[Note: The Fairmont Brine site is less than 20 miles south of the border with Pennsylvania and the counties in the Southwest part of the state that are prime shale gas drilling areas-- Washington, Westmoreland, Greene and Fayette counties.]
The site was acquired by Fairmont Brine Processing in 2012 and has been inactive since 2017.
FBP would treat fluids from the hydraulic fracturing process used to extract natural gas.
In May 2023, there was a fire and explosion at the site that led to increased concern about the potential release of contamination.
EPA is coordinating with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Marion County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and others to ensure a unified response to protect the public.
Radioactive TENORM
EPA’s response will focus on radionuclides in the form of TENORM (Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material).
TENORM is a naturally occurring radioactive material that has been concentrated or exposed to the environment because of human activities such as manufacturing, mineral extraction, or water processing.
EPA, DHHR, and WVDEP have been on-site to evaluate emergency actions needed to stabilize the site and will be doing a thorough evaluation of any contamination releases to the environment.
[Note: The PA DEP has had to decontaminate at least one oil and gas wastewater treatment plant because of radioactive contamination [Read more here].
[The shale gas industry also shipped over 138,000 cubic feet of TENORM waste to secure low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities in 2022 and over 911,000 cubic feet since 2017. [Read more here.]
[In June, a DEP inspection of a Bradford County shale gas well pad found radiation levels high enough in an onsite wastewater tank to require decontamination [Read more here].]
Secure The Site
EPA will also secure the site to prevent unauthorized access and potential exposure to the public.
The agency and its contractor have implemented security measures at the front entrance and lower complex including interim barriers and NO TRESPASSING signage and are planning to fence off the area soon.
The response team will regularly be on site to perform work, which should further deter public access.
DHHR, on behalf of the State, has coordinated with the Marion County Sheriff’s Department to increase patrols around the site.
The WVDEP and DHHR have worked with FBP to take precautions to prevent radionuclides from leaving the site, including enforcement action, and implementing a plan of corrective action to remove waste material and prevent onsite ponds from overflowing.
EPA understands the need for certainty and clear information regarding the Fairmont Brine site and has developed a Joint Information Center (JIC) involving all responding agencies.
The JIC will work together to coordinate effective communication with the public.
Please visit the response website at EPA Fairmont Brine Site or call the public phone line at (800) 438-2474.
The phone line will be staffed Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. If you are unable to reach someone, please leave a voicemail, and an EPA representative will return your call as soon as possible.
(Photo: EPA photo of Fairmont Plant; TruthDig photo of related abandoned frack water impoundment.)
NewsClips:
-- TruthDig: How A Radioactive Oil & Gas Wastewater Processing Facility In West Virginia Became A Party Spot
-- 12WBOY: EPA Responding To Radioactive Materials At Fairmont Oil & Gas Wastewater Processing Plant
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 14 to 20 - 6 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Conventional Gas Migration Incident; Inactive Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - October 21 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 21 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- 9th Compendium Of Studies On Health & Environmental Harms From Natural Gas Development Released - ‘The Rapidly Expanding Body Of Evidence Compiled Here Is Massive, Troubling And Cries Out For Decisive Action’ [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro: We Need Stronger Laws To Deal With The ‘Corporate Greed’ That Let Oil & Gas Operators Get Away With Abandoning Wells For Far Too Long [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Marks Plugging 100th Conventional Oil & Gas Well In 10 Months; New Initiative Allows Texting Abandoned Well Photos/Locations To Governor That Need Plugging [PaEN]
-- FracTracker Alliance Recognizes 5 Individuals With The 2023 Community Sentinel Awards - 3 From Pennsylvania [PaEN]
-- Senate Committee Briefing Finds No Definition Or Standard For ‘Responsibly Sourced’ Natural Gas; PA Producers Already Below One RS Threshold [PaEN]
-- PA Physicians For Social Responsibility: Methane Leaks From SEPTA Gas Generation Plant, Philadelphia [Video]
-- Protect PT, Partners Host Oct. 26 Webinar On PFAS 'Forever Chemical' In Pennsylvania's Oil & Gas Production [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Holds Nov. 2 Hearing On Water Withdrawal Requests, Including Shale Gas Drilling In Loyalsock, Pine Creek Exceptional Value Watersheds [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves 19 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties [PaEN]
-- PUC Safety Division Investigating Columbia Gas Service Disruptions To 4,000+ Customers In Beaver County [PaEN]
-- PUC Updates Investigation Into Dec. 2022 Natural Gas House Explosion In Dauphin County [PaEN]
-- PUC PA One Call Damage Prevention Committee Imposes $177,875 In Penalties Against 120 Violators
-- DEP Responds To Oil Spill In Conodoguinet Creek; PA American Water Company Shuts Water Intake, Customers Asked To Conserve Water In Cumberland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Blog: Attention Home Heating Oil Users - Check Your Tanks To Prevent Costly Leaks, Spills
-- Guest Essay: My Hometown Shows The Benefits Of The Fossil Fuel Industry Come At A Tremendous Cost - Gov. Shapiro, Let's Hold Them Accountable - Support The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative - By Rev. Mitchell Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network - Action [PaEN]
-- Environmental Advocates To Spend More Than $250,000 In Support Of McCaffery In Critical PA Supreme Court Race To Protect Constitutional Right To Clean Air, Pure Water [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Research By Public Health Experts Shows ‘Damning’ Evidence Of Harms From Natural Gas Development; Industry Rejected The Reports As ‘Junk Science’
-- Spotlight PA: Potter County Township Wants To Make It Easier For Other Places In PA To Fight Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Wells
-- Inside Climate News: Answers About Old Conventional Gas Wells Repurposed As Injection Wells For Oil/Gas Wastewater May Never Be Fully Unearthed
-- Energy News Network: Ohio Oil & Gas Industry Spills, Releases Boost Worries About Drilling Under State Parks
-- Hilco Redevelopment Breaks Ground For Bellwether District In South Philadelphia On Former Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery Site
-- WHYY/BillyPenn: What To Know About The Bellwether District, The Giant Complex Now Rising On The Site Of The Former Philadelphia Refinery
-- Courier Times: Nooses And Slurs vs. Contested Firing: PA Workplace Discrimination Cases Yield Very Different Outcomes; Case Of Oil & Gas Employee vs. Starbucks Manager
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mountain Valley Natural Gas Pipeline’s Costs Rise Again As Timeline Extends
-- Inside Climate News: Federal Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Begins Regulating 400,000 Miles Of Natural Gas Gathering Pipelines, Industry Isn’t Happy [8.6 to 16 inches]
-- Utility Dive: PJM Interconnection Asks FERC To Approve Capacity Market Reforms In Push To Bolster Grid Reliability After Winter Storm Elliot
-- Williamsport Sun: Lycoming College Clean Water Institute’s Matt Kaunert Speaks About Declining Populations Of Hellbenders In Pennsylvania
[Posted: October 19, 2023] PA Environment Digest
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