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

The following DEP notices were published in the September 16 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities. Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- The Department of Environmental Protection reports spills and releases from the oil and gas industry have created over 575 brownfield sites being cleaned up under the Act 2 Land Recycling Program, as of September 12, 2023.

And more are being created every week, according to PA Environment Digest’s weekly review of notices in the PA Bulletin.

There are at least 196 oil and gas-related sites in the process of being cleaned up-- nearly 34% of the sites in process-- and 379 oil and gas sites have been completed-- about 14% of the sites completed-- in the counties with shale gas and conventional oil and gas drilling in DEP’s Southwest, Northwest, Northcentral and Northeast Regional Office areas.

Read more here.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- American Refining Group Refinery, City of Bradford, McKean County: DEP has received a Risk Assessment concerning remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphthalene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4-(Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Pyrene, Chrysene, Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene and groundwater: Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphthalene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4-(Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Phenanthrene, Pyrene, Chrysene for EU-1W. The Risk Assessment is intended to document remediation of the site to meet the Land Recycling Program’s site-specific standards. (PA Bulletin, page 5839)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - O’Dowd SUS Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with production wastewater at the well pad located in Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 5840)

-- PennEnergy Resources, LLC - Dorsch Unit Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, sec-butyl benzene, tert-butyl benzene, cyclohexane, 1,2,4-trimethyl- benzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, cumene, naphthalene, acenaphthene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)- fluoranthene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene, chrysene, fluoran- thene, fluorene, indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene, 2-methylnap- thalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, 1,1-biphenyl, phenol, aluminum, barium, boron, chloride, iron, lithium, manganese, strontium, zinc, and selenium at the well pad located in Lancaster Twp., Butler County. (PA Bulletin, page 5840)

-- PPP Future Development, Inc. - Pastore 1 Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP approved a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene, sec-butyl benzene, tert-butyl benzene, cyclo- hexane, 1,3,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, cumene, napththalene, acenapthene, anthracene, benzo- (a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(g,h,i) perylene, Fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno- (1,2,3-c,d)pyrene, 2-methylnapthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and 1,1 biphenyl at the well located in Harborcreek Twp., Erie County. (PA Bulletin, page 5840)

Waste Permits

-- EQM Gathering OPCO, LLC - EQM Marlin AST Facility: DEP invites comments on a WMGR123 General Permit for the modification of piping design at the oil and gas wastewater facility housing eight - 1 million gallon wastewater processing tanks located in Jackson Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 5809)

Air Quality Permits

-- Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage, Inc. - Finnefrock Compressor Station: DEP invites comments on its determination to approve a RACT III Air Quality Plan for the facility located in Leidy Twp., Clinton County. (PA Bulletin, page 5813)

-- Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage, Inc. - Sabinsville Compressor Station: DEP issued a Title V Air Quality Permit for the station located in Clover Twp., Tioga County. (PA Bulletin, page 5843)

-- American Refining Group Refinery, City of Bradford, McKean County: DEP extended the Air Quality Plan approval for six months to allow the facility more time for project shakedown activities. (PA Bulletin, page 5843)

-- Columbia Gas Transmission - Eagle Compressor Station: DEP revoked Air Quality Plan Approval because air pollution sources were permanently removed at the facility located in West Vincent Twp., Chester County. (PA Bulletin, page 5845)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits/Section 401 Certification

-- Texas Eastern Transmission, LP - Pipeline Project: DEP invites comments on a request for Section 401 Water Quality Certification for a project to construct a 20-inch natural gas pipeline under the Schuylkill River in Spring City Borough, Chester County and Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County. (PA Bulletin, page 5852) Read more here.

The project proposes impacts to approximately 398 feet of the Schuylkill River, 4.88 acres of floodway, 0.67 acre of temporary impacts to a palustrine emergent wetland (Exceptional Value), and 0.78 acre of a permanent conversion to a palustrine forested wetland (Exceptional Value).

The project will also remove the existing 20-inch natural gas pipeline across the river.

-- CNX Midstream Operating Company LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 105 permit for a project to expose two natural gas pipelines and one water pipeline for approximately one year to prevent damage from longwall coal mining impacting Bates Fork Creek (High Quality) in Morris Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 5848)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Coterra Energy Inc.: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting White and West Creeks in Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 5849)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Rummerfield and Johnson Creeks in Wysox Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 5849)

-- EQM Gathering OPCO LLC - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting Browns Creek (High Quality) in Morris Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 5850)

-- Hyperion Midstream, LLC [Olympus Energy]: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting Thorn Run (High Quality), Steels Run (High Quality), Beaver Run (High Quality), Porters Run (High Quality) in Salem and Washington Townships and Murrysville Borough, Westmoreland County. (PA Bulletin, page 5850)

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [9.8.23]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 9 conventional and 8 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 127 conventional and 514 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 130 conventional and 285 unconventional

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report

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!

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