NOTICES

PENNSYLVANIA INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AUTHORITY
 
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Environmental Assessment Approvals for PENNVEST Funding Consideration

[54 Pa.B. 3502]
[Saturday, June 15, 2024]

 Scope: Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Projects for consideration at the July 17, 2024, meeting of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) Board.

 Description: PENNVEST, which administers the Commonwealth's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), is intended to be the funding source for the following projects. The Department of Environmental Protection's (Department) review of these projects, and the information received in the Environmental Report for these projects, has not identified any significant, adverse environmental impact resulting from any of the proposed projects. The Department hereby approves the Environmental Assessment for each project. If no significant comments are received during this comment period, the Environmental Assessments will be considered approved and funding for the projects will be considered by PENNVEST.

 To be considered, the Department must receive comments on this approval on or by Monday, July 15, 2024. Comments, including comments submitted by e-mail, must include the commentator's name and address. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's online eComment tool at www.ahs.dep.pa. gov/eComment. Written comments can also be submitted by e-mail to ecomment@pa.gov or by mail to the Policy Office, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063. Use ''PENNVEST SRF-Environmental Assessment'' as the subject line in written communication.

 Comments received during the comment period, along with the Department's comment and response document will be available on the Department's web site at www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/CleanWater/InfrastructureFinance/Pages/EnvironmentalReview.aspx.

 Upon approval, the full list of approved projects and their costs can be found in a press release on PENNVEST's web site at www.pennvest.pa.gov.

 For more information about the approval of the following Environmental Assessments or the CWSRF and DWSRF Programs contact Dharmendra Kumar, Bureau of Clean Water, Department of Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 8774, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8774, (717) 772-3377, dkumar@pa.gov, or visit the Department's web site at www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/CleanWater/InfrastructureFinance/Pages/default.aspx.

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CWSRF Projects Being Considered:

Applicant:	Township of Cranberry
County:	Butler
Applicant Address:	2525 Rochester Road Suite 400 Cranberry Township, PA 16066

 Project Description: The existing autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) system at the Brush Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) will be replaced with an anaerobic solids handling system. During the replacement of the solids handling process other ancillary portions of the plant will be repaired/replaced as part of the scope of work. The project consists of constructing two new anaerobic digesters with control building and waste gas flare, installing additional waste sludge holding facilities, demolishing the existing ATAD, installing a new post digestion sludge storage tank, constructing a new solids processing building with two centrifuges and appurtenances and demolishing two existing belt filter presses and appurtenances. The project also includes other ancillary improvements to the influent pump station and primary clarifiers as well as grit handling, existing waste sludge holding and odor control systems.

 Problem Description: The current ATAD system and additional waste sludge holding facilities at the Brush Creek WWTF are neither efficient nor capable of managing future treatment flows. Cranberry Township has invested significant resources studying the most cost-effective method of not only providing adequate capacity, but also providing a solids handling system to meet both future growth and regulatory requirements.

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Applicant:	Windber Area Authority
County:	Somerset
Applicant Address:	1700 Stockholm Avenue Windber, PA 15963

 Project Description: Windber Area Authority (WAA) owns and operates the Ingleside Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located in Richland Township, Cambria County. The proposed project includes constructing a new ATAD system, including, but not limited to: two reactor basins; a biofilter basin with scrubber; an equipment building with pumps; blowers; a drum thickener and other necessary appurtenances; associated piping, including proposed 4-inch and 6-inch ductile iron discharge lines; and site work necessary to integrate the new facilities into the existing STP. Also included is replacing the following existing equipment at the Ingleside Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) plant: two sludge pumps; the decanter actuator and limit switches at four SBR basins; the effluent water pumping system; fine bubble air diffuser membranes within the four SBR basins and at two sludge aerobic digester tanks; the belt filter press polymer feed system; and upgrades to the SBR plant main control panel. Additive alternate price proposals will be sought for replacement of diffuser holders, air piping and accessories in one of the SBR basins and in one of the aerobic digestors, replacement of the belt filter press and replacement of the emergency power generator.

 Problem Description: The STP currently utilizes two aerobic digestion tanks and a 1.5-meter belt filter press. Sludge leaving the belt filter press ranges from 10%—14% solids and does not meet the Environmental Protection Agency biosolids classification of Class A or Class B. Therefore, the sludge must be disposed of at a landfill. The rapidly increasing cost to dispose of sludge by landfill has led WAA to the decision of pursuing the addition of an ATAD system for the STP, which is anticipated to achieve a total solids reduction of 40% or greater and process the sludge to achieve Class A designation. WAA could then give away the Class A biosolids instead of disposal by landfill.

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Applicant:	Shinglehouse Borough
County:	Potter
Applicant Address:	103 North Pleasant Street Shinglehouse, PA 16748

 Project Description: Shinglehouse Borough is proposing to demolish the primary clarifier, final clarifier and trickling filter. These will be replaced by a two-channel oxidation ditch process with a pre-anaerobic reactor tank for biological treatment and two new final clarifiers.

 Problem Description: Shinglehouse Borough provides sewer collection and wastewater treatment to the Borough in Potter County. The existing WWTF was constructed in 1966. The facility's process equipment has reached the end of its useful life and the current trickling filter treatment process will not reliably meet some of the new effluent limitations.

