NOTICES
DELAWARE RIVER
BASIN COMMISSION
Public Hearing and Business Meeting
[48 Pa.B. 743]
[Saturday, February 3, 2018]The Delaware River Basin Commission (Commission) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 14, 2018. A business meeting will be held the following month on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. The hearing and business meeting are open to the public and will be held at the Washington Crossing Historic Park Visitor Center, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA.
Public hearing. The public hearing on February 14, 2018, will begin at 1:30 p.m. Hearing items subject to the Commission's review will include draft dockets for withdrawals, discharges and other water-related projects, as well as resolutions: (a) to adopt the Fiscal Year 2018—2020 Water Resource Program; (b) to clarify and restate the Commission's policy for the replacement of water consumptively used by electric generating or cogenerating facilities during critical hydrologic conditions; and (c) to reauthorize the Regulated Flow Advisory Committee's Subcommittee on Ecological Flows.
Written comments on matters scheduled for hearing on February 14, 2018, will be accepted through 5 p.m. on February 20, 2018. Time permitting, an opportunity for open public comment will be provided upon the conclusion of Commission business at the March 14, 2018, business meeting; note that this opportunity will not be offered upon completion of the public hearing.
The public is advised to check the Commission's web site periodically prior to the hearing date, as items scheduled for hearing may be postponed if additional time is deemed necessary to complete the Commission's review, and items may be added up to 10 days prior to the hearing date. In reviewing docket descriptions, the public is also asked to be aware that project details commonly change in the course of the Commission's review, which is ongoing.
1. Coaldale-Lansford-Summit Hill Sewer Authority, D-1964-027 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 1.65 millon gallons per day (mgd) Coalsdale-Lansford-Summit Hill Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and its discharge. No modifications to the existing WWTP are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Panther Creek at River Mile 92.4—102.1—22.5—2.4 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Little Schuylkill River—Panther Creek), through Outfall No. 001, located in Coaldale Borough, Schuylkill County, PA.
2. Lafarge North America, D-1975-115-3. An application to renew the approval of an existing 1.644 mgd noncontact cooling water (NCCW) discharge from the applicant's cement manufacturing facility. NCCW will continue to be discharged to the Lehigh River at River Mile 183.66—23.7 (Delaware River—Lehigh River) through Outfalls Nos. 001 and 002, within the drainage area of the section of the main stem Delaware River known as the Lower Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters, in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, PA.
3. Robesonia—Wernersville Municipal Authority, D-1988-023 CP-3. An application to renew approval of the docket holder's existing 1.4 mgd WWTP and its discharge. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Spring Creek, which is a tributary of Tulpehocken Creek, which is a tributary of the Schuylkill River, at River Mile 92.47—76.8—10.4—5.4 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Tulpehocken Creek—Spring Creek), in Heidelberg Township, Berks County, PA.
4. Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, D-1991-016 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing Broad Mountain Water Filtration Plant (WFP). The WFP will continue to treat up to 4.42 mgd for public water supply and discharge up to 0.162 mgd of treated filter backwash. No modifications to the WFP are proposed. The treated filter backwash will continue to discharge to Wolf Creek at River Mile 92.47—125.15—4.0—0.5 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Mill Creek—Wolf Creek), through Outfall No. 001, located in Blythe Township, Schuylkill County, PA.
5. Aqua New Jersey, Inc., D-1993-013 CP-4. An application to renew the approval of an existing import project of up to 95.0 millon gallons per month (mgm) from the Atlantic Basin from Wells Nos. 9A, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 to supply water to the applicant's public water supply distribution system. The application also requested to approve the withdrawal of up to 195.5 mgm of groundwater from Wells Nos. 3, 6, 7, 13, 15, 17 and 20 which are located within the Delaware River Basin. The project's existing groundwater withdrawals are approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and will continue to be regulated by NJDEP in accordance with the Administrative Agreement between the Commission and the State of New Jersey. The water supply system and wells are located in Gloucester Township, Camden County, NJ.
6. East Vincent Township, D-1993-032 CP-4. An application to renew the approval of the existing 0.325 mgd Veterans Center WWTP and its discharge. No modifications to the WWTP are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to the Schuylkill River at River Mile 92.47—43.5 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River), through Outfall No. 001, in East Vincent Township, Chester County, PA.
