Pottstown Landfill Action Alert

Action Alert!

3 Pending Pottstown Landfill Permits

Threaten to Increase Health Risks and Further Jeopardize Our Future

1. Permit to legalize radioactive dumping in the Pottstown Landfill

2. Request to amend a 5-year air permit to increase NOx emissions

3. Permit for a 99 foot vertical expansion over 31 acres of Pottstown Landfill’s Eastern Expansion.

Evidence of Harm and Violations of Federal Standards and Requirements

Pottstown Landfill has been permitted to accept radioactive wastes since at least 1983, even though its permit did not allow radioactive wastes. Radiation is now escaping into our air and water from Pottstown Landfill gas and leachate. Legalizing radioactive waste dumping will increase risks.

a. Low level radiation is linked with leukemia.

b. Leukemia is almost double the state average around the Pottstown Landfill.

The Clean Air Act’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards require NOx emissions to be REDUCED, to protect public health, in severe non-attainment areas such as ours.

a. DEP issued increased NOx and other criteria pollutants to the Pottstown Landfill in its Title V permit issued in 2002. This was a violation of health based standards under the Clean Air Act.

b. DEP is now considering an amendment to that permit to increase harmful NOx emissions again.

c. The Eastern Expansion, permitted in 1998, has not been included in Pottstown Landfill’s Title V, five year air permit, issued in 2002, nor in the current proposed amendment. This is another violation of federal requirements under the Clean Air Act’s Title V requirements..

Pottstown Landfill Expansion

a. This expansion would require an air pollution permit to emit even larger amounts of Clean Air Act pollutants. This air pollution permit would violate Clean Air Act health based requirements to reduce harmful air emissions for this severe non-attainment area.

b. Pottstown Landfill expansion would also violate two Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) safety standards – FAA Height Violation (120 feet) Distance Violation (by almost 4 miles)

If you believe it’s time to CLOSE the Pottstown Landfill,

not increase its toxic emissions, or expand it;

Contact your elected officials today!

Ask why they tolerate their government agencies ignoring violations of health and safety standards and regulations.

Details on Back!

For More Information

Call ACE (610) 326-6433 or visit www.acereport.org

Remind Your Elected Officials

Your Family Has A Right To Clean Air, Safe Water, and A Healthy Future

E-mail, write, fax or phone your elected state representatives:

Senator Rafferty Representative Dailey Representative Hennessey

jrafferty@passen.gov mdailey@pahousegop.com thenness@pahousegop.com

3770 Ridge Pike 1963 E. High Street Old Elverson Train Station

Collegeville, PA 19426 Pottstown, PA 19464 Elverson, PA 19520

(610) 831-8830 (610) 326-9563 (610) 286-9194

Fax (610) 378-4575 Fax (610) 718-5787 Fax (610) 380-1777

Ø Tell your state officials to protect your rights under the PA Constitution, Article 1, Section 27. This states that you have a right to clean air and pure water. These elected officials are sot be the trustees for generations yet to come.

Ø Remind them that DEP’s mission is to provide for the health and safety of Greater Pottstown Area residents through a cleaner environment.

Ø Tell them to demand that DEP follows its mission for the Greater Pottstown Area.

E-mail, write, fax or phone your federal officials:

Congressman Gerlach Congressman Toomey

rep.gerlach.pa@mail.house.gov rep.toomey.pa152@mail.house.gov

1230 Pottstown Pike 2020 Hamilton Street

Glenmore, Pa 19343 Allentown, PA 18104

Phone (610) 458-8010 Phone (610) 439-8861

Fax (610) 378-4575 Fax (610) 439-1918

Senator Specter Senator Santorum

senator_specter@specter.senate.gov senator@senatorum.senate.gov

William Green Federal Building Widener Building

600 Arch Street, Suite 9400 One South Penn Square, Suite 960

Phone (215) 597-7200 Phone (215) 864-6900

Fax (215) 597-0406 Fax (215) 864-6910

Ø EPA is supposed to enforce the Clean Air Act’s health based standards. These federal officials should demand that EPA protect your family’s health and safety. EPA must see that DEP denies pending permits for the Pottstown Landfill because:

a. The Greater Pottstown Area is in a severe non-attainment area, requiring air pollution reductions under the Clean Air Act. We already breathe the top 10% of the most carcinogenic and unhealthy air in the nation. Cancer statistics are shocking.

b. In 2002, DEP issued a Pottstown Landfill five year air permit with increases. This violated the Clean Air Act’s requirements for reductions to protect public health.

c. Two pending Pottstown Landfill air pollution permits would again increase air pollution in the Greater Pottstown Area. To issue these permits would violate the Clean Air Act.

Ø Pottstown Landfill’s proposed 99 foot vertical expansion over the Eastern Expansion would also violate two FAA safety standards, related to the Pottstown Airport. Tell your federal officials that need to see that FAA safety standards be enforced to protect public and airport safety. FAA must be held accountable to follow its own regulations.

Ask these Senators and Congressmen to help get the Pottstown Landfill closed to protect public health and safety in the Greater Pottstown Area.