DURYEA, Pa. — When Lynette and Ralph Zambelli bought their house in Duryea, one of the biggest draws was the backyard. It was quiet and had a beautiful view of a forest.
"We'd grab a cup of coffee, go to the dining room window and see snow on the woods behind us," said Ralph Zambelli.
This is their view now - heavy equipment and piles of dirt.
As for the quiet atmosphere, the couple sleeps with heavy-duty earplugs under the pillows, so they can grab them easily in the morning.
"It was like a sanctuary out here," said Nicole Welkey.
Welkey is another homeowner on McAlpine Street. She describes the moment two weeks ago when that sanctuary ceased to exist.
"We were awoken by a loud noise, and we looked outside, and all you could see is trees being ripped down."
The forest was cleared to make room for an auto auction yard. The piece of property was purchased by a company called Copart in 2008. The company moved to expand the property in 2020.
"To see your 73-year-old mom cry who worked three jobs to film a land on a property that she bought in the 1970s," said Jenna Vella of Duryea. "There's something wrong with that. There's something wrong with all the animals that are now gone. All their homes are gone."
Jenna Vella and Lisa Fischer are mainly concerned about the environmental impact. The site is near a creek that feeds into the Lackawanna River.
"Because this isn't the first time Copart's done this to anybody," added Fisher.
Copart was sued back in 2016 in South Carolina by residents claiming the wrecked cars on the lot were leaking hazardous materials into the soil and water.
Just recently, the company was ordered to pay $800,000 after 16 counties in California sued the company for improper hazardous waste disposal.
"This water is not only going to run off into waterways, it's also going to pollute our soil," said Zella.
The county zoning office says Copart did everything by the book, securing all the necessary permits and approvals.
The office also says residents were notified about the plans, both by mail and with an ad in the paper about a zoning hearing.
Neighbors say they don't remember ever getting a letter, and the ad was buried in the paper. You can see what it looked like in the video above.
David Voda and his wife moved here in 2021, so by then, the approval had already gone through.
"Where do we go from here? It's already done," said David Voda. "I don't think it's right the way it was done."
Representatives from the county also say - you should be prepared for something like this to happen if you buy property in an industrial district.
As for the environmental concerns, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection confirms it's received a complaint and is looking into it.
Newswatch 16 reached out to the company, Copart, for comment. We haven't heard back.
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