Post date: Sep 01, 2014 4:1:57 AM
April 12, 2000
Contested Case Results is Great News
On April 5, 2000, the DEQ administrative law judge Richard G. Lacasse issued his rulings on the Contested Case for the Pall-Gelman core discharge permit.
Judge Lacasse lowered the monthly allowable average 1,4-dioxane discharge concentration to 5 ppb (from 10 ppb) and he lowered the daily maximum 1,4-dioxane concentration to 15 ppb (from 30 ppb), i.e. he cut the permitted discharge levels in half!
This is a significant victory for the citizens represented by Scio Residents for Safe Water (SRSW) and for the Local Governments that joined the Contested Case.
Here are the various discharge limits in question...
NEXT STEPS
The parties have until April 28th to object to the judge's recommendations.
After that, DEQ Director Russ Harding makes the final decision. He doesn't have to following the judge's recommendations but it would be hard for him to justify making a contrary decision.
We have to make sure the new limits stick.
UPDATE: 06/16/2000
MDEQ Director Russell Harding loosened the discharge limits with minimal justification:
HARDING'S RULING:
Mthly Avg
10 ppb
Daily Maximum
30 ppb