Saturday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips - 6.3.23

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House holds Regular Session June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22

-- Committee Schedule

Senate holds Regular Session June 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

-- DEP Moves To Enforce Order To Plug 4 Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells Leaking Methane In Allegheny County Owned By Michael Harju & Economy Natural Gas, Inc.  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 27 to June 2 -- Conventional Operators Fail To Start Plugging, Fail To Cleanup Spills; More NOVs For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - June 3   [PaEN] 

-- Observer-Reporter: Environmental Groups Seek Results Of Pitt Health Studies On Impact Of Natural Gas Development

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: These High School Students Are Grappling With Living With The Chemical Pollution From The Shell Petrochemical Plant And The Norfolk Southern Train Derailment 

-- Attorney General Henry Files Civil Complaint Against DuPont And Affiliates For Manufacture Of PFAS 'Forever Chemicals,' Seeks Payment For Cleanup Costs  [PaEN]

-- NYT: PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Makers Chemours, DuPont, Corteva Settle Public Water Lawsuits In $1.19 Billion Agreement

-- Pittsburgh Group Against Smog & Pollution: Despite Fee Changes, Air Quality Permit Backlog For Major Air Pollution Sources Still An Issue For Allegheny Health Dept, DEP

-- Now On Demand: Responsible Decarbonization Alliance Webinar On Climate Change And Penn’s Woods: What Does The Future Hold  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Cheswick Coal-Fired Power Plant Smokestacks Imploded Taking Down Power Lines, Damaging Homes  [Could Not Compete With Natural Gas]

-- TribLive: Plea In Catalytic Converter Thefts Spotlights Larger Problem

-- Citizens Voice: Dry Weather Impacting Area Farmers

-- York Dispatch: York County Issues Another 30-Day Burn Ban

-- Rep. Webster, Environmental Groups Promote HB 1275 Requiring Riparian Stream Buffers In PA To Help Reduce Flooding, Stormwater Damage - Video  [Sponsor Summary]

-- The Reporter: Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Rep. Sanchez Celebrate Installation Of Stormwater Tanks At Alverthorpe Park 

-- Lancaster Clean Water Partners: New Lancaster Conservation District Watershed Website Makes Improving Lancaster’s Waterways Easy 

-- Lancaster Conservancy: Lancaster Water Week Now Underway June 2 to 10 

-- Pocono Record: Solar Energy Project Proceeding With Protections For Swiftwater Creek

-- PA Resources Council Announces Schedule Of Summer Public Events Committed To Zero Waste In Western Pennsylvania  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh To Distribute Last Batch Of Blue Recycling Bins To Residents

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Dump More Fines On Litterbugs

-- DEP Posts 59 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 3 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- WITF/WVIA: PA’s U.S. Senators Call For More Intensive Study On Very Low Level Military Training Flights In PA Wilds

-- Fort Indiantown Gap Offers Free Guided Tours Of Rare Regal Fritillary Butterfly Habitat In Lebanon County  [PaEN]

-- Citizens Voice: Ricketts Glen Waterfall Featured On New Postal Service Stamp

-- Warren Times: PA Route 6 Alliance - First Bike-Friendly Business Designated In Warren County

-- Lancaster Farming: Proposed French Creek National Wildlife Refuge Draws Farm Opposition

-- June 2 Take Five Fridays With Pam From PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

-- Game Commission Provides Update On Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance

-- Governor’s Advisory Council For Hunting, Fishing & Conservation Seeking Candidates To Serve On Fish & Boat Commission Board In Multiple Positions

Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: These High School Students Are Grappling With Living With The Chemical Pollution From The Shell Petrochemical Plant And The Norfolk Southern Train Derailment 

6th Oil/Natural Gas Spike: True Energy Independence Means Renewables

[There Is No Limit To What Oil/Natural Gas Industry Can Make You Pay]

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rig Count Same As Last Week - 24

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- City & State PA: 7 Things To Watch For Leading Up To The PA General Election

-- The Center Square: New Budget Plan Saves ‘For A Rainy Day’ In Pennsylvania

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Open Opioid Meetings, Reveal Gov. Shapiro’s Calendar

-- Observer-Reporter: Former Washington County Couple Plead Guilty To Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol 

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[Posted:  June 3, 2023]  PA Environment Digest

Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 27 to June 2 -- Conventional Operators Fail To Start Plugging, Fail To Cleanup Spills; More NOVs For Abandoning Wells

From May 27 to June 2, DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database shows oil and gas inspectors filed 529 inspection entries that resulted in reporting 107 new and continuing violations of environmental regulations-- 83 violations by the conventional oil and gas industry and 23  violations by the unconventional shale natural gas industry.

