PA Environment Digest Blog: PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment

The following notices were published in the November 23 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities. Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- The Department of Environmental Protection published a corrected notice on the November 23 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a new State Only Minor Air Quality Operating Permit for the continued operation of the ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC [Energy Transfer] Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Processing Plant in Smith Township, Washington County. The facility has previously been permitted under a GP-5 and GP-1 Air Quality General Permits. (PA Bulletin, page 7595) The facility also suffered a major explosion and fire on Christmas Day 2022. Read more here.

-- The Shapiro Administration announced the Department of Environmental Protection has reduced its permit backlog by 75 percent since November 1, 2023 – and has completely eliminated the backlog for oil and gas permits. Read more here.

At a related event announcing a new PA Permit Fast Track Program, Gov. Shapiro said you can’t blame DEP anymore for delaying projects because of the progress they’ve made in permit modernization. Read more here.

DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley also had a related guest essay published on PennLive.com with the title-- Protecting Public Health Means Enforcing Environmental Regulations While Helping Businesses Thrive.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the November 23 PA Bulletin announced a December 12 regular business meeting to consider a new fee schedule, release a proposed General Permit for Into-Basin Water Diversions and water withdrawal requests, including six related to shale gas development. Read more here.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the November 23 PA Bulletin the Executive Director gave his approval to or renewed 42 general water use permits in October for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties. This brings the total general water permits approved by the SRBC in 2024 to 274. Read more here.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the November 23 PA Bulletin of water withdrawal projects approved for minor modifications in October, including one for Blackhill Energy, LLC shale gas driller in Bradford County

-- The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the November 23 PA Bulletin announcing the availability of an updated Non-Regulatory Agenda cataloging the technical guidance documents the agency has in development. Read more here.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - E.Rayisa Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with used motor oil to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the pad located in Brooklyn Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 7621)

-- Consol Energy - Conventional Well: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with Benzene, Cumene, Napthalene, Toluene, Total Xylenes, Trimethylbenzene, 1,2,4-, Trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-, Acen-aphthene, Anthracene, Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(a)- pyrene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene, Bi- phenyl, Chrysene, Fluoranthene, Fluorene, Indeno(1,2,3- cd)pyrene, 2-Methylnaphthalene, Phenanthrene, Phenol, and Pyrene to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the well located in Aleppo Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 7622)

-- Diversified Production, LLC - Davenport 8271 Conventional Well: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with Aluminum, Barium, Boron Chloride, Iron, Lithium, Manganese, Selenium, Strontium, Vanadium, and Zinc (wastewater) to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the well located in Derry Twp., Westmoreland County. (PA Bulletin, page 7622)

-- Diversified Production, LLC - Gaydos #5 Conventional Well: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with Aluminum, Barium, Boron Chloride, Iron, Lithium, Manganese, Selenium, Strontium, Vanadium, and Zinc (wastewater) to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the well located in Cumberland Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 7622)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - J. Blaisure Shale Gas Pad 1: DEP approved a Final Report November 4 on remediation of soil contaminated with diesel fuel to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the pad located in Jessup Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 7623)

-- EQT Corporation - Heart Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved a Final Report October 31 on the remediation of soil contaminated with Aluminum, Barium, Boron Chloride, Iron, Lithium, Manganese, Selenium, Strontium, Vanadium, and Zinc (wastewater) to meet the Statewide Health Standard at the pad located in Wayne Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 7623)

-- Consol Energy - 1462 Conventional Gas Well: DEP approved a Final Report October 31 on remediation of soil contaminated with crude oil-related chemicals to meet the Statewide Health Standards at the well located in Morris Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 7624)

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 254 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Waste Permits

-- Buckeye Leasing City Slag Quarry: DEP renewed Residual Waste General Permit WMGR-144 for processing steel slag for the construction of shale gas drilling well pads at the facility located in the City of Hermitage, Mercer County. Received March 7, Issued November 7. (PA Bulletin, page 7625)

Air Quality Permits

-- ETC Northeast Pipeline LLC - Revolution Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant: Correction to an earlier notice inviting comments on a State-Only Air Quality Operating Permit for continued operation of the facility located in Smith Township, Washington County. The facility had previously held a GP-5 and GP-1 General Permits. (PA Bulletin, page 7595) Read more here.

-- Texas Eastern Transmission LP - Perulack Compressor Station: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval covering credits for emission reduction for shutting down certain sources of air pollution at the facility located in Lack Twp., Juniata County. Received May 7, Issued November 5. (PA Bulletin, page 7626)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- SWN Production Company LLC - 2.3 Mile, 12-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline: DEP issued a Chapter 105 for a pipeline project impacting Dubois Creek and Exceptional Value Wetlands for the project located in Franklin Twp., Susquehanna County. Received March 28, Issued November 6. (PA Bulletin, page 7629)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Seneca Resources Co. LLC - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting the Tioga River, North Elk Run and Elk Run located in Covington and Richmond Townships, Tioga County. Received September 30, Issued November 4. (PA Bulletin, page 7631)

-- NFG Midstream Covington LLC - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting Croft Hollow Creek and Losey Creek located in Chatham, Deerfield and Farmington Townships, Tioga County. Received October 7, Issued November 4. (PA Bulletin, page 7631)

-- PA General Energy Co. LLC - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting a tributary to Loyalsock Creek (Exceptional Value) located in Plunketts Creek Twp., Lycoming County. Received August 27, Issued November 6. (PA Bulletin, page 7631)

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [11.15.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 5 conventional and 16 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 175 conventional and 461 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 149 conventional and 2282 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 11.25.24

*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

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 - Nov. 16 to 22 - $5.257 Million In Penalties; Conventional Well Owners Issued More Violations Than All Of 2023; More Abandoned Wells; Failure To Submit Shale Gas Reports [PaEN]

-- EPA, Justice Dept., DEP Announce $5.275 Million In Penalties, Plus $1.4 Million In Abandoned Well Plugging Funding Against Shale Gas Drilling Companies-- XTO Energy, Inc., Hilcorp Energy Company For Federal, State Clean Air Act Violations [PaEN]

-- DEP So Far In 2024: 6,907 Violations Issued To Owners Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wells - 153% More Than In 2021; 833 Violations For Abandoning Their Wells -- Exceeding All Of 2023 [PaEN]

-- Oil & Gas Wastewater Release At Bear Lake Properties Injection Well In Warren County Went Unreported For 109 Days; More Contamination Discovered Along Related Wastewater Pipeline Route [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - November 23 [PaEN]

-- DEP Prints Corrected Notice Inviting Comments On New Air Pollution Permit For Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Processing Plant In Washington County; Plant Suffered Major Explosion, Fire In 2022 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 60 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In November 23 PA Bulletin [PaEN]