EPA Charges Salvage Yard

The EPA alleges that Salvage Management Inc. and its owner Jesse Kline, did not have a Clean Water Act permit to allow storm water to run into a tributary of Cabin Creek.

Kline, however, says he has been working with Pennsylvania and York County officials to keep his property in line with environmental codes, and he plans to fight the federal charges.

A July 2 EPA order directed Salvage Management to apply for a permit within 30 days, but that order was disregarded, as were follow-up communications in August, November and December, said an EPA statement.

Storm water runoff from industrial and construction sites can contain oil and grease, chemicals, nutrients and other pollutants, according to EPA. The Clean Water Act requires owners of certain industrial and construction operations to obtain a permit before allowing storm water to run off into waterways.

Kline and Salvage Management have the opportunity to contest the allegations at a hearing.

Containing the water: Kline said he's frustrated that the feder- al agency cited his business, because he's been working with two other agencies -- the state Department of Environmental Protection and the York County Conservation District -- for several years to make sure his salvage yard is environmentally friendly.

As advised by the York County Conservation District, Kline said he spread gravel at certain points on his property because "they don't want mud or water in the roads." He also has two small silt ponds to the rear of his property to catch run-off.

He said conservation district agents told him that because the property is smaller than 5 acres, he doesn't need a Clean Water Act permit.

He also has had visits from DEP, the last one about two weeks ago.

"The DEP -- they come in here, they make sure we're following what we're supposed to follow," he said.

In addition, Kline said he periodically has a private company test nearby creeks for contaminated run-off from his property.

Kline said that in June, an EPA representative visited his business, and told him water from his property was flooding a nearby residential driveway. But Kline says it's water rolling down Manor Road that floods the driveway.

Kline said the representative asked him if he could slope his property to the rear, instead of the way it is now, sloping to the front.

But doing that would mean digging up the entire 4-acre property, he said.

"Totally impossible. ... That just blew me away that she could say something so stupid, and have the authority of the federal government," said Kline.

He spoke with the representative once more after receiving the July 2 letter ordering him to apply for a Clean Water Act permit, and she told him she was going to "check some things out" and get back to him.

Kline said she never did, and he doesn't remember any follow-up communications in August, November or December.

Kline disputes that any run-off is seeping into a tributary of Cabin Creek, or any other creek. He has retained a lawyer and plans to fight the citation. "This will go as far as it has to go," he said. York (Pennsylvania) Dispatch