DEP can't test 'horrible odor' coming from Bucks County farm. Here's why

Residents of Central Bucks might never know if a county farm is polluting the air because the state Department of Environmental Protection says it's not allowed to check.

In a statement released Monday, DEP officials said laws prevent them from monitoring air contaminants and air pollution arising from farms. That agency is controlled by the state Air Pollution Control Act [APCA], said Stephanie Berardi, a spokesperson for the DEP.

"The APCA states that the Clean Air Act shall not apply to the production of agricultural commodities and the Environmental Quality Board shall not have the power nor the authority to adopt rules and regulations relating to air contaminants and air pollution arising from the production of agricultural commodities," Berardi wrote in a statement.

All of this comes as Buckingham and Bucks County seek to shutdown some operations at Froehlich's Farm & Garden Center on York Road in Buckingham. Recently, the Froehlich's family expanded operations on property including composting.

"We need supplemental income," said co-owner Brian Stover. Farmers deal daily with complaints from neighbors, who move near to a farm and then complain about noises and smells, Stover added. "We're working our butts off to maintain our livelihood," he said.

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In 1999, Froehlich's was preserved through a conservation easement financed with $925,000 from the state, $137,000 from the county, and $212,000 provided by Buckingham, according to newspaper reports from that time.

In June 2022, Bucks County’s land preservation director visited the farm and noted concerns about composting on the property in a violation letter. In a lawsuit, county officials pointed to an agreement that restricts farming at Froehlich's to fruits, vegetables, wood and, “aquatic specialties.”

Some residents living near Froehlich's Farm & Garden Center said the air can smell of burning sulfur.

In court documents, the county alleges the farm is composting wood, telephone poles and “other incidental waste” and the government claims a “multitude of complaints” of a “horrific odor.”

Located a half-mile away from the property, the Bridge Valley Elementary School was forced to close on Dec. 6 “on account of the odor,” officials said.

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks Froehlich Farm preserved by gov't in Buckingham raises concerns