During a recent conference hosted by the Society of Women Environmental Professionals of Greater Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Southeast Regional Office made several important announcements, including the launch of the new “DEP Connects” program, details on several staffing changes in the department, and revisions to the Technical Guidance Manual (TGM) for Vapor Intrusion (VI) into Buildings from Groundwater and Soil under the Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2).
First, “DEP Connects” is a new venue to help Pennsylvanians understand the PADEP’s many functions and how the department influences their daily lives. The program will provide opportunities for residents to engage with PADEP staff during in-person events, including open houses, project site tours, panel discussions, etc., hosted by each of the PADEP’s six regional offices. The event location, format, and topic of discussion will cater to the needs of the region.
Click here to join “DEP Connects”
Second, PADEP staff also announced staff restructuring to ease department budget challenges. Several of the changes affect the Southeast Regional Office, including the appointments of Tom Magee to Clean Water Program Manager, Tim Schaeffer to Deputy Secretary for Water Programs, and transfer of Domenic Rocco, P.E. to head the southcentral region’s permit coordination office. Visit the Southeast Regional Office’s Phone Directory to update your contacts accordingly.
Lastly, the Land Recycling Program TGM for VI into Buildings from Groundwater and Soil under Act 2, published in 2016 and made effective in 2017, is currently undergoing revisions, in line with the three-year revision cycle. According to PADEP Southeast Regional Office Section Chief C. David Brown, the revised TGM is expected to provide new screening values, including improved scientific guidance and site-specific values for soil, gas, and indoor air. These updates are expected to make future revisions more consistent with standards and guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency. The revised TGM is slated for release in 2019, at which time training for developers will be scheduled.
The purpose of the TGM is to assist remediators in satisfying Act 2 requirements and regulations contained in Chapter 250 of the Pa. Code. The TGM provides guidance for addressing potential VI of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and certain semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from impacted soil and/or groundwater sources into inhabited buildings.
Questions? Contact a Penn E&R professional at 215-997-9000.
