NOTICES
DELAWARE RIVER
BASIN COMMISSION
Public Hearing and Business Meeting
[47 Pa.B. 6810]
[Saturday, November 4, 2017]The Delaware River Basin Commission (Commission) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, November 15, 2017. A business meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2017. 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 November 15, 2017, will begin at 1:30 p.m. Hearing items will include draft dockets for withdrawals, discharges and other water-related projects subject to the Commission's review.
Written comments on matters scheduled for hearing on November 15, 2017, will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Monday, November 20, 2017. Time permitting, an opportunity for open public comment will be provided upon the conclusion of Commission business at the December 13, 2017, business meeting; in accordance with recent format changes, 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. Global Advanced Metals USA, Inc., D-1970-072-6. An application to modify the approval of the existing discharge of noncontact cooling water, steam condensate and reverse osmosis reject water from the applicant's 0.222 million gallons per day (mgd) industrial wastewater treatment plant (IWTP). The requested modification is to the previously approved total dissolved solids (TDS) determination and consists of a decrease in the average monthly TDS effluent limit for Outfall No. 001 from 9,620 milligrams per liter (mg/l) to 9,270 mg/l and an increase in the average monthly TDS effluent limit for Outfall No. 002 from 750 mg/l to 1,500 mg/l. The resultant overall allowable average monthly TDS load from the combined outfalls will be reduced from 14,590 pounds per day (lbs/day) to 14,521 lbs/day. No modifications to the IWTP facilities are proposed. Treated effluent will continue to discharge to Swamp Creek at River Mile 92.47—32.3—12.9—12.6 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Perkiomen Creek—Swamp Creek) in Douglass Township, Montgomery County and Colebrookdale Township, Berks County, PA.
2. Blue Ridge Real Estate Company, D-1985-025-4. An application to renew the approval of an existing discharge from the 0.225 mgd Big Boulder Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and the continuation of the approval by Docket No. D-1985-025-3 for an expansion to 0.265 mgd. The WWTP utilizes absorption beds for land discharge of the first 0.04 mgd of treated effluent. The WWTP will continue to discharge 0.225 mgd of treated effluent to an unnamed tributary (UNT) of Tunkhannock Creek at River Mile 183.7—83.5—5.6—2.5—0.9 (Delaware River—Lehigh River—Tobyhanna Creek—Tunkhannock Creek—UNT Tunkhannock Creek) by means of Outfall No. 001, 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 Kidder Township, Carbon County, PA.
3. Catasauqua Borough, D-1986-032 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the applicant's existing 2.25 mgd WWTP and its discharge. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to the Lehigh River at River Mile 183.7—20.2 (Delaware River—Lehigh River) 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 Catasauqua Borough, Lehigh County, PA.
4. Kiamesha Artesian Spring Water Company, D-1990-068 CP-4. An application to renew the approval to withdraw up to 22.63 million gallons per month (mgm) of surface water from Kiamesha Lake and groundwater from the Filter Plant Well and the Fraser Road Well for use in the docket holder's existing public water supply system. The total allocation is based on the reported projected daily demand and is reduced from the previously approved allocation of 28.7 million gallons per 30 days (mg/30 days). This docket also includes an annual surface water allocation of 100 million gallons per year from Kiamesha Lake in accordance with previous New York State permit requirements. The wells are completed in the Upper Walton Formation and the surface water intake is located in the Sheldrake Stream Watershed in the Town of Thompson, Sullivan County, NY within the drainage area of the section of the main stem Delaware River known as the Middle Delaware, which is classified as Special Protection Waters.
5. Nesquehoning Borough, D-1990-107 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 0.65 mgd Nesquehoning Borough WWTP and its discharge. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to Nesquehoning Creek at River Mile 183.7—48.5—1.6 (Delaware River—Lehigh River—Nesquehoning Creek) by means of Outfall No. 001, within the drainage area of the section of the main stem Delaware River known as the Lower Delware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters, in Nesquehoning Borough, Carbon County, PA.
6. Lower Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority, D-1993-068 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 10 mgd Lower Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority WWTP. No modifications are proposed. The WWTP will continute to discharge treated effluent to Water Quality Zone 2 of the Delaware River at River Mile 122.1, by means of Outfall No. 001, located in Bristol Township, Bucks County, PA.
7. Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, D-1993-076 CP-4. An application to renew the approval of an existing discharge from the 1.10 mgd Upper Dublin WWTP. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated wastewater effluent to the Pine Run Creek, a tributary of Sandy Run, at River Mile 92.47—12.5—10.6—1.1—0.7 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Wissahickon Creek—Sandy Run Creek—Pine Run Creek), in Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery County, PA.