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Applicant:	Martins Community, LLC
County:	Chester
Applicant Address:	25 Randy Lane Cochranville, PA 19330

 Project Description: Martins Community, LLC proposes to replace the existing aging wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in West Nottingham Township, Chester County with a new treatment plant adjacent to the existing facility. The proposed treatment plant will provide influent flow equalization, combined carbon oxidation nitrification denitrification, chemical feed for phosphorus precipitation and tertiary filtration followed by ultraviolet disinfection. The proposed plant will provide additional capacity to facilitate operation and to provide for possible future expansion. The plant effluent will be discharged through the existing outfall pipe which conveys effluent to the receiving stream. The existing WWTP will be decommissioned as part of the project.

 Problem Description: The existing WWTP is aging and the facility is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain.

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DWSRF Projects Being Considered:

Applicant:	Pennsylvania American Water Company
County:	Washington
Applicant Address:	300 Galley Road McMurray, PA 15317

 Project Description: The Pennsylvania American Water Company is proposing the Avella Road (State Route (SR) 50) waterline extension project. This project includes installing approximately 35,000 linear feet (LF) of 8-inch ductile iron waterline and all the required appurtenances along SR 50 in Cross Creek, Independence and Mount Pleasant Townships, Washington County. The waterline extension project includes 14 stream crossings impacting Cross Creek, tributaries to Cross Creek and tributaries to South Fork Cross Creek. Cross Creek, South Fork Cross Creek and their tributaries are designated under 25 Pa. Code Chapter 93 (relating to water quality standards) as High Quality Waters, Warm Water Fishes (WWF). The waterline will be installed by the open-cut method and the limit of disturbance is approximately 8.6 acres.

 Problem Description: The proposed project is necessary to provide public water to several Washington County communities and the Avella Area School District, which relies on a well for all its water needs including fire protection. The addition of a public water system will provide safe drinking water to the community and greatly enhance the Avella Fire Department's ability to fight fire and protect the school district and surrounding areas. A secure and abundant water supply will allow the Avella Fire Department to better focus their efforts on the manpower and equipment necessary to effectively perform their duties.

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Applicant:	Pennsylvania American Water Company
County:	Washington
Applicant Address:	300 Galley Road McMurray, PA 15317

 Project Description: The proposed Old Steubenville Pike and Campbell Road waterline extension project includes the installation of approximately 15,700 LF of 4-inch through 8-inch diameter waterline by open-cut and horizontal directional drill methods and all the required appurtenances in Robinson and Smith Townships, Washington County. Pennsylvania American Water Company would design, permit, finance and construct the replacement of the new waterline. The project area consists of the Department of Transportation and municipal road right-of-ways, as well as seven stream crossings. Project area streams and unnamed tributaries are designated under 25 Pa. Code Chapter 93 for protected use for WWF.

 Problem Description: The project is necessary to provide public water to several Washington County communities who currently rely on private wells for all their water needs. Many residents have complained of poor water quality or wells running dry and there is often low water pressure. Gaining access to public water supply will greatly enhance the quality of life for the residents of the community affected by this issue.

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Applicant:	Mercersburg Water Authority
County:	Franklin
Applicant Address:	113 South Main Street Mercersburg, PA 16667

 Project Description: This project consists of the construction of two separate water treatment facilities within the Mercersburg Water Authority's public water system. The first facility will treat water from the existing Zimm Well and the Buck Run Well. This facility will be rated for the full combined capacity of the two wells of approximately 150 gallons per minute (gpm) and will contain systems for caustic soda addition, sodium hypochlorite addition, chlorine contact time, pressure filtration, backwash recycling, finished water booster pumps and orthophosphate addition for general corrosion control. The second facility will treat approximately 150 gpm of water from the new Park Avenue Well and will contain systems for raw water straining, softening, nitrate removal, orthophosphate addition, sodium hypochlorite addition and chlorine contact time. This project also includes construction of a 300,000-gallon finished water storage tank and a 500-gpm booster pump station to deliver water from the new Park Avenue Well treatment facility.

 Problem Description: The Mercersburg Water Authority entered into a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) with the Department on September 10, 2020, following numerous violations of the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act (35 P.S. §§ 721.1—721.17). The COA required the Mercersburg Water Authority to prepare and submit to the Department an Existing Facilities and Treatment Alternative Study which outlined methods for compliance, the costs of those methods and the Mercersburg Water Authority's plan for achieving compliance. The two new treatment plants included in this application represent the Mercersburg Water Authority's chosen methods of compliance and will allow the Mercersburg Water Authority to provide an adequate supply of safe and potable water to its users.

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Applicant:	Johnsonburg Municipal Authority
County:	Elk
Applicant Address:	601 Market Street Johnsonburg, PA 15845

 Project Description: The proposed project consists of installing a linear waterline from its current terminus, north, along Route 219 to Johnsonburg Elementary School and replacing a waterline on Rose and Grove Streets. The extension includes approximately 9,300 LF of 12-inch waterline, 460 feet of 6-inch waterline along SR 219 and Launer Drive, 46 new 1/4-inch water service connections, 6 new 2-inch water service connections and 1 4-inch water service connection to the Johnsonburg Elementary School. Work on Rose and Grove Streets includes replacing approximately 2,200 LF of antiquated asbestos cement waterline and 52 water service connections in the existing service area.

 Problem Description: This project is necessary to provide public water to the Johnsonburg Elementary School and surrounding area that experience poor water quality and quantity. The Johnsonburg Elementary School (Public Water System ID 6240304) has experienced repeated violations due to poor water quality. The project also addresses aging infrastructure that is prone to leaks, flow restrictions and water quality issues.

JESSICA SHIRLEY, 
Acting Secretary
Department of Environmental Protection

ROBERT H. BOOS, 
Executive Director
Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 24-853. Filed for public inspection June 14, 2024, 9:00 a.m.]

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