Sewage on the mountain. Sewage in the Swatara?
Governor Shapiro met with local officials from Schuylkill and Berks counties on February 26 and committed to stopping both facilities. On March 5, his administration followed through.
Governor Shapiro met with local officials from Schuylkill and Berks counties on February 26 and committed to stopping both facilities. On March 5, his administration followed through.
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sent administrative orders to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Schuylkill County Municipal Authority (SCMA), and Tremont Township. The orders block water and sewer service to the Tremont warehouse until DHS acquires the proper permits. DHS has 20 days to submit a written plan to DEP explaining how they intend to provide water and manage sewage at the property.
Read the full coverage from Coal Region Canary, Skook News, and the Republican Herald.
Thank you, Governor Shapiro and Secretary Shirley.
Can't the feds just ignore this?
Normally, the federal government doesn't have to follow state laws.
However, Congress wrote specific exceptions into both the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Clean Water Act. DEP cites both acts in their administrative orders.
What's the big deal?
When Big Lots was using the warehouse, it averaged 7,675 gallons of water per day. The facility could need up to 900,000.
The sewage pipe connecting the warehouse is a 2-inch pipe, approved for 15,000 gallons per day.
The facility would produce 450,000 to 1,000,000. DEP says that if this sewage ends up at the Tremont Wastewater Treatment Plant, it will result in untreated sewage flowing into Swatara Creek.
The west end of the county already has a sewage stench problem thanks to the biosolids facility. And now this?
For some perspective, here are some charts to help you understand the limitations of the water and sewer systems in Tremont:
Water Usage
| Category | Gallons per day |
|---|---|
| System capacity (SRBC limit) | 330,000 |
| Current average usage (2025) | 208,000 |
| Proposed facility demand | 900,000 (2.7 times the system's permitted capacity) |
Source: PA DEP Administrative Order to DHS, March 5, 2026
Sewage
| Category | Gallons per day |
|---|---|
| Treatment plant capacity | 500,000 |
| Current average flow (2025) | 394,000 |
| Proposed facility sewage (low estimate) | 450,000 |
| Proposed facility sewage (high estimate) | 1,000,000 (2 times the plant's total capacity) |
Source: PA DEP Administrative Order to DHS, March 5, 2026.
(Apologies to email subscribers who saw a very wonky chart in their inboxes. The chart isn't an image. It's HTML so that accessibility tools like screenreaders can access the information. Apparently some email clients don't like <style> tags.)
Two events this week!
-
Wednesday, March 11, 6:00 PM: County Commissioners meeting at the Schuylkill County Courthouse. Enter at the back of the courthouse.
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Friday, March 13, 6:30–8:30 PM: No Skook Detention Town Hall at the Tremont Borough Building. For more info, check out the Town Hall page. Tell your neighbors. Bring them with you!
Other ways you can help
- If you see job postings that look like they might be related to the facility (construction, staffing, security, operations, anything), please email them to us.
- If you know how to navigate sam.gov or usaspending.gov and find any new contracts related to the Tremont Township warehouse, let us know.
Questions, comments, concerns, info? Email us: info@noskookdetention.com
