DEP Accepting Comments On 2 Major Olympus Energy/Hyperion Midstream Natural Gas, Water Pipeline Projects Impacting EV, HQ Streams, Wetlands In Westmoreland County

The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting public comments on two Chapter 105 encroachment applications submitted by Olympus Energy/Hyperion Midstream LLC covering natural gas gathering pipelines and water pipelines in Westmoreland County, according to public notices in the August 12 PA Bulletin.

Project Part I

Olympus/Hyperion is proposing 8.5 miles of 30-inch natural gas gathering pipeline and a  16-inch permanent waterline between the Rogers Compression Station and the Athena shale gas well pad.   (PA Bulletin, page 5037)

The project is located in Upper Burrell and Washington Townships, Westmoreland County.

A portion of the project will drain into a section of Beaver Run designated as a naturally reproducing trout stream which is, therefore, a wild trout stream. Wetlands located on the floodplain of a wild trout stream are of Exceptional Value (EV). 

A portion of the project drains into the Beaver Run; wetlands located on and along a public drinking water supply that maintain the quality or quantity of the drinking water supply are also of Exceptional Value (EV). 

Portions of the project drain into High-Quality (HQ) watersheds. Impacts to EV Wetland and HQ streams are proposed for the project.

Temporary and/or permanent impacts to 26 wetlands and 25 streams are proposed for the project due to one or more of the following work activities: excavation, construction access, geohazard mitigation, timber mats, and erosion and sedimentation controls. Impacts to EV Wet- land and HQ streams are proposed for the project.

DEP permit application: E6507223-003.

Project Part II

Olympus/Hyperion is proposing 8.4 miles of 30-inch natural gas gathering pipeline and a 16-inch permanent waterline between the Athena shale gas well pad and the proposed Odyssey Interconnect Site.   (PA Bulletin, page 5038)

The project is located in the Municipality of Murrysville and Salem and Washington Townships, Westmoreland County.

A portion of the project will drain into a section of Beaver Run designated as a naturally reproducing trout stream which is, therefore, a wild trout stream. Wetlands located on the floodplain of a wild trout stream or its tributaries are of Exceptional Value (EV). 

A portion of the project drains into the Beaver Run Reservoir; wetlands located on and along a public drinking water supply that maintain the quality or quantity of the drinking water supply are also of Exceptional Value (EV). 

Portions of the project drain into High-Quality (HQ) and Trout Stocked Fishery (TSF) watersheds. Impacts to EV Wetland and HQ streams are proposed for the project.

Temporary and/or permanent impacts to 18 wetlands and 11 streams are proposed for the project due to one or more of the following work activities: excavation, construction access, timber mats, riprap, temporary concrete pier support for timber mat, and Flex MSE installation. 

Impacts to EV Wetland and HQ streams are proposed for the project.

DEP permit application: E6507223-012.

Public Comments

The deadline for public comments on these applications is September 11.

Comments should contain the name, address and telephone number of the person commenting, identification of the permit application to which the comments or objections are addressed, and a concise statement of comments, objections or suggestions including the relevant facts upon which they are based.

The DEP may schedule a fact-finding hearing or an informal conference in response to comments if requested and deemed necessary. 

Maps, drawings and other data pertinent to the permit application are available for inspection between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on each working day at the DEP Oil & Gas Management Program Office, DEP Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4745.  Call 412-442-4000 to make an appointment.

Comments should be sent to D.J. Stevenson, Oil & Gas Management Program, 400 Waterfront Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4745.

Comments can also be sent by email to: RA-EPSW-OGSUBMISSION@pa.gov.

Questions should be directed to D.J. Stevenson, Oil & Gas Management Program, 412-442-4281 or 412-442-4000.

Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline Safety Not Regulated

Natural gas gathering pipelines like these are not regulated for safety by the state Public Utility Commission and neither DEP nor the PUC regulates the location of the routes these pipelines take.

As a result, when incidents like the one that happened in December, 2022 when a 12-inch, 700 foot, 35,000 pound section of the Olympus Energy/Hyperion Midstream Porter to Zeus natural gas gathering pipeline broke loose from construction cribbing, slid down a hill and crash into and through the basement of a home in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, neither the PUC nor DEP can take any action.  Watch Video Here.

It is considered a “civil matter,” according to DEP.

NewsClips - Olympus/Hyperion:

-- KDKA: Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline Crashes Into Family’s Home In Westmoreland County

Related Articles - Olympus Energy: 

-- Olympus Energy Shale Gas Driller Expresses Fear Municipalities Will Use Their DEP Compliance Record With Hundreds Of Violations To Help Make Land Use Decisions On Oil & Gas Infrastructure Projects  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Groups Raise Serious Compliance Issues With Olympus Energy-- Over 600 Violations On 13 DEP Permits-- In Comments On Proposed Shale Gas Drilling Pad In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Olympus Energy Natural Gas Driller Fined $175,000 For Water Quality Violations In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- 2 Olympus Energy Shale Gas Wells Found By DEP To Interfere With Another Fracked Shale Gas Well In Washington County  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 5 to 11; Routine Venting Of Conventional Wells, Shale Gas Wells; Major Conventional Spills; Pipeline Subsidence  [PaEN]  

-- Mayor Of Sugarcreek Asks For Donations To Refill Village Of Reno Water Tank After Contamination In Venango County; Emergency Water Distribution Resumes; Contamination From Conventional Oil Wastewater Tanks Suspected  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - August 12  [PaEN]

-- DEP Accepting Comments On 2 Major Olympus Energy/Hyperion Midstream Natural Gas, Water Pipeline Projects Impacting EV, HQ Streams, Wetlands In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 58 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 12 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week:

-- Ohio River Valley Institute Blog: Oil & Gas - Central To Pennsylvania Politics, But Not Its Economy 

-- Happy Valley Industry: KeyState Energy Natural Gas-Based Manufacturing, Carbon Capture Project Doubles Cost To $2 Billion, Pushes Back Start Of Operations Up To 2 Years In Clinton County

-- Public Source: Inside PA’s Compliance Monitoring Of Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; DEP Struggling To Keep Up 

Related Articles This Week:

-- University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Will Release Results Of Shale Gas Development Health Impact Study On Aug. 15 In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- EPA: G2 STEM LLC Withdraws Application For Oil/Gas Wastewater Underground Injection Well Permit In Fayette County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Extends Comment Period On Proposed Roulette Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Clara Twp., Potter County To Sept. 7  [PaEN] 

-- PA-Based Evangelical Environmental Network: Over 51,000 Christians Call For Stronger Standards On Fossil Fuel Power Plants  [PaEN]

-- PJM Interconnection, Other Grid Operators Express Concerns Proposed EPA Power Plant Rule Will Accelerate Retirements Of Fossil Fuel Plants Without Reliable Renewable, Storage Technologies To Replace Them  [PaEN] 

-- PA League Of Women Voters, Food & Water Watch Launch Letter-Writing Campaign Opposing Hydrogen Hubs In PA  [PaEN]

[Posted: August 11, 2023]  PA Environment Digest