PA Environment Digest Blog: Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals 2nd DEP Order Requiring The Operator To Restore The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply Contaminated By A Spill Of Conventional Oil Well Wastewater In Venango County

On September 15, Petro Erie, Inc. filed an appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board challenging a DEP order delivered on August 16, 2023 requiring the operator to restore the village of Reno’s water supply contaminated by a spill of conventional oil well wastewater from wells the company owned in Venango County. [EHB Docket No. 2023075]

Petro Erie, Inc. is also required to reimburse the Venango Water Company, which owns the Reno water system, and Aqua Pennsylvania, which has been providing temporary water and taking steps to restore the system under a Public Utility Commission emergency order, for any temporary and permanent increased operating and maintenance costs resulting from the contamination caused by the spill.

The DEP order also requires Petro Erie, Inc. to submit a plan to DEP for remediation of the area impacted by the release of the wastewater within 30 days.

Click Here for a copy of the order DEP hand-delivered the order to Petro Erie, Inc. on August 16.

This is the second order DEP issued in this case and the second appeal of those orders filed by Petro Erie, Inc. [EHB Docket No. 2023063]

During DEP’s first inspection of the wastewater tank leak from the conventional oil well field operated by Petro Erie, Inc. on July 21, DEP gave the operator until August 11 to submit a written plan for cleaning up the spill and bringing the wells and tank into compliance.

The company failed to comply with that order, but also filed an appeal of that first order on August 18. Read more here.

In the appeal of the first order, Petro Erie, Inc. said it “lacks the financial ability to comply with the Order.” Read more here.

The second appeal of the second order has no details on why Petro Erie, Inc. is appealing except for this broad statement-- “The Department failed to adequately and properly administer and enforce laws, regulations, rules and/or policies; the Department’s action was arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable and/or contrary to law; and such other objections as may be raised by amendment and/or revealed through discovery….”

Petro Erie, Inc. is likely to amend this second appeal with more specific grounds for appeal.

On August 21, a DEP inspection found two more Petro Erie, Inc. conventional oil well wastewater tanks with a pipe running from the tanks to a discharge area in a ditch with clear indications of wastewater dumping. Read more here.

On August 29, A DEP inspection found Petro Erie, Inc. had begun some cleanup at the site of the original wastewater tank release, but there was no activity at the site the day of the inspection. Read more here.

Background

The conventional oil well wastewater release from Petro Erie’s production wastewater tanks was discovered on July 20 and was found to have contaminated the Village of Reno’s water supply in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County leaving the community of over 200 residents and businesses without clean water for more than six weeks.

Although the “do not consume” order to residents in Reno was lifted on September 1, the water supply emergency continues with drinking water trucked into the community every week. Read more here.

Sadly, on September 9, Sugarcreek Borough Mayor Charlie McDaniel, who had been a leader in his community responding to the Village of Reno water emergency for the last six weeks, was found deceased in his home. Read more here.

NewsClips:

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Petro Erie Appeals DEP July Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County [PDF of Article]

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Says It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; Will Taxpayers/Ratepayers Be Stuck With Cleanup Costs Again? [9.12.23]

-- Do Not Consume Water Advisory Lifted In Village Of Reno; Petro Erie, Inc. Barely Begins Cleanup Of Conventional Oil Wastewater Spill Site That Contaminated The Water Supply In Venango County [9.2.23]

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals DEP’s July Field Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill Contaminating Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; 2nd Appeal May Be Coming [8.21.23]

-- The Derrick: DEP Issues Order To Petro Erie, Inc. To Restore Village Of Reno Water System, Cleanup Contamination Caused By Its Conventional Well Wastewater Release; 1 Month Without Clean Water [8.19.23]

-- 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 [8.12.23]

-- DEP Investigates Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Leak As Possible Source Of Village Of Reno Water Supply Contamination In Venango County; Customers Under Do Not Consume Advisory For 2+ Weeks [8.5.23]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 16 to 22 - 2nd Abandoned Shale Gas Well Pad? 5 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Failure To Comply With Order [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues NOVs To Roulette Oil & Gas LLC For Abandoning Another Conventional Well In Potter County; Roulette Applying For Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permit [PaEN]

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals 2nd DEP Order Requiring The Operator To Restore The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply Contaminated By A Spill Of Conventional Oil Well Wastewater In Venango County [PaEN]