Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec.
250.1. Definitions.
250.2. Application of remediation standards.
250.3. Management of contaminated media.
250.4. Limits related to PQLs.
250.5. Public notice by applicant.
250.6. Public participation.
250.7. Fees.
250.8. Publication.
250.9. Interaction with other environmental statutes.
250.10. Measurement of regulated substances in media.
250.11. Periodic review of MSCs.
250.12. Professional seal.§ 250.1. Definitions.
In addition to the words and terms defined in the act, the following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
ASTM—The American Society for Testing and Materials.
Act—The Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P. S. § § 6026.101—6026.909).
Agricultural purposes—Commercial agricultural activities, including, but not limited to, irrigation of crops, watering of livestock, and food production, processing or packaging.
Anisotropy—The variability of a physical property based on direction, for example, variation in permeability in relation to direction of groundwater flow.
Community water system—As defined in the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act (35 P.S. § § 721.1—721.17), a public water system, which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.
EQL—Estimated quantitation limit—The lowest concentration that can be reliably achieved within specified limits of precision and accuracy during routine laboratory operating conditions.
Enterprise zone—An area specially designated as an enterprise zone under requirements determined by the Department of Community and Economic Development.
Environmental covenant—A servitude, as set forth in a document prepared under 27 Pa.C.S. Chapter 65 (relating to Uniform Environmental Covenants Act), arising under an environmental response project which imposes activity and use limitations.
Environmental protection acts—Includes:(i) The Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. § § 691.1—691.1001).
(ii) The Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (53 P.S. § § 4001.101—4001.1904).
(iii) The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (35 P.S. § § 6020.101—6020.1305).
(iv) The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Act (35 P.S. § § 7130.101—7130.906).
(v) The act of July 13, 1988 (35 P.S. § § 6019.1—6019.6), known as the Infectious and Chemotherapeutic Waste Disposal Law.
(vi) The Air Pollution Control Act (35 P.S. § § 4001—4015).
(vii) The Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (52 P.S. § § 1396.1—1396.31).
(viii) The Noncoal Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (35 P.S. § § 3301—3326).
(ix) The Dam Safety and Encroachments Act (32 P.S. § § 693.1—693.27).
(x) The Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. § § 6018.101—6018.1003).
(xi) Other State or Federal statutes relating to environmental protection or the protection of public health.
Habitats of concern—A habitat defined as one of the following:(i) Typical wetlands with identifiable function and value, except for exceptional value wetlands as defined in § 105.17 (relating to wetlands).
(ii) Breeding areas for species of concern.
(iii) Migratory stopover areas for species of concern.
(iv) Wintering areas for species of concern.
(v) Habitat for State endangered plant and animal species.
(vi) Federal, State and local parks and wilderness areas, and areas designated as wild, scenic or recreational.
(vii) Areas otherwise designated as critical or of concern by the Game Commission, the Fish and Boat Commission or the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Heterogeneity—Nonhomogeneous structure, composition and physical properties.
MCL—Maximum contaminant level.
MDL—Method detection limit—The instrument-specific minimum measured concentration of a substance that can be reported with 99% confidence to be distinguishable from the method blank result.
MSC—Medium-specific concentration.
NIR—Notice of Intent to Remediate.
NPDES—National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System—The National system for the issuance of permits under section 402 of the Federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.A. § 1342) including a state or interstate program which has been approved in whole or in part by the EPA.
PQL—Practical quantitation limit—The lowest limit that can be reliably achieved within specified limits of precision and accuracy under routine laboratory conditions for a specified matrix and based on quantitation, precision and accuracy, normal operation of a laboratory and the practical need in a compliance-monitoring program to have a sufficient number of laboratories available to conduct the analyses.
Property—A parcel of land defined by the metes and bounds set forth in the deed for that land.
Regulated discharge—A point or nonpoint source discharge subject to the permit or approval requirements of Chapters 91—96, 97 (reserved) and 102—105 and any diffuse surface or groundwater discharge to surface waters which has the potential to cause an exceedance of the water quality standards in Chapter 93 (relating to water quality standards).
Risk assessment—A process to quantify the risk posed by exposure of a human or ecological receptor to regulated substances. The term includes baseline risk assessment, development of site-specific standards and risk assessment of the remedial alternatives.
SIA—special industrial area—Property where there is no financially viable responsible person to perform remediation or property located within an enterprise zone, and where the property was used for industrial activity.
