On October 22, the Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting and hearing on November 18, 2019, to provide an update on its investigation of the Easton Road PFOA/PFOS Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act Site and to receive comments on its proposed response action of whole-house filtration systems in Doylestown Township, Bucks County.

In May 2016, after a public supply well in the area was found to contain combined concentrations of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) that exceeded EPA's 70 ppt Health Advisory Level (HAL), DEP immediately took steps to begin a thorough investigation of the surrounding area.

DEP is investigating groundwater in the area to determine the extent of PFOA and PFOS in the aquifer underlying the area.

Since May 2016, DEP collected samples from more than 350 private wells. Results of this sampling ranged from non-detect (ND) to 229 ppt combined for PFOA/PFOS.

DEP identified a localized area of concern within Doylestown Township where the highest concentrations of PFOA/PFOS have been detected.

There are currently 8 homes whose private well water has exceeded the HAL.

In April 2019, DEP completed an additional round of private well sampling. The event included select homes within the localized area of concern whose private well water had combined concentrations of PFOA/PFOS above 40 ppt.

The results revealed that no additional homes had private well water with combined concentrations of PFOA/PFOS above the HAL.

The public meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Lenape Middle School, 313 W. State St. in Doylestown, with an investigation update and proposed response action overview, followed by a short question-and-answer session.

The formal public hearing will begin after a brief intermission. Residents will have up to three minutes to provide comments on the proposed actions; time may not be relinquished to others, and organizations are asked to designate one representative to provide comments on their behalf.

DEP will record the comments throughout the formal public hearing and will accept written comments until January 17, 2020. DEP will add the recorded oral comments and written comments to the Administrative Record, which is the information that documents the selection and forms the basis of the response action.

The Administrative Record is available for review online at DEP’s Easton Road webpage or by appointment between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  at DEP Southeast Regional Office, 2 E. Main St., Norristown, PA 19401, 484-250-5910, and at the Doylestown, Plumstead, and Buckingham township buildings.

Written comments may be sent to Josh Crooks, project officer at DEP, 2 East Main St., Norristown, PA 19401. Comments may also be emailed to jocrooks@pa.gov, with the subject “Easton Road PFC HSCA Site Administrative Record Comments.”

For more background, visit DEP’s Easton Road webpage.

(Photo: Private well sampling results map.)

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[Posted: October 22, 2019]

10/28/2019