J.C. Cleaners

Background

Groundwater and vapor contamination resulted from wastewater discharges from the dry-cleaning process into a leaking sewer drain located inside the Facility. DEP added the Site to the Pennsylvania Priority List of Hazardous Sites for Remedial Response (PAPL) on May 5, 1990.  In 1991, a remedial investigation revealed that the shallow and deep portions of the bedrock aquifer in the vicinity of the Facility contained concentrations of PCE, TCE and 1,2-DCE that exceeded their Medium-Specific Concentrations (MSCs) developed pursuant to the Pennsylvania Land Recycling and Remediation Standards Act (Act 2), 35 P.S. §§ 6026.101 – 6026.908.  
 
The selected remedial response identified in the April 11th, 1994 Statement of Decision (SOD) called for the Site soils via vacuum extraction and remediation groundwater via pumping of extraction wells installed at the Facility. Remedial systems, consisting of extraction wells and a Groundwater Treatment System (GWTS) incorporating an air-stripper unit with vapor phase-activated-carbon units, were installed at the Facility. Operation and maintenance of the remedial systems at the Facility began on July 10, 1997, and the Site was subsequently removed from the PAPL on October 31, 1998.  

Following equipment failure, operation of the remedial systems at the Site ceased in 2015.  As a precaution, DEP began conducting monthly sampling of groundwater from Gettysburg Municipal Authority well no. 6 (GMA-6).

Modification of Original 1994 SOD

The original SOD utilized treatment and containment of COCs via on-site treatment and extraction wells such that (1) contaminated groundwater would be, to the extent feasible, remediated to background concentrations and (2) contaminated soil would be remediated, to the extent feasible, to levels that will result in no further degradation of groundwater quality. 

The revised SOD proposes changes to the original response that are the result of: 1) the promulgation of  updated, Statewide Health (SHS) and Site Specific (SSS) environmental remediation standards under Act 2; (2) the failure of the on-site extraction wells and GWTS to contain the COCs; (3) proven groundwater containment of on-site COCs and pathway elimination via GMA-6; (4) use of engineering controls and activity use limitations to eliminate pathways of soil contact or vapor inhalation exposure; and (5) the prohibitive cost nature and resulting redundancy in restoring the on-Site extraction wells and GWTS. 

Specifically, Act 2 SHS will be utilized to address the COCs in groundwater at the Site, which serves as source of drinking water for the GMA’s public-water system. Act 2 Non-residential SSS, implemented via pathway elimination and engineering controls (i.e. maintenance of an impermeable cap on Site; and installation of a Sub-Slab Depressurization System / Vapor Mitigation System) will be utilized to address soil contact and vapor intrusion pathways.

Current Status

On March 28, 2026, DEP published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and the Gettysburg Times in regard to the revised SOD.

DEP will accept public comments on the revised SOD from March 28, 2026 to April 28, 2026. All written comments and DEP’s responses will be placed into the Site file and will later be incorporated into the Administrative Record.

If public comments are received and a meeting is requested, then a public hearing will be held on May 14, 2026 from 6:30 – 9:30 PM at the Gettysburg Municipal Building, 59 East High Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325.

A copy of the March 28th, 2026, Pa Bulletin Notice can be seen here.

A copy of the proposed Revised Statement of Decision can be seen here.