The agreement between the City of Warren and Impact Pennsylvania Corp., developer for the Impact Warren Project, was approved by city council at a special meeting Tuesday.

However, city officials say they will most likely have to submit a Corrective Action Plan to the state Department of Environmental Resources before any further building permits can be issued, due to reported overloads at the city's sewerage treatment facility.

Nevertheless, city leaders expressed confidence that this will not delay the Impact Warren Project.

During the special council meeting Tuesday, City Engineer Doug Sceiford reported on the situation with the city's sewerage treatment facility.

In its review of the 2000 and 2001 Annual Municipal Wasteload Management Report, DEP found organic overloads in two periods in 2000 and one in 2001. The DEP advised the city that no new building permits can be issued until a Corrective Action Plan is submitted to and approved by DEP.

Sceiford noted that the city, in its response, asked that DEP reconsider, since the overloads were an aberration. However, Sceiford said he doesn't think it particularly likely that DEP will reconsider. He pointed out that the city will likely have to use staff to track down where any high volume may be originating. If the city finds an industry or more than one industry is responsible, it could create a situation where the DEP wants an in-depth pretreatment system in place, according to Sceiford.

Sceiford pointed out that the city has been working on a long-term sewerage control plan for the past several years. Costs and a projected timetable related to the Corrective Action Plan can be addressed once an answer is received from DEP, he said. The city would be responsible for costs incurred, although 50 percent is reimbursable by DEP.

Council asked about the potential for disruption of the Impact Warren Project.

Mayor Mark Phillips said Bob Yoder of Impact Pennsylvania Corp., formerly Susquehanna Development), has expressed confidence that the city will take the necessary corrective action for the project to proceed smoothly. Sceiford said that so far, no building permits have been delayed due to the situation.

Sceiford also noted that Conewango, Glade and Pleasant townships, all of which have portions of their municipalities connected to the city's treatment facility, will have to "look very closely at what they're going to need in 2003" to ensure accuracy. Sceiford added that he doesn't foresee a situation where those areas fall short of meeting DEP regulations.

Prior to approving the development agreement for Impact Warren, city solicitor Greg Hammond reported that the previously drafted agreement called for the city to shoulder too much financial responsibility if for some reason it had to back out of the project. In the original agreement, the city would have been responsible for 125 percent of project costs for each component. The new agreement only holds the city responsible for costs incurred by the developer.

"It would be my recommendation that the agreement is in good form now," Hammond said.

Phillips expressed confidence that the permit problem will not be significant and said that it is "very distressing that such an alarmist attitude would be coming from DEP...We would hope that through the actions of the city engineers, (the problem) will be resolved."

Council also accepted the resignation of Jim Carbon from the City Planning Commission and the appointment of Don Nelson to Carbon's seat for the remainder of his term.