House Approves Mako Bill to Improve Communication Regarding EPA Violations to Municipalities, Citizens

June 23, 2021

HARRISBURG – The House today passed legislation authored by Rep. Zach Mako (R-Lehigh/Northampton) to require timely notification of environmental violations at quarries and landfills.

The bill is the result of a several months-long lag in 2018 in notifying Whitehall Township and its residents that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of non-compliance to a local landfill for high levels of PCBs in material accepted at the facility.

“While there have been no recent environmental violations at the quarry that I am aware of, this legislation is needed so residents can be assured that they are alerted to anything that could possibly negatively affect their health or safety.” Mako said. “Quarry and landfill operators should be good neighbors. I’m hopeful the Senate will vote on this bill quickly so that delayed notification doesn’t occur in the future.”

House Bill 1302 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to forward to municipalities notices of non-compliance it receives that were issued by the EPA for violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and Solid Waste Management Act (SWMA).

The bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

The 183rd District includes South Whitehall (part), Washington and Whitehall (part) townships and Slatington Borough in Lehigh County. It also consists of Allen, Lehigh and Moore (part) townships, and North Catasauqua, Northampton and Walnutport boroughs in Northampton County.

Representative Zachary Mako
183rd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tracy Polovick
717.260.6358
tpolovick@pahousegop.com
RepMako.com / Facebook.com/RepMako