Southwest Community Information

Mazzaro - McKees Rocks Landfill HSCA Site

Site Facts

Municipality: 
Kennedy Township, Allegheny County

Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA) site since: 
2004

Primary Contaminants of Concern: 
landfill gas, including methane


Background

Work by DEP and its contractors has demonstrated that landfill gas (LFG), including methane, exists within the site and potentially beyond the boundaries of the site, at levels that exceed standards established in Pennsylvania's Title 25, Chapter 273 regulations for combustible gas monitoring, off-site migration and mitigation at permitted municipal waste landfill sites. DEP has begun a prompt interim response at the site in order to help prevent the potential for offsite LFG migration.


What’s New

In spring 2021, DEP’s contractor completed work to help control the off-site migration of landfill gas which consisted of installing a collection trench system to capture and vent the gas. In October 2021, DEP’s contractor submitted a remedial construction completion report.

Prompt Interim Response under HSCA

DEP has considered the following six alternatives to address the potential for LFG migration from the site: 1) take no action; 2) installation of an enhanced gas venting system; 3) Installation of a passive trench venting system; 4) installation of a semi-active trench venting system; 5) Installation of an active trench system; and 6) installation of impermeable barriers.

DEP chose alternative number 3, the installation of a passive trench venting system, because it complies with the applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements and is the most cost-effective.

Administrative Record

The administrative record which contains the information that forms the basis and documents the selection of this response action is available for public review and comment. The administrative record is linked below in digital form.


Public Participation

Public Notice:

DEP published notice of its prompt interim response under HSCA at the Mazzaro – McKees Rocks Landfill site in the February 20, 2021 edition of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. This included information on DEP’s hearing and public comment period.

An identical notice was published in the legal notices section of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on February 18, 2021.

On March 5, 2021, DEP issued a press release announcing the public hearing.

Public Comment Period on Administrative Record:

The administrative record will be open for comment from February 15, 2021 until May 21, 2021. Persons may submit written comments into the record during this time only, by emailing the Department at RA-EPSW-HSCA@pa.gov.

Public Hearing:

DEP held a virtual public hearing to receive oral comments for inclusion in the administrative record on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.


More Information on the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA) Program