Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Regional Director Robert Yowell announced that the state’s Department of Environmental Protection has fined Beavertown Block Co. Inc. $6,100 for discharging stormwater containing sediment and sand without a permit last summer at its concrete masonry plant in Franklin Township, Snyder County.
“The company did not apply to DEP for a renewal of its federal discharge permit, which had expired on November 30, 2001,” Yowell said. “DEP inspectors discovered the company discharging industrial waste to a tributary of Middle Creek without a permit in June 2002.”
Further investigation by a DEP aquatic biologist in August 2002 documented that at least 1,000 feet of the unnamed tributary of Middle Creek was smothered with silt that had severely damaged plants and animals living in the water as well as the surrounding habitat.
Beavertown Block has agreed to submit a small projects permit application to DEP within 45 days for removal of the sediment 100 feet upstream and 285 feet downstream of the company’s lane crossing. The company must begin removing the sediment within 30 days of receiving the DEP permit and complete the work within 60 days after starting the work.
Beavertown Block eventually submitted its application for re-issuance of the federal discharge permit, and it was approved by DEP in December 2002.
The fine was paid to the Clean Water Fund, a pot of money used to pay for water quality improvements across the state.