7. Lyons Borough Municipal Authority, D-1994-080 CP-4. An application to renew the approval of an existing 0.375 mgd WWTP and its discharge. The WWTP has an average daily flow of 0.3 mgd. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Sacony Creek, which is a tributary of Maiden Creek, itself a tributary of the Schuylkill River at River Mile 92.47—86.7—11.3—12.2 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Maiden Creek—Sacony Creek) through Outfall No. 001 in the Borough of Lyons, Berks County, PA.
8. Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc., D-1997-003 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of an existing groundwater withdrawal of up to 43.4 mgm from existing Wells Bubbling Springs Nos. 1 and 2 to supply the applicant's public water supply distribution system. The Bubbling Springs system is part of Aqua Pennsylvania's Main Division System. The requested allocation is not an increase from the previous allocation. The project wells are completed in the Conestoga Formation and Precambrian Gneiss. The project is located in the Commission's designated Southeastern Pennsylvania Ground Water Protected Area (GWPA) in the Schuylkill River Watershed in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, PA.
9. Jackson Township Authority, D-2007-004 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the applicant's existing 0.5 mgd WWTP and its discharge. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to an unnamed tributary (UNT) of Tulpehocken Creek, upstream of Blue Marsh Reservoir at River Mile 92.5—76.8—6.5—6.5—14.4—3.3—0.1 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Tulpehocken Creek—Blue Marsh Reservoir—Tulpehocken Creek—Owl Creek—UNT of Tulpehocken Creek) through Outfall No. 1, in Jackson Township, Lebanon County, PA.
10. Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, D-2010-019 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 1.0 mgd Deer Lake WWTP. No modifications to the WWTP are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Pine Creek at River Mile 92.47—106.76—2.3 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Pine Creek), through Outfall No. 002, located in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA.
11. Schuylkill Valley Sewer Authority, D-2012-029 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of the existing 0.55 mgd Schuylkill Valley Sewer Authority WWTP and its discharge. No modifications are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to the Schuylkill River at River Mile 92.47—121.0 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River), through Outfall No. 001, located in Blythe Township, Schuylkill County, PA.
12. Lehigh Valley Zoo, D-2013-006 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of the existing 0.021 mgd Lehigh Valley Zoo WWTP and its discharge. No modifications to the existing WWTP are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Jordan Creek at River Mile 183.7—16.3—18.0 (Delaware River—Lehigh River—Jordan Creek), through Outfall No. 001, within the drainage area of the section of the nontidal Delaware River known as the Lower Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters. The project is located in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, PA.
13. Schuylkill County Municipal Authority—Indian Run, D-2013-012 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of the applicant's existing Indian Run WFP and its discharge of 0.187 mgd of filtration system backwash. Backwash will continue to be discharged to the West Branch Schuylkill River at River Mile 92.47—117.75—4.67 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—West Branch Schuylkill River) through Outfall No. 001, in Branch Township, Schuylkill County, PA.
14. Schuylkill County Municipal Authority—Mount Laurel, D-2013-013 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of the existing Mount Laurel WFP and its discharge. The WFP will continue to treat up to 1.6 mgd for public water supply and discharge up to 0.072 mgd of treated filter backwash. No modifications to the WFP are proposed. The WFP will continue to discharge to Mud Run at River Mile 92.47—125.2—4.0—1.4—0.57 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Mill Creek—Stony Creek—Mud Run), through Outfall No. 001, in New Castle Township, Schuylkill County, PA.
15. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, D-2015-021 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of a groundwater and surface water withdrawal project to supply up to 46.5 mgm of groundwater from the proposed Quakake Mine Pool Well and surface water from the Hazleton City Authority Water Department's (HCAWD) Raw Water Mixing Reservoir to be used to supply the applicant's firefighting efforts at the Jeanesville coal seam mine fire. The requested allocation is not an increase from the prior approval. The approval also will continue the temporary increase in HCAWD's allowable withdrawal from the Lehigh River from 2.5 mgd to 3.5 mgd for mine firefighting purposes only. The project is located in the Beaver Creek Watershed in Banks Township, Carbon County and Hazle Township, Luzerne County, PA within the drainage area of the section of the mainstem Delaware River known as the Lower Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters.
16. Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater, Inc., D-1986-042 CP-2. An application to upgrade the docket holder's existing 1.8 mgd Media WWTP. The upgrades consist of replacing the existing biofilter/activated sludge treatment system with a Modified Ludzak Ettinger treatment system, along with headworks improvements and replacing the existing chlorine gas disinfection system with ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. The WWTP's average annual design flow will remain at 1.8 mgd; however, the maximum monthly flow will be increased from 1.8 mgd to 2.2 mgd after the upgrades are complete. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Ridley Creek at River Mile 84.1—7.5 (Delaware River—Ridley Creek) in Upper Providence Township, Delaware County, PA.