So far this year-- as of May 26-- DEP issued 2,694 formal notices of violation to conventional operators and 621 to unconventional shale gas operators based on 6,490 inspections of conventional facilities and 10,306 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities.

Conventional Operators Refuse To Plug Wells

The Department of Environmental Protection gave notice in the June 3 PA Bulletin it is taking action to enforce an order against Michael Harju and Economy Natural Gas, Inc. for their failure to plug four conventional natural gas wells leaking methane in Scott Township, Allegheny County.  (June 3, 2023 PA Bulletin, page 3031)   Read more here.

The plugging is being done pursuant to two orders issued to Michael Harju and Economy Natural Gas, Inc. on April 6, 2023, according to the notice.

Michael Harju, based at PO Box 23 in Spring Church, Armstrong County, is the owner of record for 159 conventional oil and gas wells, according to DEP’s online eFACTS database, and has multiple violations against him, including failure to submit annual production and waste disposal and well integrity reports and abandoning wells without plugging them..

Economy Natural Gas, Inc, also based at PO Box 23 in Spring Church, Armstrong County, is the owner of record for 110 conventional oil and gas wells, according to DEP’s online eFACTS database, and has multiple violations against it, including failure to submit annual production and waste disposal and well integrity reports and abandoning wells without plugging them.  Read more here.

Well Abandonment NOVs

DEP issued a total of five notices of violation for abandoning without plugging conventional oil and gas wells last week.

Pennfield Energy LLC remains in violation for two wells-- H. McDowell 8 [DEP inspection report] H. McDowell 17  [DEP inspection report]-- in Mineral Township, Venango County after telling DEP well plugging was supposed to start May 15, 2023.  

No well plugging equipment was found onsite at either well during an inspection last week.

DEP issued new NOVs to First American Energy Inc. for abandoning and not plugging three conventional gas wells-- Hedgehog Lot 25, 26 and 33 in Bradford Township, McKean County.

Failure To Cleanup Spills, Leaks

DEP inspected the Dorso LP Trax Farms 5 conventional well on May 31 as a follow up to a spill of production wastewater and found the value on the wastewater tank was still open and leaking and the area has not been remediated in Union Township, Washington County.

DEP did a follow up inspection on the D & M Painting Corp Cox 1 conventional well found the operator failed to remediate the results of a leak of production wastewater from a tank on site in Amwell Township, Washington County.

A follow up inspection of the Big Dog Energy LLC Pizzi 4 conventional well found the operator failed to remediate a leak of production wastewater and a tank on the site was still leaking in Amwell Township, Washington County.

Other Inspection Results

Diversified Prod Company was issued an NOV for failure to stabilize the LV Means 80A 1  well site to protect it from erosion and sedimentation in Perry Township, Jefferson County.  [DEP inspection report]

DEP issued NOVs to Edinboro Gravel Co. for failure to submit production and waste disposal and mechanical integrity reports for the conventional Edinboro gas well in Washington Township, Erie County used for home gas.

EQT ARO LLC was running a huge bank of evaporators to dispose of production water in an automated process under an Air Quality Permit, but no new violations were found at the COP Tract 551 Pad B unconventional shale gas wels in McIntyre Township, Lycoming County, according to DEP’s inspection report.

Chesapeake Appalachia LLC had good inspections at two unconventional shale gas well pads in Bradford County, Terry Township -- Stoorza [DEP inspection report] and Grippo [DEP inspection report]-- that saw no evidence of previous violations for waste piles and erosion and sedimentation concerns.  The violations are still listed as outstanding, according to DEP’s inspection report.

Click Here for spreadsheet on oil and gas inspections reported by DEP between May 27 and June 2.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and operator.

Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.

