Gerlach Applauds EPA Funds to Further Monitoring Efforts of TCE

Press Release

Gerlach Applauds EPA Funds to Further Monitoring Efforts of TCE

Decision follows efforts by Gerlach, local elected officials to press for more stringent oversight

Congressman Jim Gerlach (PA-06) today praised the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement that is providing $ 269,166 to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to help them expand their efforts to test air samplings in the Collegeville region. The decision follows requests by Congressman Gerlach and other elected officials and residents following the numerous reports of higher than normal readings of TCE near Superior Tube facility over the past year.

"This is good news for residents of the Collegeville area, and builds upon the strong efforts by state and federal agencies to ensure that local residents are not exposed to hazardous materials," said Congressman Gerlach. "I have said from the beginning that our foremost priority is to ensure the safety and protection of area residents and resources, and these funds will help us do just that."

According to the EPA, the funding was provided as a part of its Section 103 Air Toxics Community-Scale Monitoring Project. The study expands current sampling efforts in the Collegeville area to determine if planned reductions of TCE emissions by two local sources are effective in reducing the residual cancer risk to the citizens in the area.

Congressman Gerlach sent a letter to the EPA last May requesting them to review their new guidelines that exempt certain industry sectors - including two industrial degreasing operations in the Collegeville area - from adhering to prescribed limitations of the emission of toxic TCE. He requested that the EPA to explain why some industries are required to meet very stringent and appropriate TCE emissions limitations while others, including some locally, are allowed to exceed those limitations.

"I will continue to work with my colleagues and state officials to ensure that the appropriate agencies are responsive to the area residents affected by this issue, and to make sure that their concerns are addressed, and their questions are answered," Congressman Gerlach added.

Source