17. Upper Gwynedd Township, D-1991-088 CP-9. An application to renew the approval of an expansion to the existing Upper Gwynedd Township WWTP and its discharge. The proposed expansion consists of: (a) improvements to flow metering, pumping, and UV disinfection; (b) the construction of a third clarifier; (c) an increase in the annual average flow from 5.7 mgd to 6.4 mgd; and (d) an increase in the hydraulic design capacity from 6.5 mgd to 7.5 mgd. The WWTP will continue to discharge to Wissahickon Creek, which is a tributary of the Schuylkill River, at River Mile 92.5—12.8—12.7 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Wissahickon Creek) in Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, PA. The application also requests a service area expansion to include areas in Upper Gwynedd Township that currently convey wastewater to the Towamencin Municipal Authority WWTP.
18. Eagle Creek Hydro Power, LLC, D-2001-038 CP-3. An application to modify an existing hydroelectric power project to include the construction and operation of a new 1.1 megawatt (MW) hydroelectric turbine (Swinging Bridge Unit No. 3) located at the Swinging Bridge Dam adjacent to the docket holder's existing operable 6.75 MW Swinging Bridge Unit No. 2 powerhouse, and inoperable Unit No. 1 powerhouse. The new turbine will utilize the minimum flow releases from the Swinging Bridge Reservoir bringing the total generating capacity of the Swinging Bridge Hydroelectric Project to 7.85 MW. No modifications to reservoir elevations or flows are proposed as a result of this project. The Swinging Bridge Dam is located at River Mile 261.1—11.9 (Delaware River—Mongaup River), in the towns of Lumberland and Forestburgh, Sullivan County, NY. The Swinging Bridge Hydroelectric Project consists of several reservoirs within the drainage area of the section of the nontidal Delaware River known as the Upper Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters, in the towns of Bethel, Forestburgh, Highland, Lumberland and Thompson in Sullivan County, NY.
19. Nazareth Borough Municipal Authority, D-2002-038 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 1.6 mgd Nazareth Borough Municipal Authority WWTP and its discharge and to modify the effluent limits for the treated wastewater discharge from the WWTP. No modifications to the facility or its treatment processes are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Shoeneck Creek, which is a tributary of Bushkill Creek, at River Mile 184.1—5.9—3.2 (Delaware River—Bushkill Creek—Shoeneck Creek) through Outfall No. 001, in Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County, PA, within the drainage area of the section of the nontidal Delaware River known as the Lower Delaware which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters.
20. Lehigh County Authority—Wynnewood Terrace, D-2010-001 CP-4. An application to upgrade the existing 0.06 mgd Wynnewood Terrace WWTP and its discharge. The upgrade consists of: (a) replacing the existing WWTP with a new WWTP which will include new headworks; (b) a new sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treatment system to replace the existing extended aeration treatment system; (c) a new UV disinfection system to replace the existing chemical disinfection; (d) new post-equalization and sludge handling; and (e) appurtenant improvements. The WWTP will remain at 0.06 mgd and will continue to discharge treated effluent to the Lehigh River at River Mile 183.7—28.1 (Delaware River—Lehigh River) within the drainage area of the section of the nontidal Delaware River known as the Lower Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters, in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, PA.
21. Tyler Hill Camp, Inc., D-2017-001-1. An application to approve the existing 0.036 mgd Tyler Hill Camp WWTP and its related discharge. No modifications to the WWTP are proposed. The existing WWTP will continue to discharge to Laurel Lake which flows to a UNT to North Branch Calkins Creek at River Mile 295.8—0.7—4.0—1.2—0.3 (Delaware River—Calkins Creek—North Branch Calkins Creek—UNT North Branch Calkins Creek—Laurel Lake), through Outfall No. 001, located within the drainage area of the section of the nontidal Delaware River known as the Upper Delaware which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters, in Damascus Township, Wayne County, PA.
