Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
Section 287.151 - Public notice by applicant(a) An applicant for a new permit, major permit modification, permit renewal, permit reissuance and a person or municipality submitting a closure plan shall publish once a week for 3 consecutive weeks a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area where the facility or proposed facility is located. The notice shall meet the following requirements: (1) The notice shall include a brief description of the location and proposed operation or closure of the facility, and shall indicate where copies of the application or closure plan will be filed. If groundwater degradation exists at closure or occurs after closure, the notice shall include a list of contaminants, abatement measures taken prior to closure, if applicable, proposed remediation measures and proposed remediation standards to be met. If the permittee proposes to utilize the site-specific standard, the notice shall include a 30-day public and municipal comment period during which the municipality can request to be involved in the development of the remediation and reuse plans for the site.(2) The notice shall state that the host municipality and county may submit comments to the Department within 60 days of receipt of the application or closure plan, recommending conditions upon, revisions to and approval or disapproval of the permit or closure plan, with the specific reason described in the comments.(3) The notice shall state that the Department will accept comments from the public on the permit application or closure plan and shall state the procedure for submission of comments.(4) The notice shall state if the applicant proposes a design alternative under § 287.231 (relating to equivalency review procedure) and shall briefly describe the alternative design.(5) If the application is for a new residual waste landfill, residual waste disposal impoundments, transfer facility or incinerator or for a major modification of a residual waste landfill or residual waste disposal impoundment permit, the notice shall be in the form of a display advertisement.(b) An applicant for a new permit, permit reissuance, permit renewal or major permit modification, and a person or municipality submitting a closure plan, shall also notify by certified mail, owners and occupants of land continguous to the site or the proposed permit area of the nature and extent of the proposed facility or closure plan. If the applicant proposes design alternative under § 287.231, the notice shall so state and shall briefly describe the alternative design. The applicant shall submit proof of the notice in the form of a United States Postal Service postmarked signature card or other dated acknowledgment form of private letter carrier services.(c) The Department may require the person or municipality to provide additional public notice if the Department determines that the proposed facility or closure plan is of significant interest to the public or may cause significant environmental impact.(d) An applicant for a new permit, permit reissuance, permit renewal or major permit modification, and a person or municipality submitting a closure plan shall, immediately before the application or plan is filed with the Department, give written notice to each municipality in which the site or proposed permit area is located. If groundwater degradation exists at closure or occurs after closure, the notice shall include a list of contaminants, abatement measures taken prior to closure, if applicable, proposed remediation measures and proposed remediation standards to be met. If the permittee proposes to utilize the site-specific standard, the notice shall include a 30-day public and municipal comment period during which the municipality can request to be involved in the development of the remediation and reuse plans for the site. The notice shall state if the applicant proposes a design alternative under § 287.231, and shall briefly describe the alternative design. The applicant shall file with the Department a copy of the notice as part of the application or plan. The Department will not issue a permit for 60 days from the date of this notice unless each municipality to which this notice is sent submits a written statement to the Department expressly waiving the 60-day period.(e) Proof of compliance with the applicable requirements of this section shall be submitted within 30 days of filing its permit application or closure plan with the Department.(f) For new or expanded residual waste landfills or residual waste disposal impoundments for which the Phase I and Phase II applications are submitted separately, the notice required by this section shall be provided only for the Phase I application.The provisions of this §287.151 amended January 12, 2001, effective 1/13/2001, 31 Pa.B. 235. This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 287.154 (relating to public notice and public hearings for permit modifications); 25 Pa. Code § 287.221 (relating to permit reissuance); 25 Pa. Code § 287.502 (relating to relationship to other requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 288.422 (relating to areas where Class I residual waste landfills are prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 288.522 (relating to areas where Class II residual waste landfills are prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 288.622 (relating to areas where Class III residual waste landfills are prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 289.422 (relating to areas where Class I residual waste disposal impoundments are prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 289.522 (relating to areas where Class II residual waste disposal impoundments are prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 291.202 (relating to areas where the land application of residual waste is prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 293.202 (relating to areas where transfer facilities are prohibited); 25 Pa. Code § 295.202 (relating to areas where composting facilities are prohibited); and 25 Pa. Code § 297.202 (relating to areas where incinerators and other processing facilities are prohibited).