Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Harborcreek adopts ordinance amendment to prohibit burning of recyclables, leaves and brush after DEP compliance notice
Summary
Following a DEP warning that funds could be withheld, Harborcreek supervisors adopted amendment 2024-241 to explicitly ban burning recyclable materials and to prohibit leaves and brush burning; supervisors expressed enforcement concerns but approved the ordinance after a public hearing and brief resident support.
Harborcreek Township on March 18 adopted amendment 2024-241 to its waste and recycling ordinance, explicitly prohibiting the burning of recyclable materials and adding an explicit ban on burning leaves and brush after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection told township officials they must align local rules with state law.
At the meeting, a supervisor (Dean) described a DEP conversation in which the agency said it was "less than satisfied with some of our recycling definitions when it comes to burning" and that the township could face recovery of funds for projects and equipment if the ordinance was not changed. "They are threatening to withhold future funds from us ... and said if we do not change our ordinance to match the state law when it comes to burning that they're in fact going to chase this money down," Dean told the board.
Board members raised practical concerns about enforcement, calling the change an "unfunded mandate" that would be hard to police, particularly on weekends and across mixed suburban and farming areas. Elena, a staff member, affirmed the summary of required changes. Resident Vicki Roberts urged adoption during the public hearing, arguing that even if the ordinance is hard to enforce, "having it on the books puts a standard out there" and can encourage voluntary compliance.
The public hearing was closed and a supervisor moved to adopt amendment 2024-241; the motion was seconded and approved with affirmative votes recorded in the transcript.
Officials said they plan to be reasonable in enforcement and not to police recreational campfires, which they view as distinct from prohibited burning of recyclables or large leaf/brush fires. The ordinance amendment was presented as necessary to satisfy DEP requirements and to avoid potential clawbacks of state-funded equipment or project monies.
The board did not provide a timetable for enforcement actions or cite any immediate funding reversals; officials said the township will encourage compliance and address enforcement challenges as best it can.
