Report on property submitted to DEP
Michael Hayes
The Times Herald
LIMERICK — The owner of the long-abandoned Publicker property recently submitted a lengthy report to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Linfield Industrial Park, also known as Publicker, has been abandoned since 1986 and was targeted last year by the Limerick Board of Supervisors for acquisition as an energy plant.
DEP was set to impose a $482,471 fine on owner Eugene Ostreicher to recoup cleanup costs related to an October 2005 fire. Court hearings were rescheduled throughout the summer months related to this matter, and on Nov. 3, the Harrisburg firm of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc., submitted an Act 2 report to DEP.
The 192-acre Linfield Industrial Park served multiple purposes prior to closing in 1986. It was used for the repackaging and distribution of antifreeze and ammonia-based cleaners. Kinsey Distillery used the facility for most of the property’s 100-year history as a whiskey distillery and warehouse.
Among the agency-documented pollutants in the soil at this park are: PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), lead, arsenic, cadmium, trichlorobenzenes and cyanide.
Concentrations of copper, iron, lead, zinc, beryllium and cyanide were found by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the bordering Schuylkill River during 1992.
However, of the 16 specific areas of concern identified at Publicker, 10 attained compliance with residential or non-residential health standards, the report states. This compliance is in accordance with the Pennsylvania Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2).
Three isolated areas with “soil-like material” that showed high arsenic levels will be treated as waste and removed from the property, the report states.
As for the other three areas, an agreement in accordance with the Uniform Environmental Covenants Act is proposed. These areas will be restricted to nonresidential land use.
“No post remedial care is warranted to maintain compliance with the Statewide Health Standard,” the plan states.
Activities at Publicker did not impact groundwater quality, according to the report. Iron and manganese did exceed secondary maximum containment levels, but these metals are naturally-occurring and unrelated to site impacts, the document states.
Stephan Sinding, DEP’s manager of the environmental cleanup program, said the agency is reviewing the report for compliance with all regulations. He expects to impose a fine against Ostreicher, but was unsure about the amount.
The agency hopes to finish a review of this Act 2 report in January. This publication is on file with DEP at its Norristown office, 2 E. Main St., for public inspection by appointment.
In October 2007, Limerick officials announced their negotiations with several unnamed energy companies to develop the former Linfield Industrial Park. Two potential uses named at that time were a trash-to-ethanol plant and electricity turbine fired by natural gas.
Linfield Industrial Park, also known as Publicker, has been abandoned since 1986 and was targeted last year by the Limerick Board of Supervisors for acquisition as an energy plant.
DEP was set to impose a $482,471 fine on owner Eugene Ostreicher to recoup cleanup costs related to an October 2005 fire. Court hearings were rescheduled throughout the summer months related to this matter, and on Nov. 3, the Harrisburg firm of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc., submitted an Act 2 report to DEP.
The 192-acre Linfield Industrial Park served multiple purposes prior to closing in 1986. It was used for the repackaging and distribution of antifreeze and ammonia-based cleaners. Kinsey Distillery used the facility for most of the property’s 100-year history as a whiskey distillery and warehouse.
Among the agency-documented pollutants in the soil at this park are: PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), lead, arsenic, cadmium, trichlorobenzenes and cyanide.
Concentrations of copper, iron, lead, zinc, beryllium and cyanide were found by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the bordering Schuylkill River during 1992.
However, of the 16 specific areas of concern identified at Publicker, 10 attained compliance with residential or non-residential health standards, the report states. This compliance is in accordance with the Pennsylvania Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2).
Three isolated areas with “soil-like material” that showed high arsenic levels will be treated as waste and removed from the property, the report states.
As for the other three areas, an agreement in accordance with the Uniform Environmental Covenants Act is proposed. These areas will be restricted to nonresidential land use.
“No post remedial care is warranted to maintain compliance with the Statewide Health Standard,” the plan states.
Activities at Publicker did not impact groundwater quality, according to the report. Iron and manganese did exceed secondary maximum containment levels, but these metals are naturally-occurring and unrelated to site impacts, the document states.
Stephan Sinding, DEP’s manager of the environmental cleanup program, said the agency is reviewing the report for compliance with all regulations. He expects to impose a fine against Ostreicher, but was unsure about the amount.
The agency hopes to finish a review of this Act 2 report in January. This publication is on file with DEP at its Norristown office, 2 E. Main St., for public inspection by appointment.
In October 2007, Limerick officials announced their negotiations with several unnamed energy companies to develop the former Linfield Industrial Park. Two potential uses named at that time were a trash-to-ethanol plant and electricity turbine fired by natural gas.
This article was
written by Michael Hayes
and published by The Times Herald
on Wednesday, February 6