To the Editor:

On Oct. 22, the Department of Environmental Protection issued a “deficiency” letter to Geryville Materials, Inc. regarding their proposed surface mining permit application. The letter is a follow-up to their mining application and the June public meeting held in the Lower Milford Township meeting room.

The DEP listed 95 significant deficiencies found in Geryville’s application. Geryville has 30 days from receipt of the letter to respond to the DEP and notify the DEP with the expected amount of time they anticipate needing to address the deficiencies.

If Geryville ignores the request, or fails to respond to all of the deficiencies listed, their application may be denied.

A few of the deficiencies requiring additional information or clarification are:

•Inconsistencies exist regarding land use information provided to the DEP versus the land use information sent to Lower Milford Township and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

•The DEP has questions regarding the groundwater discharge into the Macoby Creek and impacts to the wetlands.

•The DEP is requesting for Geryville to provide a plan to review the potential impacts from the proposed mining to surrounding private party wells.

•The DEP is requesting additional information for the proposed infiltration system, including the system’s ability to attenuate all of the expected pollutants affiliated with the quarry’s operation. This includes, at a minimum, total suspended solids, calcium chloride, total dissolved solids and hydrocarbons. Additional background sampling for these parameters appears to be necessary.

•The DEP asked Geryville to explain why a smaller than recommended infiltrometer was used to characterize the site’s infiltration capacity.

•Geryville needs to address the concerns detailed in PPL Electric Utilities’ 2010 correspondence regarding their request for encroachment within PPL’s right-of-way. The proposed construction sequence conflicts with PPL requirements.

•The DEP is requesting Geryville conduct another Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Index environmental review since the Northern Long-eared Bat was listed as a threatened species since the original PNDI search was conducted.

•What effect will noise from the trucks entering and leaving the proposed site have on the natural, scenic, historic or aesthetic values of the environment? They are asking Geryville to elaborate on ways to mitigate this effect.

•The DEP has asked Geryville to explain the zoning and land use approval status of the proposed mining site.

These are just some of the issues. There are many more questions and discrepancies listed in the DEP letter. Please note, Geryville has not received any zoning approval or final land development approval from the township.

Lori Sickenberger

Lower Milford Township