DEP Invites Comments On Draft Guidance Manual For Permitting New Commercial Hazardous Waste Treatment & Disposal Facilities

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 20 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a draft Guidance Manual for Permitting of New  Commercial Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (DEP ID: 251-2100-755).

The 1988 Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act required the Secretary of DEP to develop guidelines for applicants interested in establishing commercial hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities.

The guidelines are to include siting criteria, permit requirements, application timetables and describe the application review process.

In addition, the guidance provides host municipalities and the general public information to make their opportunities for the involvement in the permitting process more productive.

“The DEP believes that the better the public understands the permitting and application review process, the greater will be the public’s trust in the final permit decision.”

The guidance notes “this type of permit is considered a trigger permit under DEP’s Environmental Justice Policy (015-0501-002). 

“Permit applicants are encouraged to consult the PennEnviroScreen tool to see if their project falls in a designated Environmental Justice Area which would automatically trigger this policy. 

“This tool can also provide information on burdens and vulnerabilities faced by the community, which may come up during the permitting process. DEP staff is available to assist in this process.”

The steps in the permitting process include--

-- Step 1: Pre-Application Process

-- Step II: Phase I Exclusionary Criteria Review

-- Step III Phase II Exclusionary Review And Operations & Design Application

-- Step IV: Permit Decision

Click Here for a copy of the draft Manual.

DEP presented the draft Manual to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee on October 19, 2023.  Click Here for a copy of the presentation given to the Committee.

Comments are due February 18.  Questions should be directed to Chad Clancy, (717) 787-2808 or by e-mail to cclancy@a.gov. 

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information and instructions on submitting comments.

Visit DEP’s Commercial Hazardous Waste Facility webpage for more information on this program.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Report Emergencies, Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

[Posted: January 19, 2024]  PA Environment Digest