 3-and-1, and both are in the Great Southern Conference. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. McKeesport-licensed WPTT (1360) will carry the game live with commentary by my old cow-orker Paul Paterra.

• East Allegheny High School and South Allegheny High School celebrate homecoming this weekend. Events get underway in North Versailles Township at 5 p.m., and local businesses and booster groups will have displays and items for sale. The Alumni "Wall of Fame" induction ceremony is at 7 p.m., and then the Wildcats play Southmoreland at 7:30 p.m.



• In Glassport, events begin with the crowning of the homecoming king and queen at 6:30 p.m. and a parade; then the South Allegheny Gladiators take on Charleroi at Glassport Memorial Stadium.



• On the road: Serra, Elizabeth Forward, Thomas Jefferson, Norwin and West Mifflin.



• McKeesport Little Theater's production of "Grease" wraps up this weekend, with performances at 8 p.m. today and tomorrow, and a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $15 or $7 for students (with a valid school ID card). The Little Theater is located at 1614 Coursin St., near the Carnegie Library. Call (412) 673-1100 or visit the website.