Oblate Janice Etchison and Sister Pat Lupo, standing, presented outcomes of small group discussion at a recent public meeting held by the Erie Port Authority to collect citizen input regarding the future use of the former site of the Erie Coke Plant on the Lake Erie waterfront. The plant, which had been polluting land, air, and water on Erie's east side for nearly 100 years, closed in December 2019 after a massive public campaign led by Hold Erie Coke Accountable (HECA) under the leadership of Sister Pat and Dr. Mike Campbell.
Ownership of the site was transferred to the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority in May 2024 and they are leading the effort in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies to oversee the site cleanup. Although the cleanup of toxic chemicals and residue will take years, the Port Authority is already engaging with community members to consider ideas for future development that takes into consideration community and recreational needs, environmental concerns, and economic development of the area.
As residents of Erie's east side since their arrival in Erie in 1856, the Benedictine community is invested in the well-being of their neighbors in the area. Those the sisters serve in their inner-city ministries will be among the beneficiaries of a healthy, vibrant waterfront once the area is rehabilitated. Read more about the Port Authority's Charting Our Future strategy on their website.
“I am glad the Port Authority and Redevelopment Authority are beginning to look at the future use of the Erie Coke property. I believe that the next step in this process is for governing bodies and the authorities with HECA gather a Community Working Group made up of residents in the neighborhood and key stakeholders in order to support the remediation and revitalization of the Erie Coke site relative to public and private processes,” said Sister Pat.
