DEP’s Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board is scheduled to meet on February 14 to discuss a variety of issues, including a proposal to more than double the per well permit fee for unconventional natural gas wells from $5,000 to $12,500.
DEP said in an evaluation of the fee program required every three years the Well Plugging Fund is expected to have a negative balance starting in the first quarter of FY 2019-20.
The report said in part, “Given the low number of permits received over the past two fiscal years and all indications that permit volumes are not expected to rebound in the near term, the current well permit fee is no longer sufficient to fund DEP’s Oil and Gas Program; even with substantial cost-saving measures that have been implemented as described above.
“While revenues are declining, the Oil and Gas Program’s responsibility to inspect and monitor existing wells continues to increase as the inventory of active oil and gas wells grows in addition to the other workload requirements and policy initiatives described above.”
Also on the agenda is a discussion of the GP-5 and GP-5A General Permits to control methane emissions from oil and gas operations, a draft water supply replacement technical guidance document and a draft operator pressure barrier policy.
The meeting will be held in Room 105 of the Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 10:00. Click Here to join the meeting by WebEx.
For more information and available handouts, visit DEP’s Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board webpage. Questions should be directed to Todd Wallace, 717-783-9438, twallace@pa.gov.
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