Proposed Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility Passes Phase I Of DEP Application

Elcon’s quest to build a proposed hazardous waste treatment facility in Falls Township moved a step forward on Thursday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Elcon has conformed with its Phase I exclusionary siting criteria and will move to the next phase of their application.

The Phase I portion of the application is meant to determine if the proposed facility conforms to the DEP’s regulations regarding hazardous waste. Since Elcon’s facility planned for a 22-acre site at 100 Dean Sievers Place in the Keystone Industrial Port Complex was not excluded by any of the relevant criteria, they have been invited to submit the remainder of the application, according to officials.

“While the site may be shown to conform to the Phase I exclusionary criteria, the applicant still must satisfy the Phase II criteria and the full permit application review process before a hazardous waste permit would be issued,” said DEP Southeast Regional Director Cosmo Servidio. “Satisfaction of the Phase I review process only allows an applicant to proceed with the hazardous waste application process. It does not equate to final approval of the project. In addition, Elcon must obtain any and all other necessary permits that will be subject to their own administrative process. During the Phase II process DEP will hold a public comment period and convene public hearings and meetings.”

Upon submission of the remainder of the hazardous waste application, DEP will then review the application using the non-exclusionary Phase II siting criteria, to determine the acceptability of the facility site. Officials noted that Phase II will explore detailed information regarding Elcon’s proposed operations and design plans, as well as a further assessment of environmental impacts.

The DEP noted that any new information or changed conditions developed by Elcon during the Phase II process will be examined with Phase I criteria before moving forward.

According to the DEP, if any risks to the public’s health or safety, or to significant natural, scenic, historic, or aesthetic values are apparent, render the proposed facility site unacceptable for a hazardous waste treatment facility, DEP may include conditions in the permit which eliminate or reduce the identified risks or may deny the permit application.

Both the DEP and the Delaware River Keeper Network, which has spoken out against the facility, noted that Phase II criteria are established to identify further environmental, social, and economic factors which may affect the suitability of a location for a proposed facility.

Dr. Rengarajan Ramesh, a consultant for Elcon, has called the proposed facility “clean, green, and sustainable.” Elcon, which operates a similar site in Israel, would treat liquid waste from various locations, heat it up and place it in pools to evaporate.

If a leak happened, which Elcon officials said is almost impossible, it could threatened the water supply for Lower Bucks County and Philadelphia, Fred Stine of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network said recently before the Bucks County Commissioners.

Elcon has met with the public numerous times over the past year in an attempt to introduce a treatment facility to the Keystone Industrial Port Complex.

Read Elcon’s statement:

“Elcon is pleased that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has determined that the proposed facility is in conformance with the Phase I siting criteria, and it looks forward to moving forward in the application process.  It continues to believe that the proposed facility will serve an existing need for this service by industry in the Tri-state region. Elcon appreciates and welcomes the public’s interest in our company, technology and operations. We are looking forward to the opportunity to provide additional information to the community about the proposed facility, in response to the questions raised during PADEP’s Phase I public comment process. We encourage the public to contact us directly via our Community Information Line at 855-463-6364. We soon will have a website as well, where the public can access directly accurate information about our project. Additionally, we plan to hold a Community Information Session in early 2016 at which the public will have an opportunity to review our detailed plans, and speak with our team directly.”

Related:

• Opponents Speak Against Proposed Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility At Commissioners Meeting
• Bristol Twp. Officials Don’t Want Hazardous Waste Trucks Trucks On Township Roads
• Philadelphia Water Department Study Says Proposed Facility Could Put “Millions At Risk”
• Dozens Come Out To Public Hearing For Proposed Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility
• Company Promises Residents Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility Will Be “Clean, Green & Sustainable”
• Public Does Not Seem Impressed With Proposed Liquid Hazardous Waste Treatment Plant
• Plans For Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility In Falls Get Denied By DEP