8. Northside Heights Mobile Home Estates, D-1996-039 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 0.1 mgd Northside Heights Estates WWTP and its discharge. The WWTP will continue to discharge treated effluent to a UNT of Lizard Creek at River Mile 183.7—39.3—7.0—0.2 (Delaware River—Lehigh River—Lizard Creek—UNT Lizard Creek), by means of Outfall No. 001, 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 East Penn Township, Carbon County, PA.
9. River Road Utilities, Inc., D-2006-038-3. An application to renew the approval of the applicant's existing 0.066 mgd WWTP and its discharge. No modifications to the WWTP are proposed. The WWTP will continue to discharge to the Delaware River Water Quality Zone 1D at River Mile 204 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 Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County, PA.
10. Royersford Borough, D-2006-045 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of the existing 1.0 mgd Royersford Borough 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—41.5 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River) by means of Outfall No. 001, in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County, PA.
11. Upper Makefield Township, D-2007-024 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of an existing groundwater withdrawal of up to 8.711 mgm to supply the applicant's public water supply distribution system from existing Wells Nos. HH-1, HH-3, HH-4, GTW-1 and GTW-2. Wells Nos. HH-1, HH-3 and HH-4 are completed in the Brunswick Formation and Wells Nos. GTW-1 and GTW-2 are completed in the Lockatong Formation. The requested allocation is not an increase from the previous allocation. The project is located in the Houghs Creek and Delaware River watersheds in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks 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.
12. Squires Golf Club, D-2010-034-2. An application to renew the approval to withdraw up to 5.0 mgm of groundwater from existing Well 1 and up to 5.7 mgm of surface water from the existing Pond Intake for irrigation purposes at the applicant's golf club. The requested allocations of groundwater and surface water are not increases from the allocations previously approved by the Commission. The project well is completed in the Stockton Formation in the Park Creek Watershed in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, PA within the Commission's designated Southeastern Pennsylvania Groundwater Protected Area.
13. Naval Air Warfare Center—Warminster, D-2010-038 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of an existing discharge of treated groundwater from the Department of the Navy, Base Realignment and Closure Warminster Groundwater Treatment Plant (GTP). The GTP will continue to pump and treat an average annual flow of 0.171 mgd of contaminated groundwater from 27 onsite wells for discharge to a UNT of the Little Neshaminy Creek, a tributary of Neshaminy Creek, at River Mile 115.6—23.6—3.3—1.4 (Delaware River—Neshaminy Creek—Little Neshaminy Creek—UNT). The GTP is located in Warminster Township, Bucks County, PA and discharges at existing Outfall No. 001 located approximately 1 mile away in Warwick Township, Bucks County, PA.
14. WG America Company, D-2011-019-2. An application to renew the approval of the existing discharge of 0.075 mgd of backwash water generated by the bottled-water operations at the applicant's bottling facility. The facility will continue to discharge to the Schuylkill River at River Mile 92.47—68.5 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River) in Cumru Township, Berks County, PA. The application includes a request to renew the approval of a TDS determination consisting of effluent concentration limits of 6,850 mg/l (average monthly) and 19,600 mg/l (daily maximum).
15. Western Berks Water Authority, D-1969-055 CP-4. An application to renew the approval of an existing surface water withdrawal of up to 186 mgm to supply the applicant's water supply system from an existing intake on Tulpehocken Creek and a proposed 24-inch diameter raw water supply transmission line to be connected to Blue Marsh Dam. The water transmission pipeline will extend approximately 3,900 feet to the docket holder's existing 8.0 mgd water treatment plant. The project is located in the Tulpehocken Creek Watershed in Lower Heidleberg Township, Berks County, PA.
16. Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc., D-1977-094 CP-2. An application to renew the approval of an existing groundwater withdrawal of up to 27.82 mgm to supply the applicant's public water supply distribution systems from existing wells Flying Hills Wells Nos. 1—3 and Green Hills Wells Nos. 1 and 2. The approval will also consolidate Dockets Nos. D-1977-094, D-1991-006 and D-2001-026 CP. Flying Hills Wells Nos. 1 and 2 are completed in Brunswick Conglomerate, and Flying Hills Well No. 3 and Green Hills Wells Nos. 1 and 2 are completed in Hammer Creek Conglomerate. The requested allocation is not an increase from the previous docket allocations; it is a combined total of the three existing allocations. The project is located in the Schuylkill River Watershed in Cumru Township, Berks County, PA.
