The Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday announced it has denied Elcon Recycling Services’ Phase I siting application for its proposed liquid hazardous waste treatment facility for a site in the Keystone Industrial Port Complex (KIPC) in Falls Township, Bucks County.

“After a complete review of the application and supplemental information from Elcon, and upon consideration of the public comments received, we concluded that the company has not demonstrated conformance with the exclusionary criteria for flood hazard areas,” Southeast Regional Director and Siting Team Leader Cosmo Servidio said. “We therefore denied the application. Should Elcon choose to resubmit its application with additional information, the Phase I process would begin anew.”

In a November 25, 2014 technical deficiency letter, DEP specifically requested that Elcon provide related hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, including any historical flood data, to demonstrate that the proposed site has not been inundated by the flood-of-record, as required by regulation. Elcon’s December 22, 2014 response did not provide any such analysis for the flood-of-record.

DEP held a public meeting and hearing on December 10, 2014 to explain the application review process along with the Phase I siting criteria, which are in place to prohibit the location of hazardous waste treatment facilities under certain criteria.

The public provided comments at the hearing, and during the public comment period, which was extended to January 9.

Elcon submitted the Phase I application in March 2014 for the proposed commercial hazardous waste treatment facility, which would treat liquid waste from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

The location for the proposed facility was 100 Dean Sievers Place, on the former United States Steel Fairless Works site in the KIPC complex.

2/9/2015