Public Notice
Applicant: Published: February 5, 2026 Jeff DeRusso Expires: March 7, 2026 Chester Water Authority
PN-26-04
Baltimore District
Permit Application No. NAB-2025-00354-P12
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received an application for a Department of the Army permit pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §1344) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. §403). The purpose of this public notice is to solicit comments from the public regarding the work described below:
EXISTING CONDITIONS: Chester Water Authority owns and operates the PS. The station was originally constructed in 1967 as an outdoor raw water intake pumping station along the Susquehanna River. Interim improvements were completed in 1994 and 2000, including a new PS building in 2009 that was constructed to enclose the station. The current configuration includes three (3) constant speed 1500 horsepower vertical turbine pumps and a fourth 800 horsepower variable speed pump to convey raw water from the Susquehanna River to the Octoraro Water Treatment Plant, also owned and operated by Chester Water Authority. The station was originally designed as an alternate raw water feed source for the treatment plant, but in recent years the plant has relied on the Susquehanna PS water more frequently. In 2018, the station was reportedly in operation for 285 days throughout the year.
The existing intake was installed in the 1970’s and has not moved significantly since the construction of the original pumping station. The existing intake location has experienced frequent challenges including periodic ceasing of operations. In conjunction with other upgrades to the pumping station, the intake location is being moved approximately 1,350 feet out into the Susquehanna River to help protect the reliability of the intake structure itself and the overall pumping station.
Basic: To upgrade the infrastructure at the existing PS.
Overall: The overall project purpose is to replace aging infrastructure and to provide additional reliability to the pump station and to the water system as a whole at the Susquehanna PS.
The proposed project utilizes sheeting and shoring along the length of construction, reduces the burial depth of the intake pipe, incorporates a reduced spoil disposal footprint and a supported intake pipe on a drilled in place pile stirrup support system. This project utilizes driven sheeting to rock on both sides of the pipeline to effectively create a wet cofferdam. Sediment can be removed within the confines of the sheeting with vertical wall limiting the width of excavation to just that necessary to install the pipe (i.e., no side slope over dredging). The project raises the intake pipe to be flush with the current reservoir bottom.
The project also involves side casting the excavated soil. To control sediment suspended in the water column the material will be extracted from within the containment of the sheet piles and deposited within a “moon pool” a 25’ x 50’ framed turbidity curtain extending from the water surface to the reservoir floor. As the excavation progresses the moon pool will be pulled parallel to the pipe alignment allowing the settled material to deposit on the bottom. Once settled, the moon pools would be removed, and sediment would be allowed to move along the bottom of the river using the natural current. The sheet piles will be removed after construction.
The project also includes the installation of a 12-inch casing pipe installed by jack and bore methods under the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks to hold two, 4-inch-high pressure air lines and one, 1-inch river sample line. The bore pit will be located in the southeast corner of the PS site, along the fence line that divides the PS property from the railroad right of way. The pit will be dug approximately 5-10 feet down and will be located completely within the floodway at this time. The casing pipe will be pushed from the PS, underneath the railroad, and emerge in the Susquehanna River at the receiving pit. All three lines that are to be installed within the casing pipe will be installed using an open cut method from the jack & bore launching pit to inside the PS. On the receiving end, the three small diameter pipes will be installed using an open cut method and dry coffer dam, from the jack & bore pit to the intake pipe where they will be attached to the outside of the intake pipe. The entirety of the jack & bore operation, from the PS, underneath the railroad, and into the river, will be done within the floodplain/floodway. Once the installation is complete, the area will be restored to its original condition.
Barge access will be from a barge launch revetment constructed at the Peach Bottom Boat Ramp similar to that constructed in 2016 for the construction of the Outfall. This revetment structure is necessary to launch segmental barges which require a depth of four (4) feet of water for navigation. The boat ramp is located approximately 2,500 feet upstream of the proposed intake construction and will be used to transport and stage equipment and materials used for the downstream intake construction. This facility will consist of filling an area into the reservoir to create a 40-feet by 200-feet working platform. The structure is proposed to be constructed primarily of rip rap stone with a small section of sheet piling to allow barges to dock close to the travel way for loading and unloading. This structure is proposed to be removed in its entirety at the completing of the project. To facilitate removal of the fill, a geotextile separation fabric will be placed on the reservoir bottom prior to riprap placement and will be removed at the conclusion of the project.
