The owner of 70 Pennsylvania mobile home parks, including three in the Duncansville area, has agreed to a consent decree to address drinking water and wastewater issues, the state Department of Environmental Protection said Friday.
The agreement is between DEP, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and GSP Management Co., Frank T. Perano and related companies.
The $1.33 million consent decree addresses specific violations at 32 of the Pennsylvania mobile home parks. At the agencies' direction, the company has agreed to take various corrective measures.
"This consent decree covers a pattern of serious, repeated violations GSP committed all across Pennsylvania," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. "This should be a message to all - DEP is going to come down hard on those who show this type of disregard for our environmental protection laws."
DEP and EPA inspectors discovered violations at the mobile home parks - including Shamrock Court, Apple Blossom Lane and Lehigh Terrace Court, all of Duncansville - during five consecutive years.
The wastewater violations include illegal discharge of partially treated or untreated sewage into nearby streams and failure to properly operate and maintain wastewater treatment facilities. The drinking water violations include exceeding federal drinking water standards for certain pollutants and failing to notify residents about drinking water problems.
The consent decree also requires GSP to take these numerous actions to achieve compliance and ensure park residents have access to clean water, the state said. The company's actions constitute violations of the Clean Streams Law and Safe Drinking Water Act. The penalty will be divided between DEP and EPA.
The consent decree is subject to federal district court approval and will be published at a later date in the Federal Register, which will begin a 30-day public comment period.
