The Annual PADEP Update meeting was held at the Southeast Regional Office in Norristown, PA on June 24, 2010.  Angela Powley, the Chair of the Programs Committee for the Greater Philadelphia SWEP chapter, welcomed the approximately 45 attendees and the speakers and briefly discussed the format for the program before turning it over to Lynda Rebarchak, from PADEP Community Relations, to introduce the speakers.

The Marcellus Shale discussion was led by Ms. Rebarchak and elaborated upon by Mr. Furlan during his discussion.  Ms. Rebarchak handed out a testimony given by John Hanger, the secretary of the PADEP (electronic copies can be forwarded upon request) and a Marcellus Shale Fact Sheet which can be found on the PADEP website (http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/minres/oilgas/new_forms/marcellus/marcellus.htm). 

Mr. Andy Hartzell led the discussion on the new Uniform Environmental Covenant Act (UECA) Draft Regulations (Chapter 253) that the PADEP hopes to have out before the end of the year.  Mr. Hartzell noted the regulations were still in the review process and in draft form.  Some of the main issues brought to the table in the Draft Covenant regulations will deal with waivers, draft covenant submittal timeframes, and multi-resident properties such as condos.  Mr. Hartzell stated that the PADEP will be using waivers more frequently in future covenants as long as they are still protective of human health and the environment.

The proposed Act 2 and Cleanup Soil Standard changes discussion was conducted by Mr. Walter Payne, PADEP Environmental Cleanup Chief.  The main topic of discussion was the soil cleanup criteria.  It was stated all active Act 2 projects will need to comply with the new soil standards, there will be no grandfathering.  Note that many of the standards are changing, however it is not a consistent change between analytical groups.  The changes are based on health and risk data currently known.  According to Mr. Payne these new standards should only affect a small number of sites because the majority of sites (approximately 70%) are closed under Statewide Heath Standard and the remaining majority (20%) are closed under the Site Specific Standard to obtain the standard via pathway elimination.   Along with this soil standard discussion, Mr. Payne discussed a change in the use of the PENTOX model for tidally influenced waters.  The PADEP will no longer accept a straight PENTOX model calculation for these streams, a flow calculation and a discussion with the PADEP will be required.

Mr. Fulan’s discussion on the Marcellus Shall segued perfectly into his original topic of the Total Dissolved Solid Standards (TDS), Chapter 95.  Mr. Furlan stated that the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is heavily involved with the drilling of Marcellus Shale wells and their water consumption and discharge.  The water discharge requirements are being handled by Chapter 95, a Pennsylvania state regulation.   This regulation entails new treatment for new and expanding mass loadings of TDS and will have a discharge standard of 2,000 mg/L.  Waste water treatment plants currently and proposing to accept discharge water need to refurbish their plant to meet the TDS standard.   

Mr. Jim Rebarchak, the newly named Air Quality Program Manager for the SE Region, provided an air quality update for Pennsylvania regarding U.S. EPA’s Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule and the implementation of fine particulate (PM2.5) for both state planning and permit requirements.  Since Pennsylvania incorporates the PSD rules by reference, U.S. EPA’s GHG Tailoring Rule will take effect in Pennsylvania beginning January 1, 2011.  These rules will require facilities subject to PSD requirements to also consider increases of carbon dioxide equivalencies (CO₂e).  If the CO₂e increase is greater than 75,000 tons per year, a Best Available Control Technology (BACT) review is required for greenhouse gas emissions.  The fine particulate update consisted of an overview regarding the transition period for regulating fine particulate, along with an update regarding Pennsylvania’s fine particulate status and the schedule for upcoming state implementation plan (SIP). 

After the PADEP update meeting there was a buffet lunch of sandwiches, salads, and desserts provide by SWEP.  The annual business meeting, led by Ms. Nicole Moshang, the co-chair of SWEP Greater Philadelphia, commenced shortly after to discuss committee needs, ideas for next year, and a review of this past year’s efforts.  The committees in need of participation are the Touchstone Awards, Programs, and Scholarship.  The Programs Committee will have the kick-off meeting to plan the upcoming year of events in early September as the program calendar runs from September to June, with July and August off.  The Touchstone Award Committee will begin meeting in the next month, keep an eye out for the initial announcements requesting nominations for a recipient and sponsorship opportunities.