Construction access will also be from a shore access ramp and a cofferdam area at the tie-in point to the existing intake pipe. The shore access ramp has been designed at the minimum width and grade that most construction equipment can traverse safely and is situated parallel to the previously filled shoreline to minimize the impacts to the reservoir. The ramp will be constructed with similar materials used for the revetment including a geotextile separator placed under riprap armoring. The ramp will intersect the reservoir shore on a working platform which will be comprised of riprap side slopes supporting sheet piles which will be utilized for water cutoff around the perimeter. The interior platform will be comprised of sand and aggregate fill and crane mats to support the equipment. Once work is complete this fill will be removed down to the geotextile layer to restore the shoreline.
The project will result in 36,286 square feet of permanent and 103,411 square feet of temporary impacts to the Susquehanna River.
The installed pipe and structures will not have an effect on the hydrologic and biogeochemical functions of the Susquehanna River because the pipe will be buried at the mudline and will silt in additionally over time as the existing pipe has. The construction of the pipe will have a temporary effect on the bottom fisheries habitat of the Susquehanna River. Per coordination with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, rare or protected fish species spawn in the vicinity of the project. Impacts to the spawning will be accomplished by utilizing sheet pile during construction to minimize the area of the disturbance. Although the construction will temporarily impact recreation for a duration of 18 months, the proposed pipe and intake will not impact the recreational use of the Susquehanna after construction is complete. The new intake will be properly marked with buoys to prevent boat collisions. The existing intake will be demolished to the mudline. Chester Water Authority Water Pipeline Intake Relocation and Extension The sediment disbursal will temporarily affect 32,500 square feet of the Susquehanna River bottom with “clean fill” sediment per Lower Susquehanna River Watershed Assessment dated May 2015.
The sub facility will have no effect of the overall regime and ecology of the watercourse or body of water, water quality, stream flow, fish and wildlife, aquatic habitat, instream and downstream used or other significant environmental factors. The sub facility will have no effect or changes on property or riparian rights because the pipe will be buried and the intake screen will be a replacement of an existing intake screen.
AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION: The applicant has provided the following information in support of efforts to avoid and/or minimize impacts to the aquatic environment:
Through project redesign, sediment disturbance through the open cut trench was reduced from 15,000 cubic yards to 3,500 cubic yards and minimized the temporary trenching waterway impact from 75,000 square feet to 55,000 square feet. While tunnelling construction has the least disturbance, it was determined to be a high-risk construction method.
The trench will only be dug to a depth required to construct and leave the pipe flush with the river bottom rather than constructing with 36” of cover as suggested by the Pennsylvania State Programmatic General Permit (PASPGP). Raising the top of pipe to be flush with the Reservoir bottom was determined to be appropriate as the navigable waterway guidance to seat pipelines 36” below the bottom or dredge depth is instituted as a precaution against propeller strike or anchor drag which could induce a contaminate fluid release, however in this instance the fluid within the pipeline is the reservoir water itself so a release is not a concern. Also, the recreational vessels that utilize this waterway are not considered a threat to the pipeline only the intake riser screen which will be identified with buoys. Although a rigorous analysis of the rate of sedimentation occurring at this location in the reservoir was not performed, bathometric survey information and data from the 1978 construction of the existing intake indicated 2 inches of sediment accumulates each year so the disturbed area will be covered by natural deposits once construction is complete. Therefore, we anticipate the pipe will be buried to 36” in approximately 18 years.
Casting the removed trench soil into moon pools surrounded by turbidity curtains would allow sediment to settle in the water column slowly and greatly minimize any turbidity transporting downstream within the river. Once settled, the moon pools would be removed, and sediment would be allowed to move along the bottom of the river using the natural current.
