The Environmental Quality Board is scheduled to meet on March 12 to consider revised Land Recycling Program cleanup standards and a rulemaking petition for Fletcher Run in Greene County submitted by the CONSOL coal company.

Land Recycling Standards

This rulemaking proposes to add five compounds from the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family of compounds for which new toxicity data has been published. These five include Gen-X (Hexafluoropropylene Oxide (HFPO) Dimer Acid) and its ammonium salt, Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and the potassium salt of Perfluorobutane sulfonate.

It also proposes to introduce updated models used to calculate the soil direct contact numeric values for lead, as well as reduce the target blood lead value for lead, and adds an additional statistical method for attaining the Statewide health standard for lead in soil.

Click Here for copies of the rulemaking and background document.

CONSOL Stream Petition

CONSOL coal mining company submitted a rulemaking petition to change the designation of Fletcher Run, part of the South Fork Tenmile Creek Watershed, in Richhill Township, Greene County from High Quality - Warm Water Fisheries to just Warm Water Fisheries.

The petition says Fletcher Run was originally designed High Quality in 1979 to protect the Waynesburg water supply and smallmouth bass fishery, but no in-stream data was collected to support the designation.

The petition says water sampling and analysis shows the High Quality designation is not supported by current data.

This petition includes an area CONSOL intends to mine in the Bailey underground coal mine footprint in Greene County that has been controversial in the past because of longwall mining damage to streams.  Read more here.

The EQB is being asked to consider the petition for study.

Click Here for a copy of the petition.

Join The Meeting

The meeting will be held in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building starting at 9:00 a.m.  Options for joining the meeting remotely are available.

Visit the Environmental Quality Board webpage for copies of available handouts.  Questions should be directed to Laura Griffin, Regulatory Coordinator, laurgriffi@pa.gov, (717) 772-3277.

NewsClips:

-- WHYY: To Comply With New PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Regulations, Shapiro Seeks More Funds For Drinking Water Testing At DEP

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster City Installs Fencing Around PFOA/PFOS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Contaminated Stream In Conestoga Pines Park

-- NextPittsburgh: Harmful PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Detected Near Pittsburgh Wastewater Treatment Plants

-- Inquirer: Federal Study Shows How Firefighter Gear Releases PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ On The Job

Related Articles:

-- DEP: Oil & Gas Regulatory Program Will Be In The Red By Fall; All Sectors Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program No Go; Update On Permitting Reform [PaEN]

-- DEP Testimony Provides Overview Of Budget Request, Progress On Permitting, Environmental Justice, Infrastructure Investments, PFAS, Watershed Cleanup, Climate, Clean Energy Initiatives  [PaEN]

[Posted: February 28, 2024]

3/4/2024