A new unfunded mandated requirement may be on the way for Upper Milford Township’s residents courtesy of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, according to information provided by Jason E. Smith of Hanover Engineering.

The EPA is requiring municipalities reduce pollution such as silt collected in stormwater drainage ponds by 10 percent per year.

Smith presented information to the Upper Milford Township Board of Supervisors at the Sept. 20 meeting based on a model with township based information. He calculated Upper Milford Township accumulates 87,000 pounds of silt per year. That translates into 8,700 pounds, or 10 percent, of silt per year which has to be scooped up, loaded on a truck and hauled to a location where it can be properly disposed of.

Smith said the 8,700 pounds would be for dry dirt free of debris.

According to the website “earthhaulers.com,” a small transfer type dump truck can carry one or two cubic yards of dirt. Assuming it can carry two cubic yards, it would amount to 4,400 pounds of dirt. That would make about two truckloads of dirt the township would have to load and move.

Adding the cost of labor, fuel, loading equipment and manpower, the cost could be significant.

The idea got a quick reaction from Supervisor Robert Sentner.

“This is freaking ridiculous!” Sentner said. “This is going to cost God knows how much!”

Smith thought the cost might be $50,000 to $70,000. “Less if your public works can do it.”

If clean, the dirt can be disposed of as “common dirt” or re-sold according to Smith. If it is polluted, the dirt would have to go to a landfill.

He said the cleanup needs to be done before applying for the next five-year permit. In an interview, Smith put the date at 2024.

“How about grant money?” Supervisor Joyce Moore asked.

“There is some grant money out there,” Smith said. “But I wouldn’t count on it.”

“We have a very tight budget,” Sentner said.

Smith said the money could be raised by increasing taxes or fees.

Later in the agenda, Sentner returned to the subject of taxes. “We need to raise taxes for what we need now and in the future. We need to educate people on the need to raise taxes. Everything is going up.”

In other business, Emmaus Public Library representative Lisa Martin announced the library has hired Maryellen Kanarr as the new director.

Sentner announced Community Heroes Day will be noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Upper Milford Township’s government building parking lot.

Sentner said local police, firefighters, HAZMAT crews, Pennsylvania State Police troopers, MedEvac personnel and paramedics will attend. Sentner said the MedEvac helicopter will land in the parking lot.