17. Delaware County Solid Waste Authority, D-1989-018 CP-7. An application to modify the approval of the applicant's existing treatment facilities and discharges at the existing Rolling Hills landfill. The applicant currently operates a 0.12-mgd leachate treatment system (LTS) and a 0.087-mgd wetland treatment system (WTS), and their respective discharges. The applicant proposes to decommission and cease operations at the LTS and its outfall (Outfall No. 001), taking the LTS out of service. The applicant has requested to maintain approval to operate and discharge from the LTS only in an emergency situation. The WTS will not be modified and will continue to operate and discharge treated effluent to Furnace Run at River Mile 92.47—54.15—13.9—1.4 (Delaware River—Schuylkill River—Manatawny Creek—Furnace Run) by means of Outfall No. 006, in Earl Township, Berks County, PA.
18. Pennsylvania American Water Company, D-1996-016 CP-3. An application to renew the approval of an existing surface water withdrawal of up to 217 mgm to supply the applicant's public water supply distribution system from existing intakes on Rock Run Reservoir and the West Branch Brandywine Creek. When Rock Run Reservoir is spilling, the docket holder can withdraw up to 7.0 mgd from Rock Run; and when the reservoir is not spilling the docket holder can withdraw up to 3.0 mgd from Rock Run and 4.0 mgd from the West Branch Brandywine Creek. The project is located in the West Branch Brandywine Creek Watershed in West Caln Township, Chester County, PA.
19. Pocono Manor Investors, LP, D-2007-044-2. An application to renew the approval of an existing surface water withdrawal and to approve an increase in allocation from 0.72 mg/30 days to 1.5 mgm to irrigate the applicant's golf course from an existing intake on Indian Run. This renewal will approve the use of Well No. 2 to supplement water to the irrigation system in case of an emergency. The project is located in the Brodhead Creek Watershed, Pocono Township, Monroe County, PA, within the drainage area of the section of the nontidal Delaware River known as the Middle Delaware, which the Commission has classified as Special Protection Waters.
20. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), D-2015-017 CP-2. An application to approve new surface water intakes located at Marshal Island and Bowman's Hill and to approve an increase in surface water withdrawal from 3.565 mgm up to 45 mgm (to supplement water in the Delaware Canal) from two existing surface water intakes on the Delaware River at Durham and Center Bridge and the two new intakes. The surface water intake at Center Bridge is the only one proposed to be used on a regular basis. The other three intakes will be used only during canal maintenance or when the Easton and New Hope inlets are not available. The increase in allocation is due to an inaccurate estimation of water use by the DCNR in their previous application submittal. The requested allocation is the amount of water that has been withdrawn on a daily basis from the existing intakes for the past 20 years. The water will be used to augment flow in the Delaware Canal. The existing and new intakes are located in the Delaware River Watershed in Durham, Tinicum and Solebury Townships, Bucks County, PA 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. This application also continues the request under the temporary pilot project to discharge up to 3.0 mgd from the Point Pleasant Pump Station into the Delaware Canal to re-establish and maintain flow in the canal.
21. Joe Jurgielewicz & Sons, Ltd., D-2017-003-1. An application to approve a groundwater withdrawal of up to 5.425 mgm to supply water to the applicant's agricultural duck farm and processing facility from 17 existing wells (Nos. PW-1—PW-17). The project wells are completed in Ordovician sedimentary rock units of shale and graywacke of the Hamburg Sequence. The project is located in the Mill Creek Watershed in Tilden Township, Berks County, PA.
22. Little Lehigh Tree & Turf, D-2017-004-1. An application to approve a groundwater withdrawal of up to 148.176 mgm to irrigate the applicant's corn farm from existing Wells Nos. H-1, H-4, H-5 and B-1. The project wells are completed in the Allentown Dolomite Formation. The project is located in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County and Longswamp Township, Berks 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.
23. Delaware River Partners, LLC, D-2017-009-1. An application to review the dredging of the Delaware River for the Delaware River Partners Gibbstown Logistics Center, a proposed multi-use deepwater seaport and international logistics center located at River Mile 86.5 of the Delaware River in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, NJ.
Public meeting. The public business meeting on December 13, 2017, will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include: adoption of the minutes of the Commission's September 13, 2017, business meeting; 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 resolutions authorizing the Executive Director to: 1) execute an agreement for the preparation of an actuarial evaluation of the Commission's Other Post-Employment Benefit obligations, in accordance with Government Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 45; and 2) enter into an agreement with the University of Maryland for the analysis of ambient water samples collected from the Delaware Estuary for primary productivity and associated nutrient parameters.
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 December 13, 2017, business meeting on items for which a hearing was completed on November 15, 2017, or a previous date. Commission consideration on December 13, 2017, 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 November 15, 2017, or to address the Commissioners informally during the open public comment portion of the meeting on December 13, 2017, 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 their 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. 17-1808. Filed for public inspection November 3, 2017, 9:00 a.m.]
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