DEP, SRBC Invite Comments On New Permits For PA General Energy Shawnee Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawal On The Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County After Failure To Comply With Its First Permit

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the August 19 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a revised Chapter 105 encroachment permit for the PA General Energy Shawnee shale gas drilling water withdrawal structure and pipeline utility crossing built out of compliance with its original permit.  (PA Bulletin, page 5216)

The project is located in Gamble and Plunketts Creek Townships in Lycoming County and withdraws water from the Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek.

On June 14, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and DEP discovered PA General Energy constructed its water withdrawal structure larger than what was proposed and approved in its original Chapter 105 application and SRBC’s water withdrawal permit.  Read more here.

PA General Energy is developing an extensive network of shale gas well pads for at least 86 wells on State Forest Land in the area and millions of gallons of water are needed to frack the wells.

The revised application has an impact on the Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek and on the Loyalsock Creek floodway, according to the notice.

In addition to the water withdrawal structure in and on the bank of the Loyalsock Creek, PA General Energy installed a pipeline corridor across the Loyalsock Creek for a 16-inch natural gas pipeline, 10-inch water pipeline and a 4-inch communications conduit.

The deadline for public comments to DEP is September 18.

Comments should be submitted to the DEP Oil & Gas Management Program, 208 West Third Street in Williamsport or by email to: RA-EPEASTERNOGPRG@pa.gov. 

SRBC Invites Comments

On July 19, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission said PA General Energy submitted an application for a major modification to the water withdrawal permit SRBC issued to reflect its  failure to build the water withdrawal to the specifications in the original permit.

SRBC originally approved a 2 million gallon a day withdrawal from the Loyalsock.  The revised application is not requesting an increase in the water withdrawal amount at this time.

SRBC staff is reviewing the application.

The SRBC is accepting comments on the application.  

SRBC has not yet scheduled the application for a formal hearing or action.  The next hearing is November 2 and next meeting is December 14.

Click Here for a copy of the application and to submit a comment.

Plagued With Violations

The construction of PA General Energy Company’s Shawnee Water Withdrawal last summer on the Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek resulted in multiple Clean Streams Law violations, an out-of-court settlement with the Fish and Boat Commission for other violations and threatened the habitat of the rare Eastern Hellbender, Pennsylvania’s clean water ambassador.

The construction resulted in multiple, heavy sediment plumes as PA General Energy constructed the water withdrawal and related freshwater and natural gas pipelines on both sides of the Loyalsock to service planned unconventional shale gas well pads on DCNR State Forest Land.

No monetary penalties or enforcement actions other than issuing notices of violation by DEP have been taken by either DEP or the Susquehanna River Basin Commission for any of these construction violations.

PA General Energy came to a private agreement with the Fish and Boat Commission covering some of the construction violations.  Read more here.

No enforcement actions have been announced by DEP or SRBC for the failure of PA General Energy to build its water withdrawal and pipeline corridor across the Loyalsock Creek in compliance with its original permits, except for notices of violation.

(Photos: Impacts of constructing Shawnee water withdrawal and pipeline crossing to Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek.)

Related Articles - PGE Violations:

-- DEP Finds PA General Energy Installed Its Shawnee Water Withdrawal On The Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek At Sizes Larger Than Authorized By Its SRBC, DEP Permits  [PaEN] 

-- Fish & Boat Commission Investigation Of Pollution From PA General Energy Natural Gas Development Construction Site On Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek Results In Settlement Agreement  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaints Result In DEP Issuing PA General Energy More Violations At Loyalsock Creek Gas Pipeline/Water Withdrawal Construction Site In Lycoming County   [PaEN]

-- Bay Journal: Hellbender Habitat Slammed By Pollution From Shale Gas Development In PA's Loyalsock Creek - By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal  [PaEN]

-- Rare Eastern Hellbender Habitat In Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County Harmed By Sediment Plumes From Pipeline Crossings, Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawal Construction Projects   [PaEN]

-- DEP: PA General Energy Cited For More Water Pollution Violations, Blocking The Whole Width Of Loyalsock Creek At Gas Pipeline/Water Withdrawal Construction Site In Lycoming County  [PaEN]

