CNX Expands Air Pollution Monitoring To More Shale Gas Well Pads, Compressor Stations Under The Collaborative Agreement With State

On April 11, CNX Resources Corporation announced it expanded its air pollution monitoring to nine of its sites in Western Pennsylvania, with plans to expand the program across its operations statewide. 

The company is now providing real-time monitoring at seven active natural gas well pads and two compressor stations. 

Click Here to visit the CNX Transparency webpage

Last year, Gov. Shapiro and CNX Resources Corporation President and CEO Nick Deiuliis announced a commitment to heighten the company’s operational disclosures in collaboration with state environmental regulators and the public.   Read more here.

The commitment, which temporarily addresses some of the recommendations of the 43rd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, demonstrates how industry, government, and public advocates can find common ground and collaborate to keep people safe and move Pennsylvania forward.

“As Attorney General and now as Governor, I have listened to Pennsylvanians concerned about their health and safety – and I am delivering on the promise I made to them to secure these protections,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “My Administration is setting a new standard for Pennsylvania natural gas to be produced in a responsible, sustainable way and showing how we can bring people together to get things done. We’re going to follow through on our commitment to reduce pollution and ensure the health and safety of our communities while maintaining Pennsylvania’s proud energy legacy and our Commonwealth’s critical role in the nation’s energy economy.”

As part of the collaboration announced in early November, CNX committed to providing open-sourced, real-time emissions facts and data to all stakeholders in order to inform a comprehensive health response regarding natural gas development in Pennsylvania and publicly disclosing all chemicals intended to be used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing before they are used on site.

 CNX’s continued expansion of its air monitoring program follows through on important parts of the statement of mutual interests signed on November 2, 2023. CNX plans to continue to expand its monitoring program over the coming months.

During the November 2 announcement, Nick Deiuliis, CEO of CNX Resources, said the purpose was “To definitively confirm, for all stakeholders, that there are no adverse human health issues related to responsible natural gas development, and to confirm what we already know, that the natural gas industry is essential, it's responsible, and it's inherently good for society.”  Read more here.

In addition to the disclosure of chemicals used in natural gas development, Gov. Shapiro has also directed DEP to take action on improved control of methane emissions aligned with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced performance standards for emission sources in the oil and natural gas sector, stronger drilling waste protections, including inspection of secondary containment, and corrosion protections for gathering lines that transport natural gas.

As part of this collaboration, DEP will also conduct an independent study of unconventional natural gas wells in the nation. 

CNX will provide DEP with access to two future CNX well sites, allowing for in-depth independent monitoring of the air pollution at both locations before, during, and after development of the new wells. 

This will make it possible for communities to understand the facts about natural gas development with more transparency than ever before. 

This announcement is a next step in the Shapiro Administration’s continuing work to address climate change pollution and protect Pennsylvanians’ Constitutional right to clean air and pure water while maintaining our Commonwealth’s legacy as a national energy leader.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

Related Articles - CNX:

-- DEP Issues Violation To CNX Gas Company For Withdrawing Over 1.8 Million Gallons Of Water For Fracking For 22 Days Without Permission   [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Violation To CNX Gas Company For Unauthorized Water Withdrawals For 17 Days From Beaver Run Reservoir In Westmoreland County  [PaEN]

-- Incomplete Application For CNX Midstream Slickville Fracking Wastewater, Natural Gas Pipelines Project In Westmoreland County Withdrawn By DEP   [PaEN]

-- CNX Ends Coordination On West Virginia Adams Fork Ammonia Energy Project, Anchor Of ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Application [PaEN]

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA: Gov. Shapiro's Announcement With CNX Does Not Go Far Enough In Protecting Public Health And The Environment From Natural Gas Development [PaEN]

-- TribLive Editorial: Is Shapiro's Voluntary Agreement With CNX The Right Move For Gas Well Safety? 'We Do Not Trust Foxes To Guard Henhouses' [PaEN]

Related Articles - Gas: 

-- DEP Reports Only 1 Shale Gas Well Permit Under Review Drastically Reducing The Revenue Needed To Run Its Entire Oil & Gas Regulatory Program  [PaEN]

-- Spotlight PA: Little Information Made Public About Free Water Testing Ordered As Part Of Mariner East Natural Gas Liquids Pipeline Settlement To Criminal Charges By Attorney General  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reports The Number Of Methane Contaminated Water Supplies From Oil & Gas Drilling Is Up ‘Across The Board,’ ‘Not A Good Trend’  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Shale Gas Drilling Resulted In 54 Incidents Of New Wells Interfering With Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells, Water Wells Or Other Shale Gas Wells In Last 8 Years  [PaEN]

-- DEP: 89% Of Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Did Not Comply With Well Integrity Reporting For 34,455 Wells In 2023  [PaEN]

-- DEP: 86% Of Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Did Not Comply With Waste Disposal, Production Reporting For 33,505 Wells In 2023  [PaEN]

-- Republican Rep. Causer Blames DEP Database For Showing Conventional Oil & Gas Owners Abandoning, Not Plugging Their Wells; Industry Wants To Redefine Owner Responsibility For Their Abandoned Wells  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week - Gas:

-- DEP Issues $1.1 Million Civil Penalty To Equitrans For Violations Related To The Uncontrolled Venting Of 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Gas From The Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area In Cambria County  [PaEN]

-- New Penn State Study Shows Continuous Radioactive Radium Exposure From Oil & Gas Wastewater Poses A Threat To Aquatic, Human Health As It Accumulates In Aquatic Species  [PaEN]

-- Westmoreland County-Based Protect PT Calls For Ban On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; CAC Member Asks For DEP Response  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Hearing Board Allows 2nd Appeal Of Tri-County Landfill Permit To Move Forward Over Threats Posed By Birds, Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste [PaEN]

-- Better Path Coalition Hosts April 19 Virtual Brown Bag Briefing With Justin Nobel On His New book About Radioactive Waste From The Oil & Gas Industry  [PaEN] 

-- The Derrick: State Intervenes In Venango Water Case [Fallout Continues From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill]  [PaEN]

-- Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition Official Joins Pittsburgh-based EQT In Saying We Have A 'Duty’ To Provide LNG Gas To China, Our Economic, Military Competitor  [PaEN]

-- CNX Completing $20 Million Fresh Water Pipeline To Serve Future Shale Gas Drilling, And Potentially Local Communities As An Alternative To The Westmoreland Municipal Authority  [PaEN] 

-- Act 14: Little Known State Law Gives Municipalities, Counties First Chance To Comment On DEP Permits Before Applications Are Submitted; Critical First Step In Public Involvement  [PaEN]

[Posted: April 11, 2024]  PA Environment Digest