About Town

Some recent sightings . . .

 You don't see many of these nowadays.

 Bridge over untroubled water

A truck hauling a truck

 A truck hauling a truck hauling tires

 On the lookout for nuts

 The Wrights Ferry Graffiti Museum

 Perilous perch

 Inventorying trees to be cut at River Park.

They're marked with orange dots.

 Much-needed line painting was recently done at Columbia Plaza.

(Not that anyone pays attention to the lines anyway.)

 Belfor Restoration on the site of the recent Walnut Street fire

 A recent visitor at River Park

 Carts . . .

 . . . outside Bootleg Antiques

 Two crows contemplating a murder

 Many of these signs were recently posted at River Park.

 Autumn at Locust Street Park

A former hole in the ground is now a parking lot at Burning Bridge Antiques.

Columbia on Video

To view a newly released video of Columbia, go HERE.

According to Beth Troxell of the Susquehanna Center for the Creative Arts, this video will be playing continuously at The Turkey Hill Experience within the next few days.

This glimpse of Columbia is in no way the complete picture of our town but rather a snapshot of the Downtown Arts and Culture scene to encourage tourism for all of Columbia.

Look for the video on the Borough site as well.

Columbia's Lloyd Mifflin one of several receiving tributes

On Sept. 15, the anniversary of Mifflin's birth in 1846, students at Columbia High School place flowers on the graves of Mifflin and other members of his family buried in Columbia's Mount Bethel Cemetery. The roses honor Mifflin's donation of land to the Columbia Borough School District.

MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/opinion/the-scribbler-who-leaves-pennies-on-grave-of-artist-charles/article_59a09ca2-83e3-11e5-bdc2-7f46f68fcc1c.html

Bill would allow tax incentives for volunteer firefighters, EMS

In an effort to recruit and retain volunteer emergency responders, a state lawmaker is proposing to allow municipalities to give some tax relief to EMS and firefighter volunteers.

State Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Fayette, is the prime sponsor of the bill, which would allow for volunteers to receive a tax credit of up to 20 percent of their earned income and property tax liability.

It would allow communities to recognize the "value of and the absence of any public cost for volunteer fire protection and emergency medical services provided by active volunteers," according to the bill.

"We all depend on these hard-working and dedicated first responders, who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way in order to protect our children, homes and businesses," Warner said in a statement. "It is time we ask what we can do for them."

MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/bill-would-allow-tax-incentives-for-volunteer-firefighters-ems/article_c591d9c6-8401-11e5-bff0-6f9a8779391e.html

Scam Alert - Caller seeking donations for Fire Company

Electrical problem started Columbia fire, investigators say

http://abc27.com/2015/11/05/electrical-problem-started-columbia-fire-investigators-say/

Borough garage property under review by EPA - Public comment welcomed

(The information in this post was copied from THIS REPORT.)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting a first Five-Year Review of the UGI Columbia Gas Plant Superfund Site located in Columbia. Columbia Borough has purchased the former gas plant property and is reusing the property for the Borough's vehicle maintenance garage and road salt storage facility. EPA inspects sites regularly to ensure that cleanups conducted remain fully protective of public health and the environment. The review will be finalized by May 2016.  

MORE:

http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/dsp_ssppSiteData1.cfm?id=0301328#Status

http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/public-notice-epa-reviews-cleanup-ugi-columbia-gas-plant-columbia-pa-pad980539126

 The property was used as a boat dealership from 1979 until 1994.

UGI Columbia Gas Plant is a 1.5-acre site located in a light industrial/residential area 400 feet northeast of the Susquehanna River in southern Pennsylvania. From 1851 to 1949, Columbia Gas used the site for gas manufacturing. In 1932, ownership of the property was transferred to Pennsylvania Power and Light (PP&L) and subsequently transferred to Lancaster County Gas Company in 1949. Lancaster County Gas merged with UGI Corporation which owned the site until 1979. The property was used as a boat dealership from 1979 until 1994 when it was repurchased by PP&L.  

During the years of active gas manufacturing operations at the site, overflows from an on-site tar separator were directed to an open ditch that led to the Susquehanna River. Records show that local fishermen complained to the gas plant that their boats were being covered with tar.  The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List on May 31, 1994. 

MORE:

http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0301328

Are there risks at the site now?

The main waste streams generated during the historic production of gas from coal at the site consist of coal tar and spent gas purifying materials. The primary sources of contamination at the site are coal tar and sludge in the gas holder and the relief holder, coal tar contaminated sediments in the Susquehanna River and coal tar in the sub-surface soil and bedrock. Groundwater flowing through the contaminated subsurface soil and bedrock has become contaminated with VOCs. Hazardous substances associated with the coal tar and purifier wastes include VOCs, PAHs, heavy metals, and cyanide. People or animals who touch or swallow contaminated materials may be at risk.

Contaminant descriptions and risk factors are available from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an arm of the Centers for Disease Control.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Public Health Assessment

MORE:

http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/dsp_ssppSiteData2.cfm?id=0301328#Justice

The current site status.  The migration of contaminated ground water is not stabilized.

How to Comment

You may comment on the proposed five year review verbally or in writing. You may also ask questions or provide site information.  Please refer to Old City of York Landfill.

Submit your comments verbally or by email or mail to:

• Gina Soscia, Community Involvement Coordinator
  (soscia.gina@epa.gov)
• Phone: 215-814-5538
• U.S. EPA, Region 3
  Community Involvement and Outreach Branch
  1650 Arch Street (3HS52)
  Philadelphia, PA 19103

http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/public-notice-epa-reviews-cleanup-ugi-columbia-gas-plant-columbia-pa-pad980539126

Five-Year Reviews generally are required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) or program policy when hazardous substances remain on site above levels which permit unrestricted use and unlimited exposure. Five-year reviews provide an opportunity to evaluate the implementation and performance of a remedy to determine whether it remains protective of human health and the environment.

EPA is performing the first Five-Year Review of the remedy’s protectiveness. The review will be finalized by May 2016