Leak in Jackson Township, Tioga County in the NCRO weekly report

NORTHCENTRAL REGIONAL OFFICE-

WILLIAMSPORT

WEEK OF OCTOBER 12-16, 2009

Issues Requiring the Governor’s (or Governor’s staff) ACTION

Nothing new to report

Issues Requiring the Governor’s (or Governor’s staff) ATTENTION

Nothing new to report

Management and Productivity

Nothing new to report

Recovery Activities

State Line Coastal ARRA Project, Wells Township, Bradford County:  On Oct. 12, URS Corporation began removal of four underground storage tanks and two dispensers at State Line Coastal.  The excavation work, sampling and backfilling should be done by the end of this week. Estimated cost of the project is $77,051.  (Ted Loy 570-321-6518)

What’s Hot/Major Actions

Bionol Clearfield, Fagan Inc. and Brown Tank, Clearfield Borough, Clearfield County: The Environmental Cleanup program issued notice of violation letters on Oct. 8 to Bionol Clearfield, Fagan Inc. and Brown Tank for the installation of regulated storage tanks without using a DEP certified tank installer.  Bionol Clearfield is the permitee, Fagan is responsible for construction of the facility and Brown Tank was hired as a sub-contractor for installation of the tanks.  Twelve tanks ranging in size from 2,500 gallons to 1.5 million gallons were installed without the direct supervision of a person possessing the appropriate certification. Bionol has since hired a certified tank inspector to verify the proper installation of the previously installed tanks and a certified installer to oversee the remaining regulated tank work.  (Steve Webster 570-327-3657)

Lycoming County Resource Management Services, Brady Township, Lycoming County: On Oct. 13, the Waste Management program accepted two applications for the Lycoming County Landfill.  The first is a permit renewal application for the facility.  The second is a minor permit modification for a change in the groundwater monitoring with the addition of monitoring points.  These two permits, in conjunction with a major permit modification for expansion that is currently under review, will allow the landfill to operate for 10 additional years with a projected total life expectancy of 21 years.  (Lisa Houser (570-327-3752)

Clinton County Solid Waste Authority, Wayne Township, Clinton County: On Oct. 7, the Waste Management program accepted a renewal application for the Wayne Township Landfill.  This permit will allow the landfill to operate for 10 additional years.  DEP is currently reviewing a major permit modification for expansion of the facility.  (Lisa Houser 570-327-3752)

Potential Problems/Potential Major Actions

Boil Water Advisory, Borough of Wellsboro, Tioga County: The Borough of Wellsboro issued a Boil Water Advisory and a mandatory water conservation notice on Oct. 13.  One of the borough’s slow sand filters was taken off-line over the weekend for cleaning and maintenance.  Flows through the borough’s second filter became reduced to the point where it could not meet system demand and the borough had to supplement the system with non-filtered water.  The borough is treating this water through super-chlorination.  The operating filter is probably clogging due to high debris in the raw water this time of year.  The off-line filter is anticipated to be back on-line by Oct. 16.  The Boil Water Advisory will be lifted once Wellsboro confirms negative bacteriological sample results on two consecutive days.  At that time, the clogged filter will be taken off-line and cleaned.  (John Hamilton 570-327-3650)

Emergency Response, Monroe Township, Bradford County: On Oct. 7, Emergency Response Team member Dave Engle responded to a truck accident along Pa. Route 414 in Monroe Township.  A truck transporting an excavator spilled diesel fuel when the excavator slid off the truck and traveled 75 yards down the road before breaking its fuel tank along the road shoulder next to Towanda Creek.  Engle worked with the local fire department and the Pa. State Police.  The incident was referred to the Environmental Cleanup program for follow-up.  (Gerald McKernan 570-327-3722)

Emergency Response, Jackson Township, Tioga County: On Oct. 8, Emergency Response Team member Denny Wright responded to a 70 gallon hydrochloric acid spill at an East Resources gas well in Jackson Township.  The release was due to a valve being left in the open position.  Wright and Oil and Gas program employee Mark Barbier investigated to assure proper remediation.  The incident was referred to the Environmental Cleanup program for follow-up.  (Gerald McKernan 570-327-3722)

