GREENE TOWNSHIP -- Nicholas Meat has been in business in the Loganton area for more than 30 years. The slaughterhouse employs over 200 people and processes around 500 cattle a day. But many people who live near the plant have a problem with it.
"You can't even have your windows open because it smells," Mary Brungard said.
The smell is something people are tired of.
"Mornings and evenings are the worst. Don't hang my clothes out anymore. I don't want my clothes to smell like that," Tara Tressler said.
"I hold Mother's Day. Well, you can't hold it outside because you don't know if it smells. And it's on a Sunday. Mother's Day is on a Sunday. And it still smells on Sunday," Brungard said.
Sugar Valley Regional Charter School is within a mile of Nicholas Meat. Some teachers tell Newswatch 16 the smell has made children nauseated.
"A lot of them live in this area so it's something they deal with all the time," Angela Basalla said.
Residents tell Newswatch 16, despite complaints, nothing has been done about the smell. Township supervisors tell us something different.
Township supervisors tell Newswatch 16 the owners of Nicholas Meat recently bought land across the street and plan to put in equipment that will cut down on the smell.
Owners plan to buy a digester, which breaks down the waste products from the plant and turns it into fertilizer. Nicholas Meat is waiting for land development plans to go through to start building.
In the meantime, some residents are taking things a step further.
"We did go to the commissioners to get our property values lowered because it's worth nothing because of that smell," Brungard said.
One township resident was able to get their taxes lowered. Commissioners say they are taking this case by case. Neighbors say they just want the odor taken care of.
"I love it here, it's just the smell. It's terrible," Tressler said.
Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection is investigating, but would not comment. The owners of Nicholas Meat were not available today for comment. Township supervisors tell Newswatch 16 the facility hopes to finish its plans to fix the stench within a year.