Secondary contaminants—A regulated substance for which a secondary MCL exists, and no lifetime health advisory level exists.
Site—The extent of contamination originating within the property boundaries and all areas in close proximity to the contamination necessary for the implementation of remediation activities to be conducted under the act.
Species of concern—Species designated as of special concern, rare, endangered, threatened or candidate by the Game Commission, the Fish and Boat Commission or the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, if the species has not also been designated threatened or endangered by the Federal government.
TF—Transfer factor.
Volatile compound—A chemical compound with either a boiling point less than 200° centigrade at 1 atmosphere or a Henry’s law constant greater than or equal to 1 x 10-5 atm-m3/mol and a molecular weight less than 200 g/mol, where:atm = standard atmosphere
m3 = cubic meter
mol = mole
g = gram
g/mol = molar mass
Authority The provisions of this § 250.1 amended under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a) and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.1 amended November 23, 2001, effective November 24, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 6395; amended January 7, 2011, effective January 8, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 230; amended November 19, 2021, effective November 20, 2021, 51 Pa.B. 7173. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (384211) to (384212) and (355261) to (355262).
§ 250.2. Application of remediation standards.
(a) This chapter provides remediation standards which shall be used whenever site remediation is voluntarily conducted or is required under environmental statutes in section 106 of the act (35 P. S. § 6026.106).
(b) A person who is required to perform a site remediation under an enforcement action of the Department shall meet the following:
(1) Select one or a combination of the background standards contained in Subchapter B (relating to background standard), Statewide health standards contained in Subchapter C (relating to Statewide health standards) and site-specific standards, contained in Subchapter D (relating to site-specific standards).
(2) Demonstrate compliance with the substantive, procedural and notice requirements of the act and this chapter.
(c) To qualify for liability protection under the act, a person conducting remediation shall comply with this chapter and the act. Administrative and procedural requirements for remediations in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be used in lieu of those requirements listed in this chapter to qualify for liability protection under the act.
(1) Persons remediating sites placed on the Pennsylvania Priority List shall comply with the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (35 P. S. § § 6020.101—6020.1305), except for the cleanup levels which are set by the act.
(2) Persons remediating releases from storage tanks regulated under the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act (35 P. S. § § 6021.101—6021.2104) shall comply with the requirements of the corrective action process under the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act, except for the cleanup levels which are set by the act.
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 250.201 (relating to scope).
§ 250.3. Management of contaminated media.
(a) Contaminated media removed for reuse, treatment or disposal shall be managed in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Act (35 P. S. § § 6018.101—6018.1003), The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § § 691.1—691.1001), the act of July 13, 1988 (P. L. 525, No. 93) (35 P. S. § § 6019.1—6019.6), known as the Infectious and Chemotherapeutic Waste Law, the Air Pollution Control Act (35 P. S. § § 4001—4015) and the regulations thereunder.
(b) The Department may waive procedural and operating requirements for onsite remediation activities based on a written demonstration of any of the criteria in section 902(b) of the act (35 P. S. § 6026.902).
§ 250.4. Limits related to PQLs.
(a) The PQLs shall be selected from the PQLs or EQLs specified by the EPA in the most current version of the EPA’s drinking water or solid waste analytical methods.
(b) For regulated substances when PQLs or EQLs set by the EPA exceed an MCL or HAL or have a health risk that is greater (less protective) than the risk levels set in sections 303(c) and 304(b) and (c) of the act (35 P.S. § § 6026.303(c) and 6026.304(b) and (c)) and for substances when no EQL has been established by the EPA, the PQL shall be established by the methodologies in paragraph (1) or (2).
(1) A level set by multiplying 3.18 by the published method detection limit (MDL) of the most recently approved EPA methodology.
(2) A level set by multiplying 3.18 by the instrument-specific MDL. If multiple instruments are used, then the PQL is set by averaging the instrument-specific MDLs and multiplying that value by 3.18.
(c) For regulated substances which have no limits related to PQLs identified in subsection (b)(1) or (2), a person shall demonstrate attainment under the site-specific standard or the background standard.
(d) When a minimum threshold MSC is used as a Statewide health standard, the minimum threshold MSC is the Statewide health standard regardless of whether it is higher or lower than a quantitation limit established by this section.
(e) Nothing in this section restricts the selection of valid and generally accepted methods to be used to analyze samples of environmental media.
