Pennsylvania DEP Clarifies Purpose of Public Meeting, Hearing to Discuss Proposed Wellsboro Johnston Airport Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

01/30/2015

CONTACT:

Daniel Spadoni, DEP North-central Regional Office

570-327-3659

 

Pennsylvania DEP Clarifies Purpose of Public Meeting, Hearing to Discuss Proposed Wellsboro Johnston Airport Project

WILLIAMSPORT -- The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today clarified the purpose of a Feb. 25 public meeting and hearing to discuss an NPDES permit application and site-specific approval submitted by Clean Earth Inc. for the proposed Wellsboro Johnston Airport project in Tioga County.

The public meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m., followed by the public hearing at 7:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the Wellsboro Fire Department Annex, 21 East Ave., Wellsboro.
“Contrary to published reports, this meeting and hearing is not about expansion of the airport runway, and DEP’s Jan. 15 news release clearly stated that, if approved, treated drill cuttings could only be used as fill to support construction of a hanger and nowhere else on the property in this phase of the project,” DEP North-central Regional Director Marcus Kohl said.

Kohl added that the current site-specific DEP approval required under Clean Earth’s Research and Development General Permit is limited to that specific use.
“Any use of treated drill cuttings as fill for the runway expansion will require a separate request from Clean Earth and approval by our Waste Management program so we will not be discussing this issue on Feb. 25,” Kohl said.

If the company does make that request at some point in the future, Kohl said DEP would consider holding another public meeting and hearing so residents can provide input.
For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us, click on “Regional Resources,” then “North-central,” then “Community Information,” or call 570-327-3636.