East Penn hearing on farm’s application to use treated sewage is tonight

East Penn Township residents will get their first crack tonight at hearing more about a local farm’s application to spread treated sludge on its fields.

The municipality scheduled a special meeting, starting at 7 p.m. at the East Penn Social Hall, “for the sole purpose of discussing the application received from Cunfer Farms/Synagro for the application of biosolids.”

Synagro, based in Maryland, has proposed using treated sewage sludge, also known as biosolids, on a number of farms in the area of Smithlane and East Lizard Creek roads. The farms total 165 acres.

According to the advertisement, also discussed will be East Penn’s ordinance dealing with the collection, handling, treatment and disposal of waste, sludge and other materials, and their impact on Lizard Creek and Lehigh River Watersheds, and groundwater of adjoining landowners.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has already approved Synagro’s application, and Synagro has submitted a 30-day notice that it will be applying treated biosolids in the township.

A DEP representative said Cunfer Farm is not the first location in Carbon County approved for biosolids, but a list of the other sites was not immediately available.

A Synagro representative said last week that the product has to meet more stringent requirements than either chemical fertilizer applications or animal manure.

“Biosolids are one of the most-studied nutrient sources as far as agriculture goes,” said Layne Baroldi, director of legislative and regulatory affairs for Synagro. “The federal government requires a very thorough risk assessment. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requires appropriate setbacks from water sources. There are stringent erosion control requirements.”

Baroldi said biosolids are typically provided to farmers free of charge. Companies such as Synagro make their money from the municipalities that supply the treated sludge for recycling.

Farmers generally apply the biosolids once per year.

“What Synagro is doing is offering an extension of the essential public service that a wastewater treatment plant provides,” Baroldi said.

One of the top complaints from neighboring property owners to farms where biosolids are applied is the smell.

“There are going to be transient odors,” Baroldi said. “That can be mitigated with setbacks and by using best practices as to the timing of the application.”

Synagro applications and use of the product have been met with resistance in the past. A group of Upper Mount Bethel Township residents filed a lawsuit in 2016 against Synagro and property owners who used Class B biosolids, which have a higher concentration of bacteria than the class A product which has been proposed for use in East Penn.

The complaint claimed individuals suffered physical illness as a result of odors, and surrounding water wells were contaminated.