Federal inmates in the New York City area, which is considered a “hot zone” for COVID-19, may be put on buses and housed at penitentiaries in Union County, a federal prison employee union president said.

“It blew my mind someone wants to potentially bring inmates in a virus hot zone to here,” said Andrew Kline, president of Local 148, Lewisburg.

Inmates would be transferred to United States Penitentiary Lewisburg, the Federal Corrections Complex at Allenwood and another location that is not near Lycoming County, he said.

Michael Carvajal, bureau director, said he hadn’t decided on the movement of the inmates as of Thursday, according to a bureau spokesman at Lewisburg.

See Friday’s Sun-Gazette for more information.