PA Environment Digest Blog: DEP Disapproves Final Cleanup Report On Dozens Of Chemicals At The American Refining Group Bradford Refinery In McKean County For Not Meeting Cleanup Standards

On May 15, the Department of Environmental Protection disapproved an Act 2 Land Recycling Final Report on the remediation of soil and groundwater contamination from dozens of chemicals at the American Refining Group, Inc. Refinery in Bradford, McKean County.

DEP said the report did not demonstrate attainment of the Site-Specific Act 2 Land Recycling Standard, one of three cleanup standards in the Land Recycling Program.

DEP reported the action in a formal notice in the June 1 PA Bulletin. (PA Bulletin, page 3089)

This action follows an initial disapproval of an Act 2 Land Recycling Risk Assessment Report by DEP on December 21, 2023 for almost the same chemicals at the same facility. Read more here.

Disapprovals of these technical documents are not all that common. The company will have an opportunity to address the deficiencies and resubmit the assessment.

Chemical Contaminants

The disapproved Final Report for the American Refining Group, Inc. Refinery covered these chemical contaminants--

-- Soil contamination included Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphthalene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4- (Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Pyrene, Chrysene, Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(a)- pyrene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene.

-- Groundwater contamination included Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphtha- lene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4-(Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Phenanthrene, Pyrene, Chrysene for EU-6.

Regional DEP Contact

For more information on this action, contact the Environmental Cleanup & Brownfields Program, DEP Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 16335- 3481 by calling the general office number-- 814-332-6945 or “Bill” at 814-332-6671 [according to the PA Bulletin notice, page 3089].

Visit DEP’s Land Recycling Program webpage to learn more about 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.