Frontier is in the middle of an infrastructure build-out called “Building Gigabit America”.

This involves the installation of brand new, high-speed fiber optics in Pennsylvania and other areas, with the goal of providing high-speed “Fiber to the Home” to 10 million households and businesses by the end of 2025.

As part of that build-out, we are installing new Fiber Optic cabling all over Luzerne County, including in Butler Township. Much of that build-out is being done underground, using sophisticated horizontal boring machines, which is why you’ve been seeing all those trucks and heavy equipment in your area lately.

By installing underground as much as possible, we can greatly minimize the surface disruptions, and except for a few plastic boxes that are mounted flush with the ground, and the occasional metal cabinet attached to a telephone pole, you won’t even see the infrastructure once the work is complete.

Naturally, we always try to minimize any disruptions, work as safely as possible, and make a real effort to restore any surface areas we disturb. Good relations with the communities we serve are important to us and we try hard to keep it that way.

Eric Scher
Frontier Project Manager

August 2023

Invitation for Bids

Butler Township, Luzerne County, PA, will receive Bids for the construction associated with approximately 18,100 square yards of asphalt paving, milling, sealing, and line striping to portions of the Butler Township owned roadways of Arrow Road, Woodside Drive and Freedom Road at the Butler Township Municipal Building, 83 Corporate Drive, Drums, PA 18222, until 12:00 p.m. prevailing time on the 12th day of September, 2023. All such Bids will be publicly opened at the Supervisors Meeting to be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Butler Township Municipal Building, that same day. All Bidders must be a PA DOT Prequalified Prime Contractor to be eligible to bid on this project. Federal Davis-Bacon Wages shall apply to this project.

The Contract Documents, pertaining to such Bids, are on file and available for inspection at the Butler Township Municipal Building, 83 Corporate Drive, Drums, PA 18222, Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Copies of the contract documents may be obtained by emailing the Butler Township Engineer, Mr. Joseph M. Calabrese, P.E. at . Addenda, if any, will be issued to only those persons whose name and address are on record with the Township Engineer as having obtained a set of the contract documents. All bids should be accompanied by a certified or cashier’s check, payable to the order of Butler Township, or a bid bond in an amount equal to 10% of the total Bid. Butler Township reserves the right in its discretion to reject any or all Bids or to waive any irregularities, omissions or mistakes in the Bidding Process. All questions on the Bid must be emailed to the Project Engineer, Mr. Joseph M. Calabrese, P.E., at on or before Friday, September 8th at 12:00 p.m.

Bids may be held by the Owner for a period of sixty (60) days after the date of the bid opening for the purpose of reviewing the bids and evaluating the qualifications of the bidders, prior to awarding any contract. No bidder may withdraw his bid before the expiration of such sixty (60) day period; provided however, that if the award of contract is delayed by a required approval of another government agency, the sale of bonds, or the award of a grant or grants, the Owner shall reject all bids or award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder within 120 days of the date of bid opening, and no bidder may withdraw his bid before the expiration of such 120 day period. Thirty (30) day extensions of the date of the award of contract may be made with the mutual written consent of the Owner and the lowest responsible bidder. Within ten (10) days of the date that the contract is awarded, the contract shall be executed by the Owner and the successful bidder, and the Owner shall issue a notice to proceed unless the time shall be extended by the mutual written consent of the Owner and the successful bidder. Prior to the award of the Contract, the successful bidder shall furnish to the Owner a performance bond and payment bond, in the form contained in the Contract Document and executed by a satisfactory surety, each equal to 100% of the total Contract amount.

The Labor Standards, Wage Determination Decision and Anti-Kickback regulations (29 CFR, Part 3) issued by the Secretary of Labor are included in the contract documents of this project and govern all work under the contracts. Non-discrimination in employment: Bidders on this work will be required to comply with the President’s Executive Order 11246 and will be required to ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against on the basis of their race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or familial status in employment provisions of services. In addition to EEO Executive Order 11246, Contractors must also establish a 6.9% goal for minority participation in the aggregate on-site construction work force for contracts in excess of $10,000 as per the notice of requirement for affirmative action as contained in the contract documents. Attention is called to Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, 12 USC 179 LU and the Section 3 clause and regulations set forth in 24 CFR, Part 135.

In Compliance with Executive Order 11625 and 12138, the successful bidder must utilize to the greatest extent feasible, minority and/or woman owned businesses located in the municipality, county, or general trade area. The Municipality of Butler Township does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or familial status in employment or the provision of services. The Municipality of Butler Township is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

The Transparency in Coverage Rule issued by the federal government requires health insurers and group health plans to provide detailed pricing data for all covered items and services to the public in the form of Machine Readable Files (MRFs).

Highmark is committed to helping self-funded customers comply with this new rule and will create and publish the MRFs on your behalf. Highmark will make this information available through the link: https://mrfdata.hmhs.com.

Information will be updated monthly. The detailed pricing information must include:

• In-Network Rates for all covered in-network items and services
• Out-of-Network historical rates for all covered items, services and prescription drugs
• In-Network negotiated rates and historical net prices for all covered prescription drugs by plan at the pharmacy location level. This prescription drug information has been delayed pending additional rules.

