CLEARFIELD – PA Waste LLC has responded to technical deficiencies, found by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, in its proposed Camp Hope Run landfill permit application.
Commissioner John A. Sobel, chairman, issued an update during Tuesday’s regular board of commissioners’ meeting. He said the commissioners had additional information delivered by courier Monday that PA Waste had submitted to the DEP.
“It’s being forwarded for information,” Sobel read from DEP’s enclosed letter. “Please note the application process is multi-phased, and the department will receive future revisions … these revisions will be forwarded to you as we receive them.”
Sobel said the commissioners, along with its special counsel, Solicitor Kim Kesner and Solid Waste Authority Director Jodi Brennan, will soon begin the process of dissecting this sizable amount of information.
However, Commissioner Mark B. McCracken said he still believes they’ll find themselves in the same position as before. He went on to say that he’ll continue to “stand in opposition” because he doesn’t believe anything has changed over the past decade or so. And Sobel and Commissioner Tony Scotto concurred.
Kesner noted PA Waste’s response was to technical deficiencies and the county’s core concern is suitability, such as how this landfill would impact the county’s solid waste plan and remove its advantages, create excess capacity and denigrate recycling programs, etc.
“Issues, we’ve raised to the DEP, that have yet to be addressed by either PA Waste or DEP, even though the regulations require both to address them,” he said. “These here are technical issues aside from our other concerns.”
According to previously-published GANT News reports, PA Waste was granted an extension to respond to technical deficiencies identified in its proposed Camp Hope Run landfill permit application.
The DEP granted PA Waste’s request for a 45-business day extension in a letter dated Jan. 28. PA Waste had until Friday, April 5 to submit its response to the department.
PA Waste is proposing this 5,000 tons per day, double-lined, municipal waste landfill. The proposed landfill and supporting facilities will be located within an 845-acre facility boundary.
According to previously-published GANT News reports, the waste disposal limits will encompass about 221 lined acres, with support facilities and buffer areas within the remainder of the overall facility.
The landfill is proposed to be located in Boggs Township, Clearfield County, about seven miles southeast of Clearfield, along the west side of state Route 153.
The DEP held a public meeting in July of 2018 and heard testimony from local officials and residents. You can read previous coverage by clicking here.
At a commissioners’ meeting back in December of 2018, Sobel reported that on Nov. 26, the DEP responded to PA Waste’s permit application.
He said the DEP listed 183 items, and of those, 122 were technical deficiencies and 61 were comments. However, PA Waste was advised that “all items are to be addressed.”
The DEP previously stated that the deficiencies were based upon applicable laws and regulations pursuant to the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act and current Municipal Waste Regulations.
Additionally, the DEP stated that the comments were due to inconsistencies within the application or items requiring clarification or further detail.
“Revisions and additional information are needed for the application to meet these regulations,” the DEP advised. Click here to read the DEP’s full deficiency letter to PA Waste in November.
According to the previous report, PA Waste had 45 business days from the date of this letter to submit its response and fully address each of the significant technical deficiencies.
Local residents can keep informed on the proposed landfill’s progress on the DEP Web site. Click on “Regional Resources,” select the “Northcentral Regional Office” and then click on “Community Information” and “Camp Hope Run Landfill.”