The project will minimize impacts to fish using a mesh screen at the water supply intake and will be the same size and dimensions as the existing intake. The intake screen is compliant with PASPGP criteria requiring intake structures be equipped with screening (with mesh size no larger than 2 mm) of wedge wire or another material if equal or better performance is not feasible due to the impact to the hydroburst system. This criterion was evaluated and determined that a 2 mm screen is not feasible for a 30 million gallons-per-day facility. The project complies with the PASPGP criteria specifying intake velocities be equal to or less than 0.5 feet/second. The proposed new intake velocities are anticipated to be 0.48 feet/second.
To address concerns regarding the unstabilized driving surface and overtopping sediment releases, the barge launch revetment will be constructed to be a minimum of one (1) foot above the maximum pool elevation to minimize the likelihood of overtopping and introduction of sediment in the water column.
The Shore Access Ramp has been designed at the minimum width and grade that most construction equipment can traverse safely and is situated parallel to the previously filled shoreline to minimize the impacts to the reservoir. Impact from the temporary construction of the ramp will be minimized with the use of geotextile fabric placed on the bank and reservoir bottom that will be removed after construction and the shoreline will be restored.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: The applicant offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:
The applicant has not proposed any mitigation as the applicant feels the impacts will be minimal.
CULTURAL RESOURCES: The Corps is evaluating the undertaking for effects to historic properties as required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This public notice serves to inform the public of the proposed undertaking and invites comments including those from local, state, and federal government agencies with respect to historic resources. Our final determination relative to historic resource impacts may be subject to additional coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer, federally recognized tribes and other interested parties.
In a letter dated December 4, 2024, from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission determined that the proposed project will have “no effect” on Above Ground Resources and Archaeological Resources.
The District Engineer’s final eligibility and effect determination will be based upon coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office and/or Tribal Historic Preservation Office, as appropriate and required, and with full consideration given to the proposed undertaking’s potential direct and indirect effects on historic properties within the Corps-identified permit area.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The Corps has performed an initial review of the application, the which included Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PNDI Receipt dated October 2, 2024, to determine if any threatened, endangered, proposed, or candidate species, as well as the proposed and final designated critical habitat may occur in the vicinity of the proposed project. Based on this initial review, the Corps has made a preliminary determination that the proposed project will not affect any listed species or critical habitat.
This notice serves as request to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for any additional information on whether any listed or proposed to be listed endangered or threatened species or critical habitat may be present in the area which would be affected by the proposed activity.
NAVIGATION: The proposed structure or activity is not located in the vicinity of a federal navigation channel.
SECTION 408: The applicant will not require permission under Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 USC 408) because the activity, in whole or in part, would not alter, occupy, or use a Corps Civil Works project.
WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION: A 401 Water Quality Certification is being required from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
NOTE: This public notice is being issued based on information furnished by the applicant. This information has not been verified or evaluated to ensure compliance with laws and regulation governing the regulatory program. The geographic extent of aquatic resources within the proposed project area that either are, or are presumed to be, within the Corps jurisdiction has not been verified by Corps personnel.
EVALUATION: The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefits, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including cumulative impacts thereof; among these are conservation, economics, esthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historical properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food, and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership, and in general, the needs and welfare of the people. Evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will also include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, under authority of Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act or the criteria established under authority of Section 102(a) of the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. A permit will be granted unless its issuance is found to be contrary to the public interest.
COMMENTS: The Corps is soliciting comments from the public; federal, state, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other Interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps to determine whether to issue, modify, condition, or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this determination, comments are used to assess impacts to endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
The Baltimore District will receive written comments on the proposed work, as outlined above, until March 7, 2026. Comments should be submitted electronically via the Regulatory Request System (RRS) at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs or to Michael Dombroskie at email address mike.dombroskie@usace.army.mil. Alternatively, you may submit comments in writing to the Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Attention: Michael Dombroskie , U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, State College Field Office, 1631 South Atherton Street, Suite 101, State College, Pennsylvania 16801-6260. Please refer to the permit application number in your comments.
Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice, that a public hearing be held to consider the application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing. Requests for a public hearing will be granted, unless the District Engineer determines that the issues raised are insubstantial or there is otherwise no valid interest to be served by a hearing.