Authority The provisions of this § 250.4 amended under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a) and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.4 amended November 19, 2021, effective November 20, 2021, 51 Pa.B. 7173. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (382749) to (382750).
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 250.701 (relating to scope).
§ 250.5. Public notice by applicant.
(a) Public notice under the background, Statewide health or site-specific standard and under a special industrial area cleanup shall be initiated by the applicant through an NIR. For remediations proposing the use of a site-specific standard or, for remediations under an SIA agreement, the public and the municipality where the site is located shall be provided a 30-day period, in the NIR, in which the municipality may request to be involved in the development of the remediation and reuse plans for the site.
(b) The remedial investigation report, the risk assessment report and the cleanup plan, prepared under a site-specific remediation, may not be submitted to the Department until after the initial 30-day public and municipal comment period following the submission of the NIR has expired.
(c) The baseline environmental report, prepared under an SIA remediation, shall be submitted after the initial 30-day public and municipal comment period has expired.
(d) For areas not covered entirely by a nonuse aquifer areawide certification granted under § 250.303(f) (relating to aquifer determination; current use and currently planned use of aquifer groundwater), at the same time a request for a nonuse aquifer designation under the Statewide health standard is made to the Department, the remediator shall send notice to every municipality and community water supplier servicing the area requested for designation as nonuse under § 250.303(b). The notice must include a copy of the request for determination of nonuse aquifer submitted to the Department.
(e) Upon receipt of notice of a request for a nonuse aquifer designation, the municipality and community water supplier shall have 45 days to indicate to the Department and the remediator any information relevant to the requirements of § 250.303.
(f) Reasonable proof of the mailing of the municipal notices and arranging for the publication of newspaper notices, required under sections 302(e), 303(h), 304(n) and 305(c) of the act (35 P.S. § § 6026.302(e), 6026.303(h), 6026.304(n) and 6026.305(c)), shall be submitted at the same time the NIR, plan or report is submitted to the Department. Examples of reasonable proof include:
(1) A copy of the letter to the municipality with a United States Postal Service Certified Mail Receipt, PS Form No. 3800.
(2) A copy of the proposed text of the newspaper notice and the anticipated publication date.
Authority The provisions of this § 250.5 amended under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a) and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.5 amended November 23, 2001, effective November 24, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 6395; amended August 26, 2016, effective August 27, 2016, 46 Pa.B. 5655. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (285758).
Cross References This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 250.303 (relating to aquifer determination; current use and currently planned use of aquifer groundwater).
§ 250.6. Public participation.
(a) The publication date of the summary of the NIR in a newspaper of general circulation in the area of the site shall initiate the 30-day public and municipal comment period during which the municipality can request to be involved in the development of the remediation and reuse plans for a site being remediatedto a site-specific standard or for remediation at an SIA.
(b) The person proposing remediation shall be responsible for developing and implementing a public involvement plan if both of the following circumstances exist:
(1) The remediation involves a site-specific standard or an SIA cleanup.
(2) A municipality, through its official representatives, has requested, in writing, to be involved in the development of the remediation and reuse plans within the 30-day public and municipal comment period identified in the notice to the municipality and the newspaper notice.
(c) If a public involvement plan has been initiated, the person proposing remediation shall, at a minimum, include the following three measures in the plan to involve the public in the development and review of the remedial investigation report, risk assessment report, cleanup plan and final report:
(1) Provide public access at convenient locations for document review.
(2) Designate a single contact person to address questions from the community.
(3) Use a location near the remediation site for any public hearings and meetings that may be part of the public involvement plan.
(d) If a public involvement plan has been requested, the person proposing the remediation shall notify the Department and submit the plan to the municipality and the Department prior to its implementation.
Authority The provisions of this § 250.6 amended under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104 and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.6 amended November 23, 2001, effective November 24, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 6395; amended November 19, 2021, effective November 20, 2021, 51 Pa.B. 7173. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (382751).
§ 250.7. Fees.
(a) Resubmission of a cleanup plan, remedial investigation, risk assessment or final report will require payment of the appropriate fee identified in the act for each resubmission.
(b) The Department will disapprove a plan or report that is submitted without the appropriate fee.
(c) The Department may waive the fee for resubmission of a plan or report if the resubmission is related to correcting minor administrative or technical deficiencies. The fee waiver is limited to the following:
(1) One time for each plan or report to correct administrative deficiencies if the corrections are made within 15 days of notice of the deficiencies by the Department.
