Committee hears update on Davis Oil cleanup; DEP, PECO steps cited, property upkeep remains owner’s responsibility

Public works staff updated the committee on Davis Oil property remediation and site maintenance responsibilities.

A staff speaker said remediation equipment for the Davis Oil site is on the property but awaiting a pole transformer and electrical work by PECO before the treatment system can be powered and fully operable. The speaker said the cleanup infrastructure is being installed with public money managed by EADP and that the property remains privately owned; upkeep such as mowing and fence maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner. “That would be the property owner,” a staff speaker said when asked who is responsible for weeds and upkeep.

Committee members noted prior difficulty getting property owners to maintain overgrowth and asked staff to continue follow-up through building, housing and code enforcement if the owner fails to keep the lot tidy. The speaker referenced that the estate tied to the former owner had dissolved and that a public program had stepped in to fund cleanup infrastructure.

Next steps: Staff said they will monitor PECO work orders and the electrical procurement so that the cleanup system can be energized once power infrastructure is installed; code enforcement will pursue property upkeep issues if the owner fails to maintain the site.