22. Silver Run Electric, LLC, D-2017-008-1. An application to approve a new electric substation and transmission line project known as the Silver Run Project (Project). Approximately 1.6 miles of the overhead transmission line crosses the Appoquinimink River Natural Area and the Augustine Wildlife Area in New Castle County, DE, which are designated in the Commission's Comprehensive Plan as recreation project areas. The Project is located in the Drawyer Creek—Appoquinimink River Watershed in New Castle County, DE, and the Mad Horse Creek—Delaware Bay Watershed in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Salem County, NJ.
23. Radisson Valley Forge Hotel, D-2017-010-1. An application to approve a groundwater withdrawal of up to 7.75 mgm from existing Wells Nos. 1 and 2 to supply potable water for the applicant's Valley Forge Casino Resort. The application includes the request to approve a groundwater withdrawal of up to 15.624 mgm from their geothermal Well No. 3 for heating and cooling purposes and the return of this NCCW back to the groundwater. The project wells are completed in the Ledger Formation. The project is located in the Commission's designated Southeastern Pennsylvania GWPA in the Trout Creek Watershed in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, PA.
24. Lehigh County Authority—Sand Spring, D-2017-012 CP-1. An application to renew the approval of the existing 0.035 mgd Sand Spring WWTP and its discharge, and to approve a WWTP upgrade project consisting of replacing the existing WWTP with a new WWTP. The project will include: (a) new headworks; (b) a new SBR treatment system to replace the existing extended aeration treatment system; (c) a new UV disinfection system to replace the existing chemical disinfection; (d) new post-equalization and sludge handling; (e) new effluent filtration; (f) a new outfall to replace the existing outfall at an adjacent location; and (g) appurtenant improvements. The WWTP will remain at 0.035 mgd and will continue to discharge treated effluent to a UNT of Coplay Creek, which is a tributary of the Lehigh River at River Mile 183.7—20.8—9.8—0.1 (Delaware River—Lehigh River—Coplay Creek—UNT Coplay Creek) within the drainage area of the section of the main stem Delaware River known as the Lower Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters, in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, PA.
Public meeting. The public business meeting on March 14, 2018, will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include: adoption of the minutes of the Commission's December 13, 2017, business meeting, and announcements of upcoming meetings and events; a report on hydrologic conditions; reports by the Executive Director and the Commission's General Counsel; and consideration of any items for which a hearing has been completed or is not required. The latter are expected to include a resolution authorizing the Commission to procure janitorial services based on a competitive bidding process.
After all scheduled business has been completed and as time allows, the business meeting will also include up to 1 hour of open public comment.
There will be no opportunity for additional public comment for the record at the March 14, 2018, business meeting on items for which a hearing was completed on February 14, 2018, or a previous date. Commission consideration on March 14, 2018, of items for which the public hearing is closed may result in approval of the item (by docket or resolution) as proposed, approval with changes, denial or deferral. When the Commissioners defer an action, they may announce an additional period for written comment on the item, with or without an additional hearing date, or they may take additional time to consider the input they have already received without requesting further public input. Any deferred items will be considered for action at a public meeting of the Commission on a future date.
Advance sign-up for oral comment. Individuals who wish to comment on the record during the public hearing on February 14, 2018, or to address the Commissioners informally during the open public comment portion of the meeting on March 14, 2018, as time allows, are asked to sign-up in advance through EventBrite, the online registration process recently introduced by the Commission. For assistance, contact Paula Schmitt at paula.schmitt@drbc.nj.gov.
Addresses for written comment. Written comment on items scheduled for hearing may be made through SmartComment, the web-based comment system recently introduced by the Commission, a link to which is provided at drbc.net. Although use of SmartComment is strongly preferred, comments may also be delivered by hand at the public hearing or by hand, United States Mail or private carrier to the Commission Secretary, P.O. Box 7360, 25 Cosey Road, West Trenton, NJ 08628. For assistance, contact Paula Schmitt at paula.schmitt@drbc.nj.gov.
Accommodations for special needs. Individuals in need of an accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act who wish to attend the informational meeting, conference session or hearing should contact the Commission Secretary directly at (609) 883-9500, Ext. 203 or through the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) at 711 to discuss how the Commission can accommodate your needs.
Additional information and contacts. Additional public records relating to hearing items may be examined at the Commission's offices by appointment by contacting Carol Adamovic at (609) 883-9500, Ext. 249. For other questions concerning hearing items, contact Judith Scharite, Project Review Section Assistant, at (609) 883-9500, Ext. 216.
PAMELA M. BUSH,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 18-182. Filed for public inspection February 2, 2018, 9:00 a.m.]
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