(Photos: top- Economy Natural Gas, Inc. Nixon 501-1 conventional well site; Pennfield Energy, LLC H. McDowell 8 & 17 conventional well sites; bottom- EQT ARO, LLC production water evaporators at shale gas well site COP Tract 551 Pad B (2 photos), Diversified Prod Company LV Means 80A 1 conventional well site.)

[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]

[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period.  Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]

PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- DEP Moves To Enforce Order To Plug 4 Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells Leaking Methane In Allegheny County Owned By Michael Harju & Economy Natural Gas, Inc.  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 27 to June 2 -- Conventional Operators Fail To Start Plugging, Fail To Cleanup Spills; More NOVs For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - June 3   [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posts 59 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 3 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Susquehanna River Basin Low Stream Flows Trigger SRBC Water Withdrawal Restrictions On 46 Oil & Gas Drilling Operations & Other Water Users  [PaEN] 

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports PA Natural Gas Production Peaked In 4th Quarter 2021 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets June 13 To Hear Acting DEP Secretary Negrin Outline His Vision For Changing DEP; Enforcement, Customer Service Strategies; Permit Review Changes; Environmental Justice Plans; More  [PaEN] 

[Posted: June 3, 2023]  PA Environment Digest 

Fort Indiantown Gap Offers Free Guided Tours Of Rare Regal Fritillary Butterfly Habitat In Lebanon County

During the months of June and July, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs wildlife staff will provide free guided tours of the only population of the rare regal fritillary butterfly in the eastern United States at Fort Indiantown Gap, near Annville, Lebanon County.

Reservations are required and attendance is limited. All attendees, including children, must register online and obtain a free permit. To attend a tour, you must present a permit for that specific date and time slot.

Guided tours will be offered, rain or shine, on June 30, and July 1, 7, and 8. No rain dates will be provided.

“These tours allow the public to see this rare butterfly and its grassland habitat on military training ranges, as well as the many other natural wonders on the 17,000-acre military installation,” said John Fronko, director DMVA Bureau of Environmental Management. “Staff will also highlight a variety of animals and plants found at Fort Indiantown Gap and how the military presence on the installation is vital to the persistence of these species and their ecosystems.”

Attendees will be required to travel from the meeting location to the tour location in their personal vehicles. Tours will last approximately one hour plus driving time. Meeting location and parking information will be provided after obtaining a permit.

Visitors of all ages and abilities are welcome to attend. Tours will be on foot on gravel roads and mowed paths. Please bring drinking water and wear appropriate clothing and footwear for uneven terrain. 

Wandering off the path, into the fields, or away from your tour guide is prohibited. There will be little or no shade on the tour route.

Like many military installations, FTIG is home to a diverse population of plants and animals, many of which are rare and considered species of conservation concern. 

It is home to 49 species of mammals, 143 species of breeding birds, 37 species of reptiles and amphibians, 35 species of fish, more than 800 species of plants, and many notable species of invertebrates including 86 species of butterflies and more than 500 species of moths. 

These species persist at FTIG because it provides an assortment of high-quality habitats. 

This includes rare early successional ecosystems such as grasslands, thickets, shrub lands, and young forests which were created and maintained from disturbances caused by military training, fires, and conservation efforts. 

The installation is home to 1,000 acres of scrub oak and pitch pine barrens and approximately 2,200 acres of native grassland habitat – the largest in the state.

Fort Indiantown Gap, which serves as headquarters to the DMVA and the Pennsylvania National Guard, is the only live-fire, maneuver military training facility in Pennsylvania. 

The 17,000-acre installation balances one of the region’s most ecologically diverse areas with a military mission that annually supports nearly 18,000 PNG personnel and more than 113,000 additional personnel from other branches of service, multinational partners and interagency partners at the federal, state and local level.

General inquiries about the tours can be emailed to RA-DMVA-Wildlife@pa.gov or call (717) 861-3299. 

For more information, visit the Fort Indiantown Gap Regal Fritillary Butterfly Tours webpage.

Related Articles:

-- PA U.S. Senators Casey, Fetterman Request Full Environmental Impact Statement On Maryland Air National Guard Very Low Level Military Training Flights [100 Feet] Over PA Wilds  [PaEN]

[Posted: June 2, 2023]  PA Environment Digest