Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 271.127 - Environmental assessment(a)Impacts. Each environmental assessment in a permit application shall include at a minimum a detailed analysis of the potential impact of the proposed facility on the environment, public health and public safety, including traffic, aesthetics, air quality, water quality, stream flow, fish and wildlife, plants, aquatic habitat, threatened or endangered species, water uses, land use and municipal waste plans. The applicant shall consider features such as scenic rivers, recreational river corridors, local parks, State and Federal forests and parks, the Appalachian Trail, historic and archaeological sites, National wildlife refuges, State natural areas, National landmarks, farmland, wetland, special protection watersheds designated under Chapter 93 (relating to water quality standards), airports, public water supplies and other features deemed appropriate by the Department or the applicant. The permit application shall also include all correspondence received by the applicant from any State or Federal agency contacted as part of the environmental assessment.(b)Harms. The environmental assessment shall describe the known and potential environmental harms of the proposed project. The applicant shall provide the Department with a written mitigation plan which explains how the applicant plans to mitigate each known or potential environmental harm identified and which describes any known and potential environmental harms not mitigated. The Department will review the assessment and mitigation plans to determine whether there are additional harms and whether all known and potential environmental harms will be mitigated. In conducting its review, the Department will evaluate each mitigation measure and will collectively review mitigation measures to ensure that individually and collectively they adequately protect the environment and the public health, safety and welfare.(c)Municipal waste landfills, construction/demolition waste landfills and resource recovery facilities. If the application is for the proposed operation of a municipal waste landfill, construction/demolition waste landfill or resource recovery facility, the applicant shall demonstrate that the benefits of the project to the public clearly outweigh the known and potential environmental harms. In making this demonstration, the applicant shall consider harms and mitigation measures described in subsection (b). The applicant shall describe in detail the benefits relied upon. The benefits of the project shall consist of social and economic benefits that remain after taking into consideration the known and potential social and economic harms of the project and shall also consist of the environmental benefits of the project, if any.(d)Other facilities. If the application is for the proposed operation of another type of facility and the applicant or the Department upon review determines that known or potential environmental harm remains despite the mitigation measures described in subsection (b), the applicant shall demonstrate that the benefits of the project to the public clearly outweigh the known and potential environmental harms. In making this demonstration, the applicant shall consider harms and mitigation measures described in subsection (b). The applicant shall describe in detail the benefits relied upon. The benefits of the project shall consist of social and economic benefits that remain after taking into consideration the known and potential social and economic harms of the project and shall also consist of the environmental benefits of the project, if any.(e)Identification of harms and benefits. Known and potential harms and benefits of a proposed project may also be identified by the Department or any other person or municipality.(f)Need. The description required by subsections (c) and (d) may include an explanation of the need for the facility, if any. Simply adding new capacity does not establish need for a facility.(g)Evaluation. After consultation with other appropriate agencies and potentially affected persons, the Department will evaluate the environmental assessment in Phase I of permit review or otherwise prior to technical review.(h)Revision. The Department may require submission of a revised environmental assessment if additional harms or potential harms are discovered during any phase of permit application review.The provisions of this §271.127 adopted April 8, 1988, effective 4/9/1988, 18 Pa.B. 1681; amended October 9, 1992, effective 10/10/1992, 22 Pa.B. 5105; amended December 22, 2000, effective 12/23/2000, 30 Pa.B. 6685. This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 271.201 (relating to criteria for permit issuance or denial); 25 Pa. Code § 273.140 (relating to daily volume); 25 Pa. Code § 277.139 (relating to daily volume); 25 Pa. Code § 279.111 (relating to daily volume); 25 Pa. Code § 281.123 (relating to daily volume); and 25 Pa. Code § 283.114 (relating to daily volume).