Good News/Major Accomplishments

Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., Spring Township, Centre County: The Water Management program issued a Water Quality Management permit on Oct. 2 for the construction and operation of a 1.5 million gallon lined wastewater impoundment to store the stormwater from a proposed salt and coal storage pile at Hawbaker’s Pleasant Gap facility.  There will be no discharge associated with the impoundment.  Collected stormwater will be trucked off-site for treatment.  The permit contains five groundwater monitoring points, one being at the Blue Spring that feeds the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission’s Pleasant Gap fish hatchery. (Chad Miller 570-321-6560)

Sunoco Pipeline Release, Coal Township, Northumberland County: On Sept. 29, the Environmental Cleanup program finalized a consent order and agreement with Mallard Contracting, which included a $45,000 civil penalty covering both DEP’s response costs and a fine for violations of the Pa. Solid Waste Management Act.  An initial payment of $15,000 has been received and the remainder of the penalty will be submitted at $5,000 per month.  The consent order and agreement was developed in response to the May 16, 2007 release and contains a schedule to bring the site into compliance with an Act 2 standard.  Characterization and remediation have been ongoing since the original release  of 63,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline in Coal Township when a Mallard bulldozer operating in a formerly mined area punctured a gasoline pipeline owned by Sunoco Logistics. The gasoline was mostly absorbed into areas of soil, fill and coal strippings at the site.  (Randy Farmerie 570-327-3716)

Sensus USA Inc., City of DuBois, Clearfield County: On Oct. 15, the Waste Management program received a $12,678 civil penalty from Sensus USA for hazardous waste violations.  During a routine hazardous waste inspection at two manufacturing plants operated by Sensus, Waste Management staff observed that Sensus had failed to complete weekly inspections of its hazardous waste storage area, universal waste fluorescent lamps were being stored in open containers, and a box of universal waste fluorescent lamps was not properly labeled.  In addition, DEP established that a drum of hazardous waste did not display an accurate start accumulation date and had been stored for greater than 180 days.  Follow-up inspections were conducted by DEP at both facilities and it was determined that all violations had been corrected.  (James E. Miller 570-327-3431)

Outreach/Upcoming Events

Speaking Engagement, Coudersport Borough, Potter County:  On Oct. 13, Water Management Program Manager Robert Hawley addressed the Potter County Commissioners’ Marcellus Gas Task Force at an evening session in Coudersport.  The topic for the session was “Treatment of Flowback Waters and its Effect on Water Quality.”  The session was attended by about 40 people, including several county and township officials, an aide to Congressman Glenn Thompson, gas well drilling industry representatives, various Trout Unlimited groups, and a member of the news media.  The discussion was lively and lasted about three hours.  (Robert Hawley 570-327-0530)

Regional Recycling Roundtable, Wayne Township, Clinton County: On Oct. 9, the Clinton County Solid Waste Authority hosted a quarterly regional recycling roundtable at the Restless Oaks restaurant.  Thirty people, including municipal and county recycling coordinators, a representative of the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP), a private recycler, and DEP regional and central office staff attended the meeting.  The NCRO recycling coordinator updated attendees on the status of DEP recycling grants, including Section 901 county solid waste planning grants, Section 902 recycling program grants, Section 904 recycling performance grants, and Act 198 resource recovery grants.  The PROP board president discussed proposed legislation to extend the recycling fee, which funds DEP’s recycling grants, through 2020.  DEP central office staff spoke regarding DEP’s proposed revisions to the municipal waste regulations and proposed landfill disposal bans.  DEP central office staff also spoke regarding the Community Cleanup Program, which provides technical assistance and grant funding for illegal third party dumpsite cleanups.  The meeting concluded with a tour of the authority’s recycling center, mulching operation, and landfill. (Patrick Brennan 570-327-3651)

Act 2

Nothing new to report

NPDES Majors Backlog Status

Number of Overdue Permits-0

Number of Permits Issued This Week-0

Number of Permits Newly Expired This Week-0

(Chad Miller 570-327-3639)

Items for the DEP Planning Calendar

DEP Regional Citizens Roundtable Meeting

Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

NCRO

White Pines Landfill LMIP Meeting

Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m.

Millville, Columbia County

(Daniel Spadoni 570-327-3659)