Hazardous Drum Cleanup Discussed Tuesday

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will host a public hearing at 5PM on Tuesday, March 3 to explain the recent disposal of drums containing hazardous substances recently found in Kittanning Township, Armstrong County. The public hearing will detail actions DEP has taken to date, giving area residents an opportunity to comment.

The public hearing will be held at the Kittanning Township Volunteer Fire Department located at 13126 US Route 422, Kittanning.

On October 24, 2014, DEP responded to a complaint and discovered eight 16-gallon drums containing hazardous substances along Pyrra Road. DEP initiated a prompt interim response to remove and temporarily store the drums. Had the drums not been removed, there would have been a threat to human health and to the environment.

DEP developed a plan to ensure that the contents of the drums were safely transported to a permanent disposal site. The drums were properly disposed of on January 28 by a contractor hired by DEP.

DEP’s work was conducted under the authority of the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act, a 1988 law that authorizes the agency to perform cleanup of hazardous waste sites and recover costs from responsible parties.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to provide testimony at the hearing. Those wishing to make comments should register, in writing, with Community Relations Coordinator John Poister, in care of DEP’s Southwestern Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or by phone at 412-442-4203 before noon on the day of the hearing. There will also be an opportunity to register on-site at the hearing.

Those unable to attend the hearing should submit written comments to Edward Litwin, Project Manager. The public comment period for this cleanup plan will close on April 24.

For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us.