PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 10

The following DEP notices were published in the August 10 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Denali Oilfield Services - Diesel Fuel & Production Fuel Release: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with diesel fuel and MTBE to meet Statewide Health Standards for the facility located in Delmar Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 5177)

-- Blackhill Energy LLC - Young Compressor Station: DEP received a Final Report on the remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the facility located in Springfield Twp., Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5177)

-- Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining & Marketing LLC - No. 4 Separator Release: DEP received a Final Report on the remediation of soil contaminated with PAHs [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons] and other organics to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the facility located at 3144 West Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia.  (PA Bulletin, page 5178)

-- Seneca Resources Company LLC - Watkins Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP issued a Technical Deficiency Letter on the Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater and oil-based drilling mud at the pad located in Chatham Twp., Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5179)

-- Seneca Resources Company LLC - Violet Bieser Unit 833: DEP approved a Final Report on the remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the site located in Chatham Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 5179)

-- Clean Energy Exploration & Production, LLC - Whispering Pines Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the pad located in Delmar Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 5179)

-- Diversified Production, LLC - Holben 5 Conventional Well: DEP approved a Final Report on the remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater [aluminum, barium, boron, chloride, iron, lithium, manganese, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc + other chemicals] at the well located in Washington Twp., Jefferson County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5179)

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups--

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 188 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permits

-- Tolna Power, LLC - Peaking Fuel Oil Power Plant: DEP invites comments on the renewal of an State Only Air Quality Permit for the facility located in Hopewell Twp., York County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5150)

-- Adelphia Pipeline - Quakertown Compressor Station: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval extension for the temporary operation of a new natural gas compressor station located in West Rockhill Twp., Bucks County. (PA Bulletin, page 5181)

-- Constellation Energy Generation, LLC - Fuel Oil-Fired Southwark Electric Generating Station: DEP renewed the TItle V Air Pollution Permit covering multiple sources of air pollution at this facility located in the City of Philadelphia. (PA Bulletin, page 5181)

-- Columbia Gas Transmission LLC - Artemas Compressor Station: DEP renewed an Title V Air Quality Permit for the facility located in Mann Twp., Bedford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5182)

-- Hamilton Power, LLC - Hamilton Oil-Fired Electric Generating Station: DEP renewed a State Only Air Quality Permit for the facility located in Hamilton Twp., Adams County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5182)

-- Range Resources Corp. - Smith Larry Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved de minimis air pollution increases for multiple sources of pollution at the pad located in Buffalo Twp., Washington County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5182)

NPDES Stormwater Permits

-- Peoples Natural Gas Company, LLC - 3 Miles Of New Plastic 12-Inch Gas Pipeline: DEP invites comments on an Individual NPDES Stormwater Permit for the Goodwin Thombaugh Pipeline Project using horizontal drilling impacting Pigeon Creek, Mingo Creek (High Quality) and South Branch Pigeon Creek located in North Bethlehem, Nottingham and Somerset Townships, Washington County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5137)

-- Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining & Marketing LLC - Bellwether District: DEP invites comments on an Individual NPDES Stormwater Permit covering 287 acres impacting the Schuylkill River located at 3144 Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia.  (PA Bulletin, page 5138)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- SWN Production Company LLC - Elk Lake Wetland Mitigation Site: DEP invites comments on a Chapter 105 permit for the Elk Lake School Stream Restoration and Wetland enhancement Project in Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County related to the remediation of a spill at the Seamans shale gas well site impacting White Creek in Harford Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5159)

-- PennEnergy Resources LLC - Buffalo Creek Water Withdrawal: DEP invites comments on a Chapter 105 permit for a water withdrawal structure to support shale gas drilling impacting Buffalo Creek (High Quality) located in North Buffalo Twp., Armstrong County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5161)

-- DTM Appalachia Gathering LLC - AGS Compressor Station Expansion: DEP invites comments on a Chapter 105 permit impacting wetlands located in Jefferson Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5162)

-- UGI Utilities Inc. - As Pipeline On Game Commission Land: DEP issued a Chapter 105 permit for the pipeline project impacting Whitney Creek (Exceptional Value) using horizontal drilling located in Hebron Twp., Potter County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5185)

-- Hyperion Midstream, LLC - 8.5 Miles Of 30-Inch Gas Pipeline Between Rogers Compressor Station and Athena Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved a Chapter 105 Environmental Assessment impacting Beaver Run (Exceptional Value naturally reproducing trout stream) and Exceptional Value wetlands and a drinking water supply located  Washington and Upper Burrell Townships, Westmoreland County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5187)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Olympus Energy LLC - Leto Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for activities at the pad impacting Dawson Run located in West Deer Twp., Allegheny County. (PA Bulletin, page 5163)

NOTE:   DEP Permit Efficiency: 18,387 Permits Since 11/2023; 8 Failed To Be Reviewed Within Deadlines, Eligible For PAyback; No Application Fees Refunded [8.8.24]

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [8.2.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 6 conventional and 6 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 134 conventional and 298 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 93 conventional and 200 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 8.2.24

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report - Most Recent

DEP Issued These New Oil & Gas Permits *

*Click Here to find oil and gas well permits recently issued near you

Sign Up! DEP eNotice: The Only Way You’ll Know When Applications Come In To DEP

Did you know DEP can send you email notices when permit applications are submitted to DEP in your community?  

