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CMA faces delay in treatment plant plan
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
By Jeff Corcino Staff Writer
A delay in the review process for the Clearfield Municipal Authority's new wastewater treatment plant could cost the authority thousands of dollars.
At yesterday's CMA meeting, CMA engineer James Potopa, project engineer with Gwin, Dobson & Foreman Inc. of Altoona reported the state Department of Environmental Protection has suspended review of its plans for its new $20-$25 million wastewater treatment plant and has asked for additional information.
He said the DEP is asking for additional information/clarification on several items such as how the plant relates to Clearfield Borough and Lawrence Township's flow data, additional planning under Act 537 and whether the CMA has received clearance from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for the site.
Because it is breaking new ground for the new plant, the CMA was required to hire an archeologist to perform an archeological study on the site to make sure there aren't any historically significant artifacts on the site.
CMA manager Jeff Williams said the archeological studies have been completed and the archeologist has informed the DEP verbally that nothing was found, but hasn't yet completed the final written report. But Williams said they believe this is no reason for the DEP to stop the review process and said it should continue with other areas of the review process until the final written report is completed.
As for the other items the DEP is requesting, Williams said the CMA is designing the plant to have enough capacity handle all the flows from the township and the borough so this isn't an issue and said the CMA already has a letter from the DEP saying they don't need to do an Act 537 plan for the project.
According to CMA board member Charles Ross, in the DEP's letter it is claiming the CMA has increased the scope of work of the plant, that's why they are now saying an Act 537 Plan is needed; however, Williams said the scope of work has not increased.
Williams said he believes the problem has arisen partly because many of the DEP officials who were in place when they started the project five years ago have are no longer there and the new people don't know what has happened previously.
To clear things up, Potopa said they have requested a face-to-face meeting with all the principals involved to get these issues cleared up as soon as possible because any further delay could jeopardize the CMA being able to apply for funding from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority at its Aug. 22 meeting. The CMA is hoping to finance the project with a low-interest loan from PENNVEST
Plus the CMA has a $4 million H2O grant that is due to expire and if the project is delayed, the CMA will have to shift the grant money away from the new plant to other water projects.
The CMA is under a federal mandate from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the DEP to reduce its nutrient outflows from its wastewater treatment plant. The new Chesapeake Bay regulations have set nutrient discharge limits in the Bay watershed, and the state has set up a cap and trade system where those that do not meet the new standards can purchase credits from those who have exceeded the standards and the CMA is purchasing credits on the open market until its new wastewater treatment plant is completed.
This year the CMA paid $180,000 for nutrient credits and said if the plant is delayed, the CMA would be forced to continue to purchase credits, plus pay for any increases in construction costs due to the delay, Williams said.
However, Potopa said there is still time to get these issues resolved in time for the CMA to receive its water quality permit from the DEP in time for the Aug. 22 PENNVEST meeting.
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