Ian Harlow

The meeting focused on several rulemaking petitions. The Board considered and accepted for further evaluation an amended rulemaking petition regarding Unconventional Well Setbacks, despite some opposition concerning legislative versus regulatory authority and potential impacts on resource adequacy. The Board unanimously accepted a rulemaking petition concerning the Determination of Attainable Bottom for well plugging requirements. Two other rulemaking petitions were accepted for further evaluation: one regarding the Onsite Processing of Fluids from Oil and Gas Operations and another concerning Preparedness, Prevention, and Contingency Plans at Well Sites. Additionally, the Board accepted a petition regarding the Redesignation of Shades Creek Watershed. The meeting also included presentations on the three-year regulatory fee reports for the Water and Wastewater Systems Operators' Certification Program and the Radiation Protection Program, with a note that a proposed regulation for the latter is anticipated in 2026. Regulatory updates on recently adopted rulemakings were also provided.

This report from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania PFAS Action Team details strategies and actions to address the risks of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to human health and the environment. The plan's objectives include ensuring safe drinking water, managing environmental contamination, developing site-specific remediation plans, reducing risks from PFAS sources, establishing a public information clearinghouse, enhancing inter-agency information sharing, identifying funding for remediation efforts, and engaging academic experts. It outlines current progress, ongoing initiatives, and future steps to mitigate PFAS exposure and establish state-level protective measures.

The formal public hearing, conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), concerned the Benner Township PFAS Investigation and the Department's proposed prompt interim response. Key discussion points included the background of the investigation, which detected PFOS and PFOA contamination in groundwater above the existing Pennsylvania Groundwater Cleanup Standard (MSC) of 70 parts per trillion. The DEP presented its proposed prompt interim response, which combines supplying bottled water to impacted homeowners until point-of-entry (POE) treatment systems can be installed. Public comments raised concerns regarding the recent, more stringent EPA interim health advisory limits (4 ppt for PFOS and 20 ppt for PFOA), the need to extend interim response measures to all potentially impacted residents due to test variability, the financial liability for long-term treatment system maintenance, and the need for DEP action to identify and hold responsible parties, specifically mentioning the University Park Airport, accountable for contamination sources.

This document outlines Phase 1 of the PFAS Sampling Plan for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Safe Drinking Water. The plan aims to prioritize sites for PFAS sampling across public water systems to generate statewide occurrence data and comprehensively address PFAS contamination. Key objectives include identifying potential sources of PFAS contamination (PSOCs), assessing relative risk to public water system users, and selecting a control group. The methodology involves spatial analysis to identify target public water systems near PSOCs such as military bases, airports, landfills, and industrial sites, alongside baseline sites located in forested watersheds, to ensure drinking water safety and effectively manage environmental contamination.

The meeting commenced with updates from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) staff, including personnel changes within the Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ). Director Mariana Fletcher presented the OEJ's third-quarter permitting statistics for 2025, detailing permits issued in Environmental Justice (EJ) Areas and Enhanced Public Participation (EPP) trigger permits, alongside proactive community engagement statistics. Guest presenters from Dauphin County Department of Solid Waste Management and Recycling and Keep PA Beautiful discussed illegal dumping cleanup projects and initiatives. The board then addressed DEP recommendation requests, formally moving to create a PennEnviroScreen Working Group, with discussion on term limits, and agreeing on a process for the Enhanced Public Participation Working Group. A motion carried to accept the draft proposal for an EJAB Strategic Issues Working Group. Information regarding the 2026 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence was also shared. Next steps included preparing for the election of a new Vice Chair and reviewing the board bylaws.