(2) One time for each plan or report to correct technical deficiencies if the corrections are made within 60 days of notice of the deficiencies by the Department.
Authority The provisions of this § 250.7 amended under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a) and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.7 amended August 26, 2016, effective August 27, 2016, 46 Pa.B. 5655. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (285759).
§ 250.8. Publication.
The Department will publish a notice of its final actions on plans and reports in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
§ 250.9. Interaction with other environmental statutes.
(a) A release of a regulated substance at a solid waste facility which did not receive waste after September 7, 1980, shall be remediated in accordance with this chapter and the act.
(b) Nothing in this chapter affects the permitting, operation, design, performance or closure requirements under the environmental protection acts or regulations thereunder. The remediation standards as defined in Chapters 271 and 287 (relating to municipal waste management—general provisions; and residual waste management—general provisions), do not substitute for design and performance standards required under the solid waste management regulations. See Articles VIII and IX (relating to municipal waste; and residual waste management). In the case of hazardous waste facilities, remediations shall comply with requirements applicable under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C.A. § § 6901—6986).
(c) An unpermitted release or spill of a regulated substance at a permitted solid waste facility that is outside a disposal or processing unit, including surface impoundments, waste storage areas, associated piping and underlying containment systems, shall be remediated in accordance with this chapter and the act.
Authority The provisions of this § 250.9 amended under sections 5(b) and 402 of The Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. § § 691.5(b) and 691.402); section 302 of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (53 P.S. § 4000.302); section 408(e) of the Pennsylvania Used Oil Recycling Act (58 P.S. § 408(e)); sections 1905-A, 1917-A and 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § § 510-5, 510-17 and 510-20); sections 104(a), 301(c) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a), 6026.301(c) and 6026.303(a)); section 105(4) of the Waste Tire Recycling Act (35 P.S. § 6029.105(4)); sections 301 and 302 of the Radiation Protection Act (35 P.S. § § 7110.301 and 7110.302); and the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S. § 4909(e).
Source The provisions of this § 250.9 amended January 12, 2001, effective January 13, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 235. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (233643).
§ 250.10. Measurement of regulated substances in media.
(a) For measuring regulated substances in soil and sediments, analyses shall be performed on a dry weight basis.
(b) For metals in soil, analyses shall be performed on total metals, except for hexavalent and trivalent chromium, which analyses shall be performed individually.
(c) For groundwater, samples for metals analysis shall be field filtered and field acidified in accordance with the most current version of the Groundwater Monitoring Guidance Manual, Department of Environmental Protection, 3610-BK-DEP1973.
(d) For groundwater where monitoring is being performed at a drinking water well, samples for metals analysis shall be field acidified and unfiltered in accordance with the most current version of Land Recycling Program Technical Guidance Manual, Appendix A: Groundwater Monitoring Guidance, Department of Environmental Protection, document number 261-0300-101, or in accordance with an alternative sampling method that accurately measures regulated substances in groundwater.
(e) For surface water, samples for metals analysis shall be field acidified in accordance with approved EPA analytical methods in § 16.102 (relating to approved EPA analytical methods and detection limits).
(f) For air, samples and analyses shall be performed in accordance with Chapters 131 and 139 (relating to ambient air quality standards; and sampling and testing).
Authority The provisions of this § 250.10 amended under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a) and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.10 amended November 19, 2021, effective November 20, 2021, 51 Pa.B. 7173. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (382753).
§ 250.11. Periodic review of MSCs.
The Department will review new scientific information that relates to the basis of the MSCs as it becomes available and will propose appropriate changes for the consideration of the EQB as necessary, but in no case more than 36 months after the effective date of the most recently promulgated MSCs.
Source The provisions of this § 250.11 adopted January 7, 2011, effective January 8, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 230.
§ 250.12. Professional seal.
Reports submitted to satisfy this subchapter containing information or analysis that constitutes professional geologic or engineering work as defined by the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law (63 P.S. § § 148—158.2) must be sealed by a professional geologist or engineer who is in compliance with that statute.
Authority The provisions of this § 250.12 added under sections 104(a) and 303(a) of the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (35 P.S. § § 6026.104(a) and 6026.303(a)); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P.S. § 510-20).
Source The provisions of this § 250.12 added November 19, 2021, effective November 20, 2021, 51 Pa.B. 7173.
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