DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council is scheduled to meet in-person and virtually on October 19 to hear a presentation from DEP on radiation decontamination and decommissioning of oil and gas wastewater treatment facilities, nuclear power plants, waste dump sites and other sites in Pennsylvania.

David Allard, Director of DEP’s Bureau of Radiation Protection, will lead the presentation providing an overview of the decontamination and decommissioning process and how Pennsylvania and DEP are involved.

According to DEP’s Decommissioning Section, there are eight so-called “complex” radioactive materials sites undergoing decommissioning in Pennsylvania, in addition to Three Mile Island and other facilities.  The facilities include--

-- Global Tungsten & Powders, Towanda

-- Karnish Instruments, Lock Haven

-- Keystone Metals Reduction, Cheswick

-- Remacor, West Pittsburg

-- Safety Light Corporation, Bloomsburg

-- Superbolt, Carnegie

-- Westinghouse Electric (Waltz Mill), Madison

-- Whittaker Corporation, Greenville.

In addition, there are other major sites undergoing cleanup, including the Westinghouse Research Lab in Forest Hills, the Bettis Atomic Laboratory in West Mifflin and the NUMEC Fuel Fabrication Site in Apollo.

Reactor site decommissioning includes Three Mile Island, Peach Bottom Unit 1, Penn State Research Lab, Waltz Mill Test Reactor, Saxton Experimental Facility, Shippingport Atomic Power Station, and the Quehanna Research Reactor.

Several wastewater treatment plants require decontamination, including the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority, Royersford Wastewater Treatment Facility and oil and gas wastewater treatment facilities.

Click Here for a copy of his presentation.

A copy of the complete agenda is available as is DEP’s October report to the CAC.

Public Comments

Individuals interested in providing public comments during the meeting must sign up prior to the start of the meeting by contacting Keith Salador by sending email to: ksalador@pa.gov  or calling 717-787-8171.

The meeting will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building starting at 12:30 p.m.   The meeting will be available online and via conference call.  Click Here for instructions.

For more information and available handouts, visit  DEP’s Citizens Advisory Council webpage. meeting. Questions should be directed to Keith Salador, Executive Director, ksalador@pa.gov or by calling 717-787-8171.

(Photo: Radiation contamination at oil and gas wastewater treatment site.)

NewsClips:

-- News5 Cleveland: Ohio Plans To Stop Using Deicer AquaSalina Made From Oil & Gas Drilling Wastewater

-- Environmental Health News: Should Oil & Gas Companies Be Exempt From PA’s Hazardous Waste Laws?

-- S&P Global: PA Shale Gas Permits Drop 28% Month Over Month Despite Spiking Prices  [And Along With This Drop In Permits Is A Fall Off Of Revenue To DEP To Support Oil & Gas Well Regulation]

Related Articles This Week:

-- 17 Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling Operators Under Review By DEP To Determine If They Comply With Program Allowing Road Dumping Of Drilling Wastewater

-- 65+ Groups Ask Biden Administration To Reclassify Oil & Gas Drilling Waste As 'Hazardous' To Prevent Road Dumping Of Wastewater And Other Practices

-- 80 Organizations, 1,800+ Concerned Citizens To DEP: Ban Road Dumping Of Drilling Wastewater; Dept. Of Health Unaware Road Dumping Is Occurring

Related Articles:

-- AG Shapiro: Charges Mariner East Pipeline With 48 Counts Of Environmental Crimes In 11 Counties

-- Sen. Comitta: Calls For Halt To Mariner East Pipeline Construction In Light Of Criminal Charges By Attorney General

-- PA Consumer Advocate: Heating With Natural Gas Will Cost Residential Consumers About 20% More This Winter; No Impact On PA Consumers Of PennEast Pipeline Cancellation

-- PA Supreme Court: Agrees To Hear Challenge To Ruling Denying Environmental Groups Attorney's Fees In Successful Appeal Of Energy Transfer/Sunoco Mariner East Pipeline Permit 

[Posted: October 8, 2021]

10/11/2021