-- NO SPECIAL PROTECTION: The Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek In Lycoming County Is Dammed And Damned - Video Dispatch From The Loyalsock - By Barb Jarmoska, Keep It Wild PA  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues 2 NOVs Against PA General Energy For Water Pollution Discharges Into The Loyalsock Creek From Gas Pipeline/Water Withdraw Construction In Lycoming County   [PaEN]

-- DEP, Fish & Boat Commission Investigate Multiple, Continuing Water Pollution Discharges From PGE Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Site On Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County   [PaEN]

-- Exceptional Value Water Quality Designation, State Forest Land, River Honors Were Not Enough To Protect Loyalsock Creek From Natural Gas Drilling & Pipelines In Lycoming County - By Friends Of The 'Sock  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week:

-- The Center Square: Natural Gas Well Setbacks May Not Be Protective Enough After Health Impact Study Results 

-- Post-Gazette: Processing Research On Southwestern PA Natural Gas Development And Health, Residents Seek Answers Together: ‘We Deserve Better’

-- WTAE: To The Frustration Of The Village Of Reno Residents, ‘Do Not Consume’ Water Advisory Approaches One Month Mark In Venango County, After Contamination By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill 

-- Bloomberg Column: Cancer In Kids Is Too High A Price For Cheap Natural Gas - By Mark Gongloff

-- TribLive: 6th Victim Dies From Plum Borough House Explosion

-- TribLive: Gov. Shapiro Orders DEP Probe Of Plum House Explosion 

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Gov. Shapiro Directs DEP To Investigation Plum Boro House Explosion

-- DEP Working With PUC, Local And Allegheny County Agencies On Plum Boro House Explosion Investigation

-- AP: Underground Coal Mines Unlikely To Blame For Deadly House Explosion In Plum Boro, DEP Says

-- TribLive: DEP Inspectors Capture Gas Samples At Plum Boro Explosion Site, Await Test Results

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Is There Something Rotten [With Gas] In Plum?  PUC, DEP Must Investigate  

-- Observer-Reporter: Fayette County Commissioners Take Step To Prevent Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Wells 

-- Halt The Harm Network, FracTracker Alliance: Aug. 30 Webinar: Wasted Water - The Impacts Of Fracking's Water Use From PA To Colorado, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

-- NBC News: Millions In US Live Near Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Linked To Explosions And Toxins [Pennsylvania Profiled] 

-- NBC News: EQT Natural Gas, Abandoned Well Frack-Out, In New Freedom, Greene County Stirs Suspicion And A Year Of Frustration In Tiny PA Town 

-- The Allegheny Front: New Investigation Shows State Regulators Have Struggled To Keep Up With Pollution Events At Shell’s Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County 

-- Environmental Health News: Beaver County Community Will Get $5 Million Due To Shell Petrochemical Plant Pollution - Just Don’t Call It Charity

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Better Oversight Of US Natural Gas Pipelines Needed - By Pittsburgh City Council Member & former Colorado County Commissioner 

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Control Leaks From Natural Gas Pipelines

-- AG Henry Approves Settlement Of Anti-Competitive Energy Deal Between EQT Natural Gas, Quantum Energy Partners

Related Articles This Week:

-- University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Studies Find Shale Gas Wells Can Make Asthma Worse; Children Have An Increased Chance Of Developing Lymphoma Cancer; Slightly Lower Birth Weights  [PaEN]

-- State Dept. Of Health Apologizes For Not Listening To Communities Suffering Health Impacts From Shale Gas Development; New Health Study Results ‘Just The Tip Of The Iceberg’  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Who Pays For Natural Gas Development’s Harm?  Pennsylvania Should Acknowledge The Clear Fact That Fracking Has Hurt People, Specifically Children  [PaEN]

-- DEP Investigating Other Possible Sources Of Methane As Part Of Response To Plum Borough Home Explosion, Including Nearby Conventional, Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- Public Utility Commission Safety Investigation Ongoing Following Deadly House Explosion In Plum Borough, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- New DEP Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy, Definition Of Environmental Justice Areas Effective Sept. 16; Public Comments Accepted Thru Oct. 29  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Grants Variance From Containment Standard For 10 Aboveground Storage Tanks At American Refining Refinery In Bradford, McKean County  [PaEN]

[Posted: August 18, 2023]  PA Environment Digest