WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection has fined David L. Burns, owner of Martha’s Furnace Mobile Home Park in Huston Township, Centre County, $7,100 for 14 sewage treatment plant discharge violations documented between April and June.
“Mr. Burns has a poor compliance history operating this sewage treatment plant and that must change immediately,” said DEP North-central Regional Director Nels Taber. “DEP will not tolerate future violations of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law or of his discharge permit.”
The violations at the plant, which discharges to a tributary of Bald Eagle Creek, included six for total suspended solids, which are tiny pieces of pollutants floating in sewage that cloud the water and can harm aquatic life in the receiving stream.
There were also violations for fecal coliform bacteria, a group of organisms found in the intestinal tracts of people and animals that indicate the discharge was disinfected inadequately.
DEP discovered the violations during a review of the plant’s monthly discharge monitoring reports. Burns also was cited for submitting the reports late over a four month period.
The fine will be paid in nine installments to the Clean Water Fund with the final payment due July 1, 2011.