DEP To Hold Oct. 1 Hearing On Drilling Waste Injection Well In Allegheny County

The Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday announced it will hold a public hearing on an application from Penneco Environmental Solutions to authorize oil and gas waste disposal at the Sedat #3A oil and gas well in Plum Borough, Allegheny County.

The hearing is scheduled for October 1 at 6:00 p.m. at Plum Borough School District’s Oblock Junior High School Auditorium, 440 Presque Isle Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15239.

Both DEP and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must approve permits for this proposed injection well.

EPA issued an underground injection control permit for this well on March 7, 2018, allowing the company to inject waste water into the well pending DEP issuance of a permit to change its use from production to disposal.

On March 13, 2018, Penneco submitted an application to DEP to change the use of the Sedat #3A Well to allow disposal.

People who wish to testify should register in advance by contacting DEP Community Relations Coordinator Lauren Fraley at lfraley@pa.gov or 412-442-4203 before noon on September 28. There will also be an opportunity to register at the door prior to the hearing.

Individuals will be called to comment in the order that they registered. Each registered participant will have up to five minutes to present testimony in the form of comments, statements or questions. Testifiers should bring at least one written copy of their testimony and exhibits for submission to DEP.

DEP will respond to all comments and questions raised in the testimony in a written comment and response document.

In order to accommodate the greatest number of residents interested in testifying, DEP requests that organizations designate one individual to speak on their behalf. Doors will open and onsite registration will begin at 5:30 p.m.

For those unable to attend the hearing, written testimony will be accepted at DEP’s Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 until October 8.

Each written statement must contain the name, address and telephone number of the person submitting the comments, identification of the permit application (Sedat #3A) and a concise statement of the comments on the permit application and the relevant facts upon which the comments are based.

A copy of the application is available for review on DEP’s Underground Injection Well webpage.  Questions should be directed to Lauren Fraley, DEP Southwest Regional Office, by calling 412-442-4203 or sending email to: lfraley@pa.gov.