The Wayne County Association of Township Officials organized an informational session at the Wayne County Courthouse Wednesday to address the hot-button issue of the Department of Environmental Protection’s regulations involving on-lot sewage systems.
The presentation featured representatives from both sides of the issue, including two representatives from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), representatives from Wayne County, township officials, and business owners.
Darryl Fritz, sewage plant manager for the DEP, explained the DEP’s position to a crowd of approximately 100 people made up of township supervisors and local business owners.
“I’m really trying to find a solution that is the most straight-forward, common sense way to handle this,” said Mr. Fritz.
Mr. Fritz was referring to new regulations, known as Component 2, which call for a higher standard of on-lot sewage systems in regions of high-quality or exceptional value watersheds. Under the new regulations, townships and municipalities are required to develop and implement comprehensive official plans that provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems; provide for the future sewage disposal needs of new land developments, and provide for future sewage disposal needs of the municipality.
The officials that spoke after Mr. Fritz held opposing positions not only to the DEP regulations, but also to what they described as Harrisburg intervening in a local government issue.
Recites US Constitution
Wayne County Commissioner Brian Smith recited The Preamble of the United States Constitution to state his disapproval of the DEP’s involvement. “I think it’s important for our township supervisors to represent their constituents and not be strong-armed to pass things that can cripple us economically,” he said.
Edward Coar, director of the planning department for Wayne County, gave a presentation which he said summed up what he was hearing from supervisors across the county.
“This is not an issue of clean water versus dirty water,” he said. “It is about a state agency dictating complicated and extensive programs on municipalities without any demonstration or need.”
“Some people believe that there are those in the DEP who deem it’s their crucial mission to be anti-growth advocates, and they are willing to use their powers as environmental regulators to advance a political position of making the act of obtaining a sewer permit for a single family home so expensive and so convoluted as to prevent change,” he said. “This, I believe, is growth management masquerading as environmental protection.”
“What’s broke?”
Mr. Coar went on to state that Wayne County water quality has been improving over the years and that there are DEP-trained Sewage Enforcement Officers (SEOs) implementing DEP regulations currently. “What’s broke?” he said.
Tom Shepstone, of Shepstone Management Consultants, gave a presentation which focused on the direct effect of the DEP’s regulations on Wayne County, particularly growth and employment.
“The construction economy is absolutely key,” said Mr. Shepstone as he was referencing the loss of jobs in Wayne County. He said the growth in Wayne County is not “real growth,” saying that the growth in population came from the Waymart prison. “Our infrastructure is now being threatened by the fact that we don’t have a lot of growth,” he said.
Mr. Shepstone also touched on the common thread of state government intervening in local governmental affairs. He cited the “illegal bullying” of township officials by DEP officials, who had “no badge, no papers and no authority to go out and order an elected official to do something; that’s not America, and that’s what this is all about.”
Mr. Shepstone also issued a letter to the Pennsylvania General Assembly which “requests a legislative stay of DEP’s authority to impose additional requirements; and, a strict demand on DEP to conduct a balancing of costs versus benefits and to demonstrate quantifiable and substantial benefits before additional requirements may be imposed.” It calls for a halt to all new DEP water quality regulations; a complete reevaluation and streamlining of DEP water regulations; and an evaluation of its impact on economic development, municipal finances and housing costs.
James Wheeler, of the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS), reiterated and agreed with what Mr. Coar and Mr. Shepstone said. This issue affects townships state-wide, he said. “That your doing this is to be commended, and PSATs is here to help anyway we can to take this statewide,” Mr. Wheeler told the crowd of supervisors and business owners.
Wayne County Commissioner s Anthony Herzog and Wendell Kay both addressed the township officials toward the close of the session. “The Wayne County Commissioners plan to support you as much as possible,” said Commissioner Herzog.
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The Wayne County Association of Township Officials organized an informational session at the Wayne County Courthouse Wednesday to address the hot-button issue of the Department of Environmental Protection’s regulations involving on-lot sewage systems.
The presentation featured representatives from both sides of the issue, including two representatives from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), representatives from Wayne County, township officials, and business owners.
Darryl Fritz, sewage plant manager for the DEP, explained the DEP’s position to a crowd of approximately 100 people made up of township supervisors and local business owners.
“I’m really trying to find a solution that is the most straight-forward, common sense way to handle this,” said Mr. Fritz.
Mr. Fritz was referring to new regulations, known as Component 2, which call for a higher standard of on-lot sewage systems in regions of high-quality or exceptional value watersheds. Under the new regulations, townships and municipalities are required to develop and implement comprehensive official plans that provide for the resolution of existing sewage disposal problems; provide for the future sewage disposal needs of new land developments, and provide for future sewage disposal needs of the municipality.
The officials that spoke after Mr. Fritz held opposing positions not only to the DEP regulations, but also to what they described as Harrisburg intervening in a local government issue.
Recites US Constitution
Wayne County Commissioner Brian Smith recited The Preamble of the United States Constitution to state his disapproval of the DEP’s involvement. “I think it’s important for our township supervisors to represent their constituents and not be strong-armed to pass things that can cripple us economically,” he said.
Edward Coar, director of the planning department for Wayne County, gave a presentation which he said summed up what he was hearing from supervisors across the county.
“This is not an issue of clean water versus dirty water,” he said. “It is about a state agency dictating complicated and extensive programs on municipalities without any demonstration or need.”
“Some people believe that there are those in the DEP who deem it’s their crucial mission to be anti-growth advocates, and they are willing to use their powers as environmental regulators to advance a political position of making the act of obtaining a sewer permit for a single family home so expensive and so convoluted as to prevent change,” he said. “This, I believe, is growth management masquerading as environmental protection.”
“What’s broke?”
Mr. Coar went on to state that Wayne County water quality has been improving over the years and that there are DEP-trained Sewage Enforcement Officers (SEOs) implementing DEP regulations currently. “What’s broke?” he said.
Tom Shepstone, of Shepstone Management Consultants, gave a presentation which focused on the direct effect of the DEP’s regulations on Wayne County, particularly growth and employment.
“The construction economy is absolutely key,” said Mr. Shepstone as he was referencing the loss of jobs in Wayne County. He said the growth in Wayne County is not “real growth,” saying that the growth in population came from the Waymart prison. “Our infrastructure is now being threatened by the fact that we don’t have a lot of growth,” he said.
Mr. Shepstone also touched on the common thread of state government intervening in local governmental affairs. He cited the “illegal bullying” of township officials by DEP officials, who had “no badge, no papers and no authority to go out and order an elected official to do something; that’s not America, and that’s what this is all about.”
Mr. Shepstone also issued a letter to the Pennsylvania General Assembly which “requests a legislative stay of DEP’s authority to impose additional requirements; and, a strict demand on DEP to conduct a balancing of costs versus benefits and to demonstrate quantifiable and substantial benefits before additional requirements may be imposed.” It calls for a halt to all new DEP water quality regulations; a complete reevaluation and streamlining of DEP water regulations; and an evaluation of its impact on economic development, municipal finances and housing costs.
James Wheeler, of the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS), reiterated and agreed with what Mr. Coar and Mr. Shepstone said. This issue affects townships state-wide, he said. “That your doing this is to be commended, and PSATs is here to help anyway we can to take this statewide,” Mr. Wheeler told the crowd of supervisors and business owners.
Wayne County Commissioner s Anthony Herzog and Wendell Kay both addressed the township officials toward the close of the session. “The Wayne County Commissioners plan to support you as much as possible,” said Commissioner Herzog.
