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House Environmental Committee Meets Nov. 17 On Bill Redefining Water Pollution, Letting Companies Decide When They Report Spills

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting November 17 on Senate Bill 619 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) making fundamental changes to the definition of water pollution under the state Clean Streams Law effectively making most spills and discharges to rivers and streams no longer pollution.

It also lets an individual or company who causes pollution to surface or groundwater, rather than DEP, determine if any spill should even be reported to DEP and whether it is pollution in the first place.

The bill would benefit the conventional oil and gas industry, but is being pushed by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation which was unhappy with an April 17, 2017 settlement with DEP over an appeal of a stormwater pollution prevention permit for its West Point, Montgomery County plant (Environmental Hearing Board Docket No. 2015-011-L).

Groups Opposing Bill

Trout Unlimited sent a letter to the House Environmental Committee opposing Senate Bill 619 saying it will harm aquatic life and human health in Pennsylvania. [Read more here.]

A joint letter from Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Quality Deer Management Association, United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania, American Woodcock Society, Ruffed Grouse Society and Trout Unlimited also expressed their opposition to Senate Bill 619 and was resent to the House Committee. Click Here for a copy of the letter.

The PA Association of Conservation Districts sent an email to members of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee expressing their opposition to Senate Bill 619 that changes the definition of water pollution and changing spill reporting requirements. [Read more here.]

The PA Environmental Council and Environmental Defense Fund wrote to members of the Committee also opposing Senate Bill 619 saying the bill makes “sweeping and unwarranted” changes in the Clean Streams Law. Read more here.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said, “Senate Bill 619 will make it easier to pollute the Commonwealth’s rivers and streams and with fewer consequences. Water quality in Pennsylvania should not be regulated by just the limited list of numeric water quality criteria. Timely response and remediation are critical.

“A spill or discharge caused a fish kill in the Donegal Creek. The Mariner East II liquid natural gas pipeline has been plagued with spills. In 2017, 63,000 gallons of natural gas drilling waste spilled into the tributary of the Loyalsock Creek. If Senate Bill 619 passes, spills like these may go unchecked.

“We urge members of the House to consider the consequences Senate Bill 619 could have on aquatic life, recreation, and drinking water supplies.”

Background

The Clean Streams Law now says, “contamination of any waters of the Commonwealth such as will create or is likely to create a nuisance or to render such waters harmful, detrimental or injurious to public health, safety or welfare, or to domestic, municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, or other legitimate beneficial uses, or to livestock, wild animals, birds, fish or other aquatic life.”

And it is DEP that determines whether a discharge constitutes pollution. The bill shifts the responsibility to make the determination if a spill or discharge causes pollution to the person causing the spill.

The bill also says spills and contamination to groundwater don’t even need to be reported to DEP, NOT when they “create a danger of pollution of the waters, or would damage property,” as in the current regulations, but rather only when--

-- The individual or company first makes a determination the spill violates a specific, numeric surface water quality criteria under DEP’s regulations; or

-- If it exceeds federal reporting requirements (1,000 gallons in any one incident or 42 gallons in each of 2 discharges) and only after they take into account the steps they have taken to control or remediate the impact of the spill; and

-- Only after taking into account any control and remedial measures they have taken.

There are very few numeric water quality standards in DEP’s regulations because judgments are made based on whether pollution harms people, aquatic life or the environment.

Under the change in definition of pollution in this bill, neither DEP nor the Fish and Boat Commission could require the cleanup of a spill, require the company to fix the problem that caused a spill or take other enforcement actions like assessing penalties or natural resource damages against an individual or company unless a spill violated the “numeric water quality criteria under DEP’s regulations.

If a spill temporarily or irreparably harmed aquatic life, temporarily or permanently prevented a stream or river from being used according to its designated use, without violating a numeric standard, neither DEP nor the Fish and Boat Commission could take any action.

Importantly, the new language would also rule out taking any action against anyone causing a spill that affected groundwater and not surface water, if the spill did not violate a numeric water quality criteria in Chapter 93.

The practical realities of making a determination if numeric water quality standards were violated during a spill emergency under this bill would require a company or individual to--

-- Know the precise chemical composition of the material being spilled and the amount and if it isn’t known, to take, analyze and report those results [getting test results in an emergency timeframe would not be possible and even the amounts are frequently not know at the time of a spill, especially to groundwater];

-- Know the classification, designated use and any special numeric water quality standards in place at the precise point the spill would enter a surface water [possible, but unlikely, especially in circumstances where a spill happens from a tank truck, pipeline or similar sources]; and

-- Taking, analyzing and reporting the results of water samples upstream, at the point of the spill and downstream of the spill to determine if the numeric standard was violated at the exact time of the spill [not something that can be accomplished during an emergency caused by a spill].

Likewise, if DEP or the Fish and Boat Commission wanted to take any compliance or enforcement action for a spill with the change in definition of pollution proposed in Senate Bill 619, they would have to prove a numeric water quality standard was violated at the exact time of the spill, which would not be possible after the fact.

The sweeping changes made by Senate Bill 619 would fundamentally change how Pennsylvania’s surface and groundwater is protected from pollution, significantly restricting the ability of DEP and the Fish and Boat Commission from taking action to require the cleanup and prevention of spills and to assess penalties and to the requirements for reporting spills.

The meeting will be held in Room G-50 Irvis Building starting at 3:00 p.m. Click Here to watch online.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

Related Articles:

-- Conservation Districts, Join Wildlife, Environmental Groups In Opposing Bill Redefining Water Pollution, Letting Companies Decide When They Report Spills

-- Trout Unlimited Opposes Senate Bill 619 To Redefine Water Pollution In PA Saying It Will Harm Aquatic Life, Human Health

-- PA Environmental Council, EDF Oppose ‘Sweeping And Unwarranted’ Changes In Definition Of Water Pollution In Senate Bill 619

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