This link leads to the machine readable files that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine-readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to more easily access and analyze data.

For additional information, see the guide below:

User Guide - Navigation of Machine Readable Files Resource - 2022

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced that in lieu of in-person free potassium iodide, or KI, tablet distribution the department has provided in previous years, the tablets are available to all Pennsylvanians who live or work within 10 miles of the state’s five nuclear power plants by calling the Department of Health at 1-877-724-3258 (1-877-PA-HEALTH) or at county and municipal health departments or state health centers.

“Emergency preparedness is an important aspect of public health and having potassium iodide tablets for residents who live or work within 10 miles of a nuclear facility is an essential preparedness action in the case of a radiological emergency,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “However, with continuing to efforts to limit indoor gatherings, we want Pennsylvanians to know about alternative ways to obtain these tablets.”

KI helps protect the thyroid gland against harmful radioactive iodine and can be taken by anyone, if they are not allergic to it. It is safe for pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding, people on thyroid medication, children and infants. Individuals who are unsure if they should take potassium iodide should ask a health care provider first.

“It’s important to remember potassium iodide should only be taken when instructed to by state health officials or the governor, and it is not a substitute for evacuation in the case of a radiological emergency at one of Pennsylvania’s nuclear facilities,” Dr. Levine said.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Tom Wolf’s and Sec. Levine’s Targeted Mitigation Order limiting indoor gatherings to 25 people, the decision was made to cancel the KI distribution events for 2020. KI tablets are still recommended for people living and working within 10 miles of the Three Mile Island Generating Station, which closed in September 2019.

Individuals requesting KI tablets may do so for other family members or those who are unable to get the tablets on their own. School districts and employers within a 10-mile radius can also arrange to obtain their supply of KI tablets from the department.

Information sheets explaining how many KI tablets should be taken, when to take the tablets, and how to store them are provided with the packages. Health nurses can answer questions about the process over the phone as well.

The state’s five nuclear facilities are closely regulated, secure and well-maintained. The facilities are: Beaver Valley Power Station; Limerick Generating Station; Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station; Susquehanna Steam Electric Station; and recently closed Three Mile Island Generating Station.

Additional information on potassium iodide (KI) tablets and nuclear power plant safety can be found on the Department of Health’s website at health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT:             Nate Wardle, 717-787-1783 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Butler Township Pollutant Reduction Plan - Public Notice

As required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PA DEP’s) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Individual Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Renewal Application, Butler Township has prepared and must implement a Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP) for the Storm Sewershed of the Urbanized Area of Butler Township. The purpose of the PRP is to select Water Quality Stormwater Management Best Management Practices (BMPs) to be constructed within the Township to achieve a minimum 10% reduction of Sediment, a minimum 5% reduction of Total Phosphorus and a minimum 3% reduction of Total Nitrogen Pollutant Loads in pounds per year during a five (5) year time period.

The proposed PRP developed by Butler Township can be viewed at the Butler Township Municipal Building located at 83 Corporate Drive in Butler Township, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or by accessing the Butler Township Website at www.butlertownship.org. Written comments shall be accepted by Butler Township for thirty (30) days from the date of this Public Notice. A copy of the written comments will be attached to the Final PRP submitted to the PA DEP by Butler Township. Furthermore, Butler Township shall accept and make a record of any oral comments received at any public meeting or public hearing held by Butler Township during the thirty (30) day public comment period. All public comments, whether received orally at a public meeting, or written, will be considered in the Township’s Final PRP submitted to the PA DEP.

Butler Township Draft Pollutant Reduction Plan (May 12, 2020)19.41 MB

Additional Documentation

Proper Landscaping On and Around Your Septic System561.06 KB

How to Make a Rain Barrel862.08 KB

Septic Smart Homeowners Guide2.89 MB

Stormwater Best Practices Guide720.18 KB

State Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) is warning residents of ascam targeting Property Tax or Rent Rebate recipients.

Schwank’s office was notified of a scam that consists of unsolicited calls from a person claiming to work for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. The caller says an application for Property Tax or Rent Rebate has been approved and then asks if the recipient would like the rebate directly deposited into a bank account – and asks for his or her bank information.

This is a scam. The Department of Revenue does not make live calls regarding Property Tax or Rent Rebate applications and does not collect applicant banking deposit information over the phone.

The Department of Revenue does contact applicants via automated calls to confirm their information has been received and approved. If the department needs more information about an individual’s Property Tax or Rent Rebate application, it sends a letter through the U.S. Postal Service.

Individuals can request that their rebate be directly deposited; those requests, however, must be made when the signed application is submitted to the Department of Revenue.

If you receive a phone call from an individual claiming to represent the Department of Revenue and is requesting personal bank account information, DO NOT give out any banking information or any personal information (including Social Security numbers) to these callers. 

If you received one of these calls and provided your banking information or other personal information, immediately call your bank to make them aware of this potential fraud. Additionally, you can file a scam complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or by visiting www.attorneygeneral.gov.  Consumer Complaint forms are also available by contacting Senator Schwank’s District Office at 610-929-2151.