BRADS Landfill on Burma Rd. in Blythe Township is the sole subject of a second public meeting planned for Schuylkill County in November.
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection announced today that it’ll host a public meeting on Nov. 19, from 6-9 p.m., at Saint Clair Elementary-Middle School, 227 S. Mill St. to answer questions about the site and its applications to renew and expand its operation.
BRADS is currently seeking DEP approval of two permit applications. One would allow it to operate for another 10 years. A second application would seek a doubling of its tonnage accepted at the building and demolition dump, from 1,500 tons to 3,000 tons daily.
The landfill has drawn sharp criticism for years due to strong, putrid odors believed to be emanating from it. Saint Clair residents say they’ve suffered adverse health effects as a result of a hydrogen sulfide smell in the air.
Complaints have also risen regarding potentially dangerous heavy truck traffic to and from the site.
Earlier this year, The Canary reported on violations against a trucking company cited by State Police for numerous violations on their vehicles and drivers that weren’t qualified to be behind the wheels of those vehicles.
A public hearing was held in May in Saint Clair at which about 75 people attended and voiced their disapproval of BRADS’ permit applications.
This meeting and a meeting to discuss environmental issues blamed on five companies in western Schuylkill County have been announced after increased public pressure and after making County Commissioners more aware of the issues.
Advocates against BRADS and Natural Soil Products, specifically, have addressed Commissioners recently and dating back several years to share their stories of how these facilities and others have negatively affected their lives.
Schuylkill County Commissioners say they’ve turned that into pressure on DEP for the state agency to take action. These meetings were one of the demands of all local parties involved.
Participate in the BRADS Landfill Meeting
To ask a question and get it priority, questions should be submitted ahead of time. Questions should be submitted via email to Maria Ocasio, Environmental Justice Coordinator at DEP. Her email is mocasio@pa.gov.
Those wishing to use snail mail to submit questions can send them to DEP’s Bethlehem District Office, 4530 Bath Pike, Bethlehem, PA 18017.
Questions will be accepted up until the day of the meeting.
At the meeting, each person will be able to ask two questions plus a follow-up question. If time allows, people who’ve submitted questions in advance can ask another question. People who pre-register and submit questions ahead of time will be given priority at the meeting.
Pre-registration will also be held at the meeting site prior to it starting.
For people with a disability wishing to ask a question but need an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation, they should contact Colleen Connolly at 570-826-2511 or use the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service by calling 800-654-5984.
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