On June 7, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will host a public hearing on June 21 to provide a brief informational presentation regarding the Boyertown Landfill Site PFAS investigation and to hear oral comments on DEP’s proposed prompt interim response action. 

The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21 at the Gilbertsville Fire & Rescue Company, 1454 E Philadelphia Ave, Gilbertsville, PA 19525.

DEP’s Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields is investigating contaminated drinking water wells in Douglass Township, Montgomery County in accordance with the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA). 

DEP has initiated a prompt-interim response which consists of installing and maintaining point-of-entry treatment systems on residential drinking water wells where per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), has exceeded their maximum contaminant levels.

PFAS are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and the human body.  PFAS are not found naturally in the environment and are used in the manufacture of a variety of products and materials. They are also used in firefighting foams, in a number of industrial processes, and certain consumer goods.

A copy of the Administrative Record is available for review Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the DEP’s Southeast Regional Office located at 2 East Main Street, Norristown, PA 19401 and available for review at the Douglass Township Building.

Those who wish to offer testimony at the public hearing should register with Stephanie Berardi, Regional Communications Manager for DEP’s Southeast Region, at 484-250-5808 or by email at sberardi@pa.gov.  

Pre-registration to testify will close at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.  Oral comments are limited to three minutes per person and will be recorded by a Stenographer. 

Registration is not required simply to attend the hearing.

Written comments of any length will be accepted until August 11, 2023 and should be sent to Colin R. Wade, Environmental Protection Specialist, by email at cowade@pa.gov, or by mail or hand-delivered to DEP Southeast Regional office, 2 East Main Street, Norristown, PA 19401.

All comments, whether delivered orally during the hearing or submitted in writing, carry equal weight and consideration with DEP.  Following the close of the public comment period, DEP will prepare a comment and response document responding to all public comments received orally at the hearing and in writing prior to the deadline.

Persons with a disability who wish to attend the hearing and require auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodations to participate in the proceedings should call through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how DEP may accommodate their

Needs.

A notice of the public hearing appeared in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on Saturday, May 13, 2023 and the Pottstown Mercury legal notices section on May 13, 2023.

An addendum to the notice was published in both publications on May 27, 2023, to specify the location of the public hearing. 

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

[Posted: June 7, 2023]

6/12/2023