This is the only way you can get notified of when oil and gas-related permits are submitted to DEP.   

You’ll also get notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations.

Click Here to sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE today!

Act 14 Notices To Municipalities

Many communities and citizens are not aware that a state law passed in 1984 gives them the first chance to comment on Department of Environmental Protection permit applications even before they are submitted to the agency.   Read more here.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 3 to 9 - Diversified Prod LLC Fails To Comply With Order To Plug Abandoned Shale Gas Wells;  700 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 10 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 10 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week:

-- Erie Times: How PA's Oil & Gas Industry Continues To Illegally Dump Wastewater On Roads Across The State  [PaEN] 

-- Residents, Environmental Groups, Advocates To Hold A Stand With Dimock Day On Aug. 16 In Montrose, Susquehanna County [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Aug. 20 In-Person Program On Investigations Into Rare Childhood Cancers In Washington County  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health Project Contributes To New Book On Sustainable Development & Rural Public Health - From Fossil Fuels To Greener Futures  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: Pennsylvania May Not Be Able To Keep All The Lights On In Four Years -  By Terry Fitzpatrick, Energy [Utilities] Association Of PA  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Fracking And Harris - How Close Is Too Close? - By Terrie Baumgardner, Clean Air Council’s Beaver County Outreach Coordinator

-- Erie Times - How PA’s Oil & Gas Industry Illegally Dumps Waste On Roads Across The State

-- Courier Times: How PA’s Oil & Gas Industry Illegally Dump Wastewater On Roads Across The State

-- NPJ Climate Action: Community Rights And Energy Politics In Lycoming County 

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: DEP Won’t Use Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners To Plug Abandoned Wells - By Commonwealth Foundation [Factually Wrong On Plugging Contracts + Conventional Well Owners Own Tens Of Thousands Of Abandoned Wells + They Got 687 Violations For Abandoning Wells So Far In 2024, One Well Owner Abandoned 120 Last Week Alone]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Diversified Energy Grows Via Culling, Harvesting Mature Conventional Gas Wells  [PDF of article]

-- City & State PA Guest Essay: New Gas, Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Rules Must Be Enacted For The Health Of Current And Future Generations - By State Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) and Pete Gosar, Wyoming, Western Leaders & Appalachian Leaders Voices

-- FracTracker Alliance: PA Oil & Gas Industry Trends - Drilled Wells, Violations, Production, Waste 

-- FracTracker Alliance: How Fracking Bans Protect Communities And The Environment

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Shale Drilling Becomes Leaner & Meaner, Lowering Costs  [PDF of article]

-- TribLive Podcast: Looking Back At The Plum Boro Natural Gas Home Explosion In Allegheny County

-- WFMZ: Natural Gas Leak Prompts Evacuations, Road Closure In Palmer Twp., Northampton County  

-- AG Henry Announces Settlement With Titan Gas, LLC Over Alleged Unlawful Telemarketing Practices

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Emma Lewis, Shell Senior VP Of Chemicals Wants To Build Trust And A Legacy At Shell’s Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County 

-- Beaver County Times: Native Tree Nursery & Forest Education Center Groundbreaking In Brady’s Run Park [Supported By Shell Petrochemical Plant Penalty Mitigation Fund]

-- Reuters: Petrochemical Makers Battle Global Glut

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Despite The Risks, Pennsylvania Races Into The Geologic Carbon Capture Era 

-- Utility Dive: Dominion Energy Says Its Ratepayers Will Be Insulated From PJM Capacity Auction Record High Prices 

-- Utility Dive: Constellation Energy Raises 2024 Profit Guidance Amid PJM Load Growth, Tighter Power Supplies 

-- Utility Dive: Federal Court Vacates FERC’s Reapproval Of 2 LNG Gas Export Terminals, Gas Pipeline

-- Washington Examiner: US DOE Files Appeal To Continue Pause On New LNG Gas Export Facility Permits 

-- E&E News: Oil And Gas Jobs Decline Amid Record-Breaking Production

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Producers Eye More Output Cuts As Prices Sink

-- Reuters: US EIA Forecasts Larger Decline In US Natural Gas Output For 2024, Citing Record Low Prices That Prompted Producers To Curtail Gas Production

-- Reuters: US EIA Sees Tighter US Oil Market For 2024, Lowers Price Outlook

-- Reuters: Natural Gas Price Shocks Play Greater Role In Euro Zone Inflation, ECB Paper Says

-- AP: Harris Once Wanted To Ban Fracking; Ex-President Wants Voters In Energy-Rich Pennsylvania To Remember

-- Inside Climate News: In PA’s Competitive US Senate Race, Fracking Takes Center Stage

[Posted: August 9, 2024]  PA Environment Digest