I recently performed an interview with Mr.Neely, a man who works for the DEP.  The DEP is the Department for Environmental Protection. 

 I began my interview by asking just a few questions about the DEP.  I really had no idea what they did so I asked them questions such as when was it founded, and where some of the other departments are located, and what exactly they do for the environment.  

His response was that "It was founded in 1995; after being renamed the Department of Environmental Resources. It was founded  in 1971 when it took over the responsibilities of forest, environmental mining and a number of other responsibilities.  The main office is located in Meadville, which runs 12 of the counties that make up Western Pennsylvania.  The Main Office is located in Harrisburg.  I knew that the DEP worked with the environment but I didn’t know what they did for it.  When I asked this question all I could think about was what about the Fiberboard plant.  Mr. Neely said this:  the DEP is to provide clean air, water, a safe drinking supply, and observe proper disposal of wastes."

  Next I asked him what he thought about the Fiberboard Plant and what it was doing to the environment. He said, "As with any issue if you're one of the people that live immediately down wind from the Fiberboard plant and you can smell the particle matter from it, then you would think that we are not doing our job but, if you are one of the people that work there and are able to make a good income and raise a family then your opinion is the complete opposite." 

 I began to wonder what kinds of businesses in his eyes were beneficial and productive to the community.  He told me that "It would be nice for example if GM motors would happen to build an assembly plant near Knox it would give high paying jobs to our young and to other people.  This would make people want to stay here.  The likely hood of this happening is rare but something like that would be great to our economy!"

Do you ever see this community becoming as productive as it was in the earlier years is what I asked next.  "Probably not from oil he said, there is a possibility that Natural Gas can become a big thing in this particular area.  In Clarion just east of us the whole way to Brookville 10 or 12 gas wells run on that area.  If the gas is here they could start that kind of production again.  The easy oil has already been taken from this area.  If they had better technology there is a lot of oil down there waiting to be used."

Next I asked what he thought would bring businesses to our community. " If a large business would come the main reason would probably be Interstate 80 because we have a transportation link to everywhere in the country.  The other possibility is that we are a rural area; there is a lot less components that you would have to evolve than in a big city area.  The prices are somewhat low, taxes are low but one thing we don’t have is lots of water and info structures, and sewage but things could develop."  

 I am still one to convince on the idea of staying in this community once I am older so I asked  what he thought would make teens stay here.  Mr. Neely having children of his own said, "Well I was raised in Knox.  I went to Keystone and I never really wanted to leave.  Well when I was 16 I probably wanted to leave and see the world but by the time you’re done with college you realize that the world has something to offer but its not like a home kind of setting.  I chose this setting to raise our children I think we made a good choice, but in order  for that you have to have a way to support your children and family.  You have to have somewhat of a decent economy in order to live." 

 What do we need to make a big business successful. "Well," he said, "I think that resources could be developed as far as access the highway transportation is there the number of employees to work a large scale manufacturing operation would be ”you build it they will come”.  For example in Marionville the least populated county is building a prison with 500-1000 probable jobs.  There aren’t 500-1000 people without jobs, but you can be certain people will come there if the jobs are there. The community has a lot going for it already.  Like the high school for example, if you talk to other people around the area Keystone is highly regarded for teachers and its participants and that’s what businesses look at.  Things that work against us is distance from raw materials from major metropolitan areas where products can be sold.  Although with the highway as close as it is those aren’t real big problems from what I think.  The transportation system is there, I mean you can put something in a truck and it can be in New York 5 or 6 hours.  So I think we are prime."   

This is a current photo of the DEP building located in Knox Pa.  This building use to be the White Memorial School building. 

     Mr. Neely was so very willing to do this interview and I thank him very much for his time.  I hope now you have a better understanding on the DEP and a representative who speaks for his fellow employees and says: “Knox is a good place to live”.

Back to Tomorrow Home