[Ord. 2005-9, 12/29/2005, § 1501]
1.
To insure the natural resources of the Township are protected against environmental hazards and also to protect the health and safety of the Township residents, as well as to allow a potentially valuable resource to be used, sludge may be applied to the land in the R-1 and R-2 Districts of the Township subject to the following regulations:
A.
Authorization. The provisions of this section are enacted pursuant to the authority granted to the Township under the Municipalities Planning Code, Article VI, 53 P.S. § 10601 et seq., and the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act, 35 P.S. § 6018.101 et seq., as amended, with respect to protecting health and public safety of Township residents through the proper use of land and natural resources.
B.
Filing and Application. The person generating sludge, or the person proposing to haul and apply sludge to any property, or any person intending to store sludge in the Township shall submit to the Township an application for special exception pursuant to the provisions of Part 22 of this chapter. The owner of the property upon which sludge is to be disposed shall be a party to such application. Each site proposed for land application shall require a separate special exception. Applications shall include the following information to assist the Zoning Hearing Board in its review of each application, and to supply the Township with adequate data on which to base input into the review by the Department of Environmental Protection for permitting sludge land application:
(1)
A description of the proposed application program, including the source or sources of the sludge and how it is to be transported to the site, a time table for application, a description of any storage operations, the proposed utilization rate, the total acreage involved, and the useful life of the proposed sites.
(2)
A copy of the application for a permit for sludge utilization and disposal as submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
(3)
A survey of the property, prepared by a professional surveyor at a scale no greater than one inch to 200 feet, indicating:
(a)
Topographical features of the tract using two-foot contour lines.
(b)
Soil types and their boundaries.
(c)
Identification of adjacent property owners.
(d)
Location of all public and private water supplies within one quarter mile of the site boundaries, including wells, springs, and other water bodies.
(4)
A soils and geotoxic report indicating the physical characteristics of the site with respect to its suitability for application of sludge. The report shall be based on available soil survey and geologic data, and accompanied by field test analysis. Field test shall include:
(a)
Soil borings by a soil scientist to confirm that actual soil profile characteristics are consistent with published soil survey data.
(b)
Groundwater monitoring well(s) shall be established to test water quality prior to, during, and after the application program. Groundwater composition shall be included in the application, along with subsequent quarterly monitoring during the application program. Prior to drilling any monitoring well, the Township Engineer must approve its location. In the event that the groundwater is found to flow in several directions, a monitoring well for each direction shall be required.
(5)
A chemical analysis of the sludge from each proposed source. The analysis shall be done by an independent laboratory approved by the Township and shall involve a minimum of three samples. The analysis shall include the following items:
(a)
Total moisture content.
(b)
Percent total nitrogen (wet and dry weight).
(c)
Percent ammonia nitrogen (wet and dry weight).
(d)
Percent organic nitrogen (wet and thy weight).
(e)
Biochemical oxygen demand.
(f)
Ph.
(g)
Percent (on a dry weight basis) of cyanide, sodium, cadmium, zinc, copper, nickel, lead, chromium, mercury, molybdenum, and other toxic substances and pathogens.
Additional analysis may be required by the Township Engineer from time to time during the application program to insure sludge content remains within the limits established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. At minimum, the monitoring program shall include four samples a year. | |
Sludge analysis shall show recommended rates and lifetime loading. |
(6)
A copy of the agreement between the generator of the sludge or the hauler and applicator and the landowner, showing provisions as to the term of the agreement, the operation to be carried out in spreading sludge, and the keeping of records.
C.
Standards. The standards for application of sludge to the land shall be in accordance with the currently adopted standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as set forth in 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 75, except that the following additional requirements shall be imposed.
(1)
Area. No site shall be approved for land application of sludge that has a gross lot area less than 10 contiguous acres.
(2)
Distances from Property Line. No sludge is to be disposed of at a point closer than 100 feet to any property line.
(3)
Slope Considerations. Application shall not take place on slopes exceeding 15%.
(4)
Access. All sites to be considered for sludge application shall have direct access to an improved public road with a mud-free driveway to insure safe access of delivery trucks and to prevent potential congestion, and excessive wear and tear on public roads. In the event access to a site is along a nonimproved road, the Township shall require the applicant to bear the cost of upgrading the road to meet all standards of a public improved and paved road in order to accommodate the number and weight of trucks anticipated visiting the site. It shall include, if necessary, the acquisition of rights-of-way and improvement thereof. In no case shall the access road be less than 18 feet in width. The access road shall be paved in accordance with the standards for public roads in the Township Subdivision/Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22].
(5)
Records. All applicants shall retain records on each application and these records shall be submitted to the Township upon request.