DEP Proposes Changes To Regional Haze Air Pollution Plan For Comment, 3 Hearings

The Department of Environmental Protection invites comments on proposed changes to Pennsylvania’s Regional Haze Air Pollution Implementation Plan and 5-Year Progress Report.  (formal notice)

This proposed SIP revision is intended to address the requirements for periodic reports evaluating progress towards the Reasonable Progress Goals.

The revision includes a negative declaration that further revision of the 2010 Regional Haze SIP is not needed at this time to achieve established goals for visibility improvement and emissions reductions.

DEP will hold three hearings on the revision all starting at 10:00--

-- April 19: DEP Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh;

-- April 19: DEP Southeast Regional Office, 2 East Main Street, Norristown; and

-- April 20: DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg.

Persons wishing to present testimony at a hearing should contact Kaylene Wance, P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, 717-787-9257 or send email to: kwance@pa.gov to reserve a time. Speakers will be limited to 10 minutes and should provide two written copies of their comments. Persons who do not reserve a time will be able to testify as time allows.

If by 12 p.m. on April 16 no person has expressed an interest in testifying at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. The Department will provide public notice on the Bureau of Air Quality webpage if the hearing is canceled. Persons may also contact Kaylene Wance at 717-787-9257 or send email to: kwance@pa.gov to find out if the hearing is canceled.

The Department must receive public comments no later than April 20.  Click Here for a copy of the Plan revision.

Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's eComment system at or by email to: ecomment@pa.gov.  Written comments may be mailed to the Policy Office, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063. Use ''Regional Haze Five-Year Progress Report'' as the subject line in written communication.

Click Here for the formal March 17 PA Bulletin notice for more details.