Public Opinion/Jason Malmont Concerns for water: Barrie Hawk of Mercersburg, addressing a meeting of the Franklin County Conservation District, says he is concerned about sewage sludge could get into sinkholes, then underground water supplies. Public Opinion/Jason Malmont Looking for answers: About a dozen people attended Monday's conservation district meeting. Many of them were concerned about the safety of applying biosolids to land.

A group of citizens attended a Franklin County Conservation District meeting Monday to try to delay permits to spread treated sewage over local farmland.

The citizens, mostly from Montgomery and Peters townships, are concerned about the effects of using the sewage, also called biosolids.

About 13 people attended the meeting at 10:30 a.m. in the county's annex, 218 N. Second St.

Richard Stoner, chairman of the Conservation District, said he was glad to see the residents attend, though he's not sure the group could or did answer their questions. He said he understands their concerns, to a degree.

Local residents worry that the sludge is dangerous and could pose health problems for themselves and their families.

One of the residents, Barrie Hawk of Mercersburg, said he was concerned that sewage sludge could get into sink holes. From the sink holes the biosolids could get into underground water sources and contaminate nearby wells.

Some of the residents have formed a group called Coalition of Residents for Political Self-expression, or CROPS. They have asked Peters Township supervisors to adopt an ordinance to address the use of biosolids. Such an ordinance, residents say, could require more frequent tests of the loads of biosolids to be spread, or charge for spreading.

The Conservation District is a group of local citizens who provide oversight and give a local perspective to farm issues, said Douglas A. Goodlander, director of the State Conservation Commission's Nutrient Management Program.

Ernest Tarner, conservation district manager, suggested the residents contact Tom Sweeney, a state Department of Environmental Protection staff member who coordinates biosolids permit applications in the region.

A state permit is required in order to spread treated sewage on open land. There are a number of guidelines and regulations that must be followed for a permit to be issued.

Residents had procedural questions for the conservation district regarding what plans farmers must have and who approves permits.

Farmers are required to have different written plans such as a conservation plan, which deals with how the farm will keep nutrients from getting into and contaminating local water sources.

Kevin Castro, biosolids technician with the Franklin County Soil Conservation Service, said the residents who attended have legitimate concerns, but also said he wouldn't help implement a program he felt was unsafe.

"It was exactly what I expected," said Dave Burrows, Mercersburg, of the meeting. "These people's hands are pretty well tied."

Tom Albert, a retired veterinarian who wants to build a home on property he and his wife bought in Peters Township, began researching biosolids when he learned about plans to apply sludge to nearby farm land.

Albert, who also spoke at Monday's meeting, said he has become concerned about the safety of biosolids. He cited statistics taken from a report published in July by the National Research Council, which suggested the federal Environmental Protection Agency update the biosolids guidelines that were first written in 1993.

Those guidelines were based on science that has evolved since then, Albert said.

Emily Phelps can be reached at 262-4754 and http://sea2fd.sea2.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=MSG1044990577.100&start=9668588&len=49343&src=&type=x&to=ephelps%40chambers%2egannett%2ecom&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=F000000001&a=00e8d8533bd876149678dbea2a1583ab