Allentown - The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will host a public hearing for the proposed Core5 warehouse project in Lowhill Township, Lehigh County. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 from 6:00 PM -7:30 PM at the Germansville Volunteer Fire Company located at 6011 Memorial Rd, Germansville, PA 18053. Core5 Industrial Partners (Core5) of Harrisburg has applied to the Department for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for discharge purposes. Representatives from the Department's Waterways & Wetlands program, the Lehigh County Conservation District, and Core5 will be in attendance for the hearing.
Core5 plans to construct a 100,569-foot warehouse along Route 100 in Lowhill Township, PA. Core5’s application for the NPDES permit proposed the discharge of stormwater from construction activities at the site into Cherith Brook, a tributary to Jordan Creek, which is considered a high-quality cold-water fishery, and is subject to special protections under the Clean Water Act, the Clean Streams Law, and associated Department regulations. The Department received the NPDES application in February, and it was deemed administratively complete in May. Written public comments were received during the public comment period and a hearing was requested. The public comment period ended on October 2, 2023.
The Department requests that individuals wishing to testify at the hearing submit a written notice of intent to Colleen Connolly, Regional Communications Manager at: coconnolly@pa.gov. The Department will accept requests up to the day of the hearing. The Department requests that individuals limit their testimony to 5 minutes so that all have the opportunity to testify. The Department can only review comments made with regard to the NPDES application. All comments, whether delivered orally during the hearing or submitted in writing, will carry equal weight and consideration with DEP. Individuals attending the hearing will have the opportunity to testify if they so desire; however, individuals who preregister to testify will be given priority on the agenda.
Persons with a disability who wish to testify and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation should contact Colleen Connolly at: coconnolly@pa.gov or the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD) to discuss how the Department can meet their needs.
The NPDES permit application documentation and conceptual plans are available for review at the Lehigh County Conservation District Office, 4184 Dorney Park Road, Suite 105, Allentown, PA (610) 391-9583. They are also available on the DEP Northeast Regional Office Community Information webpage at: Core 5 at Route 100 Warehouse Project or at the DEP Northeast Regional Office, 2 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA (570) 826-2511.
For further information, contact Colleen Connolly at (570) 826-2035.
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