The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced that it will host a public meeting on Monday, June 22 to answer residents’ questions regarding IESI Bethlehem Landfill’s permit application to expand its existing facility on Applebutter Road in Lower Saucon Township.
The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Saucon Valley High School auditorium, 2100 Polk Valley Road, Hellertown.
“The goal of this meeting is to help residents better understand how the department reviews permit expansion applications like this,” said Mike Bedrin, director of DEP’s Northeast Regional Office.
IESI filed its original expansion application on Jan. 21, 2015.
Since then the department has continued to investigate odor complaints in the area of the landfill, and in May it announced odor-related violations against the facility.
According to a DEP press release that was posted on the Lower Saucon Township website, “the company is requesting an expansion of six acres, with 22.5 acres overtopping existing landfilled areas. A copy of IESI’s permit application can be viewed at DEP’s Northeast Regional Office (NERO) located at 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, 18701 or the DEP’s Bethlehem District Office located at 4530 Bath Pike, Bethlehem 18017. Those wishing to make an appointment to view the documents can do so between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. by calling the Northeast Regional Office at 570-826-2511 or the Bethlehem District Office at 610-861-2070. Individuals in need of an accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact Colleen Connolly, or make accommodations through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 1-800-654-5984 (TDD).”
For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us.
