The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday said it has reached an innovative settlement with Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Pennsylvania (ABC) and R. A. Glancy and Sons, Inc. (Glancy) regarding violations of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law.
Under the terms of the Consent Order and Agreement, ABC will develop a full-day classroom style training workshop which will be offered to the group’s members at no charge. Non-members may also attend but there may be a fee.
The focus of the workshop will be educating builders and contractors on compliance with the state’s erosion and sediment regulations. The settlement stipulates that ABC provide the training for a minimum of 100 attendees.
The Consent Order also requires ABC to write and publish, in a trade newsletter or magazine, a series of four educational articles on erosion and sediment control at construction sites.
The action by DEP stemmed from violations that occurred during the construction of a headquarters office building for ABC on a two-acre site located on Venture Drive in Gibsonia. Glancy was hired by ABC to construct the building.
Seven inspections of the construction site conducted between January 24, 2012, and July 18, 2013, determined that soil at the site was not properly stabilized during construction. This created the potential for sediment pollution to Pine Creek.
As a part of the settlement, ABC will pay a civil penalty and the costs of investigations, totaling $5,769.
In addition, ABC and Glancy did not develop or implement a written erosion and sediment plan as required by the Clean Streams Law. They also failed to submit a post construction stormwater management plan and preparedness, prevention and contingency plan to DEP for approval.
The Allegheny County Conservation District assisted DEP by conducting the inspections of the building site and documenting the violations of the state’s environmental statutes.
