In today’s presentation (Evergreen note: question refers to the August 27, 2020 Public Information Session), related to lead, the presenter described that ‘it is a complex process’ for ‘choosing the standard’ associated with lead contamination levels and its subsequent categorization. Why does the entity responsible for contamination clean-up (and their supporting team) have the option to choose their standard for clean-up? Who is the authority having jurisdiction who reviews the selected standard? Are other standards more stringent? If so, why were those standards not used for these contaminants in this case?

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There are three choices for clean-up standards that can be applied to any Act 2 site: Statewide Health, Background, or Site-Specific.  The choice between the three standards is up to the remediator, but each one has strict guidelines and processes that must be followed to demonstrate to the PADEP (who has jurisdiction and responsibility to review the selected standard) that the standard is appropriate and has been met.  DEP has also provided some information that is helpful in answering this question – please see the PADEP response to the question “How do DEP and Evergreen determine what is safe?”