Environmental agency to hold public hearing on water contamination investigation in Benner Township
Residents in Benner Township will have the opportunity to give feedback on the Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection’s perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) investigation and its proposed interim response on Tuesday.
According to a press release, the DEP’s Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields is investigating a groundwater plume located in Benner Township in accordance with the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act.
The investigation began in 2020 after sampling data from public water supply wells collected by DEP’s Safe Drinking Water Program in 2019, the website states. This data indicated that groundwater in the area of High Tech Road is contaminated with PFAS compounds, according to the website.
PFAS are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and the human body, according to a release. While research is ongoing, exposure to high levels of certain PFAS may be harmful, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Studies have found links to exposure to certain levels of PFAS and developmental delays in children, increased risk of some cancers, reproductive effects and more.
The interim response included providing bottled drinking water to residential areas impacted. The DEP has proposed installation of whole-house filtration systems on private residential water supplies impacted.
“DEP has initiated a prompt interim response which consists of providing bottled drinking water and has proposed installation of whole-house filtration systems on private residential water supplies where perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctonic acid (PFOA) exceed the applicable Health Advisory Level,” the release stated.
PFAS are used in the manufacture of a variety of products and materials, the release said. According to DEP’s website, that includes “cookware, carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, and other materials that are resistant to water, grease, or stains.” They are also used in firefighting foams.
A copy of the administrative record, fact sheet about the investigation, map, and additional information about PFAS is available on DEP’s website at www.dep.pa.gov/BennerHSCA.
The DEP will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at the Benner Township Municipal Building, 1224 Buffalo Run Road, Bellefonte, in which residents can give comments. Comments are limited to three minutes per person and will be recorded. There will be a brief informational presentation on the investigation.
Those who wish to offer testimony at the public hearing should register with Megan Lehman at 570-327-3659 or meglehman@pa.gov. Registration to testify will close at 4 p.m. Monday. Registration is not required simply to attend the hearing.
Persons with a disability who wish to attend the hearing and require auxiliary aid, service or other accommodations to participate in the proceedings should call through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD).
Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. Aug. 26, and should be sent to Cheryl Sinclair by email, csinclair@pa.gov, or by mail or hand-delivery to the DEP Northcentral Regional Office, 208 W. 3rd Street, Suite 101, Williamsport, PA 17701.
After the public comment period ends, the DEP will prepare a comment and response document responding to all public comments